Orthodontic treatment begins long before braces are utilized, so it’s important for parents to keep these common warning signs in mind!
Dental checkups at least twice a year are important for everyone, especially children. Your dentist may recommend that your child will need orthodontic treatment at a pretty young age during these appointments, and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that every child should get their initial consultation with an orthodontist by the time they are 7 years old.
This of course doesn’t mean that your child will begin their orthodontic treatment at 7, but it’s important for parents to understand that early detection of orthodontic issues is extremely important. Early detection can always go a very long way in terms of reducing the invasiveness of a child’s orthodontic treatment, and in general it makes everything a lot easier.
Below are 4 common signs that parents should keep in mind when it comes to recognizing whether or not orthodontic treatment will be necessary for their child:
1. Prolonged Thumb Sucking
Thumb or finger sucking is of course not going to immediately necessitate a child’s need orthodontic treatment, but this is a common sign that a child’s mouth may develop in a way that will more likely necessitate braces later in life. The best thing you can do as a parent is try to eliminate this bad habit as early as possible, but of course it’s still okay if your child did keep sucking their thumb for a prolonged period.
This childhood habit is just something that parents should keep in mind when it comes to knowing whether or not orthodontic care will be needed.
2. Overlapping Or Crowded Teeth
This type of dental problem is always rather blatant for parents as they’re determining whether or not their child may need orthodontic treatment, and it’s common for your child’s dentist to recognize the progression of crowding even before you do.
But of course dental appointments are typically spaced out by about 6 months, so that’s plenty of time for a young child’s crowding to develop in between visits to the dentist.
This is why parents should always reach out to Dr. Karpac as soon as they recognize their child’s teeth overlapping one another, because coming in as early as possible will later provide your child with a much easier, efficient treatment.
3. Baby Teeth Falling Out Early
The early loss of baby teeth is one of the quickest signs that parents can recognize when it comes to the overall need for their child to obtain orthodontic treatment.
It will always be 100% necessary for a child to get dental attention if they start losing their baby teeth really young or in any type of unusual way. This could potentially be a sign that the child’s permanent teeth are quickly beginning to become overly crowded, which is pretty serious for such young kids.
In this type of situation, Dr. Karpac will more than likely conduct a series of x-rays so we can get a thorough examination as to what’s occurring within the child’s gums. This helps us get a clearer understanding as to whether or not the early loss of baby teeth will be closely related to a future orthodontic issue.
4. Recognizable Overbite
A lot of young children experience a rather severe overbite as their teeth and jaws are developing, and many children find overbites uncomfortable for a whole variety of reasons.
Many parents will want their child’s overbite corrected for aesthetic purposes, but it’s important to understand that overbites actually can pose many other physical issues that only orthodontic treatment can resolve. An example of this would be misaligned jaws, and seriously misaligned jaws can sometimes require surgery if not adequately treated by an orthodontist at an early age.
Reach Out To JK Orthodontics To Learn More About How We Help Parents Better Recognize Their Child’s Need For Orthodontic Treatment
There truly are countless problems that cause children to require orthodontic treatment, but the good news is that the vast majority of these oral health issues can be smoothly resolved via early detection and care. This is why it’s absolutely critical for every parent to remain vigilant when it comes to keeping a lookout for their child’s overall dental development, and making sure that their child is going to the dentist at least twice each year.
All of us at JK Orthodontics have seen the difference that early detection can make when it comes to the efficiency and comfort of a child’s treatment, so always feel free to reach out to us online or call us at 614-766-0330 (Dublin office) of 614-471-6355 (Gahanna office) to get in touch with our team and let us know how we can help your new child patient!