If your child has jaw and teeth misalignment issues, you should not worry, as these are some of the most common dental problems in children and occur for various reasons. Some may be due to pediatric habits, while others may be inherited, accidents, or dental diseases. In most instances, you may notice teeth irregularities, but sometimes your dentist may bring it to your attention and request you see an orthodontist.

It does not matter when or how you notice that your child has a dental problem; only an orthodontist or a dentist can determine if your child requires braces. The American Dental Association (ADA) and The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommend that you take your child to a dentist or orthodontist for a check-up by the time they are seven years. Your dentist or orthodontist will spot any potential issue and determine if your child will require braces when you do this.

Sometimes, correcting these issues early with your orthodontist will help you and your child avoid the hassle of extensive and expensive treatments in the future. Although both ADA and AAO recommend visiting your dentist or orthodontist when your child reaches the age of seven, certain teeth eruption and jaw growth issues require dental checkups at six or even five.

Taking your child to the dentist at this stage does not mean that treatment will commence immediately. You can have a consultation with your child's dentist or orthodontist, who will assist in developing plans for your child's dental care. Since most orthodontic treatment procedures focus more on improving your child's appearance, it is essential to prioritize this visit.

At La Puente Advanced Dentistry, our team will help correct your child's misaligned and crooked teeth, ensuring a healthy and bright smile throughout their lives. Currently, more than 75% of teens require an orthodontic treatment procedure. Therefore you must check for signs that could indicate that your daughter or son will need to have braces. Some of the characters that you should look out for when deciding if your child will need to have braces include and are not limited to:

Unusual Timeline When It Comes to Losing Their Baby Teeth

While your daughter's or son's baby teeth are essential in ensuring a beautiful smile, they usually come out between the ages of 5- 7 years as they are not permanent teeth. They also play an essential role in your young one's oral development while holding space on the jaw for the permanent teeth to come incorrectly. The permanent teeth will come in when your child loses their baby teeth.

When you notice that your young one is losing their baby teeth and the permanent ones are growing at a rate that does not match their agemates, it is clear that they will need to have braces later on. One of the issues that should concern you when your child loses their baby teeth at a rate that does not match their peers is that it can cause jaw alignment and tooth inconsistencies. When they lose them earlier than usual, it could cause a massive gap between them and the permanent teeth. On the other hand, if they do not come off at the appropriate time, it could lead to teeth crowding.  

If your child loses their baby teeth much earlier than expected, it may mean that their permanent teeth may erupt incorrectly. On the other hand, if your child loses their baby teeth later than the scheduled time, it may lead to their permanent teeth being trapped underneath their gums. Also, if your child loses their teeth early or later than the expected time, the loss can cause teeth and jaw misalignment.

You will realize that your child's permanent teeth require room to develop. This means that even if your child still has baby teeth, they will do so, they will do so when the permanent teeth are ready to come. If the permanent teeth come in before your child loses their baby teeth, it could cause shifting and overlapping teeth in your child's mouth. Additionally, when permanent teeth come in before your child's baby teeth come off, it will cause higher chances of crooked teeth.

In most cases, baby teeth usually fall out in their own time, but if your son or daughter is over the age of 12 and they still have their baby teeth, it would be best if you consult with your dentist or orthodontist if having braces is the best option. Braces are a simple way to fix your child’s teeth, ensuring they retain their precious smile, and it helps alleviate the pain and discomfort that comes with baby teeth loss.

When Your Child Experiences Pain or Has Trouble Biting or When Chewing

Eating or chewing becomes quite painful and challenging when your child has a misaligned jaw and teeth. Difficulty in chewing or eating could pose a health issue for your child, affecting their growth and development. Having braces will help rectify this situation as braces will shift the teeth into an ideal position that allows for the teeth' normal functioning. When it comes to teeth misalignments, you will notice them if your child:

  • Experiences pain while eating or chewing. This pain will mostly occur when they chew hard food or bite an apple.
  • When you notice that your child is not chewing their food well, this is worrisome as it could cause stomach pain and ingestion.
  • When your child starts avoiding food, they will experience pain as they eat when they have an unaligned jaw. Your child may try to avoid eating, which will give them relief from the pain. When you realize that your child experiences pain while eating, you should encourage them to eat soft foods with minimal chewing.

If Your Child Has Crowded Teeth

When you notice that your child has crowded teeth, it's time to look for a dentist or an orthodontist to treat this condition. One way to realize that your child has crowded teeth is when there is no room in their mouth to accommodate the new permanent teeth that are coming in.

When your child has crowded teeth, their adult teeth may turn sideways or overlap when they come in. Crowded teeth can lead to the development of a lisp, and your child may experience discomfort or pain while chewing. A lisp will impact your child's speech and also harm their confidence.

Crowded teeth create small spaces between teeth that can trap bacteria and hide leftover food particles, leading to plaque formation. Over time this will lead to tooth decay and cavity formation. If you do not seek orthodontic attention for these crowded teeth, your child's mouth's condition will worsen as they grow. Your child will be unable to properly brush or floss their teeth, resulting in cavity formation, gum diseases, or bad breath. Fixing the issue of overcrowding by using braces ensures that your child is confident and healthy, promoting their development.

When You Notice Abnormal Bites

When it comes to an abnormal bite, several types will require your child to have braces. Your dentist will develop a treatment plan for your child depending on the type of abnormal bite present. Abnormal bites include:

Overbite

 An overbite is one of the most common abnormal bite problems. Your child's front teeth will stick out or protrude over their bottom teeth in an overbite. An overbite will cause your child to breathe using their mouth as they can not quickly close their lips.

Underbites

Your child will have an underbite when their lower teeth sit or protrude forward from the upper teeth. Underbite usually develops when there is an overgrow on your child’s lower jaw or when their upper jaw has an undergrowth.

Open bites

An open bite occurs when your child's front teeth do not touch their lower teeth.

Deep bites

Your child will have a deep bite when their front teeth overlap their bottom teeth.

Crossbites

Your child will have a crossbite when their jaw moves to one side due to an improper fit, which can be on either the upper or lower teeth. Crossbites mainly result in chipped teeth, poor jaw alignment, and pain. Crossbite could lead to expensive and extensive treatment like jaw surgery later in life if left untreated.

If you Notice That Your Child Has Crooked Teeth

If you notice that your child’s teeth are crooked or appear to be overlapping, you will know that they will need some form of orthodontic treatment to rectify them. In most cases, crooked teeth form as a result of:

  • Mouth breathing can lead to overlapping or crooked teeth in children.
  • Hereditary. if one of the parents has crooked teeth, there is a high possibility of their kid having crooked teeth.
  • Thumb sucking.

If Your Dentist Tells You That Your Child Requires Braces

Sometimes, you may not notice anything indicating that your child will need braces, but when you visit your dentist for a routine check-up, they might recommend orthodontic treatment. Your dentist may recommend braces for your young one when they notice the following:

Teeth Alignment

If your dentist notices that your child has an unaligned jaw, they may recommend braces. An unaligned jaw and teeth could cause your child to suffer from bite problems if they go untreated for long.

Bad Bite

Your child will suffer from a bad bite when they have an unaligned jaw. Braces will correct your child’s bite and ensure that they do not experience pain resulting from the abnormal bite.

Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

If your child grinds their teeth while sleeping, you should prepare for orthodontic treatment as their chances of chipping their teeth are high. Teeth grinding can also contribute to your child’s jaw pain and damaged teeth.

When Your Child Experiences Difficulty in Their Speech

Your child’s teeth and jaw alignment plays a crucial role in their speech. If you note that your child is experiencing difficulties in their speech, it can manifest as:

Slurring of their words

If you realize that your child is slurring their words while speaking, it is an indication that you will need to visit your dentist. In most cases, slurring occurs due to a lack of room in your child’s mouth. Your dentist can perform an orthodontic treatment procedure or refer you to an orthodontist. To correct this problem, the orthodontist will develop a treatment option that will allow your child's lower jaw to grow, creating more space in their mouth for more permanent teeth to grow comfortably. Once all the adult teeth come in, the orthodontist will recommend braces to help your child speak properly.

If Your Child Can Not Pronounce Words Clearly

Sometimes, you may realize that your little one has difficulty pronouncing some letters like S. The issue of poorly pronouncing words may be due to a bad bite. Braces will help your child speak as they will correct the bad bite.

Thumb-sucking

When you see your child thumb-sucking, you may not pay too much attention to it, but this habit could result in teeth and jaw misalignment. When your child sucks their thumb, they can pull their front teeth forward, which could cause severe crowding on their bottom teeth. When your child sucks their thumb, they apply extra pressure on their teeth, affecting how their permanent teeth come in.

In most cases, children stop thumb sucking between the ages of 2 to 4 years. Thumb-sucking can change how your child's jaw and roof of the mouth develop. If your child continues to suck thumb when older than 4, you should note that they will require braces later.

If your Child Has Blocked Teeth

When your child has blocked teeth, their teeth overlap or are held too close in their mouth. Blocked teeth can result in teeth and jaw alignment issues, which may cause them to have lisps.

Jaw Clicking or Shifting

Your child may have a shifting jaw, which indicates misalignment. It is essential to consult with your dentist as soon as you realize jaw shifting in your child. It will be easy to treat misalignment when you seek medical assistance early as your child’s jaw is still developing. One way to notice if your child has jaw clicking or shifting is when you see them biting their cheeks or when their teeth appear crooked.

When You Realize Your Child Prefers Breathing Through Their Mouth

Sometimes your child may be suffering from dental health issues that can make them feel more comfortable breathing using their mouth. Mouth breathing may be because their jaws are not aligned correctly, or their tongue does not fit properly in their mouth. When your child breathes using their mouth, it can develop a narrow jaw that does not have enough space for all the permanent teeth. Their lower jaw will be narrow since their tongue sits on their mouth’s bottom instead of the roof. The weight of the tongue will result in the development of a narrower lower jaw.

A narrow jaw can cause overcrowding on the lower jaw, resulting in excruciating pain. Also, overcrowding can be very unhygienic, which results in the development of other oral health issues. When your child starts breathing using their mouth, it is time to consult with your dentist about available orthodontic treatment options.

If Your Child’s Baby Teeth Have Gaps Between Them

When you see gaps between your young ones’ baby teeth, it can signify that they will require braces later on. However, you will need to wait until the permanent teeth come in, as these gaps can sometimes fill themselves over time.

Cheek Scarring

Cheek scarring is one sign that indicates that your child will need braces as it shows cheek biting. Cheek biting can result from teeth misalignment and be very painful, especially when your young one attempts to talk or eat. Braces will correct teeth misalignment and help ease your child’s pain. Additionally, it will prevent tissue damage as your child will stop biting their cheek.

Misplaced Teeth

Misplaced teeth can have an unfortunate effect on your child’s oral health. When your child has misplaced or overlapping teeth, they may experience pain and have issues with their speech. Having braces will sort out most of these issues and place your child on their path toward success.

While fitting in the braces, your dentist may remove some teeth. Teeth removal should not worry you as the braces will close those gaps, ensuring that your child has that dazzling smile as they will align the teeth properly.

Contact A La Puente Dentist Near Me

All children are different, making it impossible to make blanket statements about fixing their braces. Let your dentist examine them and recommend a treatment option that will suit your child well. Your child may require braces to improve their speech and live a more confident life. To give your child the necessary foundation for their lives, you should ensure they are confident as they face their lives. Therefore it is crucial to know what signs to look out for before visiting your dentist. You do not have to worry about the treatment options available, as you can discuss them with your dentist or orthodontist. At La Puente Advanced Dentistry, our team will discuss the best course of action for your child’s teeth. If you have any questions, kindly call us at 626-626-7075 and schedule your consultation