Does my child need braces?
There’s lot of things you worry about as a parent.
Are my children healthy? Is this the right school for my child? What can I do to ensure they have a good future?
And it’s no different with their oral health. Now, we’re not saying all children have crooked teeth and need to undergo orthodontics - but it is good to know the signs and when you might want to book an appointment with your dentist/orthodontist.
So in this blog, we’ll be covering some questions and depending on your answers, you can see whether or not your child may need braces.
Does your child have a Crossbite?
Crossbites are caused by a misalignment of the top and bottom arches, it is where the teeth bite the opposite way round. Crossbites tend not to improve with time and usually can only be fixed with braces.
Does your child have a significant overbite or underbite?
This means that your child's teeth will either appear significantly too far forward or too far back. In these circumstances it is better to have an evaluation by an orthodontist sooner rather than later so treatment options can be discussed prior to growth.
Does your child have an Open bite?
Open bites are most commonly caused by the way the jaw grows. The sucking of thumbs/fingers or dummies can also contribute towards an open bite. This commonly shows when back teeth are closed but a gap between the top and bottom teeth is visible (see picture for example).
Does your child have spaced out teeth?
Sometimes spacing between the teeth can occur when a child’s teeth are too small for their jaw bone (see picture for example). Usually spacing can close with age, but for cases where this doesn’t happen then braces are an option.
Does your child have over crowded teeth?
Crowding is a very common problem that can often be resolved with braces if detected early (see picture for example). Overcrowding is usually caused by baby teeth being lost too early or too late, or where the jaw does not have enough space for all of their adult teeth.
These are the more common types of issues when it comes to children’s teeth and they can be resolved with orthodontics. If you’re still not sure whether your child would need braces then it’s best to get the opinion of your dentist. They can then advise you further and perhaps recommend you to an orthodontist. Braces are free on the NHS for people under the age of 18 subject to eligibility on the IOTN scale, but the waiting list is currently around 3-4 years. So if you desire to have your child treated sooner, private care is also an option.
Get in touch today if you have any queries.
Tel: 0161 884 1481
Email: info@manchesterorthodontics.co.uk
- Mohammad Malik
