Does Your Child Need Braces? 4 Signs It Is Time To Visit A Dentist

If you always wonder whether your kid needs braces, this article is for you. Generally, seeking help from a dental office like Maple Springs Dental is the best way to know for sure if your kid needs braces. However, before you schedule a dental appointment, you can usually determine if your kid could use braces. Here are the four reasons why your child might need braces.

1. Your Kid Has Crooked Teeth

One of the common reasons your kid might need braces is to straighten their crooked teeth. But why are your child's teeth crooked in the first place? Crooked teeth can be caused by genetics, thumb sucking, mouth breathing, or dental trauma. When you take your kid to a dental clinic, the dentist will evaluate your kid's teeth and determine the best type of braces that can work perfectly for them. Braces exert some pressure on the crooked teeth and push them to their right position.

2. Your Kid Has Bruxism

Bruxism is a condition where your kid involuntarily grinds their teeth when they are asleep. Crooked teeth, a bad bite, or anxiety are the main culprits for bruxism. Besides being a nuisance to other people in the family, bruxism can affect your child's dental health in many ways. It can lead to sensitivity, chipped teeth, or even temporomandibular joint pain. A competent dentist can offer braces treatment to straighten crooked teeth or correct a bad bite so that your kid can sleep without grinding their teeth.

3. Your Kid Has Speech Difficulties

The position of your kid's teeth determines how they pronounce words. Does your kid whistle or lisp as they talk? Do they slur their words? If yes, you need to visit a dentist for braces treatment. Braces can collect misaligned teeth and jaws to enable your child to pronounce words properly and speak fluently. This could boost their confidence and participation in class.

4. Delayed Loss of Baby Teeth

Kids lose baby teeth at different times. But if your child is past the age of losing baby teeth, the chances are that the adult teeth may be already developed and will have no room to erupt. Unfortunately, your kid's adult teeth will be overcrowded or crooked. A reputable dentist can offer braces treatment to align crooked and overlapped teeth and ensure your kid's smile is healthy and attractive. They could even extract the remaining baby teeth to create room for adult teeth.

Braces can help collect different dental flaws. Is your kid experiencing any of the above problems? A competent dentist can provide braces treatment to align your kid's teeth to improve their smile and speech.