When My Child Should See An Orthodontist?

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By Rocky Mountain Kids Dentistry

Many parents do not know when is the right time to take their kid to see an orthodontist. Your kid may have some dental issues like crooked teeth, or maybe the jaw is not developing properly. So, here are a few points that suggest the right time to take your kid to see an orthodontist.   

When Should My Child See An Orthodontist?

Your Child Has Turned 6

Depending on your child’s tooth growth, they may begin to lose baby teeth between ages 5-6. Shortly after this, you should have a few permanent teeth start to emerge. This phase of your child’s tooth development is crucial in their smile journey. 

Child’s Teeth are Overlapping 

Overly crowded and spaced-out teeth are common issues in the orthodontic world. If you see early on that your child is having any of these issues, it is better to be proactive and come up with a treatment plan before the spacing or crowding becomes a severe problem. 

A crowded mouth can make the teeth more difficult to clean, which boosts the chance of dental decay. Ultimately, this also raises the possibility of gum disease. Too much space between your teeth can feel like less of an issue, but it can also result in gum disease due to less defense from your teeth. 

An Overbite, Underbite, or any other Bite Issue

An overbite is when the upper teeth protrude over your bottom teeth. Most people have at least a little overbite. This misalignment issue can cause jaw pain, headaches, trouble opening and closing your mouth, trouble sleeping, and even difficulty speaking. 

 An underbite occurs if your lower jaw protrudes further. Underbites can cause many similar problems as an overbite. Some the childhood habits like thumb sucking, sucking a pacifier, pushing teeth with the tongue, and long-term feeding from a bottle are a few common causes of an underbite. That is why we recommend getting your children to see a pediatric dentist in Englewood at a young age.

Mouth Breathing 

Although this sign might not seem to be an apparent orthodontic issue, mouth breathing can cause severe damage. If your child is continuously breathing in an odd way where the air is passing straight into the lungs and not through the nose, you should without wasting any schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist in Englewood. 

Mouth breathing can cause uneven facial growth, chronic ear conditions, sleep disorders, upper airway diseases, and impaired jawbones which can cause more severe orthodontic issues later in life. This issue can become habitual and hard to break as your child gets older, so it is vital to correct this as soon as possible, at an early age. 

Looking For The Best Orthodontist?

Children & orthodontics treatment has a long history; in the first place, orthodontists were only for kids, but now thanks to the evolution in dentistry, people of all ages can take its benefit.

If your child has already exceeded the age of 7, there’s no need to stress, you can schedule an appointment at any time with our proficient pediatric dentist in Englewood. The main difference between younger and older patients is that the jawbones of children and teenagers are still developing. Thus, it becomes easy for kids to achieve the treatment without having to deal with more issues & also in less time.

 Being proactive and scheduling appointments while your children are still young can reduce the need for surgery to align the jawbone. However, it’s never too late to explore more options for treatment for your kid to provide them with a healthy smile. So, what are you waiting for? Book an appointment & get the customized braces & orthodontics treatment for kids in Englewood for your child today at our dental office in Englewood.

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