While most adults know that a visit to an orthodontist should be scheduled on occasion, a majority of people will only opt to do this when they develop serious problems with their teeth that are beginning to impact their quality of life. And it is because of this same attitude that adults assume children do not need to see an orthodontics specialist, under the presumption that their teeth still need to mature. In truth, you should take your child to see an orthodontist as soon as they start to lose their teeth. The following piece highlights a few of the convincing reasons why children should visit an orthodontist on occasion.
An orthodontist will identify an abnormal number of teeth
When your child starts to lose their baby teeth, they become vulnerable to some dental issues — most commonly having too many or too few teeth. When you set up an orthodontic appointment, the orthodontist will examine their teeth and check for any abnormalities in their dental formula. For instance, some kids are prone to developing shark teeth, which happens when a new tooth starts to erupt under the baby tooth. Alternatively, your child may have supplementary teeth, which hinder the growth of permanent teeth, so they have to be removed by an orthodontist. On the other hand, your child could have lost some teeth, and new ones have not erupted to fill the gaps, which can lead to changes in the positioning of their teeth. It should be noted that an abnormal dental formula could also potentially damage the jaw, too.
An orthodontist can prevent the development of troublesome habits
Children are quite susceptible to harmful habits that can damage their oral health for the long term. For example, thumb sucking may seem innocuous, but when left undeterred, it can cause a cross bite that will be challenging to correct down the road. Other types of harmful habits you should be aware of to maintain healthy teeth include mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, bruxism, and even letting them use a bottle or pacifier way past their infancy. An orthodontist can help with mitigating these potential problems in several ways. Firstly, they will advise you on practical behavioural techniques that can help wean your child off these habits. Secondly, if the techniques do not work, your orthodontist an employ habit-breaking tools that will act as physical hindrances against engaging in the habits as mentioned above.
Share3 December 2018
As a mother, I've seen my kids' faces light up after they've lost a tooth – oh, the excitement they feel about getting their grown up teeth! However, I've also seen my kids become extremely scared and anxious after having an adult tooth knocked out. If you're a mom or a dad with a busy kid, chances are you might see a tooth knocked out in a skateboarding accident or a sport pile-up. This blog is dedicated to those moments when you could lose your wits, and it's here to ensure you don't. I am collecting and curating the best information about kids and dental emergencies here so that you will have it when you need it. Best of luck with your kids' smiles!
