The moment your baby’s teeth begin erupting, you need to take good care of them to make sure they stay healthy. Moreover, once your kid’s teeth have developed, you need to brush them and floss them daily and to take your kid to the dentist at least two times every year for examination and cleaning.
While the above information is known by most people, most people do not know that the teeth of some kids require extra care. The extra care that can only be adequately provided by an orthodontist. So is it time to take your kid to the orthodontist? Does your child really need one?
Dentists Work to Spot Dental Issues Early
When you take your kid to the dentist, the dentist will conduct a thorough exam to discover any potential dental problems like misalignment of the teeth, a misaligned jaw, crooked teeth, overcrowding, and uneven spacing. These problems can only be properly diagnosed by a dentist.
Once your child’s dentist discovers a special dentition problem, he or she will most likely refer your child to an orthodontist for further examination, tests, and treatment. Orthodontists are specialist dentists whose expertise is to straighten teeth and to correct crooked bites.
Children are usually referred to orthodontists from when they are as young as six or seven. However, most dentists usually only refer children between the ages of eight and fourteen to orthodontists. This is because it is between eight and fourteen when most dentition problems usually fully manifest themselves and can be detected during a dental examination.
According to ADA (the American Dental Association), the earlier you take your child for a dental exam and treatment, the better. The Association argues that it is best to treat dental conditions when a child is still young and growing. Nevertheless, even teenagers, young adults, and adults who have dentition problems can also be successfully treated by orthodontists. There is no age that is too old to have dental issues fixed.
Some Parents Think Orthodontists just do Cosmetic Dentistry
Despite the many benefits of wearing braces, some parents usually equate orthodontists to plastic surgeons. They argue that orthodontists just help people with crooked teeth to look good. Well, yes they do! This is exactly what orthodontists do. They correct underlying dentition issues and the result is better looks and improved self-confidence.
While some parents might think working with an orthodontist to correct their child’s crooked teeth is a bit too expensive for just better looks and improved confidence, this is not the case. Because while your child’s crooked teeth, overbite, underbite, or any other dentition issue may look just like a small anomaly right now, it can cause many problems in the future. It can cause teeth loss, speech problems, gum diseases, or cavities. It can also cause pain in the jaw as your child grows older.
This is why it is important to take your child to the dentist as early as possible so that they can be referred to an orthodontist in case there is a need. When you take your child to the orthodontist, there will be a consultation and then tests to document the problem. And then lastly, there will be a discussion of possible treatment options and how to move forward. The entire process is usually designed to be clear and transparent and to eliminate any doubts you may have about the available treatment options.
A Problem-free Mouth Equals a Healthy Child
Once any problem detected in your child’s mouth is resolved through treatment, you can feel proud that you have taken care of something that could have caused major problems later on for your child. And remember, the mouth is an important part of the body. So a healthy and problem-free mouth is essential for overall health and wellbeing.
Just like you would take your child to the hospital for checkups if they exhibited some symptoms, take them to the dentist any time you suspect they need any sort of help. The dentist will conduct an exam and confirm the presence of any condition that needs work and advise you on what to do next.
