If you notice that your child's teeth are growing crookedly or there is evidence of an overbite, crossbite or underbite, take them to see a child's orthodontist. Conditions such as these are better treated when your child is still in their early years. Here's what you need to know about early orthodontic treatment.
First Dental Visit
As soon as your baby's first teeth start showing at around six months, you should start planning for a paediatric dentist visit. This does not mean that your child's teeth have a problem, visiting the paediatric dentist is just a precaution. The dentist examines your baby's gums and teeth to ensure that they are growing correctly and healthily.
The good thing about this first visit is that the paediatric dentist can create a dental visit schedule for your child, where they can monitor your child's teeth as they grow. You benefit from such a schedule in that the dentist can catch any underlying condition early and treat it before it becomes worse. Your child also develops a good culture of maintaining their teeth's health, through cleaning and avoiding teeth damaging foods.
Dental Visit Due to Crooked Teeth or Evidence of an Overbite, Crossbite or Underbite
First, the dentist has a sit down with you and your child to discuss the problem in detail. This is mostly to help you understand why crooked teeth, overbites, crossbites and underbites might cause problems to your child as they grow and why realignment or readjustment is necessary.
Not only can the mentioned conditions affect how your child chews or talks, but they can also affect their social well-being. Children like teasing each other a lot. If your child is emotionally sensitive, they might become depressed, which can affect academic performance and their life generally.
The dental conditions mentioned above might also be easier to rectify at an early age when your child's gums and jaws are still growing. Treatment at a later age might be difficult and more extensive, where surgery can even be recommended.
Once you understand why early orthodontic treatment is necessary (from your sit down with the dentist), you can then discuss treatment options and how to make them favourable for your child. Different children behave or respond to various circumstances differently; your child's dentist works with you to better understand your child and offer the best treatment.
For more information paediatric and teenager orthodontic care, contact an early orthodontist.
