Like those at Putney Dental, experts recommend that it is best to have orthodontic treatment completed in the earlier stages of life rather than waiting until adulthood. This is down to the fact that, in many cases, issues such as jaw alignment can be remedied and completely prevented in the younger years of life, rather than reverse damage caused later in life.
With that said, you may be considering whether to move forward with orthodontic treatment for your child or are looking to determine whether it’s best to start now or wait until the teen years, and so we have five pointers for you below.
Getting a leg up on treatment and starting as early as possible has many advantages that range from preventing issues with bone development and much more; take a look.
You’re Keeping Teeth Clean
One of the most common reasons that parents take their young ones to the orthodontist is for simple straightening and alignment processes, which are primarily going to assist in keeping teeth clean and allowing oral hygiene to be easy to maintain, say AAO Info.
With that noted, it is important to consider that if your child has crooked teeth or x-rays reveal that there could be a crowding issue, that it may be worth your while to get a head start on preventing all of these issues.
Tools such as braces or clear aligners enable your child’s teeth to develop and be carefully aligned in a way that is easy to clean and floss and thus creates fewer avenues for plaque build-up, for example.
Preventing or Reversing Bite Issues
Another key point to keep in mind is that bite problems are common in many children simply due to their development. Without correction, these bite issues can cause a range of problems down the line that can sometimes require surgery or the breaking of the jaw to fix.
To dig a little deeper, bite issues can cause more than just problems with the alignment and straightening of teeth; and can also cause issues with the development of face structure and more.
Added to this, there may also be problems with the width of the palate, causing your child’s smile to be somewhat narrow, again causing crowding problems and potential hygiene issues in the future.
Reducing Improper Tooth Loss
When it comes to the loss of baby teeth, there is typically a range of issues that can arise if this tooth loss isn’t monitored closely.
You may already be aware that when a child loses a baby tooth, the new teeth that fall into their place can grow in an awkward or crooked position, which can then have a follow on effect all the other teeth in the mouth, causing them to all grow in crooked or misaligned with one another.
The use of specialized orthodontic devices can remedy these issues and allow the adult teeth to grow in a more curated and healthy way that does not result in jaw misalignment or overcrowding in the mouth.
Mitigating the Chances of Physical Harm
One often-overlooked advantage of orthodontic treatment for our little ones is the potential reduction of physical harm to both the teeth and the inside of the mouth.
For many younger kids, rambunctiousness is a given, and sometimes when crooked or protruding teeth are concerned, there can be room for injury in that the teeth hit the mouth’s interior and cause injury. On top of this, there is also the chance of slips and falls resulting in the knocking out of protruding teeth and more likely to be struck on a table, for example.
Saving Money in the Future
To the financial advantages now, and it isn’t a secret that getting on top of these orthodontic requirements is a lot more cost-effective in the younger years. However, it will also prevent a lot of costly changes in the future.
Everything from needing braces as an adult to requiring teeth replacements and even root canals can be majorly prevented by beginning with orthodontic treatment as early as possible. You don’t want to see your child need major dental work in the future because crowded teeth have created an impossible-to-clean part of the mouth.
The Takeaway
With those points above out of the way, it is relatively simple to see that getting in early on, altering and managing the growth of the teeth as early as possible has many benefits beyond just financial ones, and so it is always suggested that as a parent you do all you can to reduce any issues in the future with regards to your child’s dental health.
Keep in mind that with a range of government subsidies available for children’s dental treatment, it might become far cheaper to get your little one’s teeth routinely looked at by an orthodontist rather than waiting for them to reach their teen years.