When your child hears that he might need braces, he’ll probably feel anxious. Understandably, children and especially teenagers worry about how braces are going to make them look. But there are times when a young person needs to have braces because his dental problems are affecting his dental health and overall comfort. Still, before you get braces for your child, it’s important to talk to him about how he feels about it and be sure to discuss your options and concerns with your orthodontist as well.

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Reasons Why Braces Are Needed

There are several reasons why children need braces. Some are for cosmetic reasons, others are for health reasons. There are also those who might need orthodontict treatment so that they will be able to conveniently and properly clean their teeth or chew their food. Lastly, some require braces to correct allignment damage down to teeth because of an accident.

1. Teeth Alignment

Crooked teeth is one of the most common reasons whey your child may be fitted with braces. The braces will help straighten his teeth, and sometimes, will aid in improving the shape of the face. Although this is a largely cosmetic issue, a child might need braces early on to encourage proper teeth growth as the child also matures and develops. Also, teeth may be crooked as a result of over crowding in the mouth so in the process of being fitted for braces, your child may have to have one or more teeth extracted.

2. Underbite

A child has underbite when his lower jaw protrudes and his lower teeth jut out to the point that these cover the upper teeth. Underbite can be genetic, or it can be due to thumb sucking or bad chewing habits. This can affect other teeth, especially the molars. It is important to correct the condition as this can cause headaches, chewing difficulties, as well as temporomandibular joint syndrome.

3. Overbite

Overbites can also be due to genetics, thumb sucking, or excessive use of pacifier. Normally, the upper teeth are supposed to overlap the lower teeth by just a few millimeters, about 3 to 5 mm. But when a child has overbite, which means that the upper teeth overlap by more than 5 mm, he’ll experience difficulties in chewing. Sometimes, chewing becomes painful too, and the overbite also causes headaches and temporomandibular disorders.

4. Overcrowding

Overcrowding is not a pressing dental dilemma. However, a child can choose to have braces in order to address the problem. Most experts recommend for children or young adolescents to wait until their late teens or early twenties before deciding to have braces. This will give the jaw time to develop, and when the jaw becomes larger, it might accommodate the teeth much better. So, for some, overcrowding resolves on its own.

5. Crossbite

This is a condition wherein teeth are tilted toward the cheek or the tongue. Similar to overbite and underbite, this dental problem is inherited as well. It can get worse with thumb sucking and bad chewing habits. It must be treated as soon as possible because it puts undue stress on the jaw, and it can be quite painful too.

About the author: Claire Patel is a freelancer who specializes in issues related to health and lifestyle. She hopes that her articles will give people more information about what they can do to make their health better, and some of her materials have been used by Johns Creek dental clinics.