3 Reasons Orthodontic Treatment May be Needed on Baby Teeth

The majority of parents wait until all of their child's adult teeth have grown in before thinking about orthodontic or dental treatment. However, it is recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists that kids come in for an official evaluation by the time they reach age seven. This is because there are some more severe issues that might take place prior to all the adult teeth erupting. If these problems are not addressed early on, it can lead to more serious problems down the road. Some conditions that should be addressed with early orthodontic treatment are found here.

Crossbites

If your child bites down and their upper teeth are sitting inside of the lower teeth and tilting toward the tongue or cheek, then they have a crossbite. This can occur on both or either side, the back or front of the mouth. In most cases, this issue will not correct itself and only get deeper as time passes. This can cause quite a bit of pressure to be put on the jaw. The good news is, correcting this issue is fairly simple, even when a child is still growing.

Severe Overcrowding

The baby teeth are considered space holders for adult teeth. If the mouth is severely overcrowded, then it can cause the permanent teeth to become impacted, which is when the teeth cannot erupt through the gums, or even erupt at the wrong angle down the road. Early treatment for this problem may include a dentist removing some teeth or the application of braces to help guide the adult teeth into the desired position.

Blocked Eruption of Adult Teeth/Canine Impaction

Impaction can be a huge issue for a child's mouth, especially when it occurs with the canine teeth. This is because these teeth influence the proper function of all the other teeth in the mouth. If the canines become impacted it can lead to cysts or even damage or the loss of teeth nearby.

In most cases, a child's dentist will recommend that they seek orthodontic evaluation and treatment. It is a good idea to follow this advice since the issues highlighted here can lead to serious issues that require extensive and expensive treatment later on. The fact is, early treatment is a good idea because an orthodontist can make the necessary adjustments and provide treatment while the jaws are still growing. This makes it easier to alter the structure of the jaw and move the teeth in a child's mouth to the proper position.