Can Children With Baby Teeth Have Braces?

Houston Pediatric Dentistry Blog

Can Children With Baby Teeth Have Braces?

Orthodontic treatment for children usually starts when they have lost their primary or baby teeth, and most of their permanent or adult teeth have grown. For most kids, this happens when they are between 7 and 14 years old. You can take various preventative measures to help develop your child’s smile while they are growing. However, there is another approach, which involves using dental appliances for children who still have baby teeth.

How To Know If Your Child Needs Braces At An Early Age

As a parent, you can identify early signs that your child is ready for braces. One way to determine if your kid needs braces is if they are finding it difficult to chew, speak, bite, or mouth breathing. Another indication is if your baby experiences an early or late loss of primary teeth.

If your child shows any of these signs, you should visit an orthodontist. Addressing these issues early before your child develops all their permanent teeth is essential to avoid any complexities. Early intervention plays a crucial role in your child’s smile. Here are the top common signs that your child needs braces.

1. If Your Kid’s Teeth Are at Risk of Permanent or Severe Damage

If your child is experiencing abnormalities or issues that could cause severe damage to their permanent teeth, then it is time to seek the help of a professional orthodontist. Your child can be ready for braces even at an early age of just seven if their teeth are crossed over one another, have an extreme overbite, or overcrowded. However, an initial orthodontic treatment plan might be costly. There are also cases where your child might require braces twice in their life to protect their permanent teeth from damage.

2. If All Your Child’s Baby Teeth Have Fallen Out

Most of the time, dentists usually like to wait for a child to lose most of their primary teeth before they can put on the braces. You can start checking out an orthodontic treatment plan for your child when you realize that most of their baby teeth have fallen off. As soon as your kid’s first permanent teeth start to appear, you can go ahead and book a consultation exam with a pediatric dentist. A professional dentist will monitor the loss of the baby teeth and then determine the right timeline for your child to receive their orthodontic treatment plan. They will also be able to tell you the perfect time to put on the braces.

3. Developing A Healthy Smile For Your Child

Orthodontists strive to ensure that both the lower and upper teeth fit together correctly. Your child’s orthodontic treatment plan highly depends on their unique needs. Some children need a phase one orthodontic treatment while they still have some of their primary teeth. For these kids, their individual needs involve the growth guidance of their bones in both jaws to create room for adult teeth. As such, their treatment plan is set on predictable dental development stages and physical growth stages. On the other hand, some kids can wait for all or most of their adult teeth to come in before getting any orthodontic treatment. Braces ensure that the jaws and teeth align correctly, resulting in a beautiful and healthy smile.

4. Eruption Of 12-Year Molars

The 12-year molars usually start to erupt when children are between the ages of ten and thirteen. As such, dentists prefer to place braces after these molars have erupted (partially or fully). In most cases, these molars may erupt closer to other teeth or even become larger; hence, they may end up filling the gaps naturally or even push on other teeth. In such a case, placing wires and brackets before the 12-year molars come in could make the teeth shift or result in overcrowding.

When To Schedule Your Child’s Orthodontic Evaluation

According to AAO (the American Association of Orthodontists), children should have their first orthodontic evaluation by the time they are seven years old. This helps the orthodontist to detect any issues and offer the right treatment to correct it before it becomes worse. Kindly reach out to Texas Orthodontics Specialists for your child’s free orthodontic exam.

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