How Children’s Dentistry Can Reduce the Likelihood of Children Needing Braces

In our children's dentistry office, we like to provide parents with information about important topics such as orthodontics. It is common for parents to ask us questions about whether their child needs braces and how quickly they should consider getting them.

Before ever getting to this point though, it is important for parents to realize that there are specific things that can be done to decrease the likelihood of a child needing braces now or in the future. In our dental office, we regularly work on these factors to ensure that our young patients have every opportunity for their teeth to grow in healthy and in the correct position. Ultimately, it is best if a child needs very little orthodontic intervention.

Preventing the need for braces

It is not always possible to prevent the need for braces completely. However, it is certainly possible to reduce the likelihood that a child will need braces and to help their teeth grow in properly so that if they do need braces, the treatment time will not need to be as long. Let us explain.

One of the main reasons that children will need braces is because of overcrowding and not having enough room in their palate for their new adult teeth. A common cause of this problem is children losing teeth prematurely due to an infection or an accident. For example, if a tooth were to fall out on the playground because the child accidentally bumped their tooth while playing, that tooth is unlikely to have been ready to fall out. This means that a child could go for quite some time before the new tooth grows in. This creates a problem. Their baby teeth are supposed to hold a spot for the adult tooth to grow in. If it is not there, the surrounding teeth can begin to encroach upon that space, leading to overcrowding. Therefore, we recommend that children wear a mouth guard when playing or practicing sports to reduce the likelihood of them losing a tooth prematurely.

Also, we recommend that children visit our office for a dental cleaning and examination twice per year. This is important because it allows for us to clean their teeth and remove any plaque and tartar that has built up over time. By doing so, we are reducing the likelihood of them developing dental decay or an infection. Simultaneously, if a child does suffer from dental decay, we need to remove the decay and restore the tooth immediately so it cannot spread. This too reduces the likelihood of a child prematurely losing a tooth and suffering from overcrowding as a result.

Prevention works

In our children's dentistry office, we know that prevention is incredibly effective. Keeping teeth clean at home and visiting our office on a regular basis can help to prevent decay. Taking the steps in protecting teeth when playing sports can help to prevent premature and unnecessary tooth loss. Combined, these steps make it more likely that a child will lose their teeth when they are ready and the adult tooth is ready to descend.

Put simply, our prevention methods are designed to allow the body to function as it should. Teeth are going to fall out, but if they do so and the adult tooth is ready to come in, the chances for overcrowding will be significantly reduced.

Orthodontic consultation

If we determine during an examination that it is likely one of our patients will require orthodontics, we may recommend scheduling an early orthodontic consultation. This can be done as young as seven and there are several advantages to doing so. Primarily, it allows an orthodontist to use various techniques to create space in their mouth and reduce the likelihood of them needing to wear braces or needing to do so for very long. In some cases, just a few orthodontic solutions can make it so that a child will not need braces.

Schedule an appointment

To learn more about how to prevent the need for braces or to see if your child does need them, schedule an appointment with our children's dentistry office. We will be happy to provide additional information and to treat all the children in your family.

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