Prevention is always cheaper than treatment – this applies to all aspects of your well-being, including oral health. If you want to protect your kid’s smile, you should take them for early intervention orthodontics.
What is Early Intervention Orthodontics?
Early intervention orthodontics is the examination and treatment performed on children between eight and ten years old. It addresses issues like teeth crowding, spacing, and protrusion before children develop their permanent teeth.
After examination, the dentist will suggest appropriate treatment to address any issues. The three most common treatment options are wearing partial braces, palatal expanders, and retainers.
Does Your Child Need Orthodontic Treatment?
Although taking children for regular dental check-ups is important, the following require immediate orthodontic treatment.
- Premature tooth loss – See a doctor if your baby sheds teeth before their fifth birthday.
- Malocclusion – is a condition where jaws don’t meet when biting, causing chewing difficulties.
- Crowded or gaping teeth – this generally occurs between their sixth and seventh birthdays.
- Thumb-sucking in children older than five.
- Mouth breathing and snoring.
The Benefits of Early Intervention Orthodontics
Here are the top benefits of early orthodontic treatment.
Early Diagnosis of Potentially Serious Issues
The most crucial benefit of early orthodontics is the detection of potential issues regarding your kid’s oral health. Early diagnosis improves the chances of getting cured while reducing costs. It also saves your kid from pain, as this intensifies as the issues worsen.
Improved Self-confidence
Most children experience self-esteem issues when growing up – if ignored, low self-confidence can develop into something more serious that hampers their ability to interact with others.
One of the ideal ways to boost your kid’s self-esteem is by maintaining oral health. Having white and adequately aligned teeth ensures they feel confident among their peers.
Taking your kid to an orthodontist assures them of straight and aligned teeth. Even if braces can cause a little stigma, the effect of wearing them makes it worthwhile.
Better Speech
When looking for a cause for speech problems in children, many overlook teeth alignment. However, improperly aligned teeth are a common factor that causes lisps, mispronunciation, slurring, and other speech problems.
Early intervention orthodontics guarantees better speech by ensuring your children have good teeth.
Improved Oral Hygiene
Maintaining oral hygiene with misaligned, gaping, crooked or chipped teeth can be challenging. This is because food particles might get stuck in areas that toothbrush bristles can’t reach.
As a result, the particles turn into plaque, inviting bacteria and increasing the risk of cavities, decay, and tooth loss.
Contrarily, straight teeth make it easier for the bristle to reach both surfaces. Proper brushing lowers the risk of cavities, discoloration, decay, and loss. It also contributes to whiteness, which improves confidence.
Better Digestion
Digestion of solid foods starts in the mouth. For this reason, your kid must have strong, straight teeth that break down solids into smaller, swallowable particles. When this happens, the stomach has an easier time digesting and absorbing them into the body.
On the other hand, poor tooth alignment affects digestion. Since food particles aren’t properly chewed, they go into the stomach as large chunks.
As a result, it takes longer to digest them, and a considerable amount ends as waste. If unobserved, it can cause malnutrition and other health problems.
Regulating Poor Oral Habits
Some children like sucking thumbs, but this usually ends before five. Your child risks damaging their teeth if the behavior persists beyond this age. You can prevent such damage by taking them to an orthodontist, who will prescribe braces.
Final Words
Most parents assume that kids should start orthodontic treatment in their teens. After all, that’s when permanent teeth emerge.
However, oral health experts recommend starting earlier, preferably between eight and ten.
Early intervention orthodontics is more effective and produces more lasting results because it’s easier to deal with temporary teeth. It also familiarizes children with dental procedures at a tender age.
Jean Smith is a fitness enthusiast and blogger who focuses on fitness and a healthy lifestyle. She is passionate about assisting people in living healthier lifestyles and is constantly on the lookout for new and creative methods to stay fit and healthy. Her articles are excellent resources for anyone interested in improving their health and fitness.