By Emily Taylor
When children lose their first few teeth, it can be a very exciting time for them, but it is also the time for you to ensure that their new incoming teeth are straight and properly aligned. Early warning signs of crooked teeth include trouble swallowing, speaking, and an unusual facial appearance.
Our teeth are designed with function in mind, not perfection. Anywhere you look you’ll see kids with crooked teeth.
So what causes crooked teeth?
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1. Poor myofunctional habits
⇒ Thumb sucking
⇒ Breathing through mouth
⇒ Tongue thrusting and lip sucking
A key way to prevent crooked teeth is by making sure that there is not a lot of constant pressure on the gums. Thumb sucking, pacifiers, tongue thrusting, and lip sucking can hurt teeth and jaw development and make them grow awry. By correcting these habits in your child, you will prevent them from having misaligned teeth.
2. Malocclusion (misaligned jaw)
Your upper teeth are meant to fit slightly over your lower teeth. Without this alignment, malocclusion occurs. Common types of malocclusion include overbites, underbites, open bites, overcrowding, overjet, protrusion, crossbite, spacing, and diastema.
3. Genetics
If you or your spouse has crooked teeth, chances are your child will too.
4. Illness or injury
A hit to the mouth or face can result in crooked teeth due to the impact.
5. Poor dental care
If your child doesn’t visit the dentist regularly, they could develop gum diseases or cavities. This could lead to misaligned teeth and other dental problems.
Health Issues Due to Crooked Teeth
1. Periodontal disease
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Cleaning between crooked teeth isn’t easy. This can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. If left untreated, this gum disease can build up to periodontitis which is a severe infection that can damage teeth and bones.
2. Chewing
Having crooked teeth leads to difficulty in chewing and improper digestion.
3. Excess wear
Crooked teeth cause excessive wear and tear on the teeth, gums, and jaw muscles, leading to cracked teeth and jaw strain.
4. Speech difficulties
Your child may have difficulties in speaking because of crooked teeth.
How to Fix Crooked Teeth?
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1. Correct bad habits at the earliest stage possible
Bad habits like thumb-sucking and other myofunctional habits should be corrected at the earliest in your children so that their chances of getting crooked teeth reduce.
2. Schedule a dental visit
It’s never too early to take your child to the dentist. Make your first appointment with the dentist when your child is seven.
3. Get orthodontic treatment
If your orthodontist prescribes orthodontic treatment, get your child braces or Invisalign to straighten their crooked teeth.
The orthodontic treatment works best between the ages of 8 to 14. As your child is growing, his/her jaws are still weak, which makes reshaping easier. Applying pressure to the jaw makes the jaw grow in the direction of the pull.
In some cases, where a child has buck teeth, the orthodontist may use palatal expanders to align the teeth and jaw properly.
Teeth can be corrected at any age. However, as you get older treatment takes longer. If taken to the dentist in time, you can help your child to develop teeth that are properly aligned and avoid dental complications later in life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Emily Taylor found the perfect fit for herself as the Online Marketing Manager at Thurman Orthodontics in Fresno CA as she believes that a great smile does more than just make a person look great – it makes them feel great as well. The power of a smile has always been a mystery to Emily, and she loves researching and writing about it. She writes about everything to do with a healthy bite and a beautiful smile – whether is it ways to achieve it or the importance of it in the various aspects of life. What brings a big smile on Emily’s face is her family and surfing. She also likes to bake, and her children and co-workers call her the cookie fairy!
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