Is It Better to Get Your Child Braces Now or Wait?
Most people know that braces are the very best way to straighten teeth and align the jaw. But when it comes to choosing braces for your child, it can be difficult to decide when is the best time to do it. While you might want to wait until your child is an adult due to cosmetic concerns and the like, there are some perks of doing it sooner in your child's life. Here's what you should know about that.
Braces at Any Age
To be clear, if your child has problems with their jaw or teeth, they can get these issues resolved by a kids orthodontist. So if something happens and you can't get your child braces now, it doesn't mean that they're doomed to have a crooked smile. That being said, if you can manage to get your child orthodontic help now, it's best to do it sooner than later.
Consider Getting Braces Now
When your child's adult teeth move in, they're much like early growing wisdom teeth. It takes a while after a tooth emerges from the gums for its roots to completely harden and be supported by the jaw bone. If orthodontics are applied during this stage, the teeth can move more easily and with less discomfort than if you tried it as an adult when the teeth are already firmly set in place.
Another perk is that children's jaws are still growing at a young age. When developmental problems with growth occur that result in things like overbites and underbites, the problem can be solved as an adult, but it may require longer treatments, additional applications like headgear, or even surgery to fully amend the problem. By getting braces for your child while their jaw is still growing, the braces can be utilized to encourage the jaw to either move out more or be held in, depending on your child's needs. This can help them to grow up with a perfectly aligned jaw.
Get a Second Opinion
If you're not sure about your child's need for braces or still aren't convinced, consider setting up an appointment with an orthodontist for a consultation. Your orthodontist can perform a simple examination of your child to get a basic idea of how their jaw and teeth are growing. From there, they can provide advice on whether or not your child needs braces, a retainer, or something else.
If your child's teeth and jaw are growing well, your orthodontist may suggest coming back a little later in their life to check up and make sure everything is still fine. But if there are already problems developing, it's a good idea to say yes to orthodontics right away.