Kids are taught about the basics of dental hygiene at a young age. That is, brushing their teeth to keep it healthy. However, there are times when brushing may not be enough, especially when the problem lies in how their teeth are aligned.
When such a case happens, a general dentist’s help may not be enough. Fortunately, there are plenty of orthodontists around the Oviedo, Florida area. These specialists are equipped to diagnose and treat orthodontic problems, which are either inherited or acquired through habits like thumb sucking.
Here are some that may be affecting the way your child chews or practices speech, and ways to treat them.
Abnormal Eruption
Eruption refers to the way a tooth appears in an area where it isn’t supposed to be. This can happen to anyone, even infants as young as a month old. Regardless of the eruption problem the child may be experiencing, the dentist will likely intervene by extracting the tooth.
However, there are some instances where extraction isn’t the first option. Diastema, for example, is a problem that has to do with the spacing between incisors. If a child has a diastema, a dentist may recommend braces or veneers or crown.
Bite Problems
Misaligned teeth present more worries than bite problems or malocclusions. It can also cause other dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease, sleep apnea, and even chronic jaw pain if not treated properly.
Malocclusion comes in many forms, like crossbite and underbite. A child may be experiencing crossbite if their teeth are found sitting inside the lower teeth when the mouth is closed. This can happen to either the front teeth or the back teeth, sometimes both. Crossbite in the front can be fixed with braces or retainers.
Underbite happens when a child’s lower teeth extend farther than their upper front teeth. This malocclusion can be mild, when the upper and front teeth almost meet but don’t, or severe. That is, there’s no possibility of the two sets meeting because the space is too wide.
Underbite in kids can be fixed with a palatal expander that widens the upper jaw. This is a process that takes time because the equipment makes it so the expansion is done in tiny increments. The expander can then be replaced by a retainer after a year or so.
It’s also possible to make malocclusions less visible with cosmetic dentistry, more specifically, veneers. While it doesn’t completely fix the problem, it does make it seem as if everything’s alright.
Crowding
As its name suggests, crowding happens when a child’s jaw is too narrow, resulting in not enough space for all the teeth to fit. Depending on the orthodontist, some of the teeth may be removed to make space for others. However, it’s also possible to treat overcrowding with the use of palatal extenders.
While seemingly innocuous at first, orthodontic problems should be treated seriously by parents considering the many issues that may arise if they are left untreated. Regular visits to the dentist may help in diagnosis and preventing these problems from getting too severe.
