It can be hard to know when it’s time to make that first appointment for your child, after all their teeth (as well as the rest of them) are growing at an amazing rate.
Around the time that the adult teeth are coming through is a great opportunity to visit your orthodontist; by this stage we can get a good idea if the adult teeth are coming through in the correct position or if there may be issues with a lack of space for them to emerge.
Typically we like to start monitoring from this age so that we can identify any potential problems and then make a plan; if we do think there may be a problem then we’ll continue to monitor the development regularly until the optimum time to start treatment.
For most conditions this tends to once all of the baby teeth have been lost, but as with most things in life the earlier we can start treatment for some problems the more quickly they can be resolved with fewer secondary problems down the track.
Before the age of around 15 children’s jaws are softer and more pliable, so corrective treatments work faster, meaning that as the teeth develop they end up in the right place and usually no further treatment is required.
If you’re looking for indications that your child may need early orthodontic treatment, the Australian Society of Orthodontists suggests you should get an assessment from a specialist orthodontist if:
- Your child loses their baby teeth before they are five
- Your child’s teeth don’t meet properly when biting
- Your child snores or breathes through their mouth
- Your child’s front teeth are crowded
- Your child has protruding front teeth
- Your child has difficulties biting or chewing
- Your child has a speech impediment
- Your child’s jaw shifts when they open or closes their mouth
- Your child is over five years old and still sucks their thumb
Thumb sucking
Thumb or finger sucking in early childhood is a natural reflex and one that most children grow out of, but if it continues past the age of four it can lead to problems.
In the same way that gentle pressure from braces can correct misaligned teeth, prolonged thumb sucking can cause the teeth to develop abnormally, leading to a condition called open bite. This in turn can affect speech and change the appearance of your child’s smile.
Prevention is always better than the cure, but if your child has continued to suck their thumb past four then you should seek professional advice from your orthodontist to determine if this has or will continue to cause problems, and work out a plan to correct any misalignment before it becomes severe.