A major part of your child's dental health is ensuring they have an even and properly aligned bite. Straight teeth and well-aligned jaws increase bite strength and protect individual teeth from unnecessary damage. Unfortunately, a perfect bite doesn't always happen naturally, which is where braces come in.

When Should You Get Braces?

1. Crowding

This is the most common reason children and teens need orthodontic treatment. Crowding is when the teeth are too close together, pushing each other out of alignment. The condition creates hard-to-reach crevices, making it difficult to clean properly, and should be addressed by a dentist right away.

2. Crookedness

Sometimes teeth are poorly aligned even without crowding. A crooked tooth isn't at the right angle for biting—so every time your child chews, they put pressure on it at an angle which causes it to weaken over time. In these instances, braces will fix the tilt and protect the tooth.

3. Gaps

If your child's teeth are too widely spaced, they can't support each other—and may also look unattractive. Braces allow you to close those gaps and create the proper spacing for a beautiful and healthy smile.

4. Misaligned Bite

Sometimes teeth don't come together correctly. With an overbite, the top teeth stick out farther than the bottom ones, whereas with an underbite, the lower teeth are set before the top. A crossbite has some of the upper teeth in front and some in back. All these problems cause unusual wear or tooth breakage along with other facial and jaw issues, so treatment is vital.

5. Open Bite

Like a misaligned bite, this is a problem with how the teeth come together. But it is distinct from an over, under, or crossbite because in this case the teeth in both the upper and lower regions simply don't meet when the jaw is closed. The condition makes it hard to bite into food, and may also create speech problems. 

If your child is showing any of the signs of poorly aligned teeth, braces will offer lifelong improvement to their oral health. At Carolyn B. Crowell, DMD, & Associates in Avon, OH, your child will receive friendly and compassionate care from the start. Whether you need to arrange a first dental visit for your infant or braces for your teen, they specialize in quality pediatric care. Contact them at (440) 934-0149 to schedule a visit, or read more about orthodontics online.