Benefits of Braces For Kids

As your child’s teeth develop, you may start seeing signs of an alignment problem. When you take them in for a checkup, your regular dentist may recommend having your child’s teeth evaluated by an orthodontist. Getting dental braces for kids gives them an early start on dealing with dental issues that could become a serious problem when they become adults.

Why Would a Kid Need Braces?

Children can need braces for various reasons. They can help with teeth that appear to be crowded, crooked, or overlapping each other. Your pediatric dentist may note that your child has a malocclusion, where the top and bottom jaw don’t align properly because they are different sizes. A bigger lower jaw is called an underbite, while a larger top jaw is an overbite.

Braces can help kids with jaw and tooth alignment problems caused by sucking their thumb, getting into an accident, or losing baby teeth too early. Your child may inherit dental issues that you had to deal with when you were a kid.

While there’s no set age for visiting an orthodontist, many recommend bringing a child in by the age of seven. That’s when the permanent teeth start coming in, which is when many of a kid’s dental problems start cropping up.

How Long Do Kids Need to Wear Braces?

The length of time your child may have to wear braces depends on the development of their permanent teeth. If there are primary teeth that may cause problems for your kid’s permanent teeth, the dentist may want to place a set of braces as young as age seven. The jawbone is more pliable at that age, making it easier to preserve space for incoming permanent teeth.

After that, a child typically receives a second set of more permanent braces around age 12. Your child may need to wear braces for as short a period as nine months or 30 months or more. It all depends on the severity of the issues the orthodontist must manage.

The age at which your child may get fitted for braces can vary. It depends on how many permanent teeth are present. The orthodontist may want to wait until the child has all their permanent teeth.

Getting braces to address bite and tooth alignment can benefit your child by:

Improving a child’s ability to eat food.
Help your kid overcome speech impediments caused by the alignment of their teeth.
Make it easier for them to clean their teeth, which reduces the chances of getting cavities or developing periodontal disease.
Cuts down on a child grinding their teeth.
Reduce the risk of a kid injuring themselves because of their protruding teeth.

What Kind of Braces Are Available for Kids?

Dental braces for kids usually consist of traditional braces made up of brackets, rubber bands, and wires. The orthodontist attaches the brackets to your child’s teeth, then connects them using the wire and rubber bands. Your kid would need to visit the orthodontist periodically to have the wires tightened, which helps get the teeth into proper alignment. The brackets can be metal, clear, or white ceramic.

You can opt to get your child Invisalign, which are clear removal braces constructed of plastic trays called aligners. You get a set number of trays that gradually improve the appearance of your child’s teeth. They’re best for mild to moderate alignment issues.

Your child must clean their braces properly to prevent food from getting trapped. That can cause bacteria to get in and eventually lead to tooth decay and other dental problems.