Though it is recommended that children receive their first orthodontic check-up no later than age 7 (permanent teeth and jaw fusion begins around age 8), there are some problems that can be identified at earlier ages. Read through the following if you are concerned about your child’s teeth. With early detection, you may be able to prevent serious problems from cropping up in your son or daughter’s adolescence and/or adult life.

 

Tell-Tale Signs of a Problem

If you recognize any of the following in your child, then consider consulting an orthodontist:

 

• Difficulty chewing/biting.
• Crowding, displaced, or abnormally spaced teeth.
• Clicking jaw.
• Mouth breathing.
• Early or late loss of baby teeth.
• Persistent bad habits (aka thumb sucking or tongue thrusting).

 

At-Home Tests

Fortunately, there are at-home strategies parents can use to detect orthodontic problems in their children. Try the following if you think your child may be in need of orthodontic treatment:

 

• Examine your child’s teeth and identify potential overlaps or gaps—these should be corrected early on by an orthodontist to prevent prolonged treatments and surgeries in the future.
• Have your child bite down, keeping their lips parted. If the front teeth significantly overlap the bottom, then your child has an overbite. If you perform the same test and the bottom teeth are overlapping the top, causing the jaw to jut outward, then your child has an underbite. In both situations an orthodontist should be consulted.
• Check your child’s jaw alignment, and determine if his or her jaw shifts to the side when biting. This may be a sign of a skeletal or muscle problem and should be examined by an orthodontist.

 

If you recognize any of the above signs in your child and you live in the Leesburg or Ashburn area, give us a call at Lansdowne Orthodontics. Our experts can provide your child with the care he or she needs and can also give you helpful advice on how to prevent future problems.

 

Disclaimer:

The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing medical or dental advice. You should contact your dentist to obtain advice with respect to any particular dental issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create a dentist-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the dental office or any individual dentist or medical professional.