My child’s teeth are crooked and crowded, what should I do?
When our child’s teeth are crooked or crowded, it’s natural to worry about their oral health and their developing smile.
Fortunately, there are effective solutions to correct these problems and ensure a healthy dentition and a radiant smile. In this article, we will explore the possible causes of crooked or crowded teeth in children, how to identify this problem and the options available for treatment.
Possible Causes of Crooked or Crowded Teeth
Several factors can contribute to a child’s teeth becoming crooked or crowded:
Genetic factors
Genetic inheritance plays an important role in tooth and jaw alignment. If a parent or family member has had problems with malocclusion or crooked teeth, the child may also have these characteristics.
Oral habits
Incorrect positioning of the tongue when swallowing and chewing is accompanied by oral breathing, these bad habits are the most common and most normalised by the patients that cause the worst malocclusions. There are other bad habits such as thumb sucking, prolonged use of the dummy, sucking on a cloth, etc. These can put pressure on the teeth and the developing jaw, causing malocclusion.
Premature loss of milk teeth
Premature loss of baby teeth due to decay or other problems can affect the space available for permanent teeth, causing crowding.
Eating habits
A diet high in soft or sugary foods can influence the growth and improper development of the jaw, which can lead to crooked or crowded teeth.
How to identify crooked or crowded teeth
Early identification of crooked or crowded teeth is essential to address the problem before it becomes severe. Some signs that may indicate the need for attention include:
- Bruxism.
- Slow eruption of permanent teeth.
- Teeth overlapping or crossing over each other.
- Abnormal spaces or gaps between teeth.
- Facial asymmetry.
- Difficulty biting or chewing properly.
- Difficulty in maintaining proper oral hygiene due to the arrangement of the teeth.
Treatment options
There are several treatment options available to correct crooked or crowded teeth in children:
Traditional orthodontics
Traditional orthodontic treatment with braces is a common and effective option for correcting dental alignment problems in children. Brackets are placed on the teeth and connected by archwires that exert light pressure to move the teeth into their desired position.
Invisible orthodontics
For some children, especially teenagers, invisible orthodontics may be an attractive alternative. This treatment uses clear, removable aligners that are periodically changed to gradually move teeth into their correct alignment.
Orthognathic surgery in conjunction with orthodontics
In cases of severe skeletal problems, left untreated in childhood, combined orthodontic treatment is required to align the teeth and orthognathic surgery to move the jaws into the correct position.
Conclusion
If your child has crooked or crowded teeth, it is crucial to address the problem early to prevent future complications and ensure a healthy smile. Seeing an orthodontist at an early age will help identify the most appropriate treatment options for your child’s specific dental needs. Remember that each case is unique, and the appropriate treatment will depend on the specialist’s assessment. With proper care and an early focus on correction, your child can enjoy a beautiful smile and optimal oral health throughout their life.
Make an appointment at Udemax Clinics, at Arcdental, your children’s clinic located in Zona Colegios, or at Emardental, your clinic in the centre of Palma. Or call us on .
Clinicas Udemax
At Clinicas Udemax we offer the youngest patients in the family a personalised service provided by a team of specialists in children’s and teenagers’ dental cases. Our objective is to offer the least invasive and most effective treatments at these ages to guarantee the development of a healthy mouth, establishing the foundations of an adequate oral health that will allow the adult to maintain an aesthetic and functional smile for years to come.
It is important in our clinic to offer the greatest peace of mind and safety with our treatments. For this reason, we have a team specialised in paediatric dentistry techniques and preventive and corrective orthodontics that continues to be trained to apply the latest technology and guarantee excellent and long-lasting results.
