Braces with Baby Teeth? Yes, Sometimes!

For many of today’s adults, braces were a rite of passage once they had most of their adult teeth. Yet there are many times when today’s kids actually get braces earlier. Early braces treatment has excellent benefits for certain orthodontic conditions. If you’re worried about your child’s teeth falling out and coming in during treatment, rest assured that your orthodontist in Shawnee or Overland Park, KS, can work around this common issue. Here are some times when braces on baby teeth make sense.

Crowding Issues

Many children have palettes that are too small for their adult teeth. Crowding can cause the adult teeth to come in at strange, unnatural angles. At Bulleigh Orthodontics, we use early orthodontic treatment to make enough room for those adult teeth in children whose mouths are particularly small. Sometimes, this early treatment can prevent the need for orthodontics later in life.

Serious Bite Issues

Extreme under- or overbites can lead to problems with your child’s jaw development. While sometimes these issues can wait, other times they need to be addressed early. This condition is a situation that your orthodontist in Shawnee or Overland Park, KS, needs to look more closely at in order to determine the right timing for treatment.

Prevent Orthodontic Issues from Thumb Sucking

Sometimes thumb and finger sucking causes bite issues that can impact the adult teeth. One of the benefits of early orthodontics is the ease with which the child can break this habit. Not only can you correct the alignment issues the habit caused, but the habit is also easier to break with orthodontic appliances in the mouth.

Is our child a candidate for early braces? The best way to tell is to visit the orthodontist. Make an appointment with Bulleigh Orthodontics to have your child’s bite and teeth evaluated.