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Health Topics
Your Child and Braces
Does My Child Need Braces?
Without evaluation by an orthodontist, it may
be impossible to know if your child needs orthodontic treatment. Unfortunately,
the odds are against you, since nearly 70 percent of Americans show some
form of malocclusion (irregularities in the teeth or jaws) needing intervention.
There are some indicators that parents can watch for in a child’s
permanent teeth, bite and/or jaw. Look for overlapping, crowded or missing
teeth, and larger than normal gaps between your child’s
teeth. Bite marks in the cheeks or roof of the mouth, teeth that do not
come together smoothly, or that do not line up properly, may indicate
bite problems. An obviously misaligned jaw, jaws that shift or make sounds,
and jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face
also
need correction. Other symptoms to note are early or late loss of baby
teeth, difficulty in chewing or biting, and mouth breathing.
Misaligned
teeth or jaws require professional attention because these conditions
affect (among other things) your bite, jaw growth, speech
development and appearance.
Last updated May 2004
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