A lot of the time, people associate braces with a particular period in their lives: adolescence. While this is hardly a complete picture of what orthodontics can do, it’s also understandable to think this. People usually get all of their permanent teeth by their teens, which usually means it’s the first time that patients can straighten the teeth that they’ll have for the rest of their life.
However, it’s actually not necessary to wait that long to get braces; there are some instances where aligning baby teeth could be a good idea. Here’s what you should know about this process, and how you can know whether your child is a good candidate for these braces.
Introducing: Phase 1 Orthodontics
Most people are familiar with braces that are used to straighten permanent teeth, but there’s actually an entire section of orthodontics specifically geared toward children who still have some of their baby teeth. These are called “phase 1 orthodontics”, so named because they precede the braces that people get as teens or adults.
Why is Phase 1 Orthodontics Important?
You may rightfully wonder why it’s necessary to straighten a child’s baby teeth considering that they’re eventually going to fall out anyway. It’s a good question—one with several answers.
On a practical level, young children with misalignment often have more problems when their permanents start to come in. It’s possible that these teeth could come out crooked or may even become impacted. Having severely misaligned teeth can also make it harder to eat, which is a problem for young kids for whom nutrition is paramount.
Finally, crooked teeth can be a huge blow to a child’s self-esteem. Phase 1 orthodontics may address that problem, affording your child confidence now and into the future.
Signs a Child Needs Phase 1 Orthodontics
If you think your child could potentially benefit from phase 1 orthodontics, the best thing to do is to talk to an orthodontist who understands their circumstances. Here are a few indicators that it might be time to have that conversation:
- An Open Bite
- A Cross Bite
- Teeth That Emerge Out-of-Sequence
- Severely Rotated Teeth
- Profound Crowding or Spacing
About Our Practice
At Willow Bend Orthodontics of Plano, we believe that everyone should be able to truly love their smile, no matter their age. Seriously gapped and misaligned teeth can do a lot to affect anyone’s self-esteem, and particularly that of children. That’s why the work that we do with orthodontics is so important for our patients. It’s what makes our job so rewarding!
If you have any questions about phase 1 orthodontics, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (972) 732-1400.