Crooked or misaligned teeth not only can cause your child to be insecure about their smile but it can also have many health effects. Ignoring problems with crooked teeth, crowding or misaligned teeth can lead to developing problems like bad breath, chronic headaches, TMJ disorder, gum disease, tooth decay, and damage to teeth. Straightening your child’s teeth will not only boost their confidence, but it will also improve their overall health. Learn more about the reasons you should straighten your child’s teeth.
CHRONIC HEADACHES
Misalignment of your teeth, also known as Malocclusion, can cause uneven wear on your teeth and jaw. This uneven wear can cause frequent headaches. If your child complains about chronic headaches and there are no other apparent health problems, you may want to talk to your dentist or orthodontist. These headaches may be caused by the misalignment of your child’s teeth.
BAD BREATH
When the mouth is overcrowded and crooked teeth cause overlapping of teeth. This overlapping creates small areas for bacteria to hide. These crevices are hard to reach and difficult to clean with a toothbrush and floss. These hard to reach areas allow bacteria to build up in your mouth and is one of the causes for bad breath.
PERIODONTITIS AND CAVITIES
As mentioned above, crooked teeth are simply harder to clean than straight teeth. In addition to collecting bacteria, these areas can also be trouble spots for plaque and tartar buildup which increases your child’s chances of cavities and periodontitis. Periodontitis is a gum infection that can cause serious health complications and even tooth loss. So when teeth are straight, they help your child better protect their oral health throughout their entire lives. Because let’s face it, even adults struggle to properly clean crooked or misaligned teeth – just ask their dentists!
DAMAGE TO THE TEETH
Misalignment can cause teeth to rub up directly against each other and for uneven wear to occur. In some cases, this friction can cause tiny fractures in teeth leaving them susceptible to future breakage. Crooked teeth that slightly protrude a little ahead of the rest can create vulnerabilities such as cracking, chipping or increasing the chance of getting knocked out.
JAW PAIN
Improper jaw alignment is also caused by crooked teeth or an uneven bite, where the entire jaw doesn’t sit exactly as it should. This can result in your child suffering from Temporomandibular Joint disorder (TMD), where symptoms include ear aches or ringing in the ear, severe or frequent headaches, issues within the joint like popping sounds or grinding, and lockjaw, where it is difficult to open or close the mouth. Symptoms from TMD can make everyday tasks such as speaking and eating difficult or painful. Luckily, straightening the teeth can prevent all or most of the above mentioned symptoms depending on your child’s situation.
LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TO BRACES?
Crowded or misaligned teeth are often signs of an underdeveloped mouth and jaw. This underdevelopment can negatively affect your child’s breathing, airway and other related symptoms like: Bedwetting, ADD/ADHD, Arrested Growth, Anxiety, Low IQ & Aggression
Just Breathe DDS offers the Vivos Guide Series Appliances which provides proper spacing for the teeth, allowing them to rotate and align to the proper positions. Because misaligned and crowded teeth are often caused by environmental factors and underdeveloped jaws, we try to address these issues as early as possible. The oral appliances are soft, removable and mostly used at night. They not only straighten your child’s teeth but they are made to keep your child’s lower jaw forward during sleep which helps open their airway and get better sleep.
ALTERNATIVE TO BRACES HAYDEN, ID
The Vivos Guide takes care of misalignment problems in most children. However, sometimes phase Two of Orthodontic Treatment is needed. Phase Two generally starts when most or all of the permanent teeth are in. The goal of this phase is to make sure all the teeth are in their proper place for a pleasing smile and healthy bite. For more information on the Vivos Guide Series, an alternative to braces, give Just Breathe DDDS a call today at (208) 500-3030. We are located in Hayden, ID and serve the greater Coeur D’Alene Idaho.
REFERENCES
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tmj/symptoms-causes/syc-20350941