Around 4.5 million Americans wear braces, and over 80% of these people are children.
Very few children are fortunate enough to be born with perfectly straight teeth. Luckily, we live in an age where a crooked smile can be fixed with a simple set of braces.
If you’re on the fence about whether braces are the right option for your child, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve gone over the facts with a fine-toothed comb and have put together these 5 reasons your child should get braces.
1. A Healthy Smile
Our smiles are how we express our joy and show others that we are happy. If your child has misaligned teeth, it can affect their self-confidence, making them reluctant to smile.
This can have a negative impact on many areas of your child’s life. In fact, a recent study showed that people with well-balanced smiles are presumed to be more intelligent and gain better job opportunities.
Having your child’s teeth straightened with braces will help to set them up for success later in life.
2. Prevent Decay and Damage
Crooked or overlapping teeth create small gaps that are hard to reach with a toothbrush or dental floss. This increases the likelihood of cavities and tooth decay. Protruding teeth are more vulnerable to injury as they take the brunt of the force if your child falls and hits their mouth.
Braces will straighten your child’s teeth, reducing the likelihood of damage and allowing your child to clean their teeth more thoroughly. Once your child has their braces fitted, use these helpful tips to make flossing with braces easier.
3. Improve Overall Health
If your child develops gum disease and tooth decay as a result of misaligned teeth, it can lead to many other serious health conditions.
According to a recent study, gum disease can increase your risk of heart disease, respiratory diseases like pneumonia, and certain forms of cancer.
Prevention is better than cure, so book a consultation with your local orthodontist for children to see if your child will benefit from braces.
4. Proper Jaw Alignment
A severe over or underbite not only affects your child’s appearance, but it can cause other complications too. An overbite increases wear and tear on your child’s teeth and can lead to gum recession. An underbite can affect your child’s speech and cause pain due to jaw misalignment.
An under-bite also makes it difficult to bite and chew food. If your child can’t chew properly, their body has to do more work to process the food. This can hinder the proper absorption of nutrients and also causes indigestion and bloating.
A quick visit to the orthodontist can help your child live a healthier, happier life.
5. Clearer Speech
As a toddler, your child’s lisp was adorable, but if it doesn’t go away as they age, a lisp can hinder your child later in life.
Our lips, tongue, and teeth all work together to form words. If your child’s teeth are not positioned correctly, it affects the placement of their tongue and the air circulating in their mouths. This can result in lisping, slurred speech, or spitting as your child talks.
Having straighter teeth will reduce these speech impediments and help your child to form words more clearly.
Does Your Child Need to Get Braces?
Straight teeth can take your child straight to the top. If your child has misaligned teeth, there are many good reasons why they should get braces. Visit the orthodontist to see if braces are the right option for your child.
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