Treatments Kids Dentistry Children’s Orthodontics
Kids
Dentistry
Children’s Orthodontics
A child with healthy teeth is a happy, confident child.
Dental issues such as crooked or misaligned teeth, which are quite common among children in the UK, can affect their confidence and cause complications later in adult years.
Schedule an appointment with our children’s private dentist here in London to check whether your child needs braces and explore the best orthodontic solutions for their healthy oral development.
- A third of children in the UK need orthodontic treatment¹
- Children’s orthodontics is now one of the most requested dental services. Hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers are treated successfully every year thanks to the rise in public awareness²
- Ideally, children should have an orthodontic assessment at around 7 years of age, once the adult front teeth have come through. This is to catch problems early and possibly avoid complex braces that need extractions.
- Most children receive orthodontic treatment at the age of 12-13, when the mouth and jaw are still developing.
- Addressing orthodontic issues from an early age increase the likelihood of successful treatment, whereas waiting until adult years often requires more time.
Kids Dental Problems That a Dentist Can Solve
As soon as your child’s permanent teeth come in, your dentist will be able to assess their alignment and spot issues that may require braces.
In some cases, these issues may be caused by accidents, bad oral habits or losing baby teeth too soon, but in most cases, teeth alignment issues are hereditary.
- Braces can straighten teeth that are crooked, overlapped, or overcrowded.
- Braces can correct malocclusion. Malocclusion is a deviation of the two dental arches, so that the top jaw and lower jaw have different sizes. When the upper jaw is bigger, it’s called an overbite, and when the lower jaw is bigger, it’s called an underbite.
Depending on the severity of the problem, we will recommend a type of braces that’s best for your child.
Although the duration of treatment may vary, most misalignment and malocclusion cases are solved in about 18 months.
The Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment at an Early Age
Adults can also wear braces at any age, so why isn’t it advisable to postpone orthodontic treatment until adult years?
- If you wait until adulthood to wear braces, it may take longer for improvements to appear.
- Because they fix prominent teeth, braces reduce the risk of injury.
- Living with an uneven bite may cause damage to the teeth and jaw muscles.
- Teeth alignment issues can make your child feel self-aware, especially at an age when they are concerned about the way they look. They may even grow up to be insecure about their appearance and avoid smiling because they are not happy with their teeth.
- Misaligned teeth are not just an aesthetic concern. In time, overlapped or overcrowded teeth can facilitate plaque build-up, increasing the risk of gum disease.
West House Dental offers modern orthodontic treatments for children.
We take the time to assess your child’s specific orthodontic needs and offer you a treatment that will restore their healthy smile.
Because it’s important for every child to feel comfortable and secure wearing braces at school, we also focus a lot on education and give you detailed oral health advice and tips on how to care for braces.
References
- Source: NHS – https://www.nhs.uk/
- Source: British Orthodontic Society: https://www.bos.org.uk/Public-Patients/Orthodontics-for-Adults/Why-Orthodontics
