When is the best time to correct my child’s crooked teeth?

Looking at the causes of crooked teeth – and their solutions

There can be a number of possible causes of crooked teeth. That’s because teeth are quite complicated for your body to make, compared to say bones. We each make two sets of teeth, which erupt at different stages of your life… and they use different materials.

All of this means that usually, multiple factors occur together to create crooked teeth – whether that’s missing teeth, misplaced teeth, or misaligned teeth.

What are the causes of crooked teeth?

There are many possible reasons why your child may have crooked teeth.

Genetic factors, such as the size of their teeth and jaws, can cause issues with spacing. Developmental issues such as thumb sucking at night, using a dummy, or a blocked nose from allergies, can mean that the child’s tongue isn’t in the correct position to shape their mouth correctly.

Allergies, asthma and other breathing difficulties are an increasing challenge in today’s world. And our modern diet features a lot more squishy food that doesn’t take much effort to eat – which can result in reduced jaw growth.

If you child loses teeth early, there may not be sufficient space for the adult teeth to erupt correctly. Ideally, a baby’s first 1st molar teeth should last them until about age 9, and their second molar teeth should stay in place until they’re 12 years old.

Of course, good dental hygiene is critical for preventing tooth decay, which can lead to an abscess and early tooth loss. Excess sugar consumption for kids is also a big ‘no-no’.

All of this malfunction can lead to malformation of a child’s jaws and teeth. If a child loses, say, six teeth by the time they reach five years old, then the chances of them having issues later are quite high.

What can be done about a child’s crooked teeth?

The causes of your child’s crooked teeth will influence what we can do to correct it. The timing of their treatment can also vary.

There are many factors to consider, and that’s why there are a number of potential strategies we can choose from. That’s why we always take an individual approach to correcting crooked teeth.

For example, if there is a developmental issue that can be treated while there is still growth potential, this can be easier than once the window has closed. After this time, we’ll have to look at different strategies.

We may suggest one of three ways to address a developmental issue:

• Stop the habit before it does damage
• Enhance development during a growth spurt (such as for pre-teens)
• Surgical intervention (which we want to try and avoid wherever possible)

Talk to us about solutions for crooked teeth

The Wickham Terrace Dental team have the expertise to look at all options for crooked teeth treatment. Your child’s treatment will be customised to their needs, depending on the cause and extent of their crooked teeth.

To find out more, get in touch with our Brisbane dentists on (07) 3831 3031 or contact us online now.