Ensuring that your child has a beautiful smile is likely one of your major concerns as a parent. Unfortunately, developmental problems can cause your child's smile to suffer. In addition to the obvious cosmetic problems, these issues can also lead to speech impediments and numerous other functional problems. While orthodontics can correct the majority of these issues, some well-meaning parents make the critical mistakes of believing a couple of prevalent myths to be true.
Myth: You Can Easily Tell If Your Child Needs Braces
Many people assume that it is easy to tell if a child will need braces on their teeth. This belief stems from the fact that many people think that braces are only used to correct misaligned teeth, but this is actually far from the truth. Braces can be used to correct a great variety of problems that may not be readily visible.
For example, it is possible for a person's bite to be malformed, and this can lead to either an over- or underbite for the patient. In most cases, this problem starts gradually, and you may not realize a problem is present until it has reached an advanced stage. Diagnosing and treating these problems early is a key benefit of ensuring that your child never misses a dental appointment.
Myth: it Does Not Matter When Your Child Starts Treatment
Another common belief is that your child can start to receive orthodontic treatments at any age and that it does not matter when these problems are addressed. Sadly, this is incorrect, and if you make the mistake of following this myth, you may make things far more difficult for your child.
By starting the corrective procedures before all of the adult teeth have erupted, you can help reduce the discomfort that comes from having braces. Also, it may be possible for the dentist to correct problems with the teeth before they have a chance to become noticeable. Due to these benefits, most orthodontists (such as those from Pedodontics P.C.) will advise your child to start receiving treatments as soon as your dentist recommends it.
Orthodontics can be the only way of correcting a host of cosmetic and functional problems that your child's teeth can experience as they develop. Sadly, first-time parents may not realize that there are many myths circulating about caring for a child's teeth. By realizing that it may not be easy to tell if a child needs braces and that you should start treatment as soon as possible, you can help ensure that your child's smile is beautiful with minimal discomfort or time in the braces.
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