Does your child need braces?

Why Children Need Braces: It’s More Than Just Straight Teeth

Your child needs to see an orthodontist for an orthodontic consult at age 7. At this age, your child does not have all their adult teeth. At this age, the jaws are still growing, and the facial bones are highly adaptable. Addressing structural issues early can prevent more invasive, complex treatments, such as jaw surgery or permanent tooth extractions, later in life.

Here are the primary reasons why children need braces or early orthodontic guidance:

1. Correcting Severe Crowding and Spacing

When permanent teeth erupt, there isn’t always enough room in the jaw to accommodate them. Severe crowding can cause teeth to twist, overlap, or become impacted (trapped beneath the gums). Conversely, excessive spacing can leave gums exposed and vulnerable to injury or plaque buildup. Braces create the perfect amount of space, guiding teeth into their proper anatomical positions.

2. Resolving Bite Misalignments (Malocclusions)

How your child’s upper and lower teeth meet is fundamental to their oral health. Common bite issues include:

• Overbite: The upper front teeth overlap the lower teeth excessively, which can cause wear on the lower teeth or irritation to the roof of the mouth.
• Underbite: The lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth, putting stress on the jaw joints and affecting chewing function.
• Crossbite: One or more upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth. If left uncorrected, a crossbite can cause the jaw to grow unevenly, leading to facial asymmetry.
• Open Bite: The front teeth do not meet at all when the back teeth are closed, often caused by prolonged thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting, making tearing food difficult.

3. Improving Chewing, Speech, and Breathing

Misaligned teeth make it difficult to chew food thoroughly. Jaw misalignment can cause joint pain later in life. Furthermore, certain speech impediments and lisping are linked directly to bite structural imbalances, which can be improved with proper alignment. The size and position of the upper and lower jaw can affect your child’s breathing.

4. Protecting Against Tooth Wear and Injury

When teeth are misaligned or protrude outward (“buck teeth”), they are significantly more susceptible to dental trauma and chipping during playground activities or sports. An uneven bite also causes certain teeth to bear the brunt of chewing forces, leading to premature enamel wear and tooth fractures.

5. Improving Oral Hygiene

Crooked, overlapping teeth create tight spaces that are very difficult to clean. Over time, the hard to reach places inbetween the teeth increase the risk of cavities, and gum inflammation. Straight teeth make daily brushing much easier.

How to Determine If Your Child Needs Braces

As a parent, you don’t need an orthodontic degree to notice that your child’s smile might need some assistance. While some dental alignment issues are hidden beneath the surface, there are several clear, visual, and behavioral indicators you can watch for at home.

Signs Your Child May Benefit from an Orthodontic Evaluation:

• Early, late, or irregular loss of baby teeth: Most children begin losing baby teeth around age 6 and finish around age 12. Significant deviations can throw off the path of permanent teeth.
• Difficulty chewing or biting: If your child frequently bites the inside of their cheek or shifts their jaw uncomfortably to chew, their bite may be misaligned.
• Mouth breathing: Constantly breathing through the mouth can alter jaw development, narrowing the upper arch.
• Prolonged oral habits: Thumb-sucking, finger-sucking, or pacifier use past the age of 4 can push the front teeth forward and alter the shape of the palate.
• Crowded, misplaced, or blocked-out teeth: Permanent teeth erupting behind baby teeth or coming in at severe angles.
• Jaws that shift, make sounds, or protrude: Jaws that click, pop, or appear too far forward or backward relative to the face.
• Speech difficulties: Chronic lisps or difficulty pronouncing certain sounds.

The Age 7 Rule: The Ideal Window for a First Visit

The Canadian Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child receive their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7.

Why age 7? By this stage, your child has a mix of baby and permanent teeth, and their first permanent molars have usually erupted. This allows Dr. MacKenzie to assess how the bite is forming and track jaw growth.

Important Note for Parents: Bringing your child in at age 7 does not mean they will get braces right away. In fact, most children do not need immediate treatment. Instead, it allows us to monitor their dental development safely over time for free, stepping in only if interceptive care is required to guide growth smoothly.

Book a free consult with Dr. MacKenzie

Schedule a Free Consultation with Specialist Orthodontist Dr. Liliya MacKenzie. Proudly serving Saint John, Quispamsis, and St. Stephen, MacKenzie Orthodontics offers advanced braces and invisible clear aligner treatments for the whole family. As a mom of three, Dr. MacKenzie treats every young patient like her own. No referral needed: click here to start your smile journey today!