Who Needs Braces?

Ask yourself — or have your child ask — this question: “Do I like my smile?”

If the answer is no and orthodontics can help, then seeking treatment can be one of the best investments you’ll ever make. After all, a smile is a priceless, precious asset — one that lasts for a lifetime. And people who have corrective orthodontic treatment — at any age — are invariably glad they did.

It’s not just about appearance, either. “Malocclusions” or “bad bites”, can affect the way you chew, talk, or smile, and can even lead to more serious (and expensive) oral health problems. Here are some of the common conditions that can be corrected with orthodontic treatment:

• Crowded teeth – teeth are crooked, turned, or “overlapping”


• Overbite – the upper jaw or teeth are too far in front, or the lower too far back


• Underbite – the lower jaw or teeth are too far in front, or the upper too far back


• Overjet (Protrusion) – the upper teeth stick out and do not fit with the lower front teeth


• Spacing – teeth that have gaps or spaces between them

Benefits of Early Treatment

Many problems can be treated before all permanent teeth are in. If you suspect your child has a bite problem, or if his or her teeth, lips, or jaw don’t look normal for their age, make sure they get checked out.

Here are some signs to look for that could indicate they need an orthodontic evaluation:

• Crooked/crowded teeth
• difficulty chewing
• open-mouth breathing
• thumb or finger sucking

And here’s what early treatment can do:

• minimize severe bite problems
• improve facial appearance and self-esteem
• correct functional problems
• minimize the effects of abnormal growth patterns
• reduce protrusion so that front teeth are less susceptible to injury
• minimize or eliminate the need for extraction of permanent teeth
• reduce a serious mismatch in the growth of the upper and lower jaws
• eliminate adverse habits such as thumb/finger sucking
• make the treatment with braces easier and shorter