3 Early Childhood Signs Your Child Could Need Braces in the Future

Parents always want their children to have a gorgeous smile they can share with the world in confidence, so the idea of braces is something that can come up a lot with children. Here are a few early childhood signs your child may eventually need braces.

1. Your child was hesitant about pulling their baby teeth.

When permanent teeth start to push downward, it causes the baby teeth to grow loose. The baby teeth should be pulled soon after to make room for the new larger tooth. If a child delays pulling their baby teeth, or they lack dental care at the time, it can cause the new, permanent teeth to come in at awkward angles.

2. Your child kept a bottle, a pacifier, or sucked their thumb for longer than most.

Suckling is a natural form of self-comfort for babies. However, it is always recommended that suckling, whether that is on a bottle, a pacifier, or a thumb, is a behavior you try to discourage by about the one-year-old mark. The reason for this is the initial baby teeth start to show up around this time, and suckling can actually change the position of the teeth. The position of these initial teeth can also have an effect on the position of the permanent ones that will come later. therefore, if your child suckled for longer than most, it may be a good sign they will need braces.

3. Your child’s baby teeth grew in awkwardly.

The initial position of a child’s first teeth can be indicative of how their future permanent teeth will look. For example, if your child’s baby teeth come in with gaps between, there is a bigger chance that their permanent teeth will do the same. Genetics plays a big factor in the formation of the teeth as well, so if you have certain spacing issues, your child may have those same issues.

Talk to Your Child’s San Antonio Dentist About Braces

Roughly 3.5 million children get braces every year, but it is always best to talk to your child’s dentist to help you better understand what to anticipate. Reach out to us at Tran Dental in San Antonio, TX to schedule an appointment with our dentist to talk about the potential for braces in your child’s future.