Thanks to advancements in braces treatments, no one has to live with crooked or misaligned teeth anymore. There was a time when orthodontics was exclusively associated with teens and kids. According to our experts, as many as 25% of American adults undergo orthodontic care now. However, some people might wonder if it’s best to get braces at an early age. Read on for some insight on this topic.
Limit Risk of Overcrowding
About 3.9 million American children are orthodontic patients, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. One of the benefits of them getting such treatment is that an orthodontist can create room in the mouth to limit the risk of crowded teeth as other teeth begin to erupt. Having a specialist make room for all the teeth at such a young age reduces the need for tooth removal later on.
Prevent Speech Issues
Children are known for sucking their thumbs. Excessive thumb sucking can affect alignment and create an excessive overbite. Correcting bite issues such as an overbite at a young age can prevent speech issues from occurring. Every word and syllable you form results from a combination of how your tongue interacts with your teeth or upper mouth. When your jaw or teeth are severely out of line, it can create a speech impediment. Children who have to deal with speech impediments may sometimes be excluded or made fun of by their peer group and fall behind in their schooling. Early braces treatments can avoid this.
Better Facial Symmetry
How well your teeth and jaw align plays a role in your overall facial symmetry. If children begin having major problems in these areas, it’ll affect how their face looks into adulthood. With early intervention, an adult is less likely to have to pay for expensive jaw surgery later. Orthodontics can guide the growth of jawbones earlier on to make sure everything develops as it should.
The reality is that braces are great for everyone. You could be as young as seven years old and begin orthodontic care or you could be an adult well into middle age. Braces treatments can help anyone correct teeth and jaw alignment issues. Of course, like anything that can happen to your body, the earlier you intervene, the less likely issues will become severe or require more expensive care later on. If you’re an adult or teen ready for a beautiful smile and a good profile, contact our local office today for more information.
