One of the questions Straight Teeth Suite, frequently get asked by parents is,  “My child’s teeth stick out. Are they more likely to get hurt? ”  There are multiple risks to protruding teeth in children, but there are solutions.  Once the milk teeth, or baby teeth, have erupted, and the adult teeth have grown in it is quite common to see irregularities especially in the upper two front teeth, the central incisors, and they often protrude.  Prominent teeth can be the result of thumb sucking in small children, but there can be many reasons why the adult teeth stick out.

Prominent front teeth cause many problems.  The child can have problems biting down on certain foods.   The teeth might cause damage to the gums or the roof of the mouth and the lips.  Teeth that stick out are at risk of getting hurt from all types of sport and children are often teased, being taunted for their ‘sticky out’ teeth and called names such as ‘chipmunk’.

The best solution to resolve all these problems is for your child to wear an orthodontic device; to wear braces.  Once the adult teeth have grown in, usually as a young teenager, braces can be fitted, and the teeth gently and safely moved to their correct position. This will not only protect your child’s teeth from accident and injury but restore their confidence.

At your first consultation with the dentist, we will assess your child’s teeth to determine the severity of the prominent teeth. We will recommend a suitable brace that can be either a removable brace or a fixed brace depending on how far the child’s teeth stick out.  With both types of brace,  the teeth will be moved back, so they are covered by the lip, and the bite restored.

Braces are not unusual in teenagers of school age.  Your child will probably be familiar with the braces their friends wear from the almost invisible braces to those with coloured wires and brackets.  If your child is nervous or reluctant of the possibility of being fitted with braces, the dentists at Straight Teeth Suite will be happy to reassure them all the way through their treatment.

Once your child’s treatment is completed and the brace is removed, they will need to be fitted with a retainer to prevent the teeth from moving back to their old position and protrude once more.  It is also a good idea to be fitted with a mouth guard to protect the teeth while playing all types of sport.

To make a free appointment to discuss your options and help your child, contact the Straight Teeth Suite HERE

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