Reason 1: Health
A straight smile is a healthy smile. A set of straight teeth and well aligned jaw means the rest of the mouth and face can grow proportionally, ensuring good oral health. A straight smile is also much easier for long term oral hygiene maintenance.
Sometimes, other symptoms like headache, snoring, drooling and bad breath can be associated with a smile that isn’t straight, jaws that aren’t aligned properly or teeth that are not properly positioned.
As a dentist and specialist orthodontist, I am formally trained and accredited to deal specifically with making sure your child has the healthiest mouth possible. Some of the possible orthodontic treatment options include:
- Braces for children
- Invisalign or clear tooth aligners
- Growth modification function appliances to improve facial balance
- Early interceptive treatment
- Jaw expanders to improve jaw alignment
- Habit appliances to prevent side effects from thumb/pacifier sucking
- Retainers to prevent unwanted crowding
- Soft tissue laser for optimal gum tissue aesthetics and improve stability of orthodontic treatment results
- A consultation and careful examination will allow me to discuss with you the most suitable plan tailor made for your child to achieve that healthy smile.
Reason 2: Self-Esteem
All children are beautiful in their parent’s eyes. It is easy for you as a parent to overlook irregularities in your child’s smile, or see crooked teeth or protruding teeth as “cute”. However, the fact remains. Crooked or overly-spaced teeth can affect your child’s confidence level now, as well as later in life.
Notice your child being shy lately and not smiling much? Or are they subconsciously covering their mouth whenever they are laughing? Has she become less secure around you, his/her siblings or friends, at school? If the answer to the above questions is “Yes”, it’s time to bring your child to seeing a specialist for your child’s smile.
Your child may be in need of a qualified orthodontist if you look at him/her objectively and see the following conditions:
- Crowding, misplaced or block-out teeth
- Early loss of teeth
- Retained baby teeth after 13 years old
- Difficulty in chewing or biting
- Mouth breathing and snoring
- Finger sucking or other oral habits
- Difficulty in producing certain sounds
- Jaws that are too long, too short, slant to one side, shift with bite together or even make sounds
- Protruding upper or lower teeth
- Biting the cheek or into the roof of the mouth
- Gaps between teeth
- Teeth that don’t meet or meet in an abnormal way
Reason 3: Social Well-Being
While we often say “never judge a book by its cover”, the hard truth is, how a person looks forms the first impression, and this can have a great impact on their success in school or at work. From the moment a person enters the interview room, he is already being judged. A survey done interviewing 1008 American adults revealed that 47% of those interviewed reported that the smile is the first thing they notice when they meet a new person. Research has also found that unattractive children are thought to achieve less education, less socially skilled and more likely to become victims of bullying. Research also shows that a person with ideal smile is perceived to be more intelligent and have a greater chance of finding a job. Let’s face it: kids can be cruel. A child who are perceived as “different” may become targets of teasing, even being ostracize or outright humiliated. In the era of internet and social media, this can only get worse. I’ve seen this often when patients tell me that they were being teased about their crooked teeth, buck teeth or overbite. They are being called all kinds of nicknames but they may not want to share this with their parents for fear of being even more embarrassed at home. A straight, clean and healthy smile will help to give them the self-esteem as well as easier socialization with other people.
Conclusion
As a parent, you want the best for your child, including his/her smile. No parent wants his/her child to suffer, whether it is health-wise, psychologically or socially. Your child’s formative years are the most important and sensitive for his or her teeth. Pay close attention to your child’s smile and behaviour. Visit a qualified orthodontist early for safe and expert help to ensure a bright smile for your child.
