Ways an Orthodontist Helps a Child with an Underbite
Oral health isn't just something that centers around the overall structure of a person's mouth. For example, an underbite in a child can occur at any time and cause a lot of emotional troubles that may be hard for a child to understand and manage without the help of their parents. And no care method is better than getting an orthodontist to straighten a child's teeth properly.
1. How an Underbite Impacts Children
An underbite is a problem that many children develop but which is often not as discussed as other types of dental alignment issues. That's because they aren't as fully understood as other health issues and are often more complex to fix. That doesn't mean, however, that they can be ignored. Unfortunately, an underbite can cause a lot of health issues with a child that may be very damaging and hard to manage.
For example, a child may struggle to eat properly in a way that is very uncomfortable and which makes it tough for them to keep up a healthy eating habit. Even worse, they may get teased by friends and even family members for their underbite, particularly if it is allowed to worsen. Thankfully, many care methods can be used to manage this issue and make it less of a problem for a person.
2. Ways an Orthodontist Can Help
Orthodontists are professionals who work to fix the alignment of a person's teeth in a way that makes sense for their needs. For example, an underbite may require extensive braces applied at a young age to pull the jaw and the teeth back into place. Starting this treatment ASAP is important because it can stop excessive alignment issues and speed up a child's treatment and recovery time as well.
However, there may also need to be surgery to help a child in this situation. This type of surgery requires carefully changing the position of the jaw and resetting it to heal properly. As the jaw bone starts to heal in place, the child's underbite should start to disappear. Typically, though, this type of treatment is only necessary in extreme cases, such as if the underbite has become impossible to fix with braces.
Parents and children going through this type of care must remember that the results that they want won't be immediate. Sometimes, it may take years to adjust an overbite and provide a child with the straight and strong teeth that they want and deserve. However, this process is more than worth it because it can help a child regain the smile that they want and deserve.