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WHEN SHOULD MY CHILD HAVE BRACES?

The Ugly-Duckling Stage?

Parents with children around the age of 7 to 12 are sometimes concerned with how their child’s front teeth look like: ?There are gaps in between the upper front teeth and the lateral incisors seem to be splayed wider than usual.?

Rest assured, this is a normal phenomenon of tooth eruption! It is not a major orthodontic problem. In fact, these spaces are important to ensure that there is no crowding when all the adult teeth erupts. The lateral incisors being splayed is due to the erupting canines pushing on the roots of the lateral incisors. These spaces will close up once the canine erupts into place.

That said, the dentist may sometimes recommend a plate to be worn if he or she is concerned about the angle of the teeth erupting, or if there is not enough space between the teeth, or if the arch is too narrow. And if there are any concerns regarding the arrangement of the child’s teeth, early intervention may not only mean less treatment in the future but also help prevent long term general health concerns.

Regular visits to the dentist during this formative years is important too.

Curiously, the dental sphere gives this phenomenon the term ?Ugly-Duckling Stage”, but we all know the opposite happens to the Ugly-Duckling in the end!