My son’s teeth are just like mine. They grow out sideways. Not completely sideways but sort of flared out to the sides and most of the teeth grow this way. When I was 13 yrs old I had braces and even now my teeth are a bit sideways. I am trying to save my son from some of the stress I had in school and nowadays, save him from bullying. He is only 8 yrs old. We have been to plenty of dental appointments and I was expecting the dentist to say something about my son’s teeth, but she has not said anything. Can our pediatric dentist do something about this or do I need to take him straight to the orthodontist? Clark
Clark – It is not unusual for teeth to grow at an angle. To start, it is best to let your son’s pediatric dentist make an evaluation of his treatment options. The dentist will refer your son to an orthodontist for further evaluation and to determine the best time to begin treatment and what appliances should be used. Depending on the case, orthodontic treatment can be started as young as 7 years old.
The pediatric dentist will work along with the orthodontist to monitor the progression of your son’s teeth and jawbone growth. After orthodontic is treatment is complete, it is critical to wear a retainer. Immediately after treatment, a retainer will need to be worn continuously for one year, or more if necessary. As your son grows, retainer adjustments will be needed, and a retainer has to be worn at least nightly for a lifetime to prevent teeth from moving back to their original position.
This post is sponsored by Naperville dentist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
