If your kid has orthodontic problems, a wait-and-see attitude will do them more harm than good. The sooner you have the issue corrected, even if it seems minor, the more you will avoid major problems later on. Here are four practical reasons why early intervention is best.

To Prevent Further Complications

Orthodontists don't just treat existing problems; they also help to prevent orthodontic conditions. If you take your kid to see an orthodontist early enough, they can diagnose the cause of the issue and help your kid prevent further issues.

For example, early childhood habits such as thumb sucking and lip sucking can affect your child's bite. If the orthodontist realizes that this is the problem, they will not only help to correct the bite but also advise you on how to help the child overcome the habit. Otherwise, if you delay too much, the problems will only get worse, and the child might need a more invasive intervention to correct the problem in the future.

To Guide the Growth of the Jaw

Another benefit of early intervention is that the orthodontist can help guide the jaw so that it can grow as it should and accommodate all incoming teeth. This is hugely beneficial because orthodontic problems can affect the shape and size of the jaw, which will, in turn, affect how the subsequent teeth will erupt. This is the best time for this kind of intervention because the jaw is still growing (jaw growth continues until around age 16 and 18 for girls and boys respectively).

To Prevent Developmental Problems

Orthodontic problems can affect your child's development in more ways than one. For example, crooked teeth may impair your kid's language and speech development. Therefore, correcting these orthodontic problems will help your child to develop normally too.  

To Increase Self Esteem

If not for anything else, you need to correct your kid's orthodontic problems to help the kid with their self-confidence and self-esteem. Orthodontic problems can lower your kid's self-confidence by making them feel less physically attractive. Also, kids with irregular teeth sometimes get teased about their appearance, which may compound the problems for your loved one.

You may have a fear for dental treatments, but you shouldn't let your fear dictate your child's dental well-being. Contemporary orthodontic treatment yields great results when adopted early, and there are also different ways of dealing with the pain. In short, there is no upside to the delay; talk to an orthodontist about your child's teeth soon.