3 Warning Signs Your Child Might Need Braces

Right now, an estimated 3.9 million children are orthodontic patients across the United States. You may look at your children’s teeth and speculate that they might need braces. Many parents worry about their children having braces, but there is no reason to be worried overly much about braces. Typically, children wear them for one to three years, and though the average braces cost can range from $3,000 to $7,000 quite often much of that is covered by insurance or can be financed.

With that being said, there are some signs that your child may need braces. Let’s look into some of them below.

1. Teeth Grinding

One sign that your child may need braces is if they grind their teeth at night. Teeth grinding could be a sign that your child has a misaligned bite in some way, which must be corrected through realignment. No matter how much braces cost, you’ll be relieved to know that your child’s teeth grinding can be solved by a proper bite alignment which can be accomplished through braces.

2. Mouth Breathing

A big sign that your child may need braces is mouth breathing. Mouth breathing may seem to be innocuous, and of course, everyone takes breaths through their mouth from time to time. But if you notice that your child is primarily breathing through their mouth, there could be something wrong with their bite. Again, the best way to correct bite issues (which can lead to jaw pain, among other things) is through braces.

3. Finger Sucking

If your young child has a chronic habit of sucking on their thumbs or fingers or implements like a pacifier, you may find yourself dealing with braces in the future. While these oral fixations could be a sign that something is already wrong with their bite alignment, they can also cause dental issues.

There are other signs that your child could need braces, but these, in particular, are some of the early cues that you need to be aware of. Look out for them! Whatever the braces cost, it will be worth it to see your child’s straight smile in the end.