treatment do i need braces? right age FAQs

How do I know if my child needs braces? THINGS TO LOOK FOR: Under-Bite Cross-Bite Open Bite Missing Teeth Teeth that Fail to Erupt "Buck" Teeth Crowding Teeth Under-Bite "Anterior cross-bite" Lower teeth in front of upper teeth Can include one or many teeth Caused by: Small upper jaw Large lower jaw Abnormal eruption of teeth Back to the Top Cross-Bite "Posterior cross-bite" Upper teeth inside of lower teeth Can include one or many teeth Can be on both right and left sides or on just one side Caused by: Narrow/constricted upper jaw Large/wide lower jaw Back to the Top Open-Bite Space between the upper teeth and lower teeth Most often includes the front teeth (but can also include the back teeth) Commonly associated with a thumb or finger-sucking habit Back to the Top Missing Teeth Teeth on the right and left sides should be symmetric Teeth can be missing from the mouth for various reasons Don't exist - teeth never developed properly Failure to erupt - can be caused by significant crowding or an abnormal eruption pattern Back to the Top Teeth that Fail to Erupt The most common teeth that fail to erupt are upper canines (the "eye" teeth, next to the upper incisors) Back to the Top "Buck" Teeth Front teeth that stick out too far are often associated with other orthodontic concerns. Crowded teeth Habits like thumb or finger-sucking Small lower jaws with lower teeth that don't fit with the upper teeth Correcting prominent front teeth not only improves self-esteem but also dramatically reduces the likelihood of traumatic injury to the teeth Back to the Top Crowding Teeth Crowding occurs when the jaw is too small to accommodate all of the teeth in the jaw Crowding can also be caused by premature loss of baby teeth and subsequent "shifting" of the teeth Back to the Top