{"id":171,"date":"2024-04-10T21:04:54","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T21:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.willowbendbraces.com\/blog\/?p=171"},"modified":"2024-05-28T21:05:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T21:05:06","slug":"why-baby-teeth-might-need-braces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.willowbendbraces.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/10\/why-baby-teeth-might-need-braces\/","title":{"rendered":"Phase 1, Ready to Launch: Why Baby Teeth Might Need Braces"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A lot of the time, people associate braces with a particular period in their lives: adolescence. While this is hardly a complete picture of what orthodontics can do, it\u2019s also understandable to think this. People usually get all of their permanent teeth by their teens, which usually means it\u2019s the first time that patients can straighten the teeth that they\u2019ll have for the rest of their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it\u2019s actually not necessary to wait that long to get braces; there are some instances where aligning baby teeth<\/a> could be a good idea. Here\u2019s what you should know about this process, and how you can know whether your child is a good candidate for these braces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Introducing: Phase 1 Orthodontics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most people are familiar with braces that are used to straighten permanent teeth, but there\u2019s actually an entire section of orthodontics specifically geared toward children who still have some of their baby teeth. These are called \u201cphase 1 orthodontics\u201d, so named because they precede the braces that people get as teens or adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is Phase 1 Orthodontics Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may rightfully wonder why it\u2019s necessary to straighten a child\u2019s baby teeth considering that they\u2019re eventually going to fall out anyway. It\u2019s a good question\u2014one with several answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a practical level, young children with misalignment often have more problems when their permanents start to come in. It\u2019s possible that these teeth could come out crooked or may even become impacted. Having severely misaligned teeth can also make it harder to eat, which is a problem for young kids for whom nutrition is paramount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, crooked teeth can be a huge blow to a child\u2019s self-esteem. Phase 1 orthodontics may address that problem, affording your child confidence now and into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs a Child Needs Phase 1 Orthodontics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you think your child could potentially benefit from phase 1 orthodontics, the best thing to do is to talk to an orthodontist who understands their circumstances. Here are a few indicators that it might be time to have that conversation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n