{"id":1714,"date":"2026-01-12T17:19:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T17:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/?p=1714"},"modified":"2026-01-12T17:27:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T17:27:40","slug":"6-signs-your-child-needs-braces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/2026\/01\/6-signs-your-child-needs-braces\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Signs Your Child Needs Braces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Did you know that it\u2019s sometimes necessary for children to receive an orthodontic evaluation starting at age 7?<\/a> Early detection of orthodontic problems is key in not only preventing more significant issues in the future, but also guiding the growth for a confident, healthier smile. While each child\u2019s tooth and jaw development is different, take a look at some telltale signs that can help you determine when to bring your child into Pediatric Dentistry of Central Iowa <\/a>for braces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical Oral Issues <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Teeth Crowding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Crowded, crooked, or overlapped teeth are one of the easiest ways to identify if your child needs braces<\/a>. This occurs for reasons such as genetics, jaw size, and the time at which baby teeth were lost. This misalignment of teeth can cause discomfort, increasing the risk of cavities and gingivitis due to difficulty in brushing. Lastly, if the patient\u2019s appearance is not what is desired for a confident smile, then orthodontics should be initiated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gapped Teeth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spacing issues are another easily identifiable reason your child might need braces. Gaps in teeth can result from having smaller teeth, fewer teeth, or missing teeth. It can be difficult to clean the gaps and get food out of them entirely. Because of this, there is an increased risk of gingivitis, leading to gum disease and cavities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malocclusions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Overbites, underbites, and crossbites are common types of jaw misalignments that typically require braces. An overbite is when the upper teeth vertically overlap the lower teeth more than they should. The opposite is an underbite, which is when the bottom teeth vertically protrude beyond the front teeth. A crossbite happens horizontally when the top and bottom teeth misalign. Malocclusions such as these may cause jaw joint dysfunction (TMJ) or other oral health issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indications of Oral Issues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mouth Breathing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mouth breathing in children is problematic for a handful of reasons. It negatively affects sleep, may slow growth, and can alter facial shape and development. This disturbs the natural teeth positioning and can lead to additional physical oral issues, such as crowded or gapped teeth or misalignment of the jaw. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speech Difficulties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Verbal problems in children can be indicative of dental issues that could require orthodontic assistance. If the positioning of the teeth or jaw is off, speech pronunciation and air control can be affected. Lisps, slurred speech, vocal strain, and difficulty pronouncing certain sounds are a few of the common impediments that can result from malocclusions, gapped, or crowded teeth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pacifier\/Thumb Sucking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thumb and\/or finger sucking use are very common in infants and toddlers, but can lead to serious oral issues. This is a normal habit that usually diminishes from ages 3-4<\/a>, but if the act o is not lost by the time adult teeth begin to form, there is an increased risk for braces. The act of sucking on a thumb or pacifier impacts developing front teeth positioning and can cause an excessive overbite. It can also alter jaw development and result in malocclusions. Pacifier use should be discontinued no later than the second birthday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find Out if Your Child Needs Braces at Pediatric Dentistry of Iowa<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Good oral health starts from a young age. If you\u2019ve noticed one or more of these signs in your child, it\u2019s time to come see us at Pediatric Dentistry of Central Iowa<\/a>! Our interceptive orthodontics recognizes issues early on to ensure your child\u2019s teeth grow and develop properly. Get your child\u2019s oral health journey started today at our Ankeny<\/a> or West Des Moines<\/a> location. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Did you know that it\u2019s sometimes necessary for children to receive an orthodontic evaluation starting at age 7? Early detection of orthodontic problems is key in not only preventing more [ more <\/i><\/a> ]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"6 Signs Your Child Needs Braces","_seopress_titles_desc":"Did you know that it\u2019s sometimes necessary for children to receive an orthodontic evaluation starting at age 7?","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[30,4,8],"class_list":["post-1714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-child-braces","tag-child-dental-care","tag-pediatric-dentistry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1714","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1714"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1714\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1721,"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1714\/revisions\/1721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dentistryforkids.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}