The NobleDentist Blog

This is an article by Dr Nigel Carter (British Dental Health Foundation) that appeared recently in the Scotsman.

Ask the expert

My six-year-old son has lost his first milk teeth and the replacements are growing in really crooked. The dentist says that nothing can be done at this stage, but I would rather any braces be fitted now rather than when the poor chap is a looks-conscious teenager. Is there anything I can do in the meantime, I’d be prepared to pay for the treatments.

MM, Loanhead

It is actually quite normal for the adult teeth to come through slightly crooked. A child’s mouth is much smaller than an adult’s, so it is not surprising that it struggles to house adult-sized teeth at first. As the child gets older though the jaw will grow and the teeth will find the space they need. This does not mean your child needs braces in the meantime.

In fact, putting braces on a six-year-old could end up doing more harm than good and it is unlikely that you would be able to find a dentist to carry out the treatment anyway. At this age your son has a lot of development ahead of him and he needs to be given time for his jaw to grow. It is difficult to know how the teeth will develop before then and fitting a brace could affect the shape of the jaw as it grows. Once all of the teeth have come through though, it will be much easier to see exactly what needs to be done.

One thing is for sure, you don’t need to worry about braces having an adverse effect on your son’s image by fitting them in his teens. These days braces are actually very fashionable and, in some cases, you can hardly tell they are there. If you are prepared to go private there are all sorts of options available. You can have clear “invisible” braces that are very subtle and cool. Or your child may prefer coloured braces, especially if you suggest using the colours of his favourite football team. There are even some braces that fit behind the teeth and so are not visible from the outside of the mouth. By the time his teenage years come round there will probably be even more options available.

In the meantime, if you want to ensure your child’s dental health doesn’t deteriorate, then discourage him from thumb or pen sucking as this can worsen crooked teeth. In addition, make sure that he maintains good oral healthcare so that once his teeth have been straightened his smile will be white, as well as straight.