Orthodontist – scary word or one to make a perfect smile
Confidence is an attractive quality most people desire. It comes from within but is often a reflection of what someone feels on the outside.
Growing up, I had an overbite and hated smiling when the camera came out. I thought I looked like a bulldog so often held my hand to my face or grabbed a drink to hold up to my face. At the age of thirteen, I was taken to an orthodontist for braces and this changed my life more than I realised at the time. I hated getting braces at the time but resulting from that short period in my life, I now have a beautiful, confident smile I often show off for the cameras.
Recently I became concerned by state of one of my children’s teeth. It wasn’t just that her teeth were crooked but the way she uses her tongue when she talks, causes her to have a slight lisp. I mentioned this to the dentist and they recommended we see an orthodontist.
I knew the odds were against me to think I could have four children and no orthodontic work.
So much has changed since my day of wearing metal braces. Modern orthodontic treatments are often unobtrusive and look pretty funky.
Old Fashioned Metal Braces beautifully worn by Lisa Simpson
I started to research orthodontists and what was best for my daughter, I realised just how little I knew about getting braces. Facts I didn’t know about orthodontists:
- You don’t actually need a referral to see an orthodontist.
- Signs your child may need braces can be visual from as early as 7 years old
- Orthodontic work can also be used to correct speech.
- Some sleeping disorders can be due to issues with teeth crowding and jaw muscles/joints.
Here are 8 early signs to keep on eye on to determine if your child may need to see an orthodontist:
- Early, late or irregular loss of baby teeth. Baby teeth are essential for jaw growth and appearance, and to keep the spacing for adult teeth.
- Difficulty in chewing or biting. This can mean the jaw bones aren’t aligning correctly and can affect the health of teeth.
- Mouth breathing. Children who go untreated for mouth breathing at night can alter the appearance of teeth and smile.
- Protruding teeth. Sometimes this corrects itself as the child ages and the jaw bones grow.
- Thumb sucking beyond the age of 5. The longer the child sucks their thumb, greater the chance of the teeth and often the jaw moving.
- Underbite or overbite. Depending on the severity, both of these often require orthodontic treatment.
- Crowded, crooked or misplaced teeth. This can result in difficulty with chewing foods, affect speech and are often hard to keep clean.
- Jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face. Sometimes the size and the shape of the teeth do not match the jaw and may need correcting.
After learning these signs, I realise that my daughter has suffered from a few of these for many years. Her baby teeth were all lost very late. She is a mouth breather and sucked a blanket (she used to walk around with the corner of a blanket hanging from her mouth – yuk) and her teeth are quite small compared to the rest of her face.
Our first orthodontic appointment is in two weeks and secretly I hope this is the first step to correcting her lisp and helping her sleep better at night. With our beginners pack in hand we are ready to create an even more beautiful smile for my daughter
Does your child show any of these early signs?
Linking up with Essentially Jess?
This post was sponsored by Orthodontists Australia – when you need someone to care about your child’s healthy smile. If you do not know where to begin looking for the right Orthodontist – head here to find out more information. However all thoughts and ideas are my own and at Our Parallel Connection we take all sponsored posts seriously, only accepting those we either use or truly believe in.
Agh – we’ve gone done that path with one – I hope we’ve dodged it with the others….
Lydia C. Lee recently posted…A parenting challenge
I am a little nervous about what they will find
It really isn’t just about brushing your teeth twice a day is it? Good luck at the appointment. Sounds like she probably may have some things to address, that’s okay. I’ve heard the cost of braces etc aren’t as hard on the pocket as it was when I was a kid, or there are more options and payment plans available. Tem #IBOT
I’ve heard that you can set up a payment plan. Lol I don’t know how many more payment plans I can be on
Our eldest had braces, and she now has a beautiful smile. Looks like Miss 10 will need them too. We had a consultation last month and they said to come back in twelve months time as she’s still waiting on a molar to come through. We’ve started saving!
We had to wait until she lost 2 baby teeth. No are now gone so we are ready to start the next phase
I had braces in my late teens. I had them on the bottom for two years, and it never bothered me – plenty of my friends had braces on all teeth so at least you couldn’t really see mine! But the correction of the bottom teeth started to push the top ones around so I had to wear them on the top for six months. Six months which included my debutante ball (country gal), year 11 formal, year 12 school photos and a few other highlights. When I look back through my high school photos, it looks like I had them for ages! #teamIBOT
Emily recently posted…Mirror, Mirror
Oh you poor thing. I had them for my deb too and I hated smiling. But I had a plate on and off for 4 years too
Yep, we’re a family in need of orthodontics too – we tick quite a few of those boxes! 🙁
Scary really just how many kids need hem
My daughter (17) has just had two years of braces and now jaw surgery to fix an under bite. We had to wait till she stopped growing so the surgery had more chance of working. She was teased about her look a lot while we waited. I wish I could have pulled all those kids into Intensive Care and watch her struggle following the surgery.
It wasn’t as successful as we would have hoped, which means another six or so months of braces. Which also means braces and hiding that smile of hers for her school ball next month but it will be worth it in the long run. Not just from a cosmetic point of view. Prior to surgery, she was to the point that she was having issues with eating.
Raychael Case recently posted…The Art of Saying ‘NO’ and getting your life back!
Oh no Raych that is hard work. Poor thing. Mine all began because I had cancer in my jaw bone as a little girl. I thought I went Brough a lot but your daughter is going through too much for someone her age.
That’s a very useful list! I can’t help but feel so many more kids wear braces now than they did when I was young. I wonder if it’s because dentists are more vigilant or maybe we’re all just keener to have neater teeth! I hope all goes well for your daughter and that the brace is ace!
I think the same thing Sammie and I’m not sure of the reason.
My kids don’t need braces. At least I don’t think they do. At least my wallet doesn’t think they do. They are a little crooked in parts but not enough to change the way the talk, eat or smile I guess.
I have this theory that anybody who walks through the orthodontist’s door will end up needing braces. So I’m avoiding it (for now)
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit recently posted…Day 2322 – Rhyming Slang
Love your theory. Stick with it
My oldest has small teeth for his mouth and a big gap between his two front teeth and the youngest has big teeth and no gaps. It would have been good if they’d met in the middle somewhere?! LOL. Hopefully Cohen’s get bigger when he loses his baby teeth and Finn’s come back the same. I had braces though as my teeth met perfectly when I closed my mouth so had to develop an overbite or my jaw would have ended up jutting.
Haidee@Maybe Baby Brothers recently posted…Friends Or Foes: When Siblings Fight. And Cry. A Lot.
The over and under bits are the worst hating I think as they require a lot more work.
The dentist has more or less told us that one of ours will need braces. I’m not surprised. I have big teeth and needed some extracted before braces, and hers appear to be the same.
I didn’t know about the other signs though. That’s very interesting.
EssentiallyJess recently posted…Slow #IBOT
I’m just hoping it is only one out of four, otherwise might need another job. Lol
I’m talking about the ASO today, too, all three of my nippers need ortho work and finding the right one has been an absolute godsend.
Vicki | The Fashionable Mum Stylist recently posted…Brace Yourself – We’re Talking Orthodontics!
It’s a tough decision isn’t it?
My son has not long had his braces off, it was the best decision we ever made! He has the best smile now xx
Nicole @ The Builder’s Wife recently posted…Overwhelm – Moving Forward
These are the stories I want to hear Nicole
Yup, we are doing the full $5000 braces thing with our 15 yo daughter due to ONE baby tooth being late to fall out! The rest of her teeth and her bite are perfect, but she had a nasty gap where the baby tooth had been, so in order to help her confidence, we’re now on the payment plan for years to come! We have our fingers crossed that our son won’t need them. I love my kids, I love my kids ….
Lyndall @SeizeTheDayProject recently posted…How to find more time in your day
I say that everyday too…lol. Good luck Lyndall
Touch wood nothing yet, and both boys seem to have pretty good spacing between their teeth. It could go either way though…. I was blessed with perfectly straight teeth, but my husband is the opposite. Time will tell!
Hugzilla recently posted…How to Look (Even More) Fucking Ridiculous While Giving Birth
May the odds be forever in your favour
And how old is your daughter now, Natalie? If you don’t mind me asking. My three year old is a mouth breather and a thumb sucker. Her teeth very much protrude. It looks cute now, but I know she’s going to hate it when she’s older. I don’t know what we can do to stop it. I’m too soft with regards to this. I kind of feel like the damage is already done. And how on earth do you stop mouth breathing? I’m sorry to hear about the pain and embarrassment you experienced as a child. Just look at you now gorgeous lady!
Thanks Renee. Your sweet. My daughter is 14 yrs old but we have waited almost 12 months for the baby teeth to fall out. She will just need to suck it up and get braces. It really is only a shot time and then she will be even more beautiful than she already is
I could tell Miss 19 would most likely need braces (she did) from the day she was born. Something to do with the shape of her chin I think. PLUS she was a finger sucker until she was about 9! She had a plate for a year or two, and then went on to have braces. Today she has BEAUTIFUL teeth!
Janet aka Middle Aged Mama recently posted…I Was an 80s Style Icon!
Yeah, another happy successful story.
Mr 6 had a tooth that was coming in crooked but it seems to have corrected itself now. I wore a plate as a young child, and my teeth are horrid as an adult.
Tegan recently posted…My Mum has Depression: A Review
What a waste of wearing a plate. Can you do something abut your teeth?
I dread my girls needing any kind of orthodontic work. I desperately need some myself but it’s just so damn expensive! I need to stop putting off though, it’s only going to cost me more the longer I leave and I don’t want to end up with dentures!
Kylie Purtell recently posted…Seven {2016 52 week project} | Photography
Teeth are so important and as a photographer you know that. Look after yourself first Kylie
Brace – agree is ace!!!
LOL Jo