Early Warning Signs
Deep Bite
Do the upper teeth completely hide the lower teeth when you bite down, or does your child bite on the roof of their mouth?
Open Bite
Do the upper and lower teeth not meet in the front when your child bites together?
Overjet
Do the upper front teeth seem to be more noticeable and stick out quite a bit, compared to the lower front teeth?
Facial Asymmetry
When looking at your child from the front does it appear that their face, or chin are shifted to one side? Are they growing crooked?
Crossbite
When you look into your child’s mouth are the upper teeth on the inside of the lower teeth? If you think of the upper jaw as the garage and the lower jaw as the car the garage should be bigger than the car!
Habits
Does your child suck their finger or their thumb? Do they breathe through their mouth instead of their nose? Do they stick their tongue between their teeth when they swallow?
Crowding
Are the permanent teeth starting to come in crowded?
Headaches
Does your child complain frequently of headaches? If your child grinds their teeth, or has a deep bite, the muscles may be over worked and can contribute to headaches in children.
Earaches
Sometimes a bad bite or a deep bite can cause undue pressure on the small membranes of the ear, contributing to earaches.
These are all sign that your child may need early intervention! Functional Appliances work with your child’s growth and development to guide the jaws to their proper size.