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Dental Health Conditions That Could Affect The Alignment Of Your Child's Teeth

31 October 2016

Oscar Allen

Many children eventually require braces to correct the alignment of their teeth. However, they may not be predisposed to crooked teeth. Sometimes, other factors are involved. Multiple dental conditions can affect the alignment of your child's teeth. Here are a few of them:

Short Frenulum

The frenulum is the small membrane that connects your child's tongue to the floor of his or her mouth. Although this membrane is a normal component of your child's mouth, if it is too short, it can affect the alignment of the lower teeth, causing a gap or large space between the two teeth in the center of your little one's lower palate.

This gap can be corrected orthodontically, but first a frenectomy may be required. During a frenectomy, your child's dentist or physician snips the frenulum to allow the tongue to move more freely and to eliminate the tension that the short membrane places on the gums of the lower palate. The snipping procedure is relatively painless and should produce little bleeding.

Baby Bottle Decay

Baby bottle decay is a condition that is named for its association with prolonged bottle use. Many babies use bottles for more than nutritional needs. They may also suck a bottle to soothe or lull them to sleep.

Since a baby's swallowing reflex relaxes and salivary production wanes during periods of rest, the contents of the bottle pool in the baby's mouth. The milk or juice coats the teeth in simple sugars, which feed the bacteria in the child's mouth. The microbes, in turn, release acid as a byproduct from the breakdown of the sugars.

The acid dissolves the minerals in the baby's tooth enamel, inciting decay. As the decay progresses, cavities may be too large to treat with fillings or stainless steel caps. Thus, an extraction may be required.

When a baby tooth is extracted, it can no longer act as a guide for the underlying permanent tooth that will eventually emerge. As a result, the adult teeth can erupt in a crooked formation. Additionally, adjacent primary teeth can shift from their initial position because the missing tooth served as a placeholder for its neighboring teeth.

Baby bottle decay can be avoided by weaning a child in a timely manner and disallowing a bottle at bedtime and during naps.

To learn more about pediatric oral health conditions that could result in dental misalignment, schedule a consultation with a family dentist like Tony Parsley, DMD in your area. 

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