WeLCOMe Blog

There are certain types of removable braces which can be fitted at an earlier age to start correcting an overbite. Each case must be individually assessed and I would recommend that you arrange an orthodontic consultation with an orthodontic specialist for your daughter, to allow an orthodontic assessment to be carried out.

When teeth are overlapping or crooked they can be a potential plaque trap and food may get caught between the teeth when eating. Without regular tooth brushing and flossing it can act as a plaque trap with a risk of decay or gum disease. Having straighter teeth reduces the potential of this plaque trap and the teeth are easier to keep clean. There are definite health benefits as well as gaining a beautiful smile.

Yes, brace treatment would most definitely help correct the overbite. Fixed braces work by producing gentle forces to guide the teeth into the correct positions. By moving the teeth into their ideal positions, the overbite can be corrected along with straightening the teeth.

When you suck your thumb or a dummy, the pressure of the thumb can push the upper front teeth forwards, the lower teeth backwards. The cheeks which are moving to suck the dummy/thumb can narrow the upper back teeth, If you try sucking your thumb now, you can easily see how the cheek muscles are moving and where the thumb is positioned in-between the upper & lower front teeth. By having the thumb or dummy there can also prevent the full eruption of the teeth as it acts as a barrier to the eruption of the permanent teeth. While your son only has baby teeth, it is very unlikely to have an effect on the adult teeth, but still extremely important to stop the habit now to ensure the habit doesn’t continue into the permanent teeth. 

The permanent teeth start to come through from around age 6 onwards. And as a parent, the years go by so quickly, he will be 6ys before you know it!