Crooked baby teeth – when is it a problem?

Are crooked baby teeth a problem?

For the most part, no. Milk teeth are essentially placeholders rather than permanent fixtures. Their primary job is to guide our adult teeth into the correct position when the time comes. It’s perfectly normal for baby teeth to erupt and for some of them to come through out of alignment. 

Another thing you might notice is that children’s teeth often have much wider gaps between them than adult teeth. Again, this is nothing to worry about. In fact, these gaps act as 'reserved space,' and allow more room for larger, adult teeth to erupt comfortably later on.

What are the signs of a more serious problem?

While a little bit of wonkiness is normal, there are some signs that your child’s dental development might need early attention: 

• Difficulty chewing or biting: If your child struggles to eat or frequently bites the inside of their cheek, the alignment of their teeth may be off.
• Speech impediments: Lisps or difficulty with certain sounds can sometimes be linked to tooth misalignment and jaw positioning.
• Mouth breathing: This can often be a sign (or a cause) of a narrow palate, which leads to significant crowding.
• Early or late tooth loss: If baby teeth are lost too early due to decay or injury, the surrounding teeth may shift and prevent the adult teeth from coming in straight.
• Protruding teeth: Buck teeth are more prone to injury and can indicate an underlying bite issue.

What age should my child see someone about their crooked teeth?

The good news is, with regular dental visits, you don’t have to play the guessing game with your child’s oral health. Annual checkups can start from the moment they get their first tooth or from six months old (whichever comes first). 

Regular visits will allow your dentist to keep track of your child’s growth over time. If your child needs braces, a plate or intervention to help with their adult teeth your dentist can recommend age-appropriate solutions when the time comes.

The earliest signs that your child may need braces or orthodontics usually happens at around seven years old. By this age, you child will have enough adult teeth for a dentist or orthodontist to spot potential issues with their bite or the alignment of their teeth and jaw. 

Can anything be done for crooked baby teeth?

The best treatment for crooked baby teeth is simply waiting and monitoring. Because baby teeth are placeholders, a dentist likely won’t recommend any appliances before their adult teeth comes in. What you can do is establish good oral hygiene habits at home and keep up with regular annual appointments. These habits include:

Discouraging thumb sucking 

Wonky baby teeth aren’t usually caused by thumb sucking, but this habit can greatly impact the way your child’s mouth forms over time. Pressure from the thumb can push the roof of the mouth up and essentially create a narrower palette not to mention it can push the front teeth forward.

Setting up a regular morning and nighttime routine

Kids are never too young to develop a regular tooth routine (of course, you’ll have to help them at first.) Brushing their teeth morning and night helps develop this habit for life. As they grow older, a great way to encourage healthy habits in children is to brush your teeth together. 

Prioritise healthy foods

Healthy foods are the foundation for healthy teeth and gums. Kids shouldn’t have a lot of sugar, soda or processed foods in their diet as this can lead to tooth decay (which is surprisingly common in New Zealand kids.) 

Crunchy fruit and veggie snacks

Crunchy foods are a surprisingly effective way to help your child’s jaw development. Raw veggies and crunchy fruits (think carrot sticks, cucumber, broccoli, pear, apples) force the jaw to work a little bit harder as they chew. This natural ‘workout’  helps encourage proper jaw development. 

Encourage cups over straws

Switching to cups over sipper cups and bottles is another way to encourage proper tongue development as well as jaw muscle development in children.

Booking you child’s next annual check up

If it’s been more than a year since your child’s last dental appointment, or if they are yet to visit a dentist for the first time, our team can help. With four clinics across the Wellington region, we make it easy to find a location that works for you. Book your next appointment now.