Studies show that about 1 million people in the United States and Canada wear braces each year. This means there is a reasonable chance that your child may be one of those people wearing braces at some point in their life. You need to be aware of the signs that your child may need braces, so that you can get them outfitted properly and nip their orthodontic issues in the bud. In order to do this, you should read below to learn about the telltale signs that your child will need braces, when they should see the orthodontist and more. 

What are the indicators that my child will need braces?

There are number of signs you must key in on to figure out if your child will need braces or not. Typically, you can pinpoint the signs pretty early in the process — when your child is still growing and losing baby teeth. If your child is having trouble chewing food, breathing, or moving their jaw without it making noise, these are red flags that your child will probably need braces. Further, if their teeth are growing in a way that is clearly crooked, or so that their teeth do not meet properly, you should reach out to the orthodontist to see if braces are the answer.

When should I take my child to the orthodontist?

Whether your child exhibits signs of needing braces or not, you should take them to the orthodontist once they reach the age of seven. This is a key age in your child's dental health development and will dictate the way that their teeth grow throughout the rest of their years. At the same time, this age is early enough for the orthodontist to catch serious issues and fix them fairly easily. Check in with the orthodontist every year, just to be sure that your child's tooth development is happening properly.

How much will braces cost me?

When you learn that your child needs braces, the very first thing you are likely to ask yourself is how much it will cost. While prices are not necessarily cheap, there are a plethora of payment plans that can be arranged with the orthodontist to accommodate any budget. As a rule of thumb, you can expect to pay between $2,000 and $8,000 for full orthodontic treatment, including the installation of braces and adjustments throughout the course of wearing them. Check with your oral health insurance plan to know for sure.

This information is valuable for you as a parent, because it allows you to be proactive about your child's orthodontic health. For further information, set up an appointment with the orthodontist at a clinic like Cazes Family Dentistry LLC.