Orthodontic treatments are done for people of all ages. However, they play a particularly important role for children as they help in speech development and communication skills. Orthodontics helps your child pronounce sounds clearly and effectively by correcting misaligned teeth and jaws. This also helps them grow socially and build meaningful relationships.
During speech development, a child’s teeth, tongue, and jaw play major roles. Misaligned teeth can create problems like lisps, slurred speech, etc. Overbites, underbites, and crossbites make it difficult to pronounce sounds, often resulting in other people misunderstanding your child. This is why orthodontics are important for social interactions.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends early orthodontic treatments for children with such issues from the age of 7. Getting diagnosed and assessed in a reputed family dental care in Orange Park allows you to solve these problems before they escalate. The earlier you start, the earlier your child gains the confidence they need to socialize.
How dental and jaw alignment affects speech
The alignment of your child’s teeth and jaw affects their speech development to a great extent. Proper dental alignment is crucial for clear speech. The way the upper and lower teeth fit together affects how sounds come out, and misalignments can create issues in producing certain phonetic sounds. The positioning of the tongue, lips, and teeth all work together to aid speech.
Overbite and underbite
Overbite and underbite are common dental issues that affect speech articulation, especially the production of sounds such as “s,” “th,” and “f.” An overbite occurs when the upper teeth overlap the lower ones, while an underbite is when the lower teeth protrude in front of the upper teeth. Such an alignment can alter the positioning of the tongue when speaking and create issues.
Open bite
An open bite is caused when there is a gap between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed. Therefore, the tongue is not able to contact the teeth when speaking. An open can complicate the pronunciation of sounds such as “s” and “z”. The tongue is not able to reach the surfaces necessary to produce these phonemes accurately.
Crossbite and crowding
Crossbites happen when the front teeth sit inside the lower teeth when the mouth is closed, which creates uneven pressure, affecting clear speech. In the same way, overcrowded teeth can impact proper tongue placement, making it hard to pronounce certain sounds correctly.
Both issues can cause problems like lisps and trouble with specific sounds, which can greatly impact speech clarity and communication.
Tongue-thrusting and lisping
Tongue-thrusting is a common issue where the tongue presses against the teeth when speaking or swallowing. This can worsen orthodontic issues and lead to lisping, especially with sounds like “s” and “z”. Treating these problems with orthodontic care is highly necessary and can help correct tongue position and improve clear speech.
Orthodontic treatments to fix speech problems
Orthodontic treatments, such as braces, palate expanders, and retainers, can help solve speech problems in children. Braces are among the most commonly opted-for treatments for temporary challenges with speech. Your child might face some difficulty when the braces are first applied, but they will eventually get used to them.
Palate expanders help widen the upper jaw, creating more room for teeth. They are helpful in fixing alignment problems, but patients may notice sound changes at first. For example, they may notice slight lisps or trouble pronouncing certain words. This happens because the expander takes up space in the mouth, affecting how the tongue moves and air flows.
Finally, retainers can also help with teeth alignment but may have a short-term impact. Visiting a dentist will allow you to determine the best treatment for your child.
Does your child have speech problems?
If your child has speech issues, you might be worried about them. Visit a family dentist in Florida today to figure out the best treatment for your child!
