It's springtime and it's again time to remind our patients at Carolina Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry to protect their faces and pearly whites while out on the field playing sports. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events annually.

Crooked or crowded teeth aren’t always just a cosmetic issue; they also are more difficult to clean, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Likewise, if your teeth don’t align properly when you bite (known as malocclusion), this can cause chewing, swallowing, and speaking problems.

Most of our patients at Carolina Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry will need to wear rubber bands at some point during their orthodontic treatment. The main reason our patients are instructed to wear rubber bands is to correct their bite. If your teeth do not fit together properly, Drs. Luis Leite and Rick Singh will recommend that rubber bands be used. Drs. Luis Leite and Rick Singh may also recommend using rubber bands to close or open spaces.

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, orthodontic treatment for children should start at around age seven. Drs. Luis Leite and Rick Singh can evaluate your child’s orthodontic needs early on to see if orthodontic treatment is recommended for your son or daughter. Below, we answer common questions parents may have about the benefits of early childhood orthodontics.