By William Trepp

It is most important to examine your child’s teeth as the permanent teeth grow in. Although children mature at different rates, there are some averages for permanent tooth arrival. Some signs that may indicate the need for an early orthodontic examination:
1)   early or late loss of baby teeth
2)   difficulty chewing or biting
3)   crowding, malpositioned, or blocked out teeth
4)   jaws that make sounds
5)   biting the cheek or roof of the mouth
6)   teeth that do not meet at all
7)   jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face
8)   finger sucking or pacifier habits continued beyond the age of six
9)   top front teeth stick out, protrude or are “bucked”
10) baby teeth that do not grow to full height like their neighbors
11) top front teeth grow in behind the bottom front teeth
12) top front teeth cover more than 25% of the bottom front teeth when the back teeth are biting together
13) weak chin or prominent chin
14) neighboring teeth shifting into bad positions when a tooth between them has been removed
15) centers of the top and bottom front teeth don’t line up
16) teeth wearing unevenly
17) jaws that shift off center when the teeth bite together
18) excessive spaces between teeth that persist after the top permanent canine teeth appear
19) embarrassing teeth or smile often hidden by hands