Does Your Child Show Signs of a Bite Problem?

Posted January 16, 2020

Some signs of concern with your child’s oral health are obvious. For example, if your child complains of a toothache, then it’s likely the cause of something that requires attention from your child’s dentist. However, some signs of trouble aren’t always obvious, and they can be easy to miss if you aren’t actively looking out for them. At our Dallas, TX, dental office, we emphasize prevention as much as possible, which is why we pay special attention to educating children and their patients about things that could lead to serious bite problems later.

Does biting and chewing seem difficult?

Though you may not always be consciously aware of it, the way your child bites and chews may be a sign of how well their jaws and oral structures function. That’s true in many different ways; a toothache can make it difficult to bite down on anything without pain; misaligned teeth can force your child to bite and chew crookedly; and more. If you notice that your child’s lower jaw doesn’t open and close evenly when biting and chewing, this may be an indication that their bite is imbalanced, and may require correction to avoid damage to their teeth and/or jaw structures.

Does your child grind their teeth a lot?

In addition to how evenly your child’s jaw moves when biting and chewing, another common sign of a bite problem includes the constant, uncontrollable grinding of your child’s teeth. Chronic teeth-grinding, or bruxism, can be caused by a variety of factors, but in many cases, it can be the result of a bite imbalance. No matter the cause, allowing the condition to go unchecked can expose your child’s teeth to increasingly worse wear and damage. It can also lead to a host of other serious problems and the need for more extensive dental treatment.

Does your child complain of sore jaw muscles?

Whether it’s from constant teeth-grinding, accommodating an imbalanced bite, or another form of bite dysfunction, sore jaw joints and muscles are typically signs to be concerned about. The more your child’s bite functions improperly, the greater the strain will become on these structures, and the soreness can be an indication that the joints and muscles are exhausted, damaged, or have become misaligned themselves. The common name for such a jaw joint dysfunction is TMJ disorder, and the more strain the joints are exposed to, the more intense the discomfort can become for your child.

Schedule a dental visit your child with us

If your child shows these or other signs of bite trouble, then seeking treatment for it as soon as possible could be essential to preventing more serious concerns later. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Pediatric Dental Care at Casa Linda in Dallas, TX today at 214-321-4880. We proudly serve patients who live around Casa Linda and all surrounding Dallas communities.