You may be surprised to learn that speech delays often begin in the mouth rather than the throat. Although vocal cords are responsible for the sounds we produce, the structure of the mouth informs how we shape them. If your child has a speech impediment, the problem could have originated from losing primary teeth too early. On the other hand, it may have evolved from a small jaw, which can have the knock-on effect of dental crowding. How does dental crowding affect speech, you ask? It crowds out the tongue, limiting the range of movement it needs to form specific sounds.
If your child is experiencing speech delays, you should hit up a speech therapist. If they’ve decided that crooked teeth are the culprit, they will (hopefully!) provide a referral to our children’s dentist in Ivanhoe. If you’ve received such a referral, call Dentists of Ivanhoe on (03) 9499 9033 (or book an appointment online) so we can begin to fix crooked teeth in Ivanhoe!
Before you book this crooked teeth treatment in Ivanhoe, read more about how dental or even jaw alignment can pause speech development in its tracks.
Malocclusion treatment in Ivanhoe
Whether you’re a child or an adult, your tongue, lips, and teeth all coordinate to control the airflow from the mouth. This is how we form words! However, if your teeth are crooked, crowding, or misaligned, they’re going to alter the way you pronounce things. This issue is particularly pressing for children because early speech patterns can be formative.
If you have been to a special pathologist or speech expert to find that their dental or jaw positioning is to blame, don’t contact just any children’s dentist near Ivanhoe. Contact the Dentists of Ivanhoe! We can provide dentistry to children with a focus on early intervention to nip speech delays in the bud. To take advantage of our children’s dental care services, call (03) 9499 9033 or book an appointment online. We can even address your misalignment issues while we’re at it!
Please note that Dentists of Ivanhoe cannot diagnose speech delays in children. We can certainly straighten teeth, if that’s the issue, but for professional advice regarding speech delays, please speak with a speech therapist first and foremost!
