Teeth/Braces

[aidensxmomma]

My son is 6 and has lost his baby teeth (well, some). His adult teeth have grown in on the bottom and one of them is crooked. Since he's so young still, is there a chance that his teeth with become straighter as he gets older, or is it inevitable that he will need braces? If he will need braces, at what point will he have to get them?

Sorry if this seems like a really dumb question, I just have absolutely no idea about any of this. Thanks ladies.

 

[more babies]

The orthodontist my kids go to recommend kids be examined starting at age 7. They take X-rays and go over with you how things are looking and depending on the situation either start treatment or schedule a 6 month follow up. At the place we go to there is not cost for the initial exams and you only start paying if/when the child starts treatment. One of my daughter teeth were a mess (baby teeth we crooked from lack of space) so she started with expanders at age 6 before getting braces at age 10. My other daughter just got braces at age 8 to fix some minor issues.

 

[aidensxmomma]

Thanks for your reply, it was very helpful

I think part of Aiden's problem might be that he doesn't have enough space for all of his teeth. I planned on getting him to the dentist soon and hopefully he can get us started on everything.

 

[RachA]

I'm guessing that this is going to be something that is different here in the UK compared with the US.

DS started to loose his baby teeth when he was 4 - so far he's lost about 6 or 7 so far but only 4 have grown back in because there isn't space for the rest. We go to the dentist every 6 months for check ups and we've been advised that really DS will need his mouth the stop growing before they will consider braces. It is possible though that if he has too many teeth growing through that they will remove some if they start causing him problems.

I don't know anyone here that's had braces before they were 13.

 

[tallybee]

^ yeah I think it's probably very different on each side of the "pond"

I worked at an orthodontic practice, my first full time job - 16 years ago

We only saw high school age youngsters really, 12-13 up to 16, occasionally adults (private) and occasionally younger children with more unusual presentations, but for observation/review rather than actual treatment.

A dentist said a few years ago that my son might need braces when older but obvs the full set of adult teeth need to be fully in and jaw grown to see what you're working with.

 

[jd83]

Most kids here don't get braces until early teens, or later. I had them, but late. I didn't get them until I was 15. They will for sure want to wait until his mouth isn't growing so much. And it is possible that teeth may need to come out if there isn't enough room for them all. I had 4 adult teeth extracted to make room for straightening my other teeth.

 

[more babies]

A lot of kids here have braces at early ages. Not so many at 8 but definitely most of my 12 year olds classmates have had them for a couple years. I know my daughters orthodontist along with others feel that it's better to start early and have the permanent teeth grow in as straight as possible to avoid them shifting back down the road, among other reasons. When my 12 year old had lost her 4 bottom teeth that barely left enough room for her first two adult teeth. She has had palate expanders and now still has braces and has also had a couple teeth pulled a while back and a couple months ago we sat down and they showed up pictures they had been taking since she started going and the results were shocking to be honest. I was amazed at what they had done for her teeth. Soon she will have her braces off and will be done with treatment with the exception of a nightly retainer. I can't imagine what her mouth would have looked like or what they would have had to do and how many years it would have taken had I waited to start treatment in her teens. Her regular dentist referred her to go at 6 because of what her teeth looked like. My 8 year old I just had them check her out while we were there. Even just the couple months that she has had braces on its been a significant difference although she only has actual braces on her top four teeth because they stuck out quite a bit. All that's left for her is to fix her overbite.

But it's definitely the norm to start at young ages around here.

 

[more babies]

I also wanted to add had I waited until my daughter was in her teens when her mouth was done growing she would have 100% needed to have permanent adult teeth extracted. Even with the palate expander she had it was questionable whether or not she would have to have her last molars and wisdom teeth removed, but because we started so early with the expanders she now doesn't need to have any teeth removed with the exception of her wisdom teeth. I do realize most cases aren't like hers but has definitely led me to support early intervention.

 

[emyandpotato]

I wasn't offered braces til 16 when I had all of my adult teeth. By then I felt far too old and said no, which I regret! But yeah, it is much much later in the UK.

 

[sherwood]

...

 

[Andypanda6570]

LOL..No they do not get braces cause of one tooth (Nobody I know anyway..)

All 3 of my sons had braces and my first 2 got them at 12/ My baby Anthony got them last year at 13, he is 14 now.. They were 5,500 dollars my insurance covered 2000 thousand.. My Ortho will not put braces on till all the baby teeth have fallen out.. But i really have never heard of an 8 yr old getting braces, but I suppose it is possible..I don't think it is different( UK & US) I just think it depends on the child and his Ortho. My God-daughter got them at 11, but she matured very early, she is probably the only one I know who got them that young..Good Luck XO

 

[cookette]

As a dental hygienist, I begin to refer my patients out at 7-8 yrs old for evaluation if its evident there will be a problem or theres any family history. Its very case-by-case basis, but we definitely support early interventon over here as its much easier to correct an issue at 12 (dentition allowing) than to let someone get well into puberty when the growth has slowed/is slowing and the maximum results cant always be reached.

If its only a couple teeth needing purely cosmetic ortho, often there are other alternatives to full-blown ortho, such as early intervention mouth pieces they can sleep in, or selective Invisalign when they get older.

 

[large cup bra]

One really good thing worth mentioning is that so many kids have braces these days that they do not get so much teasing as they might have once

 

[tinymumma]

Childrens mouths do grow to accompany their adult teeth. That's why they don't start seeing the dental van at school until they're around 7/8 (at least that's how it is here in Australia). A lot of dentists will try and recommend plates and braces far too early. It's actually best to wait until your child has done the most of their growing (between 16- 18). That way the corrections can be made without having extra adjustments needed over many years due to growth.
I have a few crooked teeth and have never worried about them. If it were me, i would leave them be, unless your LO specifically asks to have them fixed. Of course if they cause mouth issues, then that's a different story. However, if fixing them is just for asthetically pleasing purposes, I would leave that decision up to your child. Orthodontics are extremely dear and I personally don't think spending that much money just to fit the social idea of "good looking", is valid at all. Unless it's something your child honestly feels they want.

 

[cookette]

Childrens mouths do grow to accompany their adult teeth. That's why they don't start seeing the dental van at school until they're around 7/8 (at least that's how it is here in Australia). A lot of dentists will try and recommend plates and braces far too early. It's actually best to wait until your child has done the most of their growing (between 16- 18). That way the corrections can be made without having extra adjustments needed over many years due to growth.
I have a few crooked teeth and have never worried about them. If it were me, i would leave them be, unless your LO specifically asks to have them fixed. Of course if they cause mouth issues, then that's a different story. However, if fixing them is just for asthetically pleasing purposes, I would leave that decision up to your child. Orthodontics are extremely dear and I personally don't think spending that much money just to fit the social idea of "good looking", is valid at all. Unless it's something your child honestly feels they want.

I and the orthdontists in my area completely disagree with this. If you wait and miss the growth spurt then a palatal expander/herbst device that could have been used to correct myofacial dysfunctions is completely moot and you are ten times more likely to have to extract perfectly good teeth and pull back the occlusion; a completely antiquated and undesirable technique.

If you have ortho young, the whole point is you shouldnt need any "corrections" down the line due to growth. I've never, ever heard of this unless the paient was completely noncompliant.

 

[more babies]

I and the orthdontists in my area completely disagree with this. If you wait and miss the growth spurt then a palatal expander/herbst device that could have been used to correct myofacial dysfunctions is completely moot and you are ten times more likely to have to extract perfectly good teeth and pull back the occlusion; a completely antiquated and undesirable technique.

If you have ortho young, the whole point is you shouldnt need any "corrections" down the line due to growth. I've never, ever heard of this unless the paient was completely noncompliant.

Couldn't agree more! My oldest daughter is a perfect example of this. She would have had adult teeth pulled had there been no early intervention.