Braces for a 7-year-old?

[lrab1126]

my almost 7 yr old also suffers from "sharks teeth" and has crooked teeth and crowding due to it. Mostly an issue on her bottom row right now. If the 2 loose teeth she has now dont come out soon on their own she will need those pulled and in another year likely will need back teeth extracted to allow for the other teeth to spread out. But no braces yet. I did ask about it and was told it can be done but is a waste of my $ because it will need to be done all over again because orthodontics do not really work properly until all or most of the baby teeth are out and the perm teeth are in. They can extract and use spacers to help keep things lined up. good luck. I just hope my younger dd doesnt require as much work lol

 

[design_mom]

I had my first ortho appt at 9, then braces at 11 after the device of torture, I mean palate expander.

Lots of kids get them these days, because they can expand the palate while it's still growing.

I had a palette expander when I was in 8th grade. My experience was like Bumbershoot's -- TORTURE.

My DS is 8 and, at our last appointment, our dentist recommended getting DS in with the orthodontist a.s.a.p. because she thinks he will need a palette expander, too. (I could have cried for him!) Her reasoning was the same as what mjkacmom mentioned. She said apparently there's a growth spurt somewhere between 8-10. If you can time the palette expander *with* the growth spurt, it's *much* easier on the child. If you miss it -- torture device.

I'm trying to research orthodontists now.

 

[disneybridetobe]

I was one of those kids that had braces twice. I first started out in 3rd grade with brackets and a "lip bumper" and then they threaded the brackets together, and had a top retainer. I had probably 12 or so teeth pulled in my life, not counting my wisdom teeth. They were taken off, and I went to another orthodontist. My mom and I didn't feel that these braces that the first guy installed did a darn thing. I then had braces for another 2 years, and had to have teeth physically pulled down from my gums (yep, they cut a hole in my gum and pulled the tooth down!) and then I had powerchains, the whole 9 yards.

In retrospect, and now as a mother, I don't think I'd want to do that again. I suffered enough the 2nd time that it didn't seem to matter that I had anything done the first time because I grew, my teeth shifted, I got more teeth, I had teeth pulled... etc etc

Just my two cents!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I agree that you should get a second opinion just for your peace of mind. Certainly if there is a structural concern or a problem with language development or eating then do whatever is necessary. But I can definitely understand your concern in putting the braces on a seven year old. I have seen children teased just as much for having braces (MY experience ) as for having crooked teeth.

It's very ironic how this issue has done a 180 degree turnaround where I live. Most kids I know WANT braces at some point! Every kid gets braces at some point so teasing becomes a non-issue, kids are so used to seeing them. Sadly braces have become a status symbol, and the kids pick up on it. It used to be the geeky/ugly/unlucky kid who got braces at a young age. Nowadays, it's most likely to be the richest kid on the block who has braces at age 6 or 7, who has a great future awaiting them. How things changed! I know kids who get panicky if they aren't in braces by a certain age, and are shamed to be in high school still in braces.

In my town, I know parents that will shop around to find an ortho who will brace their 7 year olds with less-than-perfect teeth. The parents want their child to look better now - in our appearance-dominated society, I can totally see why.

 

[Dani C]

My daughter's dentist recommended that she get them. I asked my daughter what she wanted to do (about a year ago, not at 7) as her teeth really aren't that bad (not perfectly straight, but not bad). She decided that she doesn't need them. She is a teenager and obviously very self-concious about the least little flaw, so if she doesn't think she needs braces and that her teeth are fine I think maybe someone out there is just wanting to pad their wallet.

 

[mjkacmom]

It's very ironic how this issue has done a 180 degree turnaround where I live. Most kids I know WANT braces at some point! Every kid gets braces at some point so teasing becomes a non-issue, kids are so used to seeing them. Sadly braces have become a status symbol, and the kids pick up on it. It used to be the geeky/ugly/unlucky kid who got braces at a young age. Nowadays, it's most likely to be the richest kid on the block who has braces at age 6 or 7, who has a great future awaiting them. How things changed! I know kids who get panicky if they aren't in braces by a certain age, and are shamed to be in high school still in braces.

In my town, I know parents that will shop around to find an ortho who will brace their 7 year olds with less-than-perfect teeth. The parents want their child to look better now - in our appearance-dominated society, I can totally see why.

Oh yes, no one gets teased for braces - everyone gets them! My dd12 finally got some in the front. She still has one baby tooth, and was SO upset getting them this late, afraid she'd be still wearing them in HS!

 

[SLK1]

OP here...I will definitely seek a second opinion; however, the orthodontist we use has the best reputation in our area - word is any mouth treated by him WILL be perfect. My older two kids have braces - DD13 had a Herbst appliance for a year and is in a full set now; and DS15 has regular old braces with a chance of a Herbst after the straightening is done. Each kid runs around $5,000. Yikes!

I agre with PP that braces are the norm now rather than the exception. Kids are expected to get them...is that because we are an image-driven society, or because the studying of orthodontics and the repercussions of malalignment (is that a word???) are more known now? When I was growing up, only the kids with severe problems wore them! I do not want my DD7 getting braces now just to avoid teasing or just to make her teeth prettier...there has to be a physiological reason. At this point, she is in no pain, nor has any jaw/mouth problems. They explained this was "preventative" and would help in her later years. I'm really torn about it.

Thanks for all the great advice, opinions, and suggestions!

 

[LuvOrlando]

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[Mandychelle79]

Personally I shy away from ortho's who want to do braces before all the adult ( at least most) teeth are in. I went to an ortho who didnt do braces until most adult teeth were in, the other popular ortho, put kids in earlier. All the kids at the other ortho needed braces again before sr yr high school ( they were in them in 2nd and 3rd grade). I got my braces at the end of 5th grade or 6th grade, and did have to get them again in 10th, but that was because of a jaw surgery I had to have down as my lower jaw quit growing when I was 8.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Our dentist said it is standard that they all do routine screening for any potential ortho work at age 7. Ds12 has very straight teeth and didn't need to even visit ortho but ds8, 9 next month, has had a huge overbite and getting worse all the time. We saw an ortho at 7 for him and they xrayed him and basically said they want to just watch his teeth for now. They see him every 6 mos and we've been waiting for his 2 top 'laterals' to come in. These are the 2 right next to the 2 front teeth. The problem is that the teeth that are already in are spreading out so much that they're preventing the adult teeth from coming in. The baby teeth have fallen out over a year ago and adult ones can't come down.
They said sometimes it just takes more time so for now just watch. One lateral did finally come in but that just pushed his 2 front ones over even more. I really don't see how there will be room for this tooth to come in at all. The middle of his 2 front teeth don't line up with the center of his nose. I don't understand the whole 'wait for all their adult teeth' method when the adult teeth can't come down.
We were told if the front laterals can't come down, it causes even more problems when the molars start coming in which will result in even more extensive correction work later. They said laterals are usually in by age 9 and he'll be 9 in May. I don't mind waiting a little extra longer but don't want to wait too long.
Ds has wanted braces since the dentist 1st suggested and thought he'd just walk in at the 1st visit and walk out with them.
When I look back at his pictures from when he was 6, it's easy to see he was so much cuter then just b/c these huge teeth that stick out have really changed his appearance and it's only getting worse.

Unless you're under 25, I wouldn't go by how they did things when we were kids. It's outdated info and just like all aspects of medicine, knowledge/research has come a long way!


As for wearing a retainer for a specified time..... Based on so many people I know I would wear a retainer forever.

Coworker #1 had braces as a teen, stopped wearing retainer, and by 28 they shifted a lot and got braces again as an adult as she wanted straight teeth for her wedding.

Coworker #2 had braces as a teen, stopped wearing her retainer, and they shifted a lot. Prewedding age 23 tried to cram her old retainer on and it wouldn't fit. She opted to not get braces again but wishes she kept wearing her retainer.

3. Coworker #3 grew up poor, needing braces but didn't get them until adulthood and could pay for her own. Her ortho told her to wear her retainer, even just to bed, forever. He said teeth have 'memory' and will return to their old position w/o a retainer.

If ds8 ends up getting braces, he will wear a retainer to bed as long as he lives under our roof.

Good luck and a 2nd opinion couldn't hurt. At least if they give the same advice you'll feel better that you're doing the right thing.