Orthodontics. Anyone have a child with an underbite?

[vinotinto]

My DD is now 11 and the retainer expander is all she needed. She "graduated " out of his care about a year ago when the majority of her adult teeth were in and she now goes in every 6 months just to make sure things haven't shifted. So far, so good.

Yay! I'm feeling hopeful we can try the less aggressive treatment and see how it goes.

 

[MSLRAC]

Yay! I'm feeling hopeful we can try the less aggressive treatment and see how it goes.

It's crazy how aggressive some orthodontists are with their treatments. I've got one in braces now and two coming soon. No underbites but my girls are missing permanent teeth so other teeth have to be moved and reshaped and all sorts of fun stuff.

The first orthodontist we saw wanted to do braces in two phases and in between the phases would done bone grafts and implants. He told us to expect $15-25k by the time we were done and for it to take 3 years to complete. We simply could not afford that because his office didn't take payments.

On a whim, I called the orthodontist that provides the yearly school t-shirts for our school because I knew he advertised $4995 for braces. He laughed when I told him the first guy's plan and laid out a much quicker plan that was much less aggressive. There will be no implants or grafts or phases. We're just over half way through and we've not even hit the one year mark yet and it only cost us $4995.

 

[mjkacmom]

For the reason above, OP, do it now. My DD18 started her treatment at 16. She had the expander, facemask, and now braces and they have stopped treatment because it didn't work. (They are just re-straigtening her teeth now.) There was a chance it would work since she still had some growth left in her but sadly it did not. She will be looking at surgery sometime down the line.

16! Most kids are done long before then. Four of my five needed braces, ds18 seemed to be minor (the others had palate ecpanders early on). However, he had a molar facing the wrong way, and when he was a senior in HS, his lower jaw kept growing, and they faught the underbite. He's a freshman in college, hopefully they will come off soon.

There are all types of torture devices associated with braces, and most kids get braces. Seven months is nothing!

 

[*3*Mouseketeers]

My DD had an underbite and had the palatal expander and we had to turn the key 2 times per day for about a month. They cemented it and about 2 moths later the Orthodontist put braces on (top and bottom). She kept the expander in for about 3 more months. The expander caused a gap between her front teeth she had to deal with for a couple months until they put the "power chains" on her braces and the gap closed up within hours (it was amazing!) She had her expander removed last month and was so happy about that. She doesn't have to wear a mask though. I take a closeup picture of her mouth every month and am so surprised the difference 6 months has made.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

DD also has an underbite and a small upper jaw. She had her expander put in two weeks ago and we turn it with the key every night and once a week the dentist turns it twice. I think this will go on for 4 weeks and then the expander stays in for a few months. Once the orthodontist feels it's right she will have her braces put on. He said in about 4-6 months. It's only been two weeks and she already has a small gap between her two top teeth. We aren't doing any headgear so I am no help with that.

I say get it done now. When they are young they seem to be more resilient to the uncomfortable part of it all. DD says she feels pressure around her face when I turn the key and the food getting stuck is annoying but to my surprise she hasn't complained much at all.

 

[lilia78]

Two of my kids had issue so that required a combination of retainers, expander and braces.

I had a major underbite and a crossbite, I had retainers, expanders, braces and head gear. The head gear I had to wear 23 out of 24 hours a day, so only off to eat and bath or shower. My work started before my 8th birthday (about 1986) and continued until I was 14. The head gear I wore for a year and do not remember any issues with it, my mom says she remembers me wearing it like I was supposed to with no complaints. I had horrible teeth and would not smile and taught myself to speak without my teeth showing. It was a long road but I'm glad I was able to have the work done, I do not regret it one bit.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

DS10 had an orthodontic consult today for an under-bite (his top teeth go behind his bottom teeth just slightly). I had assumed that they would recommend some minor treatment to fix it since it's not too bad...wrong. They want to do this 7 month course of treatment putting in an expander for 7 months. 2-3 weeks of "expansion" (2 times a day) then 6-7 months of wearing a "face mask" to bed every night. The face mask is this horribly uncomfortable looking metal/plastic thing that pushes against your forehead and chin, and attaches with rubber bands to the expander in your mouth.

They showed him pictures of the expander and the face mask and explained every step, in detail, to him. (Ugh) By the end of the consult, my DS was in hysterical tears.

He is a very light sleeper as it is and I just can't imagine how he would ever sleep in this thing! The orthodontist wants to start this immediately, but he needs sleep to function at school. Between the discomfort of the expander, the discomfort of the face mask and the lack of sleep I'm worried he's going to go nuts!

If you have any experience, could you tell me about it? How did your child cope? Any survival tips? How long did it take for the whole process? I would be grateful for any advice.

I feel so bad for him. He's been up three times tonite looking for me because he's upset. I look at this under-bite and it doesn't seem that bad...

OMG. See more orthos.

 

[mom2rtk]

OMG. See more orthos.

The OP's child is probably all done with his ortho treatment by now.

 

[aprilchem]

It crazy how aggressive some orthodontists are with their treatments. I've got one in braces now and two coming soon. No underbites but my girls are missing permanent teeth so other teeth have to be moved and reshaped and all sorts of fun stuff.

The first orthodontist we saw wanted to do braces in two phases and in between the phases would done bone grafts and implants. He told us to expect $15-25k by the time we were done and for it to take 3 years to complete. We simply could not afford that because his office didn't take payments.

On a whim, I called the orthodontist that provides the yearly school t-shirts for our school because I knew he advertised $4995 for braces. He laughed when I told him the first guy's plan and laid out a much quicker plan that was much less aggressive. There will be no implants or grafts or phases. We're just over half way through and we've not even hit the one year mark yet and it only cost us $4995.

My best friend is an orthodontist, and she is appalled at all the kids that get orthodontic work done at 7, 8, or 9 years old. My sons are in 4th and 5th grades and they have many classmates with braces already - she told me that for the vast majority of kids she believes this is a technique that orthodontists use to get more money from parents - they correct teeth at a young age, and then when the face and jaw shape changes during puberty they need to correct again.

She told me that she doesn't want to see my boys until the summer after 7th grade (my sons will be close to turning 14 then) and she wants to see my daughter in the summer after 6th grade.

 

[llcoolj]

My best friend is an orthodontist, and she is appalled at all the kids that get orthodontic work done at 7, 8, or 9 years old. My sons are in 4th and 5th grades and they have many classmates with braces already - she told me that for the vast majority of kids she believes this is a technique that orthodontists use to get more money from parents - they correct teeth at a young age, and then when the face and jaw shape changes during puberty they need to correct again.

She told me that she doesn't want to see my boys until the summer after 7th grade (my sons will be close to turning 14 then) and she wants to see my daughter in the summer after 6th grade.

Having orthodontia done for straighter teeth is very different than orthodontia done for bite issues. I had to have jaw surgery (mandibular osteotomy) in 1986 for my underbite along with four and half years of braces. I watched my son's bite like a hawk and consulted his dentist and orthodontist when it was clear he was developing an underbite. He received an expander when he was 7 with braces added when he was in 5th grade that came off in 8th grade. He has great teeth and a perfect bite without surgery. Bite issues are so different than crooked teeth and can lead to major health issues in later life. I am so grateful that my mother sacrificed for me to have treatment.

 

[mjkacmom]

Having orthodontia done for straighter teeth is very different than orthodontia done for bite issues. I had to have jaw surgery (mandibular osteotomy) in 1986 for my underbite along with four and half years of braces. I watched my son's bite like a hawk and consulted his dentist and orthodontist when it was clear he was developing an underbite. He received an expander when he was 7 with braces added when he was in 5th grade that came off in 8th grade. He has great teeth and a perfect bite without surgery. Bite issues are so different than crooked teeth and can lead to major health issues in later life. I am so grateful that my mother sacrificed for me to have treatment.

Yes, it really depends. Some of my kids needed expanders, and then had a gap in treatment before braces. Ds14 is done with braces. Ds18 got his on at 14. All 4 had different lengths of treatment, starting and ending at different times. One went every 6 months just to be checked for many years, including X-rays turns out she doesn't need them.

 

[Neesy228]

OMG. See more orthos.

Yes, as PP mentioned, this is a zombie thread from several years ago and DS has long since finished his treatment.

We did end up finding a different (and wonderful) ortho and he didn't have to go thru all of the trauma that the first one suggested.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Yes, as PP mentioned, this is a zombie thread from several years ago and DS has long since finished his treatment.

We did end up finding a different (and wonderful) ortho and he didn't have to go thru all of the trauma that the first one suggested.

HAHAHA...well good, it means my advice is right.

...off to grumble about falling for zombie threads...

 

[MSLRAC]

My best friend is an orthodontist, and she is appalled at all the kids that get orthodontic work done at 7, 8, or 9 years old. My sons are in 4th and 5th grades and they have many classmates with braces already - she told me that for the vast majority of kids she believes this is a technique that orthodontists use to get more money from parents - they correct teeth at a young age, and then when the face and jaw shape changes during puberty they need to correct again.

She told me that she doesn't want to see my boys until the summer after 7th grade (my sons will be close to turning 14 then) and she wants to see my daughter in the summer after 6th grade.

I took my two youngest in for consultations and our orthodontist told my DS that he'd see him back at 13 and my DD at 12. He said he rarely starts on kids in elementary school for the reason reasons.