Orthodontics question

[jfoofj]

My DS is almost nine, and at his vist to the dentist this week the dentist recommended a consult with an orthodontist. DS has lost almost all his baby teeth and his adult teeth are coming in with gaps and crooked (as mine did) but this just seems a little young to be considering orthodontics already! I got my braces in junior high, he is entering 3rd grade! I know it is just a consult, but I am already dreading how much this will cost and trying to figure out if I should shop around or go with the orthodontist the dentist recommends.

Also, I have Delta dental through my employer, I can switch to their "high option" plan at my open enrollment in November... I think the do cover a small percentage of ortodontics, not sure if anyone else has any experience with that end of it too.

TIA

 

[My2Qtz0205]

I got my braces at the end of 4th grade, so I don't think he's that much ahead of the curve. There are a lot more things they can do now than when we were young, too. Maybe getting on it early would prevent him being in braces longer when he's older.

 

[bigbabyblues]

My ortho (I'm 33, and still go for my retainer checks) starts seeing children around 8 years old for a consult, then checks them periodically after that. He doesn't charge unless they actually et something done.

 

[aja319se]

I would go for the consult, they may recommend a palate expander or some other device which could reduce the length of time he is in braces.

Also as far as Delta Dental sounds like you have the basic plan but if you can upgrade during open enrollment (usually November) it will take effect in January. MOST basic Delta Dental of MA plans cover braces 50% up to $1000.00. Hope that helps!

 

[jaminmd]

They are starting younger now. My DD is 12 & about to get hers off after 2.5 years. She wore her retainer for 6 months prior to that, so 3 years total. My neighbor's daughter has had hers since the end of first grade.

I wore mine for 4 years but that was 700 years ago. They get better results now by starting younger & they wear them for a shorter period of time.

ETA: They are expensive, too. Phase 1 was about $3300 (including "records" fees) & phase 2 about $2500, all out of pocket for us.

 

[Suz D]

I was very surprised when our dentist recommended seeing an ortho when our daughter was about that age too. We did it and don't regret it at all. All the checks were free unless they provided an apparatus (as a pp pointed out). The ortho recommended certain baby teeth getting pulled to make more room for permanent teeth coming in. She got a retainer first to help bring a few things into alignment. That was $125.00. Then the braces went on in June of last year and she was in them just over 13 months (would have had them out a bit sooner but we were out of town).

Definately go in for a consultation. There is usually no charge for that and if you don't buy into what you are being told, you don't have to do anything.

 

[golfgal]

Our kids started going in for consults-most ortho's do that for free--around that age. They didn't get braces until they were 13 but that way if there are palate issues that need to be addressed they can do that early.

As for switching to the more comprehensive coverage for your dental, do the math first. We had that option when we had Delta but you had to keep it for 2 years and the higher premiums cost as much as what they covered so it wasn't worth it. DO take the money out in your flex-spend account if you have that option (in the year he gets his braces). The money you will save on your taxes will probably be more then your will get from Delta.

 

[greens_in_WA]

I used our companies medical flexible spending account. I got an estimate toward the end of the year, then set aside so much a month this year toward the braces.. Since I've already been putting $160/month aside, the cost of the braces will just roll right into the budget - YIPPEE! And all if it is pre-tax, which is nice too.

I looked into adding ortho through my dental insurance, but the amount I pay for the extra is the amount they cover, so there was no real benefit there.

 

[Pigeon]

It is very trendy now to slap the braces on the kids before they are weaned.

While it does hasten the weaning process, if you look at the peer-reviewed dental literature of controlled studies looking at the outcomes of the two phase approach, you find something interesting. In the vast majority of situations, there is no differences between the early approach and the more traditional approach that cannot be measured in yacht payments.

 

[mjkacmom]

This sounds about right. My dd13 was a late teether, so started going in 3rd, had the palate expander in her mouth starting in 4th, and finally got her top braces on this spring, bottom last week. She is mortified though, since a lot of kids in middle school are already done, but she just lost her last baby tooth this summer, so she's pretty behind. $6,5000.

 

[SpecialK]

My DS just got braces. He'll be 14 in Oct. He didn't lose his last baby tooth until last spring. There are a few kids around here that get braces that young, but most are in middle school.
Total cost here is $5400.

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

My son had his braces put on last August, a few months before he turned 13. We are going in next Tuesday to have them removed. If you get them on too early you sometimes where them longer or have a second set. His teeth look great for what I can see. I would go to the appointment because he might need an expander or something. My son didnt. These new braces are great. They take molds/pictures of your mouth. When you go in for them. They are already made(computer generated some how). It took about 45 minutes or less to have them put on. I was shocked. All his baby teeth were down and in place. If all arent down, you where them longer. This is what I was told. It was worth the wait.

 

[stephbillalec]

My ds got a palate expander in the third grade. He had that on for about 8 months and now has to wear a retainer until the braces go on in about another year or so. We went for a free consultation with the ortho and then we went for a second opinion with another ortho (again free). We're glad we did b/c we liked ortho #2 much better and his treatment plan ended up being much different and A LOT less expensive than ortho #1.
We spent just under $2K for the expander/retainer which will be deducted from the cost of the braces (probably about $6K)...and our dental plan covers NONE of it. Thank heavens for the free financing the ortho offers !

 

[HugsForEeyore]

It is very trendy now to slap the braces on the kids before they are weaned.

While it does hasten the weaning process, if you look at the peer-reviewed dental literature of controlled studies looking at the outcomes of the two phase approach, you find something interesting. In the vast majority of situations, there is no differences between the early approach and the more traditional approach that cannot be measured in yacht payments.

So agree! I must live near you, since this is exactly what goes on here. I know 6 year olds already in palate expanders and braces. I know parents that will demand early braces, and will shop around to find an ortho to start NOW.

The reason? (I am talking about my general area, I know other areas aren't as bad about this stuff) - appearances, status and class. Braces and the resulting super-straight terrific smile are a status symbol to show the world. Every parent here wants their kid to be seen as someone of quality. And who is most likely to grow up with crooked unsightly teeth nowadays? Poor kids. (not saying that's right; just how it is). No one wants their kid perceived like that, and who can blame them. Appearances matter. Kids who look good are treated better. Plain and simple. Everyone wants their kid to look good now and not have the gawky period for a few years. I know I would.

It's almost a "keeping up with the Joneses" thing here. Everyone wants those braces on their kids as young as possible, to show the world that their kid is destined to be a person of quality, and will get their share of the good life. I seen playgroups of 7 year olds - when one comes with a set of new shiny braces with a beaming proud mom, you can bet the rest of the mothers in that group run home in a panic and start calling orthos that day, to start work on their kid!

I know kids utterly embarrased to be in high school still in braces. It's seen as something that should have been taken care of by then. I also know kids with something in their mouths (braces, retainers, herbst, palate expanders, etc etc) for pushing 10 years, because of the rush to start early.

Sadly I lived this all this braces/status/class mania - my parents refused to fix my badly crooked teeth. And believe me, I was treated different than my better-looking peers. Very obvious what a liability a poor smile is. I finally woke up to the teeth/status connection - had to use up all my savings as an adult to get over 3 years of work (braces and surgery) to finally look normal and advance in a professional career. Wish I fixed my teeth as a kid, lots of lost time and opportunies because of my poor appearance.

So yeah - the orthos won the war a long time ago. It's gotten to the point that you are viewed as a "bad parent" if you chose to wait.

 

[nuke]

My son just got braces last month at 11 1/2. He has a huge overbite and it really couldn't wait any longer.

We also have Delta and our plan is great. We only have to pay $1200 out of pocket for everything including x-rays.

 

[jaminmd]

So agree! I must live near you, since this is exactly what goes on here. I know 6 year olds already in palate expanders and braces. I know parents that will demand early braces, and will shop around to find an ortho to start NOW.

The reason? (I am talking about my general area, I know other areas aren't as bad about this stuff) - appearances, status and class. Braces and the resulting super-straight terrific smile are a status symbol to show the world. Every parent here wants their kid to be seen as someone of quality. And who is most likely to grow up with crooked unsightly teeth nowadays? Poor kids. No one wants their kid perceived like that, and who can blame them. Appearances matter. Kids who look good are treated better. Plain and simple. Everyone wants their kid to look good now and not have the gawky period for a few years. I know I would.

It's almost a "keeping up with the Joneses" thing here. Everyone wants those braces on their kids as young as possible, to show the world that their kid is destined to be a person of quality, and will get their share of the good life. I seen playgroups of 7 year olds - when one comes with a set of new shiny braces with a beaming proud mom, you can bet the rest of the mothers in that group run home in a panic and start calling orthos that day, to start work on their kid!

I know kids utterly embarrased to be in high school still in braces. It's seen as something that should have been taken care of by then. I also know kids with something in their mouths (braces, retainers, herbst, palate expanders, etc etc) for pushing 10 years, because of the rush to start early.

Sadly I lived this all this braces/status/class mania - my parents refused to fix my badly crooked teeth. And believe me, I was treated different than my better-looking peers. Very obvious what a liability a poor smile is. I finally woke up to the teeth/status connection - had to use up all my savings as an adult to get over 3 years of work (braces and surgery) to finally look normal and advance in a professional career. Wish I fixed my teeth as a kid, lots of lost time and opportunies because of my poor appearance.

So yeah - the orthos won the war a long time ago. It's gotten to the point that you are viewed as a "bad parent" if you chose to wait.

Status? Really? I'm not being sarcastic, either, I've just never even considered it a status symbol. I do agree with what you said about how you were treated, though. Sad but true.

I'm glad that you're happy with your smile now.

 

[minkydog]

I would go for the consult, they may recommend a palate expander or some other device which could reduce the length of time he is in braces.

Both of my kids had palate expanders around age 9-10. They both had very high arched palates, big horse teeth, and no extra room. By expanding their palates they didn't need to have any teeth pulled to make everything fit. Their mouth slowly stretched until the permanents could drop down into place.

DD had braces @ 9 because she had a big gap between her front teeth that made her self-concious. So she ended up with two sets of braces--the first set was about a year and the second was about 2-1/2 years. She got her braces off just before she started high school.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My daughter wil be 7 soon. She had to have a front tooth finally popped out at the oral surgeon b/c it just was NOT budging. Her adult tooth has come in behind it and was completely in AND turned at a 45 degree angle. She will go for a consult in a couple of months if the tooth by then hasn't come up to the bite where it should be. While the mouth is not crowded, it would be easier to push it into place now with a couple of brackets or a retainer then wait until later when all the teeth come in and make it worse.

Orthodontics can be done in stages--the key though I think is making sure that whatever they are doing now won't have to be redone later.


As for the status comments---I only wish my parents didn't have that opinion that it was all about vanity. Until my mouth was wired on my own dime, did my mother realize that I had a screwed up mouth. (I couldn't bite corn on the cob properly and my bottom row of teeth was the silhouette of a figure 8). As far as mom was concerned, my smile was fine so there is no problem. Hogwash!

I don't know why people are getting braces earlier, but technology in orthodontia has improved over the decades.

Regardless of when you get orthodontia--the retainer is the most important piece b/c for most people, they will "undo" all that expensive work without it. I had been out of braces for 3 years and could not wear my retainer for 4 months due to sensitive gag reflex and morning sickness while pregnant. My bottom row began shifting and the retainer didn't fit anymore.

I did get braces again to correct the shift and then had a permanent retainer put in place so that it wouldn't be an issue anymore.

As for the OP---getting the consult is not an obligation to buy and I would encourage you to get 2 or 3. I'd go with the ortho who is considering a delayed schedule. Out side of a serious dental issue that affects your child eating and being unable to chew food--an ortho insisting he needs braces that very second is more concerned about their bottom line than your child's dental health.

 

[toystorymom]

I agree, go for the consult and see what the ortho has to say. I started bringing my oldest when he was about 9 and then just yearly consults. He still has some of his baby teeth so we have been waiting on those. Now he is 12 and is having his braces put on in 2 weeks. With him, there was no point in starting early because of the baby teeth. My friends son is 10 and has already had his braces removed, but now has to have them on again. I don't know if I see the benefit of going through it twice! Definitely depends on your child, never hurts to get a 2nd opinion also.

Anyway, all the consults were free. Now that we are actually moving forward $5200. Dental insurance will pay $1500, wish it was more but I'll take what I can get!

 

[mrsv98]

DD is 9yo and about half way through her palate expander phase. For us it had nothing to do with "status" her upper jaw was very narrow and out of alignment with her lower jaw. She had teeth coming in at 45 degree angles because there was simply no room for them. She is a very slow "erupter" and still has 12 baby teeth so braces are far in the future but we are giving the adult teeth a fighting chance by widening the jaw to the proper angle.

It is pretty amazing how fast it works, she was "expanded" 6mm and the gap between her front teeth was HUGE!!! but just 7 weeks into the "stabilization period the gap is pretty small and we can see a difference in the curve of her upper jaw, it is much more gradual and pretty.

Definitely get multiple opinions, they are free (in general) and will give you a good idea of what you are dealing with.