How old is too young for braces

Spacing: spacing between teeth is actually a good thing and should not be addressed until all permanent teeth grow. Most likely yes. Early orthodontic treatment is often referred to as Phase I orthodontic treatment, indicating that Phase II treatment will be needed once most or all permanent teeth grow.

This means that in totality, your child will wear braces for a longer time, thus increasing the cost and potential side effects of orthodontic treatment. This is the main reason why early orthodontic treatment should be avoided unless there is a clear indication for it. Palatal expanders are appliances that are used to widen the upper jaw.

Expanders are very effective and can be extremely beneficial if used in the right scenario crossbite or underdeveloped upper jaw. Expanders, however, are not as effective to address dental crowding if there is no crossbite present.

In these cases, the expansion achieved is almost completely lost a few months after finishing the treatment. Invisalign recently launched a new product line called Invisalign First which is designed specifically for growing children. Invisalign aligners cannot substitute for orthopedic appliances such as expanders and facemasks but may be used instead of brackets braces.

This is perhaps the most important question. Starting orthodontic treatment at the right time increases the chances for success and minimizes overall treatment time. The best approach is to perform a full evaluation at age 7 and continue to see the orthodontist on a regular basis usually yearly until the right time to start treatment comes.

We offer complimentary orthodontic evaluations for all of our patients starting at age 7. You can read more on this subject here. He specializes exclusively in braces and Invisalign for children and adults. Automated page speed optimizations for fast site performance. Orthodontic Consultations are free.

Book Now. About Services Journal Contact. Others, though, worry about what they'll feel or look like. However your child feels, you probably have some questions and concerns of your own about braces including how you're going to pay for them!

Here's the lowdown on kids and braces. Kids can need braces for any number of reasons, including crooked, overlapping, or overcrowded teeth, or a "bad bite" known as malocclusion. Malocclusion is when there's a difference in the sizes of the top and bottom jaws.

When the upper jaw is bigger than the lower jaw, it's called an overbite. When the lower jaw is bigger, it's called an underbite. Sometimes tooth and jaw problems can be caused by losing baby teeth too soon, accidents, or habits like thumb sucking. But often they're inherited, so if you or someone in your family needed braces, it's likely that your kids will, too. The orthodontist can decide whether your child does indeed need braces and which devices would be best.

There's no set age for a child's first orthodontist visit — some kids go when they're 6, some kids go when they're 10, and some go while they're teens. Even adults can need orthodontic treatment. Many orthodontists say kids should see an orthodontist once their permanent teeth start coming in, around age 7.

At this age, issues such as uneven bite and overcrowding will become apparent. Starting the process early doesn't mean a child will get braces right away. It just means the orthodontist will be able to find problems and decide the best time to start treatment.

At the first visit, the orthodontist will thoroughly examine your child's teeth, mouth, and jaw. He or she may ask your child to bite the teeth together and may also ask questions about whether your child has problems chewing or swallowing, or has ever had clicking or popping of the jaw. The orthodontist may take X-rays of the mouth and teeth to see how the teeth are positioned and whether any permanent teeth still need to come in.

He or she also may make a mold or impression of your child's teeth by pressing a tray of gooey material into the top and bottom teeth. When the mold is removed and the material hardens, the result is a replica of your child's teeth that will allow the orthodontist to decide which treatment options are best.

Braces correct alignment problems by putting steady pressure on the teeth, which eventually moves them into a straighter position. Most kids just need braces with brackets, wires, and rubber bands. The brackets attach to the teeth and are connected by a wire and rubber bands. The wire is tightened bit by bit over time to slowly help line the teeth up properly. The rubber bands come in fun colors that kids can pick.

Though metal braces are still used, so are clear or white ceramic braces, which are much less noticeable. Some even go behind the teeth lingual braces. I know my mom wanted to help I has severe self esteem issues from my teeth and was bullied at school so she found the cheapest ortho she could so that they could afford the braces monthly.

Looking back there were lots of red flags while seeing my first ortho, and ultimately so much damage was done from improper care that the cost will be so much more emotionally and financially. This is a great post and I think it speaks a lot to my experience with orthodontics. Straight teeth may be the end goal but ensure the proper route is taken. I got braces at age 8 and got them off at My mom became extremely angry with me because my teeth were spreading and she thought that I was lying.

Lo-and-behold, my dentist told her that I was right. I got braces again at 16 and off at This time, my orthodontist took them off prematurely in my opinion because I had a VERY noticeable gap on the upper left side. My daughter had braces at 9 and her wisdom teeth removed at Thanks for this post. It was exactly what I was looking for in my search for advice on my 8 yr old who is currently having phase 1 treatment and may need phase 2 now as well. Poor girl but I can visibly see the major issues in her pretty mouth.

Your ortho said pretty much the same as mine. Reassuring post. My parents decided I needed braces when I was 7, it was miserable. I had them for 9 years.

I had corrective jaw surgery at Wow thanks for sharing! I wondered if starting early would just prolong the process. So interesting! My 8 year old has serious over crowding. The orthodontist said 2 permanent teeth will Have to come Out if we wait and and do nothing the he will need braces to anyway.

My thinking is that why make him go through all this problems at 8 when we will have to do it at again. And what if his mouth straightens out on its own. I have heard of this. One day, when I was 8, I had an awful tooth ache, probably a cavity in a milk tooth since it was in a molar and I was very young.

I finished in a nearby dentist that convinced my mom I needed braces. She managed to put in 10 in the upper jaw and 4 in the lower. In pictures all you can see is a gap between all my teeth, I had a very normal denture, no jaw out of place, not one thooth crooked, and while growing up I had beautiful white small baby teeth. I had not a good higiene, like, I was learning, my parents had little clue as to what was happening, their mistake for not controling and leaving it to the dentist.

Eventually most of my upper teeth decayed a little and some less damage happened with the lower ones. It is by far the most horrible experience, I was depressed about it, not smiling, not cleaning enough cause I was so ashamed of looking at my teeth in the mirror, making it worse… and though I kept on going to the dentist almost weekly for my whole adolescence, the damage was done.

A teeth that has a cavity and is refilled is never as protected and healthy, problems still araise today even after having a bridge. At least now I smile more but I am 29 and this has destroyed my self-estime in key moments of my life. It affected my social, professional and academic life, and I am just recently understanding it is my teeth and not my whole being that is decayed. We definitely want the wellbeing of our children to come first and foremost!

So glad I found this. Took my three year year old to the dentist today. He has an underbite. She wants to put in a device before he is 4. I feel it is way to young. Definitely will be getting another opinion. In order to have proper face and oral development we have to be Nose breathing. Little hippy in places but dang good. My teeth have been bad for decades I thought it was poor enamel.

Turns out I had needed them since I was a child. My 7 year old has teeth just like me. She saw an orthodontist at 6 because her teeth were straight but crowded and I worked closely with my dentist and orthodontist to time her phase 1 at the appropriate time for her growth. I was lucky and found a dentist I trust and followed his advice. Your email address will not be published. Follow us. Baby and Kids , Health. Braces deal Invisalign save money.

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