Teeth Braces on kids? Do yours have them?

[mummyplonk]

Hiya, We went to the dentist today and she confirmed for the second time that Ds will probably need braces for his front teeth when he is older, she mentioned they do it now when they are about 13 as they should be settled down by then. Am quite pleased really as would love him to have straight that I never had. There really don't seem to be many kids about with braces on nowadays in the Uk, do they still do the ones you take out at night? Or are they all (sorry dont know the correct word) train tracks now that are permanently fixed? And does anyone know how long they usually stay on for? Thanks for reading.

[fridayfreedom]

Dd had the train track type for about 2 years and had to have 4 molars out first. Now has lovely teeth and has a fixed wire retainer behind them.
DS had a removable brace at the top which he wore all the time. Now has train tracks top and bottom. Should be on 18mths ish!

[NoComet]

DD1 has train tracks, fixed braces top and bottom. She's had them just over 16 months.

Dentist hasn't said how long, but I'm guessing she be rid of them before two years.

Her top teeth are lovely and straight, some of her higgledy piggerly bottom teeth are still undergoing persuasion with rubber bands.

[Clearlymisunderstood]

I had train track braces for 4 years. My teeth are fantastic,I wouldn't hesitate for one if my children to have braces if they needed them

[Lurleene]

My DD is 17 and had hers off last month after having them for less than a year. The difference is amazing.

I had them myself and remember being distraught when I had them put on, but she just took them in her stride. I think it is a rite of passage nowadays, not something young people get teased about.

[mummyplonk]

Thanks Friday, where your children about 13 when they had them? Did either of them get upset or embarrassed, am worried how image conscious I started feeling early teens and really hope no bullying around this happens.

[mummyplonk]

X post Lurleene, so pleased your DD did not hesitate at 16 years old, such a quick improvement too. Is is just me but I can only think of the boy in One Direction as the last kid I saw with braces. Is it because of lack of NHS dentists or do they hold back now as a last resort where years ago I saw lots at school with them on (70's/80's)

[MagicBaguette]

I had a retainer for 3 years from 11-14 (didn't wear it often enough so took longer than it should have done)

Then train tracks from 14-15 (less than a year). My teeth were awful to begin with, the results were amazing and definitely worth it.

They can be painful at first and a bit when they're tightened. I was never bullied because of my braces

[MagicBaguette]

The year I got mine on was the last year they stopped being on the NHS for under 18s (I think)

Now it's just on the NHS for more severe cases, which I was.

Not sure if this is right though?

[fridayfreedom]

Daughter was 15 due to a mix up with nhs referral. Went private in the end. Son is 14 and had his about 4 months.
Absolutely no problem with bullying and not self conscious as braces are very common at this age.
Some discomfort when they are fitted and tightened so need painkillers . Also will affect what they eat, corn on the cob is difficult!

[Lurleene]

mummyplonk - When she had them put on we thought it would take two years and that she would get them taken off around about her 18th birthday. It actually took less than half the time. She now has cleat plastic retainers to wear in bed for a few months.

I don't know if fewer young people have them nowadays. Maybe we just don't notice so much? DD was a bit miffed when she had them taken off expecting everyone to be wowed, and half her friends commented that they had never even noticed she wore braces!

[GrimmaTheNome]

My DD got hers at 13, will have them for a couple of years. They're fixed, at the moment just upper but will have lower too soon.

If you think not many kids have braces I'm guessing you don't look at many 13-14 year olds mouths! Seems like half the kids in DDs class have them (or have had them). She knew more about it than I did, her friends who had them ahead of her told her all about it. Nowadays they get to choose the colour of the little bands on them, which changes each time they are tightened - she's sporting bright turquoise at the moment. One of her pals had alternate red and green last xmas!

[Clary]

Gosh loads and loads of kids have them IME.

I teach secondary and at least 5-6 kids in most classes have them on.

DD has just had hers taken off - lovely straight teeth

She had traintracks for just over a year, from just before she was 11 which is early but they felt it was worth it. They said 18mo but it was so successful they came off early. She also had the rubber bands at various times.

She now has a clear retainer to wear 24hrs for a week then at night only. Should be fine. BTW she had no bullying at all, tho was maybe a bit conscious at first (eg no teeth showing in photos). She was feted when she had them fitted as she was in yr 6 and was the only person in school with them! She had fun picking different colours etc.

[GrimmaTheNome]

Now it's just on the NHS for more severe cases, which I was.
Not sure if this is right though?

more or less - DD qualified for NHS and hers weren't really too terrible. But some of her friends it really is purely cosmetic so probably fair enough that its not for free.

[SlangWhangering]

Loads of kids have them where I live. Two of my kids had them. My kids were not the least bit self concious about them although they were painful at times. It's worth the pain and money

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

DD has just started on the orthodontic roller coaster. She is 12.4 and currently has a beautiful pale pink sparkly spacer.
She had four baby teeth out and when the adult ones appear, she needs those out too.
According to the (very rich) orthodontist, her braces should be fitted around 7 months time once the rest have jiggled round a bit.
I am not sure what will happen TBH. We are leaving Malaysia for England. FX she'll be able to carry on once we get there!

[mummyplonk]

That's great they can choose colours! Yes you are both right I am not hanging around that age group regularly at the moment so my limited knowledge is only from playgrounds and supermarkets, so pleased to hear these stories, can't believe how quickly they can make a difference, do they have to be tightened very often?

[Clary]

DD had an apt about every month-6 wks IIRC.

They only hurt for a day or so afterwards.

She says it feels weird without them!

[Capitola]

My ds has a mouth full of metal - train tracks top and bottom. So do most of his friends.

He was not bothered in the slightest. I was secretly upset - that he had 2 perfect molars removed and had so much discomfort from the braces in the early days with ulcers and sore bits and throbbing teeth.

After being initially aghast at the sight of them, I don't even notice them now.

[mawbroon]

DS1 is 7.9yo and has had his since October last year.

He is having his palate expanded and wears headgear at night to bring out the middle section of his face which will stop the mouth breathing which can affect jaw development.

Treating him at this age will mean that he will either be able to avoid fixed braces when he is a teen, or will need them for a much shorter time.

[bruffin]

DD 15 is a year into hers. She has top and bottom and had 3 teeth removed, but the 4th one is impacted and needs to be removed under GA in about 2 weeks. Lots of her friends still have them. DDS teeth were really crowded so she got hers on NHS.

[mummytime]

When your son gets to 13 there will be lots and lots of children with them. My DD already knew a lot by the time she got hers just before she was 14. I think they are a little more discrete than they used to be, and my DD has even more discrete private (expensive!!!) ones. We have gone from 8 month tightening, to 6 week, and now 5 week. She has had them for a year, and has about another 6 months I think.

[LIZS]

ds is 15 and many have had them removed in past year or so . He needs them but won't cooperate :( Most are fitted between 12 and 16 to take advantage of the natural growth spurt

[Notsurewhattodonext]

Most children round here have them, they all have a mouth full of metal. They start them early here, DD will start with some jaw expander a when she is 8 and will go on to proper brace a few years later. She is an extreme case though but most of the children seem to have them at 12/13. I won't hesitate to give them braces, it makes such a difference.