Orthodontic braces before all milk teeth have fallen out

[Anothernotherone]

Does anyone have knowledge in this area?

Our dentist said DD might need braces - refered her to an orthodontist for their opinion. Orthodontist assessed her as between grade 2 and grade 3, asked us if we'd like to start treatment immediately, paying 100% privately. When I was unsure, said to come back in 6 months to see whether things had got any "worse".

Returned after 6 months, she said DD's teeth were now grade 3.

NHS treatment is apparently automatically funded for grade 4 and 5 and 3 is on an individual basis. Were actually abroad, but funding effectively works almost exactly the same way - for grade 3 we'd get a bill and the (state, effectively like NHS in a lot of ways) would probably refund 80-100% of the cost. Grade 4 or 5 would be paid for directly by the health insurance - so not that different to NHS.

The thing is although DD is in her teens she still has 8 milk teeth. This isn't a worry in itself - it's genetic, I didn't loose my last milk teeth until I was 17 and have extremely strong teeth - never had a single problem or filling and am mid 40s - and the X rays reveal adult teeth are there in her gums.

My question though is - is it worth while starting orthodontic treatment with 8 milk teeth still in place, especially given she's only got grade 3 issues (and as I understand it possibly only just grade 3)?

Will she just have a loose plate for potentially 3 years or so until most of her milk teeth are lost? Is there any real point?

DD wants braces, but she's a funny kid, she wanted glasses too despite 20:20 vision Almost all her friends already have fixed braces and she understands the discomfort and cleaning etc and still wants them. She is somewhat concerned about everyone but her ending up with perfect teeth if she doesn't get a brace... Her sole is technically not completely even but certainly not that bad, and will look different once all her adult teeth are through anyway...

We have another appointment with the orthodontist today at which she will probably push us to sign a contract committing to pay for treatment (which we will try to get through the health insurance but annoyingly cannot know before submitting the bills how much they will pay, because it's grade 3 issues...)

Wwyd?

*smile not sole

When I was referred to the orthodontist I still had a few baby teeth left. The orthodontist told me that they needed to come out before he started treatment. If they didn’t come out on their own, he said he would arrange for the dentist to take them out.

This was approx 15 years ago though, so things may have changed now!

I don't think there's any point getting braces with milk teeth still in place. As soon as they fall out they will change the shape of her teeth and she may end up needing braces again as an adult.
So to answer your question I wouldn't get her braces at the minute.

I'm also abroad and the dentist here told me dd needed braces when she still had milk teeth. Most kids here are slapped into braces the minute they set foot in a dentist's.
I took her to a UK dentist who said wait till she's 16. There is no point until milk teeth have all gone and mouth/jaw/face more or less adult sized.
I suppose it depends what the actual condition is, but she is 16 now and will need 2 of those loopy brace things round her two incisors to push them back.

Thank you both, this is what I'm thinking too!

With so many milk teeth still in place and not even wobbly I'd be incredibly drastic to pull them all out, and she'd look as though she'd been in an accident or something, plus the adult ones might come in differently without the milk teeth there (I'm not sure whether that's the case, but pulling 8 healthy milk teeth out instinctively feels very wrong, even though she's an age where most have lost all their milk teeth!).

I will go into the appointment today sceptically - the appointment is just for parents to discuss options, the x-rays and impression taking was done before the summer holidays, the orthodontist said she then assesses the information and presents treatment options at a consultation appointment... That's today.

TheCanterburyWhales thank you. DD is 14 but as I say still has all these milk teeth. It is remarkable that pretty much all her friends have braces...

I think you're right, we'd be better readdressing this when she's 16. It's hard not to feel like a terrible parent rejecting something presented as being for the child's good, especially because there's a cost factor ... But I'm sceptical about whether it'll actually do any good starting while she has so many milk teeth and these answers are confirming that.

I had a few of my milk teeth pulled for this. But one still remains today and I'm 41. On x days I had for wisdom teeth, I could see the adult tooth growing horizontal across my jaw. Apparently my grandad had one emerge through the roof of his mouth. I'd ask about position of the teeth and prob wait.

X rays, not x days

I've seen the X rays already - the orthodontist projected them onto a screen at the last appointment, immediately after they were taken. Obviously I am not a dentist or a radiographer but the teeth still in the gums looked as though they were approximately where they should be to me! Not wildly out of place anyway. Even though I lost mine late they came through straight so no family history like your grandad! Thanks for the reply Cottonsock

My son still had his baby teeth when he was 14, he had them extracted to encourage the permanent teeth to erupt and a space maintainer fitted..(to stop the posterior teeth tilting forward and the anterior teeth tilting back to fill the space gained by removing the teeth) within weeks the adult teeth had appeared and the fixed appliance could be fitted. His teeth are now perfect.