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Original poster

What age for braces?

31 replies

Frogger17 · 15/02/2024 13:32

DS is 9, has probably lost 5-6 teeth (he was late to start losing them) but already the overcrowding of his lower teeth is awful.

DH and I both had teeth removed due to overcrowding.

I don’t know if the dentist is reluctant to refer as the children see him under the NHS or because he’s lost so few teeth.

Is it worth seeing a private orthodontist or will they just take the cash for no extra benefit?

Will query with dentist again in the summer but I don’t know to push for orthodontist yet or not, he said to wait until most teeth are in but at this rate he’ll be late teens!

OP posts:
clarrylove · 15/02/2024 13:34

Yes, we were also told to wait until adult teeth are in.

My eldest got his train track brace just before his 16th birthday. My youngest has just started his age 14.75 but he has a twin block brace, which relies on growth.

craigth162 · 15/02/2024 13:35

Yeah my 14 year old needs braces but only just been referred and its 18 month wait. Hes still got 2/3 baby teeth so hoping they fall out before he gets seen.

BarbaraBuncle · 15/02/2024 13:36

DS was only referred once all his adult teeth were through. The dentist kept checking each visit. They shouldn't attempt braces until all the adult teeth are through.

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Cameraclick · 15/02/2024 13:38

Hi OP just back from my 11 yo DSs first orthodontist appt. Dentist couldn’t refer him till he was 10. He’s now 11.5 and only lost 8 teeth. He has significant overcrowding especially at the bottom.

orthodontist said she isn’t able to say whether he qualifies for an NHS brace until he has lost more teeth. He has to go back in a year to see if she can make a decision then.

I too was late losing my baby teeth and so couldn’t start with my brace until I was 16. So I don’t think it would be worth going private at this early stage- I don’t think there’s much they can do when they’ve only lost a few baby teeth.

Janelle7 · 15/02/2024 13:39

I think 11/12 is the earliest they will do it

EntropyEurope · 15/02/2024 13:42

While I'm unsure about the best age to get braces, I can share that I got mine at 13 and underwent extractions to accommodate them. This impacted the way my face looked, as extractions can cause facial changes such as elongation and a more downward growth. Perhaps I was too young, I don't know.

SingaporeSlinky · 15/02/2024 13:44

Our dentist couldn’t do the referral until DS was 10 and had lost all baby teeth. Then the appointment to just have an orthodontist confirm he needed braces took over a year to come through.

Waitingfordoggo · 15/02/2024 13:46

They do have to wait for all the adult teeth to come through I think. DD had her braces on from about 13.

DS had a longer wait as his some of his baby teeth were large and stubborn and refused to move. He was referred to the ortho while he still had some baby teeth so that they could assess and make a plan. About a year after that, having had several more ortho appointments, the orthodontist obviously got bored of waiting and asked his dentist to remove the remaining 3 or 4 baby teeth. Then a bit more waiting to allow the adult teeth to come through properly so he was nearly 15 by the time the braces went on and he’s got them for around two years so will be halfway through Year 12 by the time they come off. It is quite common to see older teens still with braces on so I don’t think it’s unusual.

Lollygaggle · 15/02/2024 13:48

A NHS dental orthodontic referral will just get bounced back straight away at this age unless there was eg a cleft palate or similar.
The earliest age we can refer is 11 in our area and only if most of the baby teeth have been lost. It will then be a two to three year waiting list .

childrens jaws grow so much that what looks like a serious problem at this age often gets a lot better. This is particularly true of boys whose lower jaws grow quite considerably .

Standard thinking is any brace work done at a young age only duplicates what has to be done again when all adult teeth are out. The exception is for people with very narrow upper jaws where intervention at the pubertal growth spurt can guide the jaw growth and expand the upper jaw.

BrieAndChilli · 15/02/2024 13:49

they need to wait until most of the baby teeth have been lost so that they can what their final teeth position is going to be. There are stricter stipulations now on what will qualify for orthodontic treatment on the NHS.

DD had her braces put on when she was 14.5, she did however have a retainer brace to push forward a particularly far back adult tooth when she was 11, but had to wait until the rest of her baby teeth had gone before fixed braces.

DS2 had his braces put on at 13 but was referred when he was 12 due to an issue with an adult tooth in his gum and needed removal as growing horizontally.

BrieAndChilli · 15/02/2024 13:51

I have to say both of mine once referred to ortho were seen and had braces fitted within a couple of months - I think with DD she was already in the ortho's system due to earlier work and DS was classed as urgent. We were told it was a 4-5 year waiting list (and they cant refer them 'early' they have to wait until they are ready for treatment!)

CJ4713 · 15/02/2024 13:52

I'm not a dentist/orthodontist, but thought it depends on your facial bone maturity and whether adult teeth have erupted. I had train tracks put on when I was 11 and still in primary school. I was 160cm though and physically fairly mature. My brother didnt get his till he was about 14 though.

ZippyZappyZoo · 15/02/2024 13:54

It annoys me that the U.K. won’t do anything until all adult teeth in. My child has severe overcrowding (missing two adult teeth as no room to come in) but ortho has reviewed twice and won’t touch her until she has all of her adult teeth. Thankfully she’s lost them quickly unlike my other child so hopefully she’ll be ready for braces by her next review in the summer.

we did look at going private but because the orthodontist has seen her on the nhs we decided to stick with them

Cameraclick · 15/02/2024 13:58

Lollygaggle · 15/02/2024 13:48

A NHS dental orthodontic referral will just get bounced back straight away at this age unless there was eg a cleft palate or similar.
The earliest age we can refer is 11 in our area and only if most of the baby teeth have been lost. It will then be a two to three year waiting list .

childrens jaws grow so much that what looks like a serious problem at this age often gets a lot better. This is particularly true of boys whose lower jaws grow quite considerably .

Standard thinking is any brace work done at a young age only duplicates what has to be done again when all adult teeth are out. The exception is for people with very narrow upper jaws where intervention at the pubertal growth spurt can guide the jaw growth and expand the upper jaw.

Edited

This is really good to know.

poignant · 15/02/2024 13:58

Dd was referred to orthodontist when she was nine. She has a big overjet. She was seen when she was eleven and will start treatment after three last teeth come out. Next review in September.

Her friend got braces when she was nine. One front tooth grew horizontal and they fixed it.

lollydu · 15/02/2024 13:58

My son was told age 11 he would need a brace (all his teeth had come through by then which is quite early to have a full adult set I've been told). Was put on waiting list for a year or so and has just had his braces fitted age 13. He was told age 10 it was likely he would need a brace but they had to wait until he had lost all baby teeth xx

stayathomer · 15/02/2024 14:01

I know you don’t want to hear this but we have been told on many fronts that 14/15 is the best age. Saying that in Ireland the waiting list is years so he’s been on since 12 (same as you from 8/9 we could see it and dentist was watching) so he can get them straight away (public system as the best person in the private system is actually in the public system too anyway and they said it doesn’t save that much time wise) Ds is currently waiting for last tooth to go and then they said to call

Ahhhhhbisto · 15/02/2024 14:09

Lollygaggle · 15/02/2024 13:48

A NHS dental orthodontic referral will just get bounced back straight away at this age unless there was eg a cleft palate or similar.
The earliest age we can refer is 11 in our area and only if most of the baby teeth have been lost. It will then be a two to three year waiting list .

childrens jaws grow so much that what looks like a serious problem at this age often gets a lot better. This is particularly true of boys whose lower jaws grow quite considerably .

Standard thinking is any brace work done at a young age only duplicates what has to be done again when all adult teeth are out. The exception is for people with very narrow upper jaws where intervention at the pubertal growth spurt can guide the jaw growth and expand the upper jaw.

Edited

Hi @Lollygaggle not picking on your post but now slightly worried.

My DS was referred to orthodontist at 10y11months. Had initial appointment 2months later and braces fitted 3 months after that. He has no signs of puberty yet. Is this all going to be a waste of time and pain?

Fizbosshoes · 15/02/2024 14:10

Dd started with braces (twin block) when she was 10. She had already lost all her baby teeth. The orthodontist was unsure and said they preferred to wait til 13 but referred us to the hospital and hospital started the treatment when she was 10.
I think DS will need braces, he's 14 but he definitely lost teeth at a slower rate. We've been referred but waiting to hear from the orthodontist.

Lollygaggle · 15/02/2024 14:16

Ahhhhhbisto · 15/02/2024 14:09

Hi @Lollygaggle not picking on your post but now slightly worried.

My DS was referred to orthodontist at 10y11months. Had initial appointment 2months later and braces fitted 3 months after that. He has no signs of puberty yet. Is this all going to be a waste of time and pain?

Show quote history

The NHS orthodontic service is stretched enough that it would not do treatment that was going to need to be redone later.

Growth spurts and lower jaw growth are only relevant in particular types of jaw misalignment or narrowness .

Don't worry orthodontists will defer treatment and get the child back in 12 months time for a review if they didn't think they were ready for treatment.

edwinbear · 15/02/2024 14:18

My 12 year old has just had hers fitter last week, she had to have 4 teeth extracted first. DS is 14 and having his fitted next month. Our dentist said to wait until all their adult teeth were in first.

Ahhhhhbisto · 15/02/2024 14:27

Thank you @Lollygaggle. Had a heart sinking moment that he was going through this for no reason!

fluffycatkins · 15/02/2024 14:29

Not in the UK.
My ds had an expander put in at 11/12 and then had braces at 14.
The advantage of the expander was that teeth didn't need extracting to manage overcrowding.

Waitingfordoggo · 15/02/2024 14:29

Some of these waiting lists are shocking- although really not that shocking given the state of health care generally I suppose. We must have been very lucky in the postcode lottery as we still have an NHS dentist and my DCs were both seen by orthodontist within a couple of months of referral.

Halfemptyhalfling · 15/02/2024 14:38

Need to wait until all baby teeth are out. After braces will need night time retainers for ever which are not NHS and cost about £100 to replace so best to leave it as long as possible. NHS only do braces for medical reasons not for cosmetic reasons and they have tightened up what they count as medical recently. An overbite is medical but wonky teeth are not