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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:

EndlesslyDistracted · 15/02/2024 14:47

One of mine was referred at 11 for overbite, started at 12, finished around 15th birthday (needed twin blocks for a year before fixed braces, then covid intervened and the whole thing took a bit longer than it should have done, her fixed braces gradually fell to pieces during lockdown, but otherwise it was a fairly good age to have it done.

The other started around 15 (was late to lose milk teeth but no waiting list as private, his was crossed teeth and a mis-shapen palate) with a more complex case, needed a removable appliance, then twin blocks, then a lot of work with fixed braces. Finally had them off soon after his 19th birthday. It was a total PITA with the appointments once he was at uni.

Another thing to bear in mind is that it makes eating, brushing etc more complicated, removable twin blocks etc can get lost or damaged and need to be cleaned, a bit more maturity is a good thing when it comes to all this.

CousinGreg55 · 15/02/2024 14:57

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.

How was she with getting her teeth extracted? My ds12 has an Orthodontist appointment and I suspect he will need teeth extracted before he has a brace. I feel a bit ill at the thought of it.

Original poster

Frogger17 · 15/02/2024 14:58

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

Thank you, that’s really helpful! I didn’t even counter this his jaw will grow too 🤦‍♀️ I had mine at 16/17 and DH 14+

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popandchoc · 15/02/2024 15:12

I have been told with my daughter they prob won't refer until 11/12. She has some overcrowding but also a underbite.

Allthecatseverywhereallatonce · 15/02/2024 15:26

@CousinGreg55 my ds 14 has just had 4 teeth extracted they do 2 on the left then 1 week later 2 on the top.
My ds was fine, obviously scared but the worst bit was the anaesthetic injections after this a bit of pulling. It was much easier than I thought as I was dreading it.

Waitingfordoggo · 15/02/2024 16:20

Both of my DCs had to have four adult teeth extracted before their braces were fitted. I was dreading it but they were completely fine! (I got my DH to take them because I knew I’d make things worse rather than better- I don’t like blood and anything tooth-related makes me squeamish). They were offered the choice to have two taken on one side and then go back the next week for the two on the other side but both children opted to have all four out in one appointment. They’re much braver than me!

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