Anyone's dc had early orthodontic treatment?

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Hi all - was wondering if anyone had any experience or advice about early (interceptive) orthodontics? My dd (7) has a huge overbite and very protruding front teeth, and has become incredibly self-conscious about smiling She's also being teased, both at school and activity clubs, and a very rude stranger made a comment about her teeth yesterday which has sent me over the edge

I'm looking into what we can do to stop her teeth from getting worse, and possibly help improve them before she gets to 11/12. I've read a little about early treatment, but it seems to be more of an American thing. Has anyone experienced this in the UK?

DD had a 14mm overbite ( as big as these things go apparently!) and had been referred to an ortho since she was 11 but the ortho refused to treat her until all her adult teeth came through...
So highly unlikely you will get early treatment

I did as a child and sound similar to your DD, I remember I was still in primary. They didn't work and I had to have them again at 15/16. My Mother wouldn't listen to the ortho when he said it would be better to wait. More fool her having to pay out twice.

DS wore a retainer for 8 weeks when he was 8yo (had crossbite). Didn't need any more treatment until he was 12 or 13 (ended up with full train tracks). You could go private for an initial assessment (? £100) & they'll let you know if she qualifies for NHS treatment.

If she's suitable, orthotropics would be great for her. That is started earlier won't avoids the need for extractions

Depends on your dentist tbh. It's known as interceptive orthodontics and while popular in the US and Europe hasn't caught on as much here. Would certainly be worth a google to see if there's anyone near you who does it.

Our dentist is private and gave dd removable braces aged 8 to correct a cross bite and widen her palate. Worked beautifully, she hasn't had to have any removed and has perfectly straight teeth now.

If we'd done it on the NHS she would have had to wait until her teens and would have had to have teeth extracted.

We have used a private orthodontist to reduce dd2's overbite, it has reduced from 10mm to 6mm in 2 months. She had an expander for her upper jaw fitted first & then the bottom jaw appliance. The NHS orthodontist said they wouldn't treat her until all her adult teeth were in, which we anticipate being when she is 17 (based on current situation. It's a great shame they will only do remedial work.

DS has had early treatment.
He was referred by the dentist to our local hospital Maxillofacial/Orthodontics department (NHS) at age 7 due to having a very open bite and narrow palate. He started wearing a removable expander brace for 24 hours (apart from eating) just before he was 8, which he still wears now. It has worked fantastically well.
He is going to be fitted for a permanent fixed brace at 11 - but he has all of his adult teeth.
So I would say it should be possible, and worth asking for a referral.

Thanks all - really good to hear some positive stories. Her overbite measures more than 6mm currently, so any reduction would be brilliant tbh. I can't imagine her having to wait 5/6 more years with her teeth like this. They rub on her bottom lip and leave raw patches

My very kind nan has offered to help us out if it can only be done privately, so will book an appointment and see what they say. I also agree it seems silly to wait until the teeth are all really bad when she's a teenager, then have to remove loads! If there's something that can be done now, I'll do it.

I'm in Hampshire if anyone has a recommendation of a good orthadontist?

*more than 8mm

Ds is due to have removable braces starting next summer, he will be 9. This is on the NHS, he was referred by his dentist as his bite gap is 12mm. I'm a bit nervous, he's not very self conscious at the moment but I guess he will be once he has the braces! However the dentist, a private orthodontist and the NHS orthodontist all agreed he should have it treated.

Depending if you're on the Surrey end of Hampshire and prepared for a bit of a drive I cannot recommend Invisibrace more. I'm having adult braces with them at the mo (called incognito) and they treat children. Really, they are totally fantastic.

My DS is 9 will all adult teeth except canines which are growing halfway back through the roof of his mouth.
He's had the baby cannines out on the 18th and we'll be back to the orthodontist in new year to see where the adult ones are growing in perpetration for braces with chains to pull the teeth down from the current horizontal/too deep in mouth position. / \ to | | this hopefully!
He's so little for it but NHS dentist referred him to get it started as she thinks it's going to take a while to get the teeth on the move.

Dd is seven with a huge overbite. Dentist said he can refer her to the hospital but as she's only lost eight baby teeth he didn't think they would do anything till she had a few more adult teeth.

DS1 had braces from 7yo until 9yo to widen his narrow palate and headgear to sort his facial structure and open up his nostrils. Google orthotropics that a PP mentioned. It was similar to this.

He is just wearing them now as retainers until they wait and see how his adult teeth are once they come in and settle down.

His problems stemmed from a tongue tie which was stopping him from eating, sleeping and breathing well. The orthodontic work has worked wonders in all departments and he is fit as a fiddle now.

I hope you can find somebody who can help. Our NHS dentist just shrugged when I asked about it and we were lucky enough to find a fabulous orthodontist. If we had left it, he would have needed multiple extractions as a teen then train tracks to sort out whatever was left As it stands just now, he may not even need fixed braces!

Update: we were referred to the NHS orthodontist by our lovely dentist. We didn't even have to ask actually - he mentioned the overbite when doing a check-up in January, and suggested an early referral would be necessary. Saw the orthodontist today, who has suggested a removable appliance as her overbite is actually 12mm He said that she would wear it full time for around a year, then at night until she's old enough for fixed braces. I think the damage risk to the teeth is the main reason he is so keen for her to have them now. Boys apparently tend to damage their teeth more than girls, but I explained that she's a very active gymnast, so highly likely to bang her face at some point in the next 4 years!

Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm really happy we pursued this for her

Thank you for updating - have just referred Dc for possible early treatment ( 8 ) good too so that it has worked out for other youngsters as some of the things. I have read say it will only need to be repeated later on if started before adult teeth are. All in.

Glad you got a good outcome textbook for the orthodontic end of it.

Now have a word with the school,and her after school activities and suggest workshops on bullying. It's not on to have such rampant bullying.

You need to develop strategies with your dd to field the comments from strangers too. "Fuck off" works well I find if "thanks for pointing that out, I hadn't noticed" doesn't do the trick.