Interceptive orthodontics and 8yo dd

[D886]

My dd1 is 8.5yo and has an overbite. Her front teeth protrude by 10mm and 8mm. She also has overcrowded teeth due to having small jaws.

We are able to afford a palette extending brace at a reputable private orthodontic clinic; we have been told that this brace would also begin to bring her overbite inwards (she will need fixed braces regardless in the future).

I would like her to have it but my dd is terrified of being the only child in her class - in her school - with a brace at this young age She has been in tears today. The alternative is to wait a year and review her next summer.

What should I do? Does anyone know how well these kinds of braces work in kids my dd's age? Would I damage her confidence by insisting on a brace that will make her feel self-conscious? Should I just leave her alone until she's at secondary school and pretty much everyone has a brace?

All three of mine had early orthodontic treatment like you describe, from age 7. The kids in class were initially curious and then not interested.

They are 18, 16 and 11 now and all have lovely teeth and facial shape (which is the other thing that their treatment does)

Thank-you, Soup ... I feel that I know this in my heart, but it is getting dd to understand. She always comes back to being the only "brace face" in her school (her words 😞)

It is tricky, I agree!

Mine didn't/won't need fixed braces at all so by the time they were (or will be!) really concerned about their appearance, they didn't need to wear the brace at school. Both the older two didnt need theirs during the day beyond primary school, DD finished with daytime wear in Y5.

My DCs braces were not really visible in their mouths apart from a couple of clips. Speaking was an issue for perhaps a week.

Yes, try to persuade her! My Dd started age 8, and using a top palette one and a bottom wire, as well as a Myobrace at night, she has negated the need for further treatment before a fixed one - and the orthodontist has said she now may not even need the fixed.

She was the first one in her year to get one, but we got it just before a half term so she could get used to it and other than asking her what it was for ,the other children wee cool with it. Now they are older, other children are just beginning. In the orthodontics road but DD has been able to take advantage of the growth spurts In The past couple of years.

Dd definitely wants to have straighter teeth, but she seems so shaken now that braces are a reality rather than a possibility.

DH and I just need to be gentle with her. I know it will benefit her massively in the long run, but it can't be at the cost of making her feel like a freak.

The practice your going to...did you see a treatment coordinator? To explain in layman terms about the brace and answer any Qs your daughter had to help put her mind at rest and tell her more about the brace and ppl her age wearing them? Is it a functional/twin block appliance she needs? A removable that's worn both upper and lower?

We were seen by a lovely patient care co-ordinatior. Initially, at the consultation, dd seemed reassured, but it was once we got home she unravelled. Her mood has been incredibly down at times over the weekend, even though we took her and her siblings out for nice days and told her repeatedly that she doesn't have to have the brace if she doesn't want it.

At this point, she has been recommended an upper palette extender only, with a block brace as a possibility in the future. She will need fixed braces around secondary school age. I won't agree to anything against dd's will. At the moment, we're looking at her having fixed braces when everyone else is set to get them. I'm not thrilled by that at all, but it's not worth those doom-moods. It's like living with a manic depressive (sorry, it's been a very long few days).

From my experiences, the child does need to be on board with this. The orthodontist treating my DC was very clear that all the work has to come from the child.

There were certainly a few horrible patches where I had to be Evil Mother and make the wear the brace but we did get there in the end and they do now understand that it was worth it.

I agree that the child does need to be on board with this. My younger DD's treatment is going so much more quickly as she is So compliant, despite being 7. With DD1, we talked about other people who had braces, and we looked at photos together of people who had been treated. Her treatment pattern seems similar but due to cracking on with the first stage, it looks likely she won't need the twin block.