Can I have a 9 year old’s two front teeth straightened?

[ErmineAndPearls]

Please let me be very clear. This is not about appearances. It is 100% about my child’s confidence. I grew up in a big family and concerns about personal image were given zero attention. DD is an only child. I’m determined that she will have an easier time than I did.
DD is 9, nearly 10. Her teeth are at that mad stage where she has some “baby” teeth, some adult teeth, some gaps. She recently told me “the only thing I don’t like about my body” is the big gap between her two front teeth. They’re both big teeth, and they’re BIG. One is straight and the other is pointing out the way. I can see that when all her other teeth grow in, they’ll push these two teeth together. This is what happened with me, but I was at least lucky enough that, although gappy, mine were straight. I plan to ask my (NHS) dentist about it, but will he think I’m crazy? I don’t think any dentist will put those fixed, “train track” braces on a 9 year old, and I wouldn’t want him to. Do dentists ever do those “plate” style braces any more? I had one of those (1980s) to guide one wonky tooth into place. It was very effective. Would a dentist (even privately) make something like that just to straighten the two front teeth? Is there a “DIY” kind of option?

The gap might close, depends why it is there. I had a very large frenum, if you feel in your mouth it is probably quite a small bit of flesh attaching your lip to your gum, well mine was large and I hated it, it hurt, sometimes it would bleed when I brushed my teeth, and it meant I had a huge gap. It didn't go away and at 15 I had it removed. I looked like I'd been punched in the mouth, big swollen lip and a row of stitches inside. No gap, small frenum and well worth a few uncomfortable days.

By the way a large frenum is the cause of tongue tie if it is the lower frenum, don't believe them when they say having the frenum cut doesn't hurt.

Make an appointment at a private orthodontist and get their advice. Mine offers Invisalign First which are clear retainers designed to deal with a range of dental issues in growing children. No idea whether it would help with the issue your child has but the orthodontist will be able to advise. Won’t be cheap though. I paid £3k for my Invisalign.

Mine offers Invisalign First which are clear retainers designed to deal with a range of dental issues in growing children

just a warning with invisalign, compliance in children is difficult. They need to be worn 23 hours a day, so the child needs to be extremely diligent- with dd at school it was difficult to manage around eating, then as she swims most days that caused an issue as they can’t be worn in the pool, then they started falling out at night- so we had to switch to fixed braces which are much easier.

OP, There are some clinical situations where functional appliances are indicated in the mixed dentition. This is however ALWAYS prior to treatment with fixed-fixed orthodontics when all the deciduous teeth have exfoliated
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Start by asking your dentist whether your daughter fits into this specific category to warrant an early orthodontic referral.

It’s frustrating that they won’t do anything here until all baby teeth are out and adult teeth are in. We had to wait until DS was 12. He’s had awful teeth for years. My Mum was going on and on at me to get them sorted. As if I wasn’t trying! The orthodontist made it very clear if you start too early it will be less effective and take much longer.

They most likely will wait till all the adult teeth are present before working at a plan they all still moving around.

my daughter had a massive gap with her baby teeth and just as big with her adult! But over time they have all shifted and now a slight gap but she still has a couple more adult teeth not erupted yet - dentist has said hang on and let them settle. Dentist has said It may involving cutting the frenum though

I know it is not about what they look like as we wouldn’t want to make them self conscious about it, my nana and uncles have the gap and I guess she had inherited it! We never discuss it with her it’s part of her charm and I will probably miss it once it’s closed! Only because it makes me think of my nana :)

I hated the gap and the frenum, my daughter was distraught when having surgery on her jaw the surgeon cut the frenum. She loved her gap but he did such a good job with the jaw that she never told him how upset she was.

It's bs to be frank that it doesn't work. As some PPs seem to be thinking

those pp’s are dentists, who have 5 years training and access to best practice guidlelines, and countless studies on outcome and effectiveness.

you can’t call bs based on your kids. To start you have no idea whether the outcome would have been just as good starting at 11.

were your kids braces privately paid for?

My DS had a very wonky lateral incisor (a result of his permanent tooth growing before baby one fell out). When he was 11 the dentist recommended a small brace with a little spring to gradually push the wonky tooth starlight and into place. She said it was his choice whether he wanted this small brace for a couple of months or to wait until he was older and get a proper brace. We opted for the small brace as the rest of his teeth are fine and the plan was he wear it over the summer holidays and his tooth straightened before starting secondary school. It's now totally straight. This was on the NHS by the way, no wait of any kind.

Straight not starlight!

The gap, at 9 , will gradually close as the rest of the permanent teeth erupt. Having extra space is a bonus. Closing it too early with orthodontics May leave less room for the canines resulting in a much bigger problem midterms.
Nature has an amazing way of producing a lovely result all by itself you just have to give it time.
Early ortho treatment is limited to skeletal problems ( jaws not matching in size) or teeth erupting into the wrong position and allowing inappropriate growth.
DS had two lots of ortho treatment to correct the position of his upper incisors before having full course of fixed ortho mid teens.
As a dentist I have to admit he had the worst combination of problems I’ve seen in 35 yrs of practice. Just had to be my own child.
He’s all fixed now and has the most beautiful square jaw as a result. Without treatment his bottom jaw would have overgrown and he would have needed complex surgery to fix it.
Talk to your dentist regarding your worries. They should be able to assess your child and explain the reasons for referral now or a watch and wait policy.

As her other adult teeth come in, they’ll gently move the front teeth closer together anyway. Unless they’re coming in crooked I doubt a dentist will want to make the referral yet!

The gap might close, haven't people ever seen adults with gaps in their front teeth? Madonna is one example, for older people there was Terry Thomas. Or there is Samuel L Jackson.

So no the gap doesn't always close, some people are happy with it, some want it closed.