Braces

[MumFamilyLove]

Hi, I’m looking for some advice and reassurance regarding my two eldest daughters having braces. 17 & 14 years old. They have both been on the NHS waiting list for having braces fitted for quite along time but finally got seen. Anyway fast forward they have been assessed, had X-Rays and have been told they both have an overbite and crowded teeth on top row of teeth. For best results with braces they have advised removing 2 pre molar teeth on both before fitting braces. It worries me to remove 2 perfectly healthy teeth. At their checkups we were never told they had crowded teeth so just a bit of a shock plus I’ve never had braces or my family members. So never even thought of teeth being removed. Any other mums going through same experience 🙏❤️

My son had 2 teeth removed before having his braces fitted. Similar experience to yours, was on the waiting list for years and finally had his braces age 16 and he is now 19 months in, will probably be wearing them for at least another 6 months. I wouldn't worry about the teeth removal, they know what they're doing! When he first had his teeth out (needed to do it a few weeks before fitting the brace) I was a bit alarmed by the visible holes left in his gums but they quickly healed up and you can't see anything now.

My son had a 1cm overbite, he had twin block braces for 6 months to correct this, then 4 teeth taken out- one from each side at top and bottom.

He then had his train tracks fitted and we are about 6 months in with those now.

The gaps have allowed his teeth to move into place and whilst you can still see them if he opens his mouth wide, they are slowly closing up.

He is 14. The extractions were probably the worst bit - they were done 2 at a time. But they healed fast and he had no problems.

It's amazing how different he looks after just 12 months of treatment and he is still only about halfway there.

I am only going to repeat what I got told OP and lord knows, I found it SO stressful deciding on my dd’s braces!

First of all my dd has been on wait list for braces since age 8. Waiting for mouth to grow, then covid, then waiting for last baby tooth to fall out. Finally told ok can start treatment. Now 14 and got her braces 6 months ago. Overbite of 1.1cm (yes, massive). She had an accident and broke two teeth which complicates things (one tooth is dead).

Anyway: I consulted three private orthodontists and an NHS dentist. The distilled advice was “we avoid removing healthy teeth any more for orthodontic work because it causes problems later in life. However there is an ideal time to widen the mouth to allow all the teeth to fit in, so we need to get on with it - why did you wait so long we prefer do this during the main growth phase which usually ends by age 15 but we can do it later, it will just be a lot slower. We will do everything to avoid removing teeth, braces have moved on a lot since the 90s when you had teeth removed. Nowadays removing teeth is a last resort and if we have to remove teeth we do so in pairs to avoid the mouth ending up asymmetric - your smile can end up slightly off centre if only one tooth is removed.”

Of the four dentists, only one thought removing teeth was a possibility and even he said he’d rather try braces first to see if he could reconfigure the palate.

I was told dd could get NHS braces or private. Payment plan for private was offered. Same dentist, different technologies and prices. I have paid for invisalign private braces - VERY expensive. But within weeks seeing a difference and now 6 months in the overbite is already almost gone and we still have 18 months of treatment left. Dentist told us outcome will be “aesthetically perfect” and dd is pleased although it’s not an easy treatment (blocks to retrain her bite can make it difficult to pronounce words.)

I discovered it’s not a straightforward “single solution” treatment - if you break a leg, someone fixes it with a cast and a bit of physio. No debate. But with teeth there are different approaches and every single dentist we saw said something slightly different. Baffling to be honest.

Both my DC had 4 teeth removed before braces were fitted. One wore braces for about 18 months and now is wearing retainers. The other is likely to keep his braces a little longer. Though our NHS waiting list was only a few months. We chose not to go private given the cost and that they were eligible on the NHS given severe overcrowding - they both had a second row of teeth.

I had 4 teeth removed before having braces as a teen too so it wasn't a surprise. And for me it made it so much easier to keep my teeth clean - at 43 I still don't have any fillings.

The orthodontist explained that they prefer not to remove teeth but in cases of overcrowding they will remove. They scanned and xrayed the mouth significantly first and in the case of the youngest, actually changed their recommendation on which teeth to remove based on which teeth had shorter roots to keep the healthiest teeth in his mouth.

So I think I'm saying don't worry! While removing teeth is their preference, it is entirely normal.

Thanks so much for your reply’s, I’m feeling so much better about it all now hearing other people’s experiences. I do think I’m going to speak to the orthodontist once more because we are trying to weigh up all the pros and cons to them having it done. I don’t think they have severe crowding as they both only have 2 overlapping teeth at the front. Not really overlapping just stick out ant ann angle and aren’t straight. Apparently both have identical teeth with same problems but my eldest has overbite 1 level higher. My eldest is the most worried about it because she is doing her A-levels at college and says nobody has braces at her age. I think lockdown really affected a lot and put kids back with there dental treatment. If it is only cosmetic reasons which benefits the treatment maybe look at treatment down the line but they did say their overbite could get worse over time. It’s just the teeth extractions I’m worried about and wondering if could be avoided another way 😩

I had to have 2 top teeth removed for my braces , it is necessary honestly they can't fix them if there isn't room for the teeth to move

Both mine had teeth out - eldest had 1 each side and her braces are off now and teeth are beautiful.

Second has just had 2 each side out ans braces fitted

I didn't query it to be honest, both were clearly and obviously overcrowded with teeth growing over the top of other teeth almost.

Is it also normal to have different teeth from each side taken ? On the diagram they have given us for my eldest daughter they aren’t the same tooth on each side. I know I’m probably worrying too much but it’s just a big thing to have adult teeth pulled out when they are healthy 😩

Both DC have '4' teeth removed on both sides, top and bottom. Youngest DC was due to have the '5's removed but the 4s had shorter roots so was better to leave the '5's in.

Ask your orthodontist why it's not symmetrical - there is probably a reason

@Lovelydovey Thank you ! I will ask definitely. It’s a shame because we was looking at their teeth today and they are all perfectly straight all of them apart from the two top side that kick out and front two that slightly go back. What’s making me question the top teeth coming out is because the tops don’t look too overcrowded 🤯 but I’m not an orthodontist and they have had an X-ray. I know they know what they are doing but having teeth out is such a big thing if it can be avoided

Speak to him again so you can understand why the teeth have to go.

To be honest everyone I know that had braces got teeth out.

I was too scared in my teens but I got slagged off in a bar for having squint teeth so I went and got the two teeth out and braces aged 25.

It cost a fortune as I was no longer a school child. I had to keep the train tracks on for a year and then it was a removable brace.

I would recommend going while young. It doesn't get any better when you're older. There is always something your self conscious about at any age!