Twin blocks - age - is it too late?!

[Chez06]

Hello

My DD is shortly to start twin blocks braces, and the whole thing sounds horrifically scary - but I’ve just found something new to worry about - is it too late for her?? I’ve just read it should be done during their active growth phase (6-12 months before periods start,) however my daughter will start her twin blocks age 12 1/2 and she’s been on her periods for a year already since she was 11!!
We dont see the orthodontist again until April, so I’ll be panicking until then.
Any experience or advise please?

Never heard it linked to periods. Both mine have braces my youngest had hers before my eldest because she lost her baby teeth first and that was the main factor.

We were told it was about growth of mouth. My ds had them just before he was 13. First few days were very drooly and hard to understand but tbh we're now 2 months in and they're visibly working and he's adjusted so well.

It's better done while your long bones are still growing - of which your jaw is one. But I wouldn't worry.
DD's friends had braces in their late teens. Definitely after periods had started. Teeth absolutely fine.

It’s because the twin block can only manipulate the jaw whilst it’s still growing, and apparently ‘peak’ time for that for a girl is before her first period.
Ahhhhh it’s all so worrying!!

Did he wear them all the time? (At school)?

My daughter had them at around 14, her periods started at 12. She was very anxious but got used to them and they worked well, and pretty quickly.

My dd got them in year 6, just after she turned 11 & her periods had already started. She wore them all the time, only took them out to eat. They were possibly the ugliest things Id ever seen (obviously never told her that) but they did the job. She had then in for about 8 months before she went onto train tracks. She's now an adult & no longer has her underbite/overbite (I cant remember which one she had) and has lovely straight teeth. She says they were definitely worth it.

Mine had hers at 14, the wait was related to the NHS orthodontist waiting list nothing else .

Are these railway track braces? DS and DD had them at 15-17. Well past periods for DD who started at 11.

Ds had them around age 14 so doubt it will be too late. If anything it may take a little longer but wearing them properly and as much as tolerable is more important.

No these are different, if you need them then you have them first, then when they’ve finished - which is usually 6-12 months as I recall - you move to regular braces.

DS is 10 (11 in May) and has had his twin blocks for 3 weeks. I was already worried from reading about them, and then when he got them they were WAY more intrusive and noticeable than I was expecting and he looked really uncomfortable bless him. I was surprised how upset it made me (not to the extent I cried or anything but I underestimated how huge they are and how different he looked). Anyway, was musing today that we don’t even notice them anymore. And they’re already making a difference I think. So I don’t know if she’s too late but I would assume the orthodontist would have mentioned if so! But just to offer some reassurance… it will be worth it. If she’s bad enough that she qualifies on the NHS then it has to be done really, otherwise nerve pain/worse wear and tear on the teeth down the line etc.

Ex dentist here, with lots of orthodontic experience.
Twin blocks will work fine, so long as their worn appropriately.

I had that type of brace aged 14-15, I don't think it's a problem. Talking with them was really hard the first week and they were initially uncomfortable, but after that OK.

What are twin blocks? I don’t think they are done (or used rarely) in Aus. One of my daughters had an expander plate and then braces, she had the plate aged 11, I think

Why does it sound horrifically scary?

What are you panicking about?

it might just take a little longer, at worst it won't be terribly effective. There's really no need to get yourself in such a flap.

2 of dd mates just had them age 13

Have you experience of them?
If they aren’t effective it’s major jaw surgery. Sorry if the thought of my child going through that meant I’m in a ‘flap.’ 😳

My DD had them during school years 7 and 8 (age 12 to 13ish) having started periods and had her main growth spurt in year 6. No problems at all. DS had them later, from about school year 10 to 12 (his milk teeth were late to come out and covid got in the way) again no problems.

My daughter got them last March, aged nearly 14 (because we were told she shouldn't start orthodontics till something or other had happened with her teeth, I forget what, molars erupted perhaps) and they worked perfectly in 7 months or so. She has had train tracks since November. She started her periods about 6 months before the twin blocks and grew about 3 inches in height last year! It seems absurd to say they should be started x months before a date that won't be known till it has happened! They looked horrid but didn't caused her major issues and she's fine with the braces too, everything straightening up beautifully. I wasn't tool bothered about getting its all done or not as she liked perfectly lovely to me anyway, but it really is improving things very nicely.

The main barrier to effectiveness is kids not wearing them all the time. So the best thing you can do is nag her not to take them out except when eating or doing things like playing the trumpet or mouthguard sports. My daughter is a bit of a goody two shoes so was great about it but one of her friends had them for a year or more and didn't get the best possible result (though no major jaw surgery!) due to mostly keeping them in her pocket

Losing them is the problem when they take them out to eat or for sports etc. There was a memorable time where DS realised he had lost one half of his because he had taken them out in my car before an away hockey match and dumped them on the seat, we stripped the car right down but I ended up doing a 50 mile round trip back to the away sports ground, begged the groundkeeper to be let in and found it on the gravel under a car where mine had been parked the day before.

Yes, she was already having her periods & it took a bit longer as growth was slower due to her age/growth stage.

yoy asked for advice, my advice is you panicking & stressing until April isn't going to help her, or you.

My son was 15 as due to Covid he couldn’t be seen until then. They worked perfectly combined with braces afterwards.

My son had them a few years ago. They’re not scary, they’re just bulky and annoying- but they work fairly quickly so it’s not for too long. Obv as he’s a boy I can’t refer to period timings etc but as long as they’re still a growing teen it should all be good - I’m guessing her face shape isn’t completely set for life now age 12, plenty of maturing, bone growth etc still to go. And they’ve got to loose all the baby teeth and get all adult teeth first too - some teens would have that after periods start if there are a couple not fully erupted yet. Some of my son’s friends couldn’t start till past 14, partly because of waiting lists too, so 12 is absolutely fine.

They feel impossible for a day or so, but they get used to them v quickly and they’re very very effective. Don’t worry!