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One of my 8 year old daughters definitely needs braces and I'm afraid the other one does too. Last time I took them to the dentist she said they were probably too young but they tell me others in their 3rd grade class have braces.
As baby teeth fall out and new ones come in, others are starting to get really crooked. Isn't it better to catch that sort of thing earlier rather than wait until alot of damage has been done?
And with too small mouth, doesn't that mean teeth have to be pulled? How do they pull teeth on such young kids? Put them totally to sleep? I know my kid would freak if I told her she would get a shot in her gums. I freak................... and I'm a big girl...
Back in the day I had a lot of teeth pulled to make room in my mouth. As an adult, I had a dentist tell me they did not do that anymore because it caused problems later on in life. He said they use spacers and start early working on making the jaw larger to accommodate the teeth.
I don't think 8 is too young based on what I have seen around. I am taking my almost 9 yr old in for an orthodontic eval in the next 2 mos because it is obvious she is starting to have crowding problems as her adult teeth start to come in.
When I was a kid most kids got braces for 18-24 mos and were done. I think for kids that have crowding issues these days, they start a little earlier trying to make room and its not as unusual as it used to be.
I am guessing that those third graders do not have their "teeth straightening braces". It is very common at that age to have a spacer, though. They look like braces, but have a different purpose. My son had one to widen his top plate. Otherwise, when all his teeth came in, he would be in the normal braces for years longer and require much more intensive treatment.
No Kudzu, when you take the girls in - whenever that is - be sure you explain to the dentist that one is a "sensitive". Try and find a dentist who will appreciate this and work with you. And her. Hugs because I know it isn't going to be easy.
If Nimchimpsky is "out there" maybe she has some ideas. The dentist and needles and the chair and all of that is a huge deal for a "sensitive" and she'll need help. (Another thing I have to gear up for to this day. I finally found a dentist and a hygenist I like and it has eased things considerably.)
My kids were in 5th grade. I found a great ortho by my house, find one close, because you go there alot! My daughter needed one tooth pulled, and she did great. The dentist took alot of time, putting numbing medicine on her gums, then more, then the shot, and a half hour later, pulled the tooth. I think it was harder on me than her! He waited until she was totally numb, that was the key.
They seem to be putting braces on kids at younger and younger ages. I never used to see anyone wearing them until high school, when all the adult teeth were in. But, although none of my kids have needed them (yay!) many of the children of my friends have. They get them on in 3rd or 4th grade, then graduate to retainers. Unfortunately, some of them have had to go back to full braces as teens.
I would personally get a few opinions before putting them on an 8 year old.
One of my 8 year old daughters definitely needs braces and I'm afraid the other one does too. Last time I took them to the dentist she said they were probably too young but they tell me others in their 3rd grade class have braces.
As baby teeth fall out and new ones come in, others are starting to get really crooked. Isn't it better to catch that sort of thing earlier rather than wait until alot of damage has been done?
And with too small mouth, doesn't that mean teeth have to be pulled? How do they pull teeth on such young kids? Put them totally to sleep? I know my kid would freak if I told her she would get a shot in her gums. I freak................... and I'm a big girl...
When i grew up the boy next door had braced on before all his baby teeth fell out and because of that they were on until near high school. He might be waiting until all of them fall out before he gives you the okay,
My daughter is the same age as the OP and has similar problems. We got a similar statement from our dentist, but with explanations.
He put two metal "spacers" in her mouth to help "hold the space". Her mouth was not only 'too small' at that point, but she would lose two teeth at a time, often next to each other and they would 'crowd' as they came in. The spacers have helped. She has not lost any baby teeth in the last year though. Her mouth has widened some and a couple of her really crooked teeth have straightened out as her jawbone has grown.
He explained that some orthodontists may recommend or even give young children braces before their adult teeth come in, but that generally, it's an expensive and unnecessary step (though there can be exceptions, of course). He said that a GOOD orthodontist would suggest waiting until all the teeth are in, and that a GOOD dentist wouldn't give an orthodontia referral unless there were other, bigger problems.
It sounds to me like you've got a good dentist, watching out for you AND your pocketbook. She'll be fine, and her mouth WILL grow! Hang in there!
Edited to add: My daughter's spacers are little metal teeth. One looks a bit like braces, the other looks just like a tooth.
Back in the day I had a lot of teeth pulled to make room in my mouth. As an adult, I had a dentist tell me they did not do that anymore because it caused problems later on in life. He said they use spacers and start early working on making the jaw larger to accommodate the teeth.
I don't think 8 is too young based on what I have seen around. I am taking my almost 9 yr old in for an orthodontic eval in the next 2 mos because it is obvious she is starting to have crowding problems as her adult teeth start to come in.
When I was a kid most kids got braces for 18-24 mos and were done. I think for kids that have crowding issues these days, they start a little earlier trying to make room and its not as unusual as it used to be.
Same with me - lots of teeth pulled as a kid (in the 1960s), braces for two years, and nothing but problems ever since! My daughter, on the other hand, started her orthodontics at around eight or nine and the effect was to widen her jaw line to accommodate her teeth. There was a little bit of buck-teeth fixing at the same time! No teeth were pulled. Result is she has a much better jawline, a beautiful smile and - at the age of 32 - just one filling! I think the whole braces business lasted a bit over two years.
Many of her classmates were getting the same treatment at the same age - seems to be quite common now. Also means she didn't go through the awkward, self-conscious stage of having braces as a teenager!
That seems young, but it won't hurt to have an initial consultation with an orthodontist. Also keep in mind that it can be a real hassle to clean teeth with braces; are your kids ready to take on the extensive flossing, etc., that comes with it?
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and I'm a big girl...
