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I just asked our dentist about that because one and probably both my boys have issues with their teeth (overcrowding and snaggledy going every which direction).
It really depends on your child and where their mouth is in the baby/adult teeth growth and loss process. My 10 year old is a late bloomer but he is approaching the time to give it a serious consideration. You need to have your child's dentist evaluate and then possibly refer to get the best age proximation.
As far as cost, I have no clue...I will wait till it is an INDEFEITE reality for us.
The answer to both of those questions vary alot on the child and how severe the problems are. Some orthodontists are "old school", and think that a child should wait until they have lost all their baby teeth, and some have a newer way of thinking and will start treatment at an earlier age.
My kids both had braces at an early age. My son was 10 and my daughter was 8. My son needed the treatment because he had a crossbite, and my daughter's only issue was her 2 front top teeth. They were widely spaced and very crooked. She was very self concious about her them and avoided smiling in a way that would show her teeth. I couldn't have imagined making her wait until she lost all her baby teeth! She is 10 now and would still be waiting!! But instead she only wore braces for 6 months and now has a beautiful smile!
Our orthodontist regularly puts younger kids in braces, and I think I agree with his reasoning. Why wait for them to have a mouthful of totally tweaked out teeth, when you can start fixing it early? Then I would think that you may stop some of the problems before they start, just by making the room that the new teeth need. If the child needs a 2nd phase of treatment when they get older, he then deducts what you paid for the 1st phase off the total cost.
I hear on average, braces cost $3,500 to $5,000. My kids only had the first phase and they were each just under $2,000. The orthodontist is now talking about starting phase 2 on my son in 6 months, but I will admit that I am not so sure about it. I do think that sometimes orthodontists want to make people's teeth perfect in their standards, which are way above the everyday person's standard. I am not sure what I am going to do, because right now his teeth look great, so it's hard to justify.
Thanks for the info dsh. That's exactly my dilemma. I have gone to 2 orthos. for an evaluation. Their approaches were very different. One was very old school and wants to wait (my child is 9). The other ortho. wants to start treatment right away with spacers, etc. The "old school" ortho asked why start now? It will only cause me to spend more time and money? I don't know how to proceed. These are 2 very different ways of thinking.
Thanks for the info dsh. That's exactly my dilemma. I have gone to 2 orthos. for an evaluation. Their approaches were very different. One was very old school and wants to wait (my child is 9). The other ortho. wants to start treatment right away with spacers, etc. The "old school" ortho asked why start now? It will only cause me to spend more time and money? I don't know how to proceed. These are 2 very different ways of thinking.
Why not, then, go to a third and see what they would recommend? My children go to two different orthos because we moved when one was already in braces and didn't want to change. Although, I wish we had because I don't really like him.
My youngest got his on at age ten after a year of the butterfly. My oldest was 13. I would say the cost varies among doctors also. With my children at two different drs, their rates are slightly different.
If you are unsure, keep looking for a doctor who you think will be the best one. If your child is only 9, you have plenty of time to find the right one.
Depenses on, well, everything! My son started 1st phase braces at 8 (we waited until certain baby teeth fell out), wore braces about a year, then moved on to wearing a retainer until other baby teeth came out, then went into a phase 2 with braces for almost another year. He's 14, has been out of braces for years and has beautiful straight teeth. He does wear a retainer at night.
Now, his twin sister (at age 8) had to wear a palatial expander (to widen upper jaw), and headgear/chinup to correct some other jaw stuff, and then wore a retainer until certain baby teeth came out. Then she got braces, and once they were removed she moved on to wearing just a retainer at night.
Dental insurance covered $2500 for each of the kids (which was only part of the cost of both of their phase 1 work). The total cost is much more than you want to know!
Thanks for the info dsh. That's exactly my dilemma. I have gone to 2 orthos. for an evaluation. Their approaches were very different. One was very old school and wants to wait (my child is 9). The other ortho. wants to start treatment right away with spacers, etc. The "old school" ortho asked why start now? It will only cause me to spend more time and money? I don't know how to proceed. These are 2 very different ways of thinking.
Most people I know that did the 2 stage regretted it later as the results were the same as if they had done it in one stage (not including those kids that need expanders-just those that did the braces twice). All 3 of our kids had or have braces--we have 2 in braces now . Our DD and older DS got them in 7th grade, our younger DS just got his as the end of 8th grade. DS17 had his on for 27 months-wouldn't wear his rubber bands, DD will get hers off in under 2 years, probably 18 months total. DS14 has the worst problems and they are anticipating about 24 months for him, depending on binder usage. DS17's cost $4800, DD's were $5000 and DS14's are $5200--dang inflation.
My son started in braces at 9 years old. He has spacers for a couple of months, then the front eight brackets for six months. He had to wear headgear at night until all his adult teeth came in (until about 13). It was 3600.00. Worth every penny. I have a friend whose ortho is old school. her daughter wore brackets for the standard two years and was done at age 14ish.
Personally I like the gettem early approach. DSS wore headgear for two years and doesn't need brackets at all (he's now almost 11 and is done) DSD is in line to see what she will need to have done.... she's 9.
My son started in braces at 9 years old. He has spacers for a couple of months, then the front eight brackets for six months. He had to wear headgear at night until all his adult teeth came in (until about 13). It was 3600.00. Worth every penny. I have a friend whose ortho is old school. her daughter wore brackets for the standard two years and was done at age 14ish.
Personally I like the gettem early approach. DSS wore headgear for two years and doesn't need brackets at all (he's now almost 11 and is done) DSD is in line to see what she will need to have done.... she's 9.
It isn't the starting early that is the issue, it is the doing it in 2 stages that is. You pay the $3600 now then $5000 later or just pay the $5000 later. If your kids are done and won't need them again, great, but most of my friends that have done the early braces with their kids ended up needing them again at around age 14 or 15 when they grew again.
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. Our DD and older DS got them in 7th grade, our younger DS just got his as the end of 8th grade. DS17 had his on for 27 months-wouldn't wear his rubber bands, DD will get hers off in under 2 years, probably 18 months total. DS14 has the worst problems and they are anticipating about 24 months for him, depending on binder usage. DS17's cost $4800, DD's were $5000 and DS14's are $5200--dang inflation.
