How do I know if my child needs braces? - Braces for your children

DonnaB wrote: Hi all! My name is Donna. I tried contacting the admin about posting here (hey A&A's Mommy!), but didn’t get a response so hope this is okay! I’m here because I think parents in the community would be interested in some information about braces and orthodontists!

A lot of parents want to know if and when their child might need braces – here are some early signs that may indicate the need to see an orthodontist:

• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Difficulty in chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Speech difficulties
• Crowded, misplaced or blocked out teeth
• Jaws that shift or make sounds
• Biting the cheek or roof of the mouth
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth
• Jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face


Why should you choose an orthodontist? Orthodontists receive an additional two-to-three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth.

If anyone or their children has had braces, please post a comment and share your experiences!

Thanks!

Donna

coasterqueen replied: Mine don't have braces. My kids are 6.5 and 4. But my 6.5 year old does see an orthodontist for proactive care. He's watching her teeth to determine if some should be pulled, etc to decrease the chance of braces. My 4 year old will be watched as well, as eventually she will need a fork put in due to forward tongue thrust movement.

DonnaB replied: Karen!

Its great to hear that you're being proactive with your children's oral health!

Your daughter is at the right age to be seeing an orthodontist (the AAO recommends that children see an orthodontist by age 7 to check to check on tooth & jaw development) - both of your daughters will definitely thank you later as they develop healthy, beautiful smiles.

Thanks for sharing!

msoulz replied: My son is 10 and just this past school year he lost and grew in his front teeth so he is a bit behind the average. He sees a pediatric dentist and I figure she will let us know if he needs to go to an orthodontist. I suspect he will as his are pretty spaced out (and he has the David Letterman gap in front) but then he doesn't have all of his big teeth yet. We shall see.

DonnaB replied: Mary!

He must have the cutest smile (I'm a sucker for a little gap in the front.. )!

Swood75 replied: At what age exactly would be considered late losing their baby teeth?? My DD is 6 (will be 7 In November) and has only lost 2 baby teeth..My DS is almost 10 and has lost about 13 I think...

coasterqueen replied:
Thanks. Actually, I only became proactive because our dentist suggested it. I would have never known to have her see an ortho if it wasn't for him.

DonnaB replied:
Hey Shawna!

I looked around on the AAO site for an answer for ya about the baby teeth... but I couldn't find anything specific - I think this would be a great question for your dentist (or an ortho.. your daughter is almost due for a check-up!).

From personal experience, I know it varies from kid to kid. I lost all my baby teeth by age 10 (I have precocious teeth - lol).

Swood75 replied:
Well,I know when both of my kids went for their 6 month cleanings in Feb the dentist said everything looked good..I didn't know they should see an ortho too...

coasterqueen replied:
This is just my personal opinion so take it for what it's worth, but unless your dentist tells you to go, why would you? I mean, I didn't know to see an ortho for Kylie until he said something to me. I had no clue to be proactive at this age.

DonnaB replied: The difference between orthodontists & dentists is that orthodontists receive 2-3 years of specialized training beyond dental school and can provide additional insight into your child's oral care.

If your kids are at the right age (7) to be seeing an orthodontist, and your dentist hasn't recommended you see one, I would ask him/her about it.

A&A'smommy replied: Hey just saw this post.. sorry I completely forgot to pm you back oops But thank you anyway I don't see anything wrong with the post