What age was your child's first visit to the orthodontist?

[taylordvd]

I have young kids - 2.5 & 4.5, but we just found out from the dentist that ds will need orthodontic treatment as early as age 6. Even with that intervention, he may require surgical intervention later. For those who like the technical, he has "retrusive and underdeveloped mandible" along with some other things. Anyways, now to my question. At what age did your take your child to the orthodontist, why did you take them, did you get second opinions, etc.? And if anyone has a kid who has this and his been through this, I would love to hear from you.

[cupunlvr]

It is to your advantage to begin early as the child's bone and teeth mature. I did get several opinions and quotes when my children needed orthodontia. They all agreed on needed treatment but there was a wide variance in price and structure of payment plans offered. Shop.

[tmsmalley]

I'd get additional opinions and get a good game plan in place. If they can see at such a young age that he's going to need it, I'm sure that he will, so you'll want to be very knowledgable.

I got my own braces at 21 and had them 3 years then a retainer for a few more. Best thing I ever did next to marrying dh :)

Tess

[foggierbard9]

My first trip to the orthodontist was when I was around 8. I had an underbite and not enough room in my jaw for my teeth, and something else. They started me with this "headgear" that I had to wear for at least 8 hours a day (usually slept in it) and then once they had done that I had braces for 4 1/2 years. They also had to pull 4 teeth so the rest of my teeth would come in correctly. I got my braces off right before high school started, and that was earlier than predicted. I would say early is best.

[kremsh]

My DD first starting getting orthodontic work when she was in kindergarten. Her mouth was too small for her teeth and she had a crossbite so we started with a crozat (sp?) to expand her mouth and make more room. She had that for several years, then he put a permanent retainer on her bottom 4 teeth, then we had braces for a couple years. The summer before her senior year we thought we were finally done so he took the braces off and she was so excited to have senior pictures with no braces! She went back at the end of the summer for a checkup and evidently she had gone through a growth spurt and her teeth had shifted (or maybe he took them off too soon??) so he had to break the news that she would have to have them put back on! We talked him into letting her wait until after senior pictures, then she wore them for another 8 months before she finally finished the journey she started in kindergarten.

She is 23 now and still wears a retainer at night because she doesn't want those pearly whites to budge an inch.

[greenrays]

I worked in ortho for many years. We saw kids once they had perm teeth in, around 5 or 6 and did tx on them. Most of the times we would look at the younger bro or sis of a patient and just keep them on a recall list, we would send a postcard 2x a year or once per year and just look at them and watch the growth until it was time to do something.

I would take them in, get opinions and advice on good orthos in the area from people and figure out which one is a good fit for you. It wasn't uncommon at all for people to "shop around" or for them to come in for 2nd or 3rd opinions. It's never too early to see one, just maybe too early to start. With that growth though, you probably want to get in sooner vs later.

Krem---> girls bone growth normally stops by age 14-16 so for her teeth to shift due to a growth spurt is uncommon. It was most likely from NOT wearing a retainer. Teeth change, t hey want to go back to their crooked little homes after they are straight so retainers are reallllly important. I should know, had braces 2x...worked in the field 7yrs...and STILL have crooked teeth due to lack of retainer wearing. sigh

[nova]

My daughter was in preschool when she had a cross bite. They put in an expander in the roof of her mouth for about a year and a half. She is 16 now and has the prettiest teeth without the help of braces.

[Shannon T]

I took my son @ the age of 3. Its good to get them use to the dentist @ young age so they dont have a fear as they get older. Also he is thumb sucker and they like to monitor his bone development on the roof of his mouth.