some questions

[tatajam322]

Hello eveeryone, I have a 7 yr old who I believe will need braces. I was wondering is this a normal age for this to happen. I have been reading different things that say it is better to start early. Has anyone had a child get braces this young? He has a over bite and a huge gap between his front upper teet, and they are not straight. Also he has some crowding of his bottom teeth. Another questions is, do I have to be referred from my dentist to an orthodontist or can iIjust take him on my own. Thanks for any help that you can provide.

[Phantom Muse]

My ortho likes to see children around the age of seven or so because there are many things that can be done at this point that will make treatment much easier in the long run. Because a younger child is growing so rapidly, certain issues that might become very troublesome can be solved much more quickly. That being said, my daughter did not see an ortho until she was 13. She did not have any major issues and her treatment went very well.

It is always nice to get a recommendation for an ortho - whether from your dentist, friend, or neighbor - but you do not need a referral to get a consultation. In fact, it is a good idea to see 3 or 4 orthos before making a choice so that you understand the full range of possible treatment plans.

Hope this helps!

[Sunny]

Stage one ortho work is best to begin when a child is young. This is more about working with the current teeth to help those and the secondary teeth come in. There will nearly always need to be a stage two of ortho treatment, as this is when the young person has their secondary teeth and also when braces are often necessary to do the work to complete alignment.

I recommend you make appointments to see two or three orthodontists to hear what they recommend for your child.

Good luck!