Bracing for tween parenting
Here’s a question I bet many tween parents have asked: Does my kid really need braces?
When my older son was 9, the dentist referred him to an orthodontist who prescribed a night brace and retainer, and left open the possibility of braces once his permanent teeth erupted. I remember that first night with the brace, how pitiful my son looked – like the child Willy Wonka suffering under his evil dentist Dad.
He wore the night brace for six months or so, but he kept the retainer for a year. To his credit, he managed not to lose it, although I know some parents who had to go trash diving in the school cafeteria looking for discarded retainers.
During the time my son wore the retainer, I came to realize that orthodontics is an inexact science. As his teeth grew and evolved, so did the doctor’s advice. Over time, we moved from the medically necessary to the cosmetically desirable. It was at that point we decided to delay further treatment. My son was satisfied with his look, the family dentist was satisfied with his bite, and I was happy we didn’t have to pay thousands of dollars more for braces. The only one who wasn’t happy with this arrangement was the orthodontist, who seemed bewildered that we didn’t want to continue treatment.
Now my younger son is 8. I notice he is developing the same overbite his big brother had. I’m sure that we’ll be back at the orthodontist soon. And I’m sure we’ll be having the same discussion again.
As parents, we naturally want the best for our kids, but at what point is good, good enough? Have you had to make this decision with braces?
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Comments
Having seen my husband's teeth change position over the years and knowing that our daughter inherited his and his mother's problematic teeth, I'm willing to do what the orthodontist suggests to avoid the nasty surgery her grandmother had to go through in her 70's. She started at 8 with a bite plate to prevent her from grinding, but braces are not far away. And the tween years are so hard to begin with! Sigh.
Posted by: MarcomMom | May 12, 2009 9:16 AM
My son had an underbite when he turned 8 and we went to an orthodontist who recommended a night brace and then braces down the road. I wasn't thrilled with the idea because I remember my brother having difficulty wearing it when he was younger. I waited until after the summer and went to another orthodontist- who has a reputation for being more conservative. By that point, the underbite had corrected itselft and the orthdontist didn't even see the original problem. The first orthodontist strongly advised me against waiting any longer, but in the end, I think that was the best thing!
Posted by: CRM | May 12, 2009 9:31 AM
It is definitely recommended to have an evaluation by age 8, but these days, most people get two or three opinions. Time is probably on your side for at least a year, for making a decision. But that's my layman's opinion. All three of our girls needed them - the first two, for just a year and a half, not actually starting until age 11, the youngest for three phases over six years starting at age 8 (but the results are fabulous!)
Posted by: Pamela Waterman | May 12, 2009 4:40 PM
The primary advantage of putting braces on baby teeth is that your orthodontist can buy his own condo in Maui, he doesn't have to timeshare.
Posted by: Bucky | May 13, 2009 3:14 PM
Hi Liz!
Thanks for posting this article about braces! I’m working on behalf of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), and I’ve had a lot of parents ask me when they should take their child to see an orthodontist. You and the parents who commented on your post are right on the mark! --The AAO recommends that parents take their children to see an orthodontist by age 7.
I’m so glad to hear you and your older son are happy with the result of his treatment! The AAO is looking for healthy, beautiful smiles for their site (http://braces.org) – if you’re interested, they’d love to see his before & after photos!
Pamela Waterman is also a great resource for braces-friendly recipes – you should definitely check out her site (a few of her delicious meals are up on http://braces.org, too!) :~)
Keep Smiling,
Rachel Wishart
American Pop
rachel@americanpopinc.com
Posted by: Rachel Wishart | May 13, 2009 7:16 PM