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Orthodontia



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 15th 04, 05:07 PM
Scott
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Default Orthodontia


DS has a pronounced overbite. We joke that he got my skull
and my wife's jaw, and they don't fit. So we've always known
that orthodontia is in our future with him. Monday he had
a consult at the dentist (who wierded the BH out -- so we'll
be getting a second opinion and any work done will be done
by someone else in town, but that's another thread on
following intuition), and he recommended work starting
immediately, including pulling two teeth. And probably
a night brace, and who knows what else...

Well, that seems pretty extreme to both of us, to do to
an almost-9-yo, and we have friends who had their son's
teeth (not all of them) pulled, and lived to regret it.

So I thought I'd ask people here who've had orthodontia
done on their kids -- what procedures did you have done,
at what age, are are there things they would have
done differently?

Thanks for any insight, etc.

Scott DD 11 and DS 8.8

  #2  
Old December 15th 04, 08:05 PM
illecebra
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Scott wrote:

DS has a pronounced overbite. We joke that he got my skull
and my wife's jaw, and they don't fit. So we've always known
that orthodontia is in our future with him. Monday he had
a consult at the dentist (who wierded the BH out -- so we'll
be getting a second opinion and any work done will be done
by someone else in town, but that's another thread on
following intuition), and he recommended work starting
immediately, including pulling two teeth. And probably
a night brace, and who knows what else...

Well, that seems pretty extreme to both of us, to do to
an almost-9-yo, and we have friends who had their son's
teeth (not all of them) pulled, and lived to regret it.

So I thought I'd ask people here who've had orthodontia
done on their kids -- what procedures did you have done,
at what age, are are there things they would have
done differently?

Thanks for any insight, etc.

Scott DD 11 and DS 8.8


My kid's just getting his first few molars in, so I have no advice from
a parent's side, but from a grown kid's side I'd like to share some
anecdotal info:

When I was about that age, my dentist suggested braces (I had a pretty
bad overbite). My parents let me keep putting it off because I was
terrified of going (I'd had a psycho dentist when I was very young, and
was just starting to not freak out every time I had to have my mouth
looked at).

When puberty hit full force, along with all the other fun rearranging of
body parts, my overbite went from "pretty bad" to "braces would only
give her a cosmetic improvement." I'm 22 and still no braces.

I never wanted to be in toothpaste commercials, anyway.

Susan

  #3  
Old December 15th 04, 08:06 PM
dragonlady
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Default

In article ,
Scott wrote:

DS has a pronounced overbite. We joke that he got my skull
and my wife's jaw, and they don't fit. So we've always known
that orthodontia is in our future with him. Monday he had
a consult at the dentist (who wierded the BH out -- so we'll
be getting a second opinion and any work done will be done
by someone else in town, but that's another thread on
following intuition), and he recommended work starting
immediately, including pulling two teeth. And probably
a night brace, and who knows what else...

Well, that seems pretty extreme to both of us, to do to
an almost-9-yo, and we have friends who had their son's
teeth (not all of them) pulled, and lived to regret it.

So I thought I'd ask people here who've had orthodontia
done on their kids -- what procedures did you have done,
at what age, are are there things they would have
done differently?

Thanks for any insight, etc.

Scott DD 11 and DS 8.8


The dentist I saw when my daughter was little and had a really severe
overbite -- she could put her thumb in her mouth without opening it --
did both orthodontic work AND orthopedic work. It is, I'm told, an
uncommon approach in this country, but works to avoid pulling teeth.

First, her overbite was clearly NOT a case of the teeth pointing the
wrong direction: they were all coming in straight. It was a case of
the jaw being too short, and the pallet (spelling?) being too narrow.
So the first step was an orthopedic one of using two gadgets in her
mouth: one that went under her toungue, to force the jaw to grow
longer, and one in her upper mouth, to force her pallet to grow wider.

In her case, it turned out that was all that was necessary: they worked
to such an extent that her overbite is completely gone, with no need to
pull teeth or even wear braces. (She probably should have braces, as
two teeth are a bit crooked -- but by the time she was old enough, we
simply couldn't afford it and had no dental insurance. We kept the kids
in glasses, but the braces would have been primarily cosmetic -- their
bites are fine -- and we just didn't have the money.)

So call around to see if you can find someone who disapproves of pulling
teeth to accomplish this correction.
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

  #4  
Old December 15th 04, 08:09 PM
Rosalie B.
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Default

Scott wrote:


DS has a pronounced overbite. We joke that he got my skull
and my wife's jaw, and they don't fit. So we've always known
that orthodontia is in our future with him. Monday he had
a consult at the dentist (who wierded the BH out -- so we'll
be getting a second opinion and any work done will be done
by someone else in town, but that's another thread on
following intuition), and he recommended work starting
immediately, including pulling two teeth. And probably
a night brace, and who knows what else...

Well, that seems pretty extreme to both of us, to do to
an almost-9-yo, and we have friends who had their son's
teeth (not all of them) pulled, and lived to regret it.

So I thought I'd ask people here who've had orthodontia
done on their kids -- what procedures did you have done,
at what age, are are there things they would have
done differently?


I have an overbite and the dentist told my folks that since I could
chew braces would be purely cosmetic. So I didn't get braces.
Dentists now tell me that since I don't chew with the front teeth that
the gums don't get exercised as much and therefore I am prone to
periodontal problems.

My #1 dd had an overbite, and it was recommended that we do serial
extractions to that the adult teeth could come in correctly. So she
had her 4 canine teeth pulled. I gather it was not a pleasant
experience. Then she had a spacer to wear at night so that the space
for the adult canine teeth to come in would stay there.

Well she - like my dad - had supernumary baby canine teeth, and we
moved and the second baby canine teeth came in. The second dentist
did not believe she'd had any teeth pulled. So it was a waste of time
and pain. She had braces.

The second daughter was supposed to wear a headgear, and she
eventually rebelled and refused to wear it. The third one had a cross
bite and I had to turn a little thing up next to her hard palette
every so often to push her teeth into alignment. One of my
grandchildren (son of dd#1) has a similar device.




grandma Rosalie

  #5  
Old December 15th 04, 08:10 PM
Beth Kevles
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Hi -

First, ask the orthodontist WHY the overbite? Is there tongue thrust,
perhaps? Or is it just the natural shape of the jaw? How will the
underlying problem be addressed?

Then ask WHY the rush? Most orthodonture can wait a bit, and should
rarely be done while your chidl still has baby teeth falling out. (Ours
told us that there are two windows of opportunity: between the 6-year
old tooth-falling-out phase and the molars-out-phase, and then anytime
after the adult molars take the place of baby molars.)

It's rare these days for an orthodontist to recommend pulling teeth
out. Although it may uncrowd the jow temporarily, eventually the jaw
grows and you need those "extra" teeth in place.

I'd get a second opinion, and don't rush into matters.
--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

  #6  
Old December 15th 04, 08:11 PM
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Default


Scott wrote:

So I thought I'd ask people here who've had orthodontia
done on their kids -- what procedures did you have done,
at what age, are are there things they would have
done differently?


We took our 9 year old to the orthodontist this fall on the dentist's
advice. He has a pretty pronounced overbite as well. They did recommend
pulling a baby tooth that had not fallen out despite the permanent
tooth erupting over it. Other than that, they advised us to return in 6
months to re-evaluate the situation. Some friends have had palate
expanders around this age. These are devices that work to gradually
open the upper palate while the bones are still maleable. But that was
not recommended for us at this stage, anyway.

Chris

  #8  
Old December 16th 04, 02:53 AM
Cathy Kearns
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Wow! How timely. Just back from a consult for
my 15 year old daughter who needs a "second phase".
We didn't go back to the Orthodontist that did the first
phase because I thought he had her in braces too long.
It turns out he probably put them on her too soon, so
after two years (though promising 12 months....) he
took them off, but she still had baby teeth coming in.
Now her eye teeth (incisors) are just coming in, and
her 12 year old molars have yet to show up. The first
orthodontist wanted to put phase two on, to twist the
insisors straight, but the second orthodontist pointed
out there are no teeth to anchor the braces to, so it
would take longer. Or, as he says, it's 15 months from
when we can put bands around teeth that she doesn't
have yet. We can start now, but it's still 15 months
from when those 12 year old molars come in. I'd get
a second opinion, especially if his teeth are coming in
late. My second daughter is 10, and though her older
sister got braces as she entered 7th grade, at age 11.5,
I think I'll wait on the younger one until at least her front
eight teeth are out. I now know her 12 year old molars
may not come in until she's almost 16.

  #9  
Old December 16th 04, 02:00 PM
animzmirot
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Default


wrote in message
oups.com...

Scott wrote:

So I thought I'd ask people here who've had orthodontia
done on their kids -- what procedures did you have done,
at what age, are are there things they would have
done differently?


We took our 9 year old to the orthodontist this fall on the dentist's
advice. He has a pretty pronounced overbite as well. They did recommend
pulling a baby tooth that had not fallen out despite the permanent
tooth erupting over it. Other than that, they advised us to return in 6
months to re-evaluate the situation. Some friends have had palate
expanders around this age. These are devices that work to gradually
open the upper palate while the bones are still maleable. But that was
not recommended for us at this stage, anyway.


DD (12) had a palate expander when she was 2.5, and then had a retainer for
another couple of years. I still have her retainer in my desk drawer. I just
can't throw it out it's so tiny and cute. :-)

She's been visiting the orthodontist since she was 9. We go every 6 months.
At this point, as her molars start to fall out, her teeth have plenty of
room to grow in straight and true, however she still has a cross bite that
she inherited from me, and she does need to get that fixed. She'll get
invisable braces at our next visit.

DS (12) is still losing baby teeth after a 4 year dry spell with no tooth
loss at all. He has an overbite and he definately needs braces, but will not
get them for another couple of years because he's got plenty more teeth to
lose and our orthodontist won't pull teeth until kids are at least thru
puberty, around 15 for boys. That's fine with me, but DS will be just about
to go to college then, and I'm a bit worried about him dealing with
orthodontia on his own. We'll see.

I think a doctor that wants to pull at 9 year old's teeth is a doctor I
wouldn't visit again.

Marjorie

Chris



  #10  
Old December 16th 04, 06:08 PM
Iowacookiemom
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Hi,

Just chiming in with a few random thoughts.

-I personally had braces later (I think they were put on at age 15) and I
caution you on the social implications of that. Just as my peers were emerging
from the awkwardness of adolescence, including braces, I was starting. It was
not a good thing for the self-confidence. Of course, you need to put the
medical/dental needs first, but if you have a choice, earlier is better from a
social standpoint.

-My niece, who is 12, has had braces for at least two years. I believe her
needs were pretty substantial. The plan is that she'll have them a few more
years still, so perhaps that's what they are suggesting for your child. I
believe my brother and sister-in-law have been very pleased with their
orthodontist (also in Wisconsin, but in Milwaukee).

-You do need to shop around for orthodontists, IME. This is someone who will
see your child monthly, sometimes more often. You'll need to rely on the
office to be responsive to emergency situations, as wires have a way of coming
loose and poking directly into a child's cheek at, say, 10:30 p.m. on a weekend
night. So, in addition to scoping out the treatment each orthodontist
recommends, take note, too, of the staff's attitude, how long your wait is,
what the office hours are, what emergency care provisions are in place, etc.

-Cost also varies widely. Our dentist gave us four business cards when he
referred Henry for orthodontia last spring. He was up-front that two were
lower cost, two were higher-cost, all did excellent work. He encouraged us to
see all four (we saw three of them, eliminating the most expensive guy because
we knew Henry would beg for him due to his high-tech, snazzy,
computer-and-flat-screen-tv-filled office.) Estimates and payment structures
varied widely, even with our dental insurance. You want to find someone who
will honor his/her original estimate (we opted for a slightly higher estimate
that was guaranteed not to increase; the lower estimate had a provision to add
costs later -- plus we liked the other guy better).

It's a big investment, and a Big Deal to your kid, so you want to be sure you
choose the right person. Absolutely trust your instincts!

-Dawn
Mom to Henry, 12

 




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