Very true! We had to put Moon Unit through braces a couple of years ago, because her teeth were so messed up that permanent damage would have occurred if we’d waited much longer. We knew at the time that she’d need another round.
Well, we had her checked last week and yep, it’s time, and again it’s a case of start soon or have permanent damage. We’re looking at 5K worth of bills :(. This is a kid who has already had numerous fillings (mostly in her baby teeth, in an effort to save them to save space until permanent teeth came in; she still wound up having at least 3 decay so badly they had to be extracted. Evidently her teeth were composed of a weak mixture of swiss cheese and sidewalk chalk).
I’ve got to talk to the insurance company to see how their EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) will reflect the work, as last time around they did progressive EOBs for a bit of the money each time. Critical in determining how to handle the cost with the flex-spending account, which is pretty much all spent for this year.
Um my 12 yo just lost her last baby tooth and this is 6 mos after a full set of braces was installed in her mouth. The ortho just skipped the bracket, no problem.
To the OP , shop around. My first opinion was from our dentist who wants to be an ortho. His rec was pull 4 adult teeth, head gear and 3 years. The ortho said that was nonsense, 2 years, no teeth pullin and no headgearbut she did need a tongue guard to prevent tongue thrusting. So far my kid’s results are amazing, I think the braces might come off sooner!
But I remember the dentist calling the house asking to set up an appt for the kids baby tooth that needed pullin. I declined I figured that was a consolation prize the ortho office threw back to the dentist for winning away his client.
I do see a lot of kids in elementary schools with the full brace face. And then they do go back for phase 2 ! WTfun?
My eight year old just got a “retrainer” to help stop with the tongue thrusting thing. She wears it for a few hours a day. The idea is that this will shorten the amount of time the braces are required, and break the bad habit early. She’ll still need braces (she has a front gap that isn’t going away). My son the ortho looked in his mouth and said “we’ll see him next year and reevaluate - nothing for now.”
You still had your front baby teeth at 7? Both of mine had lost at least their front 4 by that age. But age 11-12 and having one or two remaining baby teeth in the back, that’s not so unusual. Moon Unit just lost the last of hers a month or so ago (she’s 11).
Fortunately, my kids are not interested in horses ( like I was) but they really really really really want rabbits and chickens.
I’ve explained to them that when the time comes serious budgeting will be done and sacrifices will be made Cue Patroitic Music . That this means is no more buying of video games ( we aren’t exactly running wild with our money maybe 4 games a year. ), possibly canceling cable This was not met happily by my husband at all. and I would give up bowling. frankly, I need a break. I’ve lost the loving feeling.
I got my first braces when I was 10- the old-style bands rather than the stick-on things they use now. :rolleyes: I had braces on my four front teeth on top plus one back molar on each side, so that I could wear head gear to arrest an insane overbite (like more than an inch). That was for about a year-18 months, then a retainer, then full braces on all the teeth for straightening for a couple of years, then more retainers. Seven years all told.
Then, when my wisdom teeth were removed, they knocked my lower teeth out of alignment, and there I was, back in a retainer in my late 20’s. :smack:
Sometimes, kids need braces. Yeah, it sucked that it wa right around the time I was liking boys (I had glasses, too- woo hoo), but I survived and I’m hot now!
