We are about to dive into the whole "orthodontial" aspect of having kids with our oldest. He has an under-bite (lowers go in front of upper) and spacing issues due to not getting two teeth (baby or permanent). We went for our initial visit yesterday and I left with a strange feeling about what the Dr was telling me. I agree that my son will most likely be in braces for years but they were saying possibly through most of High School (my son just turned 9 and is in the 3rd grade). He was also talking about using implants to fill in the spaces where he didn't get teeth. I've never heard of putting implants in a child. I've never known anyone who's had braces more than 3 years except those rare case where the teeth are really jacked up.

I am planning on calling the dentist to get another referral for a second opinion but does having braces for about 8 years seem rather strange to anyone but me? I'm not going to say that this guy is only after the money as he really does seem genuine in helping fix the problem but that just seems way too long a time span to get work done.

Another thing that caught my attention is that this Dr rarely looked me in the eyes when talking to me. He'd look at the floor and table more than he looked at me. Generally, people who won't/can't look a person in the eye aren't telling the truth.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Sounds extremely scamish.

Who Was the Dr? I see Dr Kuhns and I really like him. 8 Years does seem like a long time for braces. As for the implates did he indicate that he would do them this young because I would think they couldn't put them in till after the braces are out.

Dr Kuhn in Wildwood is wonderful!! My son had the same issue and wore an "appliance" to adjust his jaw for about 14 months and then braces for 18 months.

Who Was the Dr? I see Dr Kuhns and I really like him. 8 Years does seem like a long time for braces. As for the implates did he indicate that he would do them this young because I would think they couldn't put them in till after the braces are out.

No, he's not planning on doing it until he sees what happens in a few years as far as losing more baby teeth and getting permanent teeth. He said that they can either do the implants or push the teeth together to close the gaps. Right now, phase 1 is fixing his bottom teeth so they are in line with his top ones. Braces for about a year to correct.

Dr Kuhn in Wildwood is wonderful!! My son had the same issue and wore an "appliance" to adjust his jaw for about 14 months and then braces for 18 months.

That seems more along my line of thinking but I'm clueless as I never had any issues with my teeth and therefore never had braces. I was thinking/hoping that by the time he was 12, his teeth would be ok. He's so self-conscience about the gaps, he never smiles. :frown:

I had braces for almost 5 years. Most orthodontists don't want to rush things because they're afraid the teeth will move back. The theory is it's better to move teeth slowly so they'll actually stay put. Some orthos also don't want to put braces on young kids because they want the bone to be more developed.

If you're worried, definitely get a second opinion though. It never hurts.

We are about to dive into the whole "orthodontial" aspect of having kids with our oldest. He has an under-bite (lowers go in front of upper) and spacing issues due to not getting two teeth (baby or permanent). We went for our initial visit yesterday and I left with a strange feeling about what the Dr was telling me. I agree that my son will most likely be in braces for years but they were saying possibly through most of High School (my son just turned 9 and is in the 3rd grade). He was also talking about using implants to fill in the spaces where he didn't get teeth. I've never heard of putting implants in a child. I've never known anyone who's had braces more than 3 years except those rare case where the teeth are really jacked up.

I am planning on calling the dentist to get another referral for a second opinion but does having braces for about 8 years seem rather strange to anyone but me? I'm not going to say that this guy is only after the money as he really does seem genuine in helping fix the problem but that just seems way too long a time span to get work done.

Another thing that caught my attention is that this Dr rarely looked me in the eyes when talking to me. He'd look at the floor and table more than he looked at me. Generally, people who won't/can't look a person in the eye aren't telling the truth.

Any advice would be appreciated.

That is strange..Really odd to get braces at that young of an age..The only cases where I knew of kids that young..They had serious issues and they had to wear them twice..I've heard of them putting on spaces to put the braces on that young..They have to do that because the adult teeth aren't in yet. When my oldest needed braces..I went to 5 different dentists before I made my decision on who to use..the consult is free. Good luck And just out of ????..How much do they cost up here. I was told anywhere from 2800 to 5400 in GA...Such a range in prices

I had braces for almost 5 years. Most orthodontists don't want to rush things because they're afraid the teeth will move back. The theory is it's better to move teeth slowly so they'll actually stay put. Some orthos also don't want to put braces on young kids because they want the bone to be more developed.

If you're worried, definitely get a second opinion though. It never hurts.

Well, I can definitely see your point. I agree that things shouldn't be rushed and evaluated often to see how things are progressing. I guess maybe I thought the issues weren't as serious as they really are. I figured they'd get his bottom teeth in line with the top, push the top ones together to close the gaps and he'd have a great smile. Maybe I will hold off on getting a second opinion until I see this Dr again and maybe I could get more information. The visit yesterday was just to see what he was up against. For all I know, he was just giving me a worst case scenario and my son will be out of braces sooner.

They said the next visit would to get moldings done and then they'd have a better idea on how to proceed. Thanks Cowgirl for calming my fears ! I just know how upset my son is about his crappy smile and I guess I just wished for faster results. Regardless of how long it takes, it will be worth it in the end.

That is strange..Really odd to get braces at that young of an age..The only cases where I knew of kids that young..They had serious issues and they had to wear them twice..I've heard of them putting on spaces to put the braces on that young..They have to do that because the adult teeth aren't in yet. When my oldest needed braces..I went to 5 different dentists before I made my decision on who to use..the consult is free. Good luck And just out of ????..How much do they cost up here. I was told anywhere from 2800 to 5400 in GA...Such a range in prices

I was told $2500 but that was just to get his bottom teeth in line with the top. That doesn't include the 10% discount for paying up-front or any insurance benefits. I will know more about the actual "out of pocket" expense later today when the Dr talks to my insurance company.

My bff had braces for seven years. Her teeth look great now, though, but that long isn't unheard of. i would be more worried about putting them on him sooooo young. Surely it can't hurt to wait a bit..the kid's mouth and such are still growing..I thought they didn't put those on until 12 or so?

My bff had braces for seven years. Her teeth look great now, though, but that long isn't unheard of. i would be more worried about putting them on him sooooo young. Surely it can't hurt to wait a bit..the kid's mouth and such are still growing..I thought they didn't put those on until 12 or so?

He first got a referral for an orthodontist at age 4!!! I laughed and tore it up. I ended up just talking to the orthodontist to get a general idea of when I really should bring him in. They said that 9 would be a good age. I waited 5 years and then got another referral. I don't think they are going to do much until all his permanent teeth are in place so now that I think about it, the time span they gave me yesterday probably isn't on a continuing basis, so I'm feeling better about it.

I've never known anyone who's had braces more than 3 years except those rare case where the teeth are really jacked up.


I wore braces for 6 years. I guess my teeth were really jacked up! :frown: But not anymore :biggrin:

I wore braces for 6 years. I guess my teeth were really jacked up! :frown: But not anymore :biggrin:

Apparently so are my son's. :lol:

My bff had braces for seven years. Her teeth look great now, though, but that long isn't unheard of. i would be more worried about putting them on him sooooo young. Surely it can't hurt to wait a bit..the kid's mouth and such are still growing..I thought they didn't put those on until 12 or so?

I just thought of something I wanted to add..If they do end up getting braces at a young age...Make sure they brush them and take very good care of the teeth..Younger children won't be as worried about it...Because if they don't they can end up having white spots on the teeth that will be permanent.

I just thought of something I wanted to add..If they do end up getting braces at a young age...Make sure they brush them and take very good care of the teeth..Younger children won't be as worried about it...Because if they don't they can end up having white spots on the teeth that will be permanent.

I was told that they have a dental hygentist on site to keep on the kids to make sure their teeth are healthy once the braces come off. I am also on the kids to brush really well and luckily, my son heeds the warning. 9 years and no cavities. :yahoo:

I like Dr. Tony Doumit. He did my invisaline braces.

We are about to dive into the whole "orthodontial" aspect of having kids with our oldest. He has an under-bite (lowers go in front of upper) and spacing issues due to not getting two teeth (baby or permanent). We went for our initial visit yesterday and I left with a strange feeling about what the Dr was telling me. I agree that my son will most likely be in braces for years but they were saying possibly through most of High School (my son just turned 9 and is in the 3rd grade). He was also talking about using implants to fill in the spaces where he didn't get teeth. I've never heard of putting implants in a child. I've never known anyone who's had braces more than 3 years except those rare case where the teeth are really jacked up.

I am planning on calling the dentist to get another referral for a second opinion but does having braces for about 8 years seem rather strange to anyone but me? I'm not going to say that this guy is only after the money as he really does seem genuine in helping fix the problem but that just seems way too long a time span to get work done.

Another thing that caught my attention is that this Dr rarely looked me in the eyes when talking to me. He'd look at the floor and table more than he looked at me. Generally, people who won't/can't look a person in the eye aren't telling the truth.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I would highly recommend Dr. seidel in Lusby. My son was told he needed braces and Seidel said he would eventually need them not an urgency as the dentist made is sound. My daughter goes to him now. 410-257-0353.

A lot of orthodontist want to intervene early. I think it sounds legit. I do not think it is easy to fix the bite when the bottom teeth overlap the top ones. Does it involve repositioning his jaw? It seems they would have to get the jaw to move back to get the proper alignment.

In any ortho case, I would always get a second opinion. Never hurts to get 2or more doctors opinions when dealing with such an expensive issue.

Got the call from the Dr's office. Insurance will cover $1000 and we'll get a 10% discount for paying up-front so Phase 1 will cost us $1350. He goes for his moldings in a few weeks so we'll see what's in store for the future.

Chicklet gets her molds next Friday and her top braces the following Friday.

I wore braces for 6 years. I guess my teeth were really jacked up! :frown: But not anymore :biggrin:

:yeahthat: :smile:

We are about to dive into the whole "orthodontial" aspect of having kids with our oldest. He has an under-bite (lowers go in front of upper) and spacing issues due to not getting two teeth (baby or permanent). We went for our initial visit yesterday and I left with a strange feeling about what the Dr was telling me. I agree that my son will most likely be in braces for years but they were saying possibly through most of High School (my son just turned 9 and is in the 3rd grade). He was also talking about using implants to fill in the spaces where he didn't get teeth. I've never heard of putting implants in a child. I've never known anyone who's had braces more than 3 years except those rare case where the teeth are really jacked up.

I am planning on calling the dentist to get another referral for a second opinion but does having braces for about 8 years seem rather strange to anyone but me? I'm not going to say that this guy is only after the money as he really does seem genuine in helping fix the problem but that just seems way too long a time span to get work done.

Another thing that caught my attention is that this Dr rarely looked me in the eyes when talking to me. He'd look at the floor and table more than he looked at me. Generally, people who won't/can't look a person in the eye aren't telling the truth.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Follow your intuition...try some of the others people have suggested. Wish I had followed my gut feelings on more occasions than I can count!

Chicklet gets her molds next Friday and her top braces the following Friday.

What color braces is she getting? My son wants his to be yellow and black. :dead: My neice always had bright pink as her color.

What color braces is she getting? My son wants his to be yellow and black. :dead: My neice always had bright pink as her color.

She wanted red and black. :lol:

What color braces is she getting? My son wants his to be yellow and black. :dead: My neice always had bright pink as her color.

She wanted red and black. :lol:

Seriously?? I had no idea they came in colors now.... :lol:

Seriously?? I had no idea they came in colors now.... :lol:

Seriously!!!

Seriously!!!

I told her she should get the clear ones and use the different colored rubber bands.

I told her she should get the clear ones and use the different colored rubber bands.

Are the clear ones more expensive than the regular ones?

Are the clear ones more expensive than the regular ones?

Yes. They cost me a extra $300.

Yes. They cost me a extra $300.

Forget that then. Since my son will be in them for years, I don't want to spoil him by getting the clear ones. :wench:

Forget that then. Since my son will be in them for years, I don't want to spoil him by getting the clear ones. :wench:

The Dr told me they weren't as effective. He is having a really had time gettting my teeth to push back.

I wore braces for 11 years, I think.

The first time for 4 years. Didn't wear my retainer.
The second time for 4 years. Didn't regularly wear my retainer.
The third time for 3 years.

If anything else happens to my teeth, I'm getting them all pulled. :biggrin:

Chicklet gets her molds next Friday and her top braces the following Friday.

That's so cool. Mine will be jealous. She got 2 appliances last month - bottom one is glued in and the top one is a hot pink removeable retainer that she only takes out when she eats and brushes. I get to crank that one once a week. :dude: She still has a few baby teeth that need to fall out before the braces can go on, though.

Who Was the Dr? I see Dr Kuhns and I really like him. 8 Years does seem like a long time for braces. As for the implates did he indicate that he would do them this young because I would think they couldn't put them in till after the braces are out.

Yep, Dr. Kuhn is great. Their hours are a little inconvenient, but it is worth it. I go there and he said I should have them off in 9 months. I did transfer from another orthodontist who I saw when we lived in another state. My total treatment time will end up being about 3 years including the retainers I'll have. I had major crowding and an over bite. I would definitely get another opinion. I also went for a consult w/Dr. Koterwas by the K-mart on 235. He was a little more expensive then Kuhn for my treatment. Plus he wanted $500 for x-rays. That was double what Dr. Kuhn wanted.

I just thought of something I wanted to add..If they do end up getting braces at a young age...Make sure they brush them and take very good care of the teeth..Younger children won't be as worried about it...Because if they don't they can end up having white spots on the teeth that will be permanent.

I wish someone would have told me that when I was young. I had braces for a year when I was 10 and did not brush properly. When the braces came off I ended up having a yellowish colored line on my front tooth where the edge of the braces were. It is permanent and I was so self conscious about it growing up. I asked a cosmetic dentists years ago (before I had my current braces put on) and he said the only way to really get rid of it was grinding it out and putting some kind of coating on it. Even then it may just get lighter. At the time it would have cost me $600. If I would have listened the first time about brushing, then wore the retainers like I was supposed to I would have straight white teeth that my parents paid for. Instead I paid over 4K for my braces now and will pay god knows what to have the spot corrected. Ugh....

That's so cool. Mine will be jealous. She got 2 appliances last month - bottom one is glued in and the top one is a hot pink removeable retainer that she only takes out when she eats and brushes. I get to crank that one once a week. :dude: She still has a few baby teeth that need to fall out before the braces can go on, though.

I saw that on Wednesday when I picked up N. :yay:

I think the braces are a rite of passage for them. :lol:

I think the braces are a rite of passage for them. :lol:

Agreed. She's thrilled about it. Middle gets glasses next week, and Old was bummed that she didn't need those, too!! Whoooooaaaaa partner, slow down...1 major expense at a time per child is enough! Ha!

Agreed. She's thrilled about it. Middle gets glasses next week, and Old was bummed that she didn't need those, too!! Whoooooaaaaa partner, slow down...1 major expense at a time per child is enough! Ha!

Chick wanted those too last year. She was bummed when the Dr. told her she had 20/20 vision. :lol:

Son went for his xrays and moldings today. Has 4 appointments over the course of 5 weeks, culminating in finally getting his braces.

Son went for his xrays and moldings today. Has 4 appointments over the course of 5 weeks, culminating in finally getting his braces.

Chicklet is pretty thrilled with hers. :lol:

Chicklet is pretty thrilled with hers. :lol:

I'm hoping that's the case with my son. When I went to school to get him, he walked down the hallway like he was heading to the electric chair. :lol: He thought he was getting his braces today. I'm hoping that once he finally gets them, he'll be ok. Luckily, he won't be getting them until after school is over so he'll have the summer to get used to them before facing his peers.

I'm hoping that's the case with my son. When I went to school to get him, he walked down the hallway like he was heading to the electric chair. :lol: He thought he was getting his braces today. I'm hoping that once he finally gets them, he'll be ok. Luckily, he won't be getting them until after school is over so he'll have the summer to get used to them before facing his peers.

Eh, piece of cake. I think she likes showing them off. :lol:

He'll be fine. :yay:

Eh, piece of cake. I think she likes showing them off. :lol:

He'll be fine. :yay:

I will let you know in about a month.

Chicklet is pretty thrilled with hers. :lol:

That's good. I can't remember EVER being thrilled with mine. I think I either hated them, or sometimes when I got different colors I hated them a little less. :lmao: But I was probably older than your girl when I got them.

Still no braces but he did get a retainer glued onto his teeth to move his top teeth forward. August, they will put one on the bottom to move his lower teeth back. Probably then, he'll get the braces to push everything together. I took a picture to show relatives what he got and after looking at it, I realized just how nasty the human mouth looks up close (or at least that of a 9 year old!):killingme

i used dr kuhn in waldorf. orginially we used dr berkowski who dr. kuhn purchased the practice from. they are very very good.

Found out last night that my youngest is going to need braces too. :cds: At least we have a few years before I can take him to an orthodontist (He's only 6 now). Dentist took x-rays and his permanent teeth are not going to be growing in right. His 6 year molars have already come in crooked and are pushing out teeth that aren't suppose to be lost for another 5 years.

Oldest still has his retainer and won't get any brackets until at least another month. He's already broken his retainer twice. :ohwell:

After six and a half months of waiting and having an applicance in his mouth to correct his bite, my son finally got his first two brackets. The colors he chose were Extreme Green and Plum Crazy Purple, to make his dad's hot rods. :rolleyes: I'm just glad that he's taking it so well and seems pretty happy about it. He only got two brackets so far because they want to fix the gap in his front teeth.