Nearly half of all children will need braces as they grow toward adulthood. Parents often worry about the age their child needs to be to get braces and how long they will need to wear braces to get perfectly straight teeth. Here is some information about what age you and your child need to start thinking about braces.
Why Braces Might Be Necessary
Most dentists recommend braces for children for a couple of reasons. First, orthodontists recommend braces for children with severely crooked or crowded teeth. Braces may be the best treatment for these teeth because teeth that are crooked or crowded make it difficult for them to brush and floss their teeth properly.
Dentists also recommend braces for children who have a bite issue, such as a severe overbite, underbite, or crossbite. While a slight overbite can be fixed with aligners or appliances such as retainers, a severe overbite or crossbite will need to be fixed with braces. If serious bite issues are not fixed, they can also lead to problems with the teeth, gums, and jaw joints of your child.
How Old Should My Child Be When They Get Braces?
The age at which your child begins to prepare for braces is different from child to child. The right age has a lot to do with tooth loss. In other words, has your child lost their baby teeth and gained their permanent teeth? In general, dental practitioners want to wait to begin serious orthodontic work until after the second set of molars comes in, which is usually between 12 and 15 years of age. This is important because molars are the largest and hardest working teeth in your mouth, and dentists need to make sure the molars are in and fit well before braces.
Not sure if your child needs braces? We can help. Reach out to our office today to make an appointment with one of our dentists for your child. That way, we can come up with a plan to make sure the teeth of your child are in great shape moving into adulthood.
Location
1739 NE 122nd Ave Portland, OR 97230-1914
Hours
Mondays & Tuesdays: 7 AM - 3 PM Wednesdays & Thursdays: 8 AM - 5 PM Fridays: Closed
Nearly half of all children will need braces as they grow toward adulthood. Parents often worry about the age their child needs to be to get braces and how long they will need to wear braces to get perfectly straight teeth. Here is some information about what age you and your child need to start thinking about braces.