“Can a 7 year old get braces?”
My 7 year old wants braces and has gaps between his teeth. Is this too early for braces? Can a 7 year old get braces?
11 Answers
yes
Yes they can but it all depends on the severity of the problem. A 7 year old kid not necessarily needs braces to close the gap between the teeth. More or less everybody at this age has gaps between the teeth.
No.
It all depends on how his teeth are erupting and the sequence and timing of eruption. Your child may want braces until he gets them. Maturity, responsibility and proper timing are big factors. Some abnormalities need earlier correction than 7.
Generally, age seven is early to consider orthodontic treatment. The permanent teeth are just starting to come in. However, if there's a question about the position of the erupting teeth, you may want to consult with a pediatric dentist or an orthodontist. If it appears that there may be an issue, you may want to talk about a therapy called guided eruption. This will guide the teeth into better position as they come in.
Hello,
Yes, it is most likely too early for braces. Unless there is a need to fix a development problem with your son's upper or lower jaw braces do not normally start until age 12 when most of the baby teeth are gone. A 7-year-old child only has a few adult teeth and their baby teeth are supposed to have gaps between them. Most adult teeth are bigger than the baby teeth they are replacing so there has to be more space for them to come in.
Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
Yes, it is most likely too early for braces. Unless there is a need to fix a development problem with your son's upper or lower jaw braces do not normally start until age 12 when most of the baby teeth are gone. A 7-year-old child only has a few adult teeth and their baby teeth are supposed to have gaps between them. Most adult teeth are bigger than the baby teeth they are replacing so there has to be more space for them to come in.
Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
It is too early. You can do phase 1 around age 8 or when the front four permanent teeth are in. But then you are probably looking at two phases with a second phase around 11 to 13.
Thanks,
Dr. PRICE
Thanks,
Dr. PRICE
Yes, it is possible to have stage 1 braces at age 7. We need to take X-rays to find out why there is a gap between his teeth. Sometimes baby teeth have gaps in order to save the space for permanent teeth which are usually larger in size. If the space is localized for example only between the two front teeth it could be the muscle pulling it apart and it can be fixed.
Yes and no......he can get them but it may be unnecessary and do more damage to the young roots of his front permanent teeth. Sometimes the gap closes all by itself as the side teeth come in or there may be more orthodontic needs than "just" the two front teeth.
Spacing of teeth is usually normal in a 7 year old's mouth. It's probably way too early to have your child treated with fixed orthodontic appliances. Most 7 year olds have most of their baby teeth. These teeth will fall out and be followed by permanent teeth. Even if your 7 year old has some adult teeth, loss of more baby teeth, eruption of more permanent teeth and normal growth will change the relationship of these teeth within your child's jaws and to each other. Make sure that you are seeing a dentist who has taken a panoramic x ray to determine that the teeth are developing, being lost and erupting properly. Other than that, routine exams and cleanings should be all that is needed. Sometimes guided extractions of baby teeth are needed to ensure that adult teeth do nt become impacted (hence the panoramic x ray). Typically, if braces are indicated, they are not placed before 11-12 years of age.
7 years old is a great time to be evaluate by an orthodontist! The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their bite evaluated at this age. After the evaluation there are two orthodontic philosophies. One is to begin orthodontics at the age of 7, with the understanding of a possible second phase of braces later on. The second philosophy is to wait until all of the baby teeth have fallen out and then doing one round of braces. The factors to weigh in the decision are cost, insurance benefits, social factors (getting teased for having a gap), the possibility of him getting burned with 2 phases of braces, his oral hygiene and the increased risk of cavities, etc. Having a consultation with a good orthodontist is a great opportunity to answer any questions you may have and also having a through evaluation of his orthodontic needs.
Marc D. Thomas, DDS
Marc D. Thomas, DDS
