Anyone told thier child "needed" braces and decided NOT to have them?

[Sharon37127]

I know that in a few weeks we will see an orthodontist for my oldest- 11yo son. He wount be 12 til early next year. I have worked for a pediatric dentist that had a close relationship (he was friendly with the whole office) with an orthodontist. I already have my personal opinion as to what I think we should do, but I just wondered if any of you decided NOT to have them. Did you regret it? What did your child think?

[Parrothead]

I was a child who needed braces but didn't get them. It doesn't bother me at all.

[Sarah CB]

I was a child who should have had head gear and then braces and didn't get them and it really bothered me. I eventually got braces in my early twenties, but by then it would have taken jaw surgery to fix my overbite so I didn't do that.

 

My dd has braces and she doesn't enjoy them, but she's really grateful to have them.

[cjzimmer1]

The only 2 people I know who were told to get them as a child and didn't have both gone on to have them as adults with the regrets their parents didn't do them as children. The outcome just isn't as good when you wait till adulthood and yet the problems remain.

 

For me, braces are of the utmost importance (all my kids have issues of varying degrees of seriousness), and we will make whatever sacrifices needed to get them. If it means giving up all outside activities, we will, family vacations we will, giving up a second vehicle, I'd hate it but I would do it if that was the only way.

 

So in response to your original question, no I would never do that to my kid because I know they won't have another shot to do it "right".

[Alpac]

We were told by our dentist that my ds (11 at the time) needed to see an orthodontist for a consult. He had not lost all of his baby teeth at that time. We chose to see another dentist who is not an orthodontist but does orthodontal work within his scope. If he had thought my ds needed more than he could do, he would have referred him to an orthodontist. He recommended putting in a spacer and waiting on the baby teeth to come out and permanent teeth to come in. We did that and now my ds is doing something called an Occlus-o-Guide. We could not afford braces. The Occlus-0-Guide was offered to us as an option. Because we homeschool and are home during the day and because of the maturity/personality of my ds, this dentist felt like he was a good candidate for it. It costs much less and is supposed to be just as effective if done properly so we decided to give it a try. It was more in our budget.;)

 

I don't know if this reply is what you were looking for, but I wanted to share what we have/are doing.

[Mergath]

I needed braces as a kid and didn't get them. I've always wished I'd had them. My front teeth are quite crooked, and I always have to make sure I keep my mouth closed when I smile. Having crooked teeth also makes you more likely to end up with cavities. :glare:

[Riverland]

At 10 or 11 yo, my ds was told by one orthodontist (who had a professional relationship with our pediatric dentist) that he would need them immediately. We sought a second opinion, and were told he may never need them at all. A year or two later we had a follow up with the second orthodontist and, nope he did not need them. As he grew, the potential issue became a non-issue.

 

He could have opted for them for minor cosmetic issues, but they were not needed.

 

When I was younger, I was told that I could get them to straighten my bottom teeth. I didn't really care then, and still don't now.

[m0mmaBuck]

My 20yo stepson needs braces. When he lived with his mom (up until he was 14), she was advised to get them but he did not want them so she let it go. When he moved in with us, he got glasses which was a blow to his self-esteem and he adamantly argued against braces AND glasses so we let it go. At 16 he got contacts but still refused braces and since he did not take the best care of his teeth the dentist told us bad oral hygiene plus braces are a bad combination so until DSS was ready to step up the oral care it would not be good to force the issue. We made sure he understood that he needed to make his decision while he was still a minor if he expected us to pay for them. Now he is 20 and lives on his own. We just had the braces conversation again last night. He still doesn't want them. His best friend has them (21yo) and complains constantly about his teeth hurting. DSS understands he is on our dental insurance until he is 26 and our insurance will cover about 1/2 the cost and he will be responsible for the out-of-pocket expenses at this point.

 

I wish he had gotten them when he was young. His teeth are really messed up. For example, his incisors are rotated about 90 degrees from where they should be and everything is very crowded. Our younger two are already asking for braces (and will most likely need them) and we will certainly put them on them while they are young enough to still want them.

[Rebel Yell]

DH should have had braces as a child. His teeth are crooked, and very hard to clean. He has many many thousands of dollars worth of dental work now- fillings, crowns, root canals, repeat crowns/root canals, missing teeth. He's handsome as anything- you can't tell all the work he has when he smiles...

[Kathryn]

My mom should have had them, but she's done okay without them. I think very, very few people truly "need" them. I have one canine that is slightly tilted and was offered braces to correct it. I found that ridiculous. I think each case should be individually evaluated.

[Corraleno]

I should have had braces as a kid, but didn't, and now I'm paying for it. There were no cosmetic issues (my teeth are straight, with a very slight overbite), but my back teeth were really crowded and did not line up correctly. I've had thousands and thousands of dollars worth of dental work on my back teeth —extractions, crowns, bridges, etc., and it's still a mess. I really wish I'd had braces as a kid.

 

Both of my kids currently have braces, although they are both cases where other parents might have chosen to skip them. DD has braces on her top teeth, following several extractions, to keep spaces open until new teeth come in. This is something I definitely wish my parents had done for me.

 

DS has straight teeth but a noticeable overbite, and he chose to have braces. He has sensory issues and really dislikes having braces (with a palatal bar, no less), but knows it will be worth it. He does not want to go through what I've experienced, or what his uncle went through (he needed major jaw surgery in addition to braces as an adult, and his teeth were very much like DS's when he was a teen).

 

ETA: I wanted to add that I would consider braces for a minor cosmetic issue to be optional. I would NOT consider braces for an alignment or crowding issue to be optional. The money you save on braces will be spent later on fillings, extractions, crowns, and possibly surgery and braces anyway.

 

Jackie

Edited August 29, 2012 by Corraleno

[bettyandbob]

I have 3 dc. We see a pediatric who is also a pediatric orthodontist and is trained in special needs.

 

Child 1 has sensory integration issues. The fact that we got to brushing regularly is a miracle. Exposed teeth do not look visibly crooked, but most dentists and orthodontists would say needs braces. Our dentist says given the oral hygiene issue braces could damage his teeth. If you do not have impeccable oral hygiene while wearing braces you can damage your teeth--besides the dentist telling me this, my neighbor's dd has all kinds of permanent damage to her teeth because of not following through with oral care while wearing braces from a different orthodontist. Due to good genes my ds1 has never had a cavity--braces would likely have changed that fact as well as caused other problems.

 

Child 2 had an expander at age 8. As a result front upper teeth look perfect. She has crowding issues that "could" lead to problems in the future. Dentist says we could go either way on the benefits of what most orthodontists call stage 2 braces for her.

 

Child 3 has down syndrome. You can see that braces may end up being a must at some point. Again, we are still working on oral hygiene, so that will be a factor in decision making.

 

If you are dealing with a small amount of crowding and your dc has never had a cavity, I would not do braces. If you have major problems (teeth crooked enough to affect self esteem, large overbite, underbite, side bite--my high school friend had this, jaw misalignment), then you should probably consider following through with braces and treatments.

 

I appreciate my dentist/orthodontist's conservative, practical approach.

[razorbackmama]

My husband needed braces, but his parents couldn't afford them at the time. (They later could afford them for his younger brother.) He almost never smiles with his teeth, and we fully intend to get him braces within the next couple years. Just have to plan it ahead of time because of our HSA. He wishes he could have had them but understands why he didn't get them.

[razorbackmama]

I think very, very few people truly "need" them. I have one canine that is slightly tilted and was offered braces to correct it. I found that ridiculous. I think each case should be individually evaluated.

:iagree:My husband's teeth are very crooked, and he has to work SUPER hard to keep them clean simply because they are so crowded in there. Dental hygienists have commented on how difficult it is to get between his teeth because of the crowding.

 

So there is "needing" braces and then there is NEEDING braces.

[Cinder]

My brother needed braces as a kid but mom couldn't afford them. She regrets that. As an adult db had to save up quite a bit for surgery and braces to correct his crossbite which had gotten to the point of causing him aches/pain and headaches.

 

Braces were recommended for both our sons. Ds1 was missing a tooth so we opted to get braces to close that gap. Ds2 had teeth coming in crooked and an underbite. He was very self-conscious and rarely smiled. We got braces for him, too. Now ds2 needs braces again--the ortho anticipated the underbite would resurface once ds2 was in his teen growth spurt. Dh was wondering if ds2 *really* needed braces again but ds2 says the bite bothers his jaw and neck, so we've been saving up for round 2.

[justamouse]

My Dh should have had braces, and he now suffers daily for not having them. He gets jaw pain, headaches, and has trouble chewing.

 

Right now both girls do need them, and we're getting them.

 

Many time braces aren't just cosmetic.

[Murphy101]

I would think the majority that need them don't get them. It's very expensive and often not covered by insurance either at all or a small portion that isn't enough to make it doable.

 

I have two that need it very very badly. 5k is our portion. We got a loan bc I have a lot of resentment about my parents not doing it for me. Many people can't afford to do that though. Truth be known, we really can't either.

[hsbaby]

My dh has a very small gap that braces would have easily fixed. His parents didn't get them for him and he resents it a little. He is really self-conscience about it:(. Now we are left to pay for our 3 kids braces (if they all need them) AND his:glare:).

[littlebug42]

I should have had braces as a kid. I didn't. I hate everything about my mouth and am very self-conscious about it. I will do everything to make sure my kids don't have those issues. Orthodontic work here has already begun and we will see it through to the end.

[Chava_Raizel]

I remember when I was a child my dentist recommended I see an orthodontist and get braces. I went to the ortho, he agreed, but my parents decided my teeth weren't that crooked and I didn't really need them. They were right, my teeth are barely crooked, so no big deal.

 

If your child has seriously crooked teeth or spacing issues, then they probably need braces. But otherwise, I think it's an unnecessary for most children. Not to mention how expensive it is - and often not covered by insurance.

 

My youngest is only 3.5, so it may change over time, but she has a huge gap between her two front teeth. I'm having a hard time breaking her of her pacifier habit, which will probably only make it worse. My oldest had a gap and it closed when her grown up teeth came in. I'm hoping the same happens for youngest dd. Otherwise, we'll probably need to get her braces. Thankfully she's the only child who has any issues with her teeth.

[Scuff]

My sister was supposed to get them on her bottom teeth. She chickened out with the spacers. Then, my mom further learned that the plan was to file down enamel to make her teeth fit and she just cancelled the whole thing. Sis has soft teeth and is probably better off eith all her enamel. As an adult, she doesn't care thT her teeth are crooked, but it's the bottom ones. Her smile looks fine.

 

A dentist told me a few years ago that I needed to take ds for a consult. We decided against it. His teeth are perfect, but had larger than normal spaces. Sure enough, those have closed a bit as he grew. Dd's teeth stuck out a bit in the front. I actually was concerned she would need them, though the dentist who saw her (same practice, but more conservative dentist) didn't say anything. Her's have straightened up a bit, too, though we'll see how muvh they move on their own.

[Shellers]

We were told a few months ago that my DD#3 needs braces. Her teeth are straight but she has a cross bite. We won't be getting her braces.

[Murphy101]

That's just it. I am afraid to stretch ourselves that thin for braces. For my parents there would have been absolutely no way.

 

I know. It makes me nauseated.

 

But a lifetime not wanting to smile and/or dental related pain is a long time.

 

I know from my own experience. Like most medical things, it never gets cheaper or easier to treat with time, just harder and more expensive. :(

[Pawz4me]

ETA: I wanted to add that I would consider braces for a minor cosmetic issue to be optional. I would NOT consider braces for an alignment or crowding issue to be optional. The money you save on braces will be spent later on fillings, extractions, crowns, and possibly surgery and braces anyway.

 

:iagree:

 

Oldest DS's front teeth were (and are) absolutely beautiful. The orthodontist said "A smile doesn't get any better than that." But his bite on his left side was way off. The orthodontist told us, and my research corroborated it, that he'd be very likely to have serious dental and potential bone issues by the time he reached middle age. So he definitely needed braces, even though his smile was already gorgeous. The moral of that story is don't make the mistake of thinking braces are just a cosmetic thing, and that if your child's smile looks good enough then everything's okay.

[KidsHappen]

My 19 year old decided against them. For her they were purely cosmetic. The 15 year old did get them but her oral hygiene was not as good as it need to be for braces so they took the off early. She still has a bit of an overbite but other wise looks great. She really didn't need them either. We waited so long with my oldest dd that they said that they would have to break her jaw in order to fix her extremely small arch. We decided against that. So of the six only three got braces and one of those had them taken off early. Our ortho told us that frquently the need for braces is purely cosmetic.

[Soror]

Dh was supposed to have them due to some minor crowding but declined, he couldn't care less. I had a bit of a funky gap and was happy to have braces and had a bit more minor work done after getting married. I think it is really individual as to how much it will bother someone on cosmetic issues. I can see with ds he likely won't care while dd1 seems to be much more sensitive.

[Ipsey]

My husband should have had them as a kid but refused because he was worried about how much it would cost his parents. He was the 8th of 9 kids, and they were quite . . . not-wealthy.

 

He wish he had gone ahead and gotten them now. He has healthy teeth, but they're a fright to look at :(

[NittanyJen]

I think it depends upon the severity of the "problem."

 

There are a lot of things being "fixed" today by orthodontists that are merely cosmetic. I didn't get braces as a kid, because my problems were not really major. I got talked into it in college because of a minor overbite, but didn't get advice to keep my retainer permanently, so I'm not sure how much good it actually did.

 

I smile with my mouth open all the time, and have no problem doing so; the only person who comments on 'fixing me' is my mother in law :glare: and that I can happily ignore.

 

Now, if there is a big problem, such as teeth so crowded that adult teeth cannot erupt properly, overcrowding so severe that tooth cleaning is difficult or impossible, severe cosmetic problems, or jaw & bite problems, I am all for orthodontics. But I am really confused about how nearly every human today seems to need to be "repaired" using a painful procedure that costs thousands of dollars. I think that is simply marketing, and most of us can safely do without.

 

I have one kid who does in fact need orthodontics-- he has a palate expander in place so that his adult teeth have room to come in and for a few other reasons, and I don't see any way out of braces for him in the future. My other kid will probably have a pretty much perfect mouth without them, and I would have to say no if someone advised me to put them on him.

 

Use your gut. I would not put off braces that really need to happen; they are far more effective when a kiddo is still growing than they are in adulthood. But make sure they are being recommended for a "real" reason. I think there are a lot of useless braces on out there to round out the truly needed ones.

[Elizabeth in MN]

My dd has them and needed them. She had an adult tooth coming in in front of other adult teeth. She loves them and we take good care of our dental hygiene. We walked this road because I have had one tooth pulled and two root canals. My front bottom teeth are pretty crowded and I have an overbite.

[Audrey]

Yes. He really doesn't want them. The problem for which he supposedly needs them is mostly cosmetic and some crowding. His teeth don't bother him physically or mentally, and we felt he was old enough to have some say on whether he wanted to go down that route.

 

I have to say that I'm glad. It's roughly the cost of a new car. I haven't got that, and I don't want to have to come up with that either.

[Audrey]

I would NOT consider braces for an alignment or crowding issue to be optional. The money you save on braces will be spent later on fillings, extractions, crowns, and possibly surgery and braces anyway.

 

Jackie

 

 

I strongly disagree. My own teeth are crowded on the bottom. They kind of look like I have little bulldog fangs on the bottom. They don't bother me. I have also never had a cavity in my life, nor an extraction, nor crowns, nor surgery because of my crowded teeth.

 

Barring severe issues, braces are almost always optional and very, very rarely "mandatory," IMO.

[LizzyBee]

My dd16 had an orthodontic consult a few years ago and we were told she needed braces, needed to start asap, treatment would take 3-4 years, cost $6,500, etc. Ortho made it sound very urgent.

 

We went for a 2nd opinion and the ortho said she had moderate crowding and moderate overbite, and he wouldn't want to start treatment until she lost the rest of her baby teeth and also to allow her jaw to grow a little more to see how much overcrowding remained. DD didn't want braces, so I asked what would happen if we didn't do braces. He said it was no big deal since her issues were not serious enough to cause problems. He was very laidback compared to the first guy. First guy was older and probably had kids in college. :glare:

 

She's 16 now and still doesn't want braces. Who knows whether she will change her mind as an adult, but I don't feel right pushing her to get them if she doesn't want to.

[Veritaserum]

I was a child who needed braces and didn't get them. I corrected my crossbite as an adult and really wish my parents had taken care of it when I was a child. My dad is a cheapskate and won't spend money on things he does not deem important.

 

My oldest is currently in braces. It was very obvious she needed them (pronounced overbite and major crowding in her lower jaw) and we sought treatment. Her overbite caused her to break her two front baby teeth. We did not want that to happen to her adult teeth.

[Desert Rat]

My ds12 was supposed to see an ortho for a consult. He has beautiful, straight teeth top and bottom. He does have a larger overbite than kids who have gone through braces. I asked him if it bothered him. He said he loves his mouth just the way it is and has no interest in braces. I like to give my kids the choice if it's an option. He has a beautiful smile. I didn't want to mess with it just to fit his bite by an itty, bitty bit.

Now my youngest we're waiting and seeing. He will probably need orthodontics but I'm not interested in getting them for him before 12-13. He still has lots of baby teeth. The dentist wanted him to go right away because he had a cross bite. He had an underbite as a toddler. When his permanent front teeth came in, they were fighting to correct themselves. They did. We'll wait.

[Lisbeth]

My Dh should have had braces, and he now suffers daily for not having them. He gets jaw pain, headaches, and has trouble chewing.

 

Right now both girls do need them, and we're getting them.

 

Many time braces aren't just cosmetic.

 

I agree. This is a major pet peeve. DH's mom and dad had every new car, gadget, etc, but wouldn't fix their children's teeth. DH and his brother NEVER show their teeth. It is sad. If I had to work an extra job I would make sure it is funded for mine.

[GoVanGogh]

My older sister had braces and my parents had a bad experience with her ortho. They swore they would never go that route again, so I didn't have braces even though the dentist said I needed them badly. (This was '70s before the trend for more cosmetic ortho work.)

 

I ended up having extensive jaw surgery when I was 23, then braces. It has been nearly 25 years since my surgery and I still have daily problems with my jaw. I am about to go back to a specialist to find out if I need additional surgery or how to best resolve my jaw pain.

 

DS needs braces, as his jaw and alignment issues are nearly identical to mine. He WILL be getting braces.

[CalicoKat]

Yup. DD needs braces again. And we said no. She'll live. Her teeth are straighter than my own.

 

Personally I think braces and ortho work starting earlier and earlier is a scam. You have to stay on top of all those changes you made, for the rest of their life. Heaven forbid they stop wearing that retainer and their teeth move....... More $$$$ for the ortho man.

[Lily of the Valley]

DH and all his siblings have beautifully straight teeth with no orthodontic treatment. I really needed braces as a child, and didn't get them. I was always embarrassed to show my teeth. I got braces in my early 20's right after dd1 was born. We really couldn't afford them, but I was tired of being ashamed of the way my teeth looked. DD1 has already gone through orthodontic treatment, and dd2 will be needing it soon.

 

In dd1's case, her teeth looked straight, but she had a huge overbite. The ortho told us that her teeth were on the outer edges of her gums, rather than aligned in the center of her gums, and would potentially cause problems when she was older. DD2's teeth actually don't look very crooked at all, with the exception of 1 tooth, but her bite is off. We make whatever sacrifices are necessary to make sure our kids get braces because I know how upset I was not to get treated as a child.

 

ETA: Our orthodontist recommended waiting until both dds lost all their baby teeth and their adult teeth were in before getting braces. For dd1, that was around 12 years old, and will probably be the same for dd2.

[Stayseeliz]

If we're told my kids will need them we will see several orthodontists to get opinions but we will get them if truly needed.

[sourpatchbaby]

Both DH and I needed braces growing up. DH ended up getting braces in his late 20's and I haven't (I met him with braces) because of the cost. I've always wished I'd had them when I was younger because I never like to show my smile and have tons of jaw pain. DH has said that if I want them we could pay for them but I have refused because I know that at least one of the boys so far will need them and I would rather spend that money on things for the boys.

[catz]

:bigear: I have an 11 year old and was told at his last dentist appt that he could get an ortho referral for braces. He has movie star straight teeth, a tiny overbite, and no known issues with teeth. It'll be interesting what they say at his next dentist appt. I am leaning no for him. His teeth are honestly nicer than both DH and mine and neither of us had braces. I was never offered braces as a kid and have no regrets. I have a slight overbite and one center tooth is just a tiny bit crooked. He's never had an issue with uneven wear and has never had a cavity FTR. I really do think dentists offer it much more than necessary these days.

 

If I had a kid that had real problems, even if they were just cosmetic, we would do it.

 

Now, if there is a big problem, such as teeth so crowded that adult teeth cannot erupt properly, overcrowding so severe that tooth cleaning is difficult or impossible, severe cosmetic problems, or jaw & bite problems, I am all for orthodontics. But I am really confused about how nearly every human today seems to need to be "repaired" using a painful procedure that costs thousands of dollars. I think that is simply marketing, and most of us can safely do without.

 

Totally agree.

Edited August 30, 2012 by kck

[Tee]

You've had a lot of replies, and I completely understand the money part. My two just started their treatment. And we cannot afford it.

 

But teeth are really important. People unintentionally/subconsciously form unfavorable or prejudicial opinions about people with untreated crooked teeth. Like in job interviews for example.

 

The thing is, there's a window, during times of great growth - usually between the age of 7 and 11 where certain structural things can be corrected. After that, it can be uncorrectable. I know this because I waited until my oldest was almost twelve and we were a little late to properly move her lower jaw out.

 

About the money, shop around. We found a good orthodontist that offered no interest payments through his office. He allowed us to stretch out the payments longer than typical which made them almost affordable. Don't be afraid to ask.

 

Good luck

[sourpatchbaby]

You've had a lot of replies, and I completely understand the money part. My two just started their treatment. And we cannot afford it.

 

But teeth are really important. People unintentionally/subconsciously form unfavorable or prejudicial opinions about people with untreated crooked teeth. Like in job interviews for example.

 

The thing is, there's a window, during times of great growth - usually between the age of 7 and 11 where certain structural things can be corrected. After that, it can be uncorrectable. I know this because I waited until my oldest was almost twelve and we were a little late to properly move her lower jaw out.

 

About the money, shop around. We found a good orthodontist that offered no interest payments through his office. He allowed us to stretch out the payments longer than typical which made them almost affordable. Don't be afraid to ask.

 

Good luck

 

To the bolded, just look at all the British people jokes out there:glare: I really wish I had been able to fix my teeth when I was younger.

[phathui5]

My parents were told that I "needed" braces and they decided against it. As an adult, I wish they had done it.

[OrganicAnn]

We had a neighbor girl whose parents decided she didn't need braces. Her teeth were similar to the moms. They didn't think it mattered. Eventually the mom had lots of dental problems which cost lots of money. I don't know if the daughter had eventually had dental problems too.

 

So sometimes it is not just cosmetic.

[DarlaS]

I know that in a few weeks we will see an orthodontist for my oldest- 11yo son. He wount be 12 til early next year. I have worked for a pediatric dentist that had a close relationship (he was friendly with the whole office) with an orthodontist. I already have my personal opinion as to what I think we should do, but I just wondered if any of you decided NOT to have them. Did you regret it? What did your child think?

 

Yes. I have had two different dentists tell me three of my four kids should have braces. Actually, I can't recall if it was recommended for my (now) 15 year old as well. Might even be all four kids...

 

So far none have been to the orthodontist and the older kid's teeth straightened out pretty much on their own with that adolescent growth spurt.

 

I'm planning to watch and wait with the youngest as well.

[Frances]

When my son was four, a dentist wanted to put braces on because he had a pretty sever underbite. We thought it sounded crazy and declined, as we had never seen a child that young with braces. As it turned out, his bottom adult teeth came in behind his baby teeth and the underbite completely self- corrected.

 

However, he did end up with braces later, as he had an undescended adult tooth right in the middle of his mouth, so all of the regular teeth were pushed to the sides. They kept pulling teeth, two at time, to try to make room and hoped the gap would close on its own, but it never did. Had he not gotten braces, all of his top adult teeth wouldn't have had room to descend.

 

Since we were going through all the bother and expense (and he was enduring all of the discomfort) of braces, we did go ahead and do the optional cosmetic correction to his bottom teeth at the same time.

[missmoe]

We got a second opinion with our son. The second dentist told us it was a cosmetic problem and not a medical necessity. We decided not to do it at that point.

[courtney.byrum]

I think it depends on the reason braces are 'needed'.

 

DD will need a palate expander and braces - it's pretty much a given and something we've known since she was about 3. Thankfully even her adult teeth are on the small side so maybe we won't need as much work done but we'll see as he will be referring her at her next apt to the ortho (she'll be just turned 7). She already doesn't have room for her 4 adult teeth on the bottom and we want to try to avoid pulling teeth if we can. She has the front 2 teeth and then the next 2 area actually behind the front 2 since there isn't room for them.

 

DS on the other hand may or may not need braces - he is a total wait and see and if it is just cosmetic then we will make a decision then as to what we do.

[LittleIzumi]

I needed braces as a kid and didn't get them. I've always wished I'd had them. My front teeth are quite crooked, and I always have to make sure I keep my mouth closed when I smile. Having crooked teeth also makes you more likely to end up with cavities. :glare:

 

That explains a lot. :glare: Darn cavities all over. No braces for me. I could have used them, definitely, but my brother needed them more.

 

My oldest will need them. She has an extra tooth and the much larger top jaw that goes with it.