Kids and braces

[DallasCMD]

Man, wtf.

Wife took the 7 year old to the orthodontist today. Just to start off with I thought that was a little crazy but hey, whatever. He has a slight underbite, nothing major. I just get the call that he is going to need a "phase 1" that he will wear for 12 months put on now for $3500 and then a "phase 2" later that will be on longer for another $4000 - $5000 i'm guessing.

First off, I'm like, the kid is 7 freaking years old? I thought only teenagers wore braces. It's one thing if the kid is buck toothed and deformed but he's a good looking kid!

Am I being duped? Anyone else gone through this? If we skip the Phase I is that bad?

@#$*!!!

 

[TexasEd]

My humble opinion is to wait. The kid's head is still growing and all the teeth aren't even in yet.

 

[CanaTigers]

They will gladly take your money at any age.

 

[DallasCMD]

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[HornBud]

Does he even have all of his adult teeth yet?

 

[Bob Wills]

7 years old? I'd wait. That's a lot of orthodontics and the growth isn't as predictable as an orthodontist may lead you to believe.

 

[Wild Bill]

My sister is an orthodontist, and 7 is too early. In my day, braces went on in HS, but now the trend is to put them on (if needed) in middle school. All 3 of my kids started at around 7th grade and had the braces off before HS started. I would get a 2nd opinion.

 

[7Titles]

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[77horn]

Braces are not an emergency item. "Shop" around. I did and was amazed at how much orthodontic prices varied. Wound up paying about half what the original Orthodontist quote. Of course the guy we went with didn't have nintendo in his waiting room or give out cool T-shirts.....