Hi Ladies,

Just wondering if any of you or any older children you have/family members have seen an orthodontist at around 11?? Just got back from Jacks dentist check up and he has problems with overcrowding with his adult teeth that have come through (has pretty much all of them now). Dentist has booked him in to see orthodontist in June where he said its likely he'll need teeth out. Just wondered how this is done with children, do they have it done in the dentist surgery or in hospital under anesthetic?? Understandably Jack is already fretting about it but Id rather him go through it all now than regret it as an adult for leaving it.

Thanks girls, any experiences would be great to here x

I should be just at the dentist with local x

I think you only go to hosp for wisdom teeth.

heya, i saw an orthodontist when i had just started high school (must have been no older than 12), i had 2 teeth out behind my eye teeth and it was just a local anasthetic, it was fine i had braces on the top and bottom and it was bloody sore, so as soon as i turned 16 i got them off (big mistake, wish i hadn't ) but it was fine, i think early teens is pretty average time to start getting your teeth sorted out

also, i think when you get older it's harder to get the teeth to move as they are more sort of set

Thanks girls, Jack is such a worrier and quite sensitive so Im just worried how he is going to cope with it. I think he will probably need braces as well as his teeth arent straight at the bottom. Going to sound really thick now but is a local anesthetic the same thing as the inection they give you in your gums before they remove teeth??

yep - it's just an injection into the gum in the area that the tooth will be removed - if its both sides it will be either 2 or 4 injections depending on where the tooth is. im sure you could talk to them about getting gas and air (i think they still do that) or sedation but tbh it is so quick - mine took about 10 minutes (my 2 wisdom teeth also took 10 minutes at the dentist with a local anasthetic) it is probably best to just get the injections and get it done instead of all the stuff that goes into sedation (going to hospital etc)

it's really straightforward, and im sure they will talk to you about what jack needs and how they will do it if you want to go ahead - remember you can always say no!

Thanks I dont think Im going to tell him it involves injections he will be better off not knowing. I definately want him to have what ever is needed. I have a friend who didnt go for the treatment as a child and has had 2 years of hell as an adult getting it all sorted she had to go through so much I really felt for her, it really affected her confidence before and during the treatment.

I had exactly the same prob Claire!

I saw an orthodontist, as i needed all back 4 teeth removed to ensure there was room for my wisdoms.....basically it was much easier to remove them as a teen, than to go through a big op as an adult if there wasnt enough room for wisdoms. My wisdoms have come through fine, and there was ONLY just enough room, so it was a good call by the dentist.

I had it done at the dentist (but I was put under, because that what they did then for frettin children, and also because they were doin all 4 on the one day.....but ive since had one removed under local (syringe in the gum), and it was great.....felt no pain or tugging at all.

Here it is step by step to show him.

1. They have a look and a poke to make sure everything ok to start.
2. Sharp sensation in the gum, not nice but OK because it only last a couple of seconds. They may do this twice.
3. They wait for a minute or two for it to work, then test it all before starting so dont worry they wont start until your numb.
4. You will feel them fiddling about, and then a firm push into your gum (not a pull, like i was expecting), and within a minute it is out!!!!
5. Wash round your mouth with that drink they give you, and there will be quite a bit of blood, but it will stop really quick.

Note to Jack - Your mum then treats you to something cool for being a brave lad, and lots of ice cream!!!! xxx

LisaMnGirls wrote:

I had exactly the same prob Claire!

I saw an orthodontist, as i needed all back 4 teeth removed to ensure there was room for my wisdoms.....basically it was much easier to remove them as a teen, than to go through a big op as an adult if there wasnt enough room for wisdoms. My wisdoms have come through fine, and there was ONLY just enough room, so it was a good call by the dentist.

I had it done at the dentist (but I was put under, because that what they did then for frettin children, and also because they were doin all 4 on the one day.....but ive since had one removed under local (syringe in the gum), and it was great.....felt no pain or tugging at all.

Here it is step by step to show him.

1. They have a look and a poke to make sure everything ok to start.
2. Sharp sensation in the gum, not nice but OK because it only last a couple of seconds. They may do this twice.
3. They wait for a minute or two for it to work, then test it all before starting so dont worry they wont start until your numb.
4. You will feel them fiddling about, and then a firm push into your gum (not a pull, like i was expecting), and within a minute it is out!!!!
5. Wash round your mouth with that drink they give you, and there will be quite a bit of blood, but it will stop really quick.

Note to Jack - Your mum then treats you to something cool for being a brave lad, and lots of ice cream!!!! xxx

Thats great Lisa thanks Im sure he will be asking for a play station 3 game as a reward lol he is developing expensive tastes as he is getting older!

I had 2 top teeth out at around 11 for my brace. As already said it was done at my regular dentist (orthondontist arranged it) under local anasthetic (injections) & some gas. I remember half way through they asked if I just wanted the one out and to come back for the 2nd the next week - but I couldnt feel a thing so let them take 2nd out. Was painless and took about half hr including waiting on freezing. I was quite high when getting it done but do remember a cracking noise and feeling wriggling/pressue but no actual pain.

The only slight glitch was a few hrs later my lips swole up and I ended up in A&E. To this day I maintain I had been chewing my lips as half my face was numb, but my mum and dr's say that wasnt possible and I must have been allergic to injection or to latex gloves. I had tests that all came back clear so its a mystery what it was. When midwife asked about med history at booking in app because of this story she put me down as lignicane (sp) not permitted and I shit myself that id get stitches without being numbed. I had to provide evidence from GP that tests had been neg before she would remove it from my mat notes! Jack shouldnt have that prob though lol. Just wanted to make you aware of things to look out for! I was fine after cpl days and the missing teeth didnt bother me!

Sorry for the usual essay! x

This is great , thank you for sharing your experiences it really is appreciated makes it so much easier for me knowing what to expect and how to answer any questions Jack has. x Hard to not let on that I would be crapping myself lol as I didnt have a good experience of having my wisdom tooth out a few years ago.

I think it depends on how many he needs removed. I had two done and the dentist did one each visit to make room for my wisdom teeth. My sister had to have 6 removed and she was put to sleep x

i had 6 out at once at about 11 to make way for my braces.
i was a wimp i cried at first not because it was sore but because the horrible crunching noise as they loosened the tooth to pull. but then i got earphones with really loud music and i wasfine the rest of the time.

I had 4 back teeth out to make room when I was 17 and if I remember correctly (it was a long time ago) the dentist did 2 at a time under local.

I have no gap now because my wisdom teeth have pushed everything forward. It is a good job I did have them out because my wisdom teeth are cramped now so with 4 more teeth they wouldn't have fit.

Oh just thought id add teeth pulling may be a cpl of visits down the line. Its likely that the orthadontist will do an x-ray & an impression of his teeth first to assess suitability/check what teeth need moved.

The impression tbh I found a bit scary. Doesnt hurt but you have to have your mouth held open with a gum guard thing and then stuffed with plastercine type stuff. I cant remember properly as was so long ago but I think it lasts about 10min and during this time you can only breathe out your nose and cant really swallow properly. Maybe nearer the time get him practising breathing out his nose!

impressions now are really quickly my last ones look just a minute or 2

Hi, I had 4 back teeth out when i was 12 and i just had to go to a different orthodontist place, it was kinda a dental hospital. and i hadto be knocked out but that was quite fun actually. they knocked me out with gas and then did the injecting i think. i cant remember anything else, i dont think it hurt after but i didnt need braces. i just had to spit out blood loads and not eat on them for a bit. xxx

Thanks girls

Rhona wrote:

impressions now are really quickly my last ones look just a minute or 2

Really? Thats good! Maybe im looking back 15 years as an 11 year old and it seemed longer! Id say a min or 2 could feel like an eternity when you that age !

snoopy21 wrote:

Oh just thought id add teeth pulling may be a cpl of visits down the line. Its likely that the orthadontist will do an x-ray & an impression of his teeth first to assess suitability/check what teeth need moved.

The impression tbh I found a bit scary. Doesnt hurt but you have to have your mouth held open with a gum guard thing and then stuffed with plastercine type stuff. I cant remember properly as was so long ago but I think it lasts about 10min and during this time you can only breathe out your nose and cant really swallow properly. Maybe nearer the time get him practising breathing out his nose!

Thanks for that info, doesnt sound very nice I hope Jack doesnt pick up on my worry about it, id be sh**ting myself lol