It seems that not long after your adorable little baby starts sprouting their first teeth, parents are starting to wonder when they need to start thinking about dentists, brushing teeth, toothpaste options, and even – “What if my kid needs braces someday?”
Ok, orthodontic problems might not be the first thing on your mind when those little teefers start coming in (especially if you’re breastfeeding, because OUCH!). But at some point over the early years of your child’s life you’ll start to wonder if you should start saving for the dreaded braces bill. Your child’s dentist might make mention of an open bite or a bad bite and quiz you about your use of pacifiers, bottle weaning, inquire about open mouth breathing, thumb sucking, and may start hinting that your kiddo may be a good candidate for braces if things don’t self-correct by the time their baby teeth start falling out.

The Waiting Game
In general, you’ll want to wait until most of your child’s baby teeth fall out before starting braces. However, it’s never too soon to start talking to your child’s dentist about their teeth, your concerns, and the potential for braces. They will monitor your child’s oral development as their mouth changes over the years and when the time is right they will be able to recommend the right orthodontist to start you and your child on their braces journey.
It can be hard to wait, especially if there are visible orthodontic issues present that you want to start correcting, like an overbite for example. But the best time for braces is going to vary based on when your child starts losing their baby teeth.
Ok, so when will my child lose their baby teeth?

In general, kids start losing their baby teeth around the age of 6. It is a slow process, which on average, continues until about the age of 12-13. Once a child loses all their baby teeth and they are replaced with their adult teeth, they will grow four new, permanent molars. I was surprised to learn this with my first child, and discovering that fact led me down a rabbit hole of other interesting facts about teeth:
- Our first set of teeth (our baby teeth) come with 20 teeth!
- Our adult set of teeth total 32.
- About 1 in every 2000 babies are born with teeth already erupted (broken through their gums)! In these rare cases the erupted teeth are often extracted to prevent issues with breastfeeding.
- Teeth, (not bones!) are the hardest substance in our bodies.
Despite the strength of our teeth, they require consistent care to remain healthy. That’s due in large part to how awful our diets are – we put our teeth through a lot of abuse with the chemical-ridden foods and sodas we frequently consume – but that’s a post for another day!
Once your son or daughter starts losing their baby teeth, it’s time to start talking to your orthodontist and working on a plan, even if the actual braces are still a couple years away. In fact, many dentists and orthodontists will tell you: REMEMBER AGE 7. Age 7 is a great time to start on an orthodontic evaluation. And pro tip – most orthodontists offer a free consultation!
Tell me WHEN, Already!
Ok, ok – enough chitter chatter! The ideal age for braces is between the ages of 9 and 13, as long as your child has lost a fair portion of their baby teeth before starting braces. Basically, early middle school years (middle school is THE WORST anyways, so may as well lean into the awfulness of it and get the braces over with during those years!) However, you do NOT want to sit around waiting until your kid gets all their adult teeth in. This is actually a big mistake. A kid’s mouth is constantly changing throughout their childhood – teeth are moving, teeth are falling out, their jaws are growing, face shape is changing, etc. In the ideal scenario, you want to add braces before their mouth has stopped shaping, because braces will have the most impact when their mouths are still malleable, amidst all that change and growth.
There is no single right age or best age. But there is a right time (or maybe more accurately an ideal time) and it’s entirely dependent on your child’s teeth and their oral development.
Find a Pediatric Dentist
When it comes to your child’s teeth and their beautiful smile, early intervention can make a big difference. Identifying potential issues at an early age will allow you the opportunity to correct small problems before they become really big problems.
My two oldest daughters were avid thumb suckers from a young age which led to a severe overbite in both cases (where the upper jaw protrudes out over the lower jaw creating a large gap in their bite). We couldn’t seem to break the thumb sucking habit on our own, no matter what we tried (and trust me, we tried everything you could think of, plus more).
Fortunately our general dentist referred us to a pediatric dentist when the kids were young and we were able to receive a lot of guidance from them about what a corrective treatment plan would look like. This gave us the opportunity to talk to the girls about things like a palatal expander, open bites, crooked teeth, how thumb sucking could impact their facial development and dental development.
While all the transparency and communication did nothing to break the habit, it at least eased the transition into the treatment for the girls! They had plenty of time to watch youtube videos on types of braces, metal braces, clear braces (like invisalign, which sadly they didn’t qualify for based on the severity of their bite), what the rubber bands are for on braces, how palate expanders help to reshape the mouth, and information about other dental appliances. By the time they were ready for the first orthodontist visit to discuss treatment options – there weren’t scared because they knew in large part what to expect.
A Lifelong Investment
Investing in your child’s smile and their oral health may feel like a luxury to some of us. It’s no lie that braces are expensive and most dental insurance plans cover a laughable (ok, CRYABLE) fraction of the huge total. This is why establishing good oral hygiene routines and practices with your child when they are wee little toddlers is SUPER important. However, sometimes kids just need braces, no matter how well they take care of their teeth. Visit your child’s dentist regularly so they can offer early evaluations and guidance about their teeth and their health – that way you can plan ahead of time and start saving over the course of a few years to prepare yourselves for the expense.

Addressing dental issues early and setting a strong foundation for oral health at a younger age will go a long way in ensuring your child grows up with a healthy mouth, a healthy bite, strong jaw, and beautiful teeth.