Nance Appliance for 8 Year Old

Well if i was in the same situation i would either have a second opinion if i could but when push comes to shove i would get what he suggests. I would rather get this an possibly avoid braces compared to not getting it and knowing I'm not avoiding them. From what i have looked up it's a pretty simple device and she should get used to it easily. I had much worse devices as a kid and didn't avoid braces at all.
Here is what I found about them.

Nance Appliance: Holds the molars from rotating or moving forward while kids are waiting for their bicuspids to grow in.

Thanks to Rachel for explaining what a Nance appliance is! My child got a palate expander recently, which is different, but I do want to offer this idea: Go to an orthodontist rather than a dentist for another opinion; in fact, go to two orthodontists. Most orthos. do FREE consultations for children so you can go to several for nothing and get a feel both for what they think is best and for their personal fit with you and your child. Call and ask for a free pediatric consultation. (No, I don't work for an orthodontist!)

I'm sure many pediatric dentists do fine with ordering ortho-type treatments but I do know of parents who felt very pressured by dentists to get certain things done quickly, when orthodontists they consulted had different opinions or wanted different approaches or wanted to move more slowly. Even among orthodontists, treatment ideas can vary -- one wanted to yank one of our daughter's baby teeth immediately to make room, and another said that was not needed this soon(we went with the latter and things are going well so far). You may be more comfortable with whatever you choose to do if you get a few more opinions, and since they're free, why not do it? It's good to get this ortho. stuff started earlier in life, since their mouths are still forming and they'll have an easier time with braces etc. than their parents did, but you do have time to get some opinions. Let us know how it goes!

I used to have headgear! That is very uncomfortable and they wanted me to sleep in it....and wear it to school. I also had braces and rubberbands, etc. My teeth weren't that bad, but I did have a slight overbite. I got used to the way it felt - the nance appliance would be slightly uncomfortable in the beginning when she is getting used to having a new metal in her mouth, but she will soon get used to it and feel like it's normal (when I got my braces off I thought my teeth felt slimey and unnatural compared to the metal - it's all in what you're used to!). So, I would say to go ahead with that and let it help prevent future problems in the future (your insurance should cover it, I'm assuming). Also - it should not affect her speech or eating ability - they may say avoid some foods like chips (in case of braces), but nothing severe. They have so many new technologies these days, and they tend to make them more and more natural fitting so it does not hinder normal functions (unlike the retainers of our day!). Plus, the nance is unseen - so she will not have to worry about explaining to all her friends if she doesn't want to.

Right now is the best time to do these things for your childrens mouth. The pallate bone has not harded and by the age of 13(I think) it become a hard bone. My daughter had to have a spreader in her mouth when she just turned 8. That was 9 months ago. She did have to adjust her eating habits (no sticky food) and stringing pasta gives her a challenge. But, other than that she has adjusted well. She is going to still have to have braces after the spreader has enlarged her mouth. If you want get a second opinion from a pediatric dentist. But, she will adust and she may sound funny for awhile while she gets used to it, but it will all turn out fine in the end.

There is a lot of preventative orthadonture that happens now adays. I had my four front top teeth straightened in braces when I was little, along with several appliances all before my baby molars fell out. Early/preventative orthodontics is wonderful and if your dentist is reccomending the nance appliance I would do it. I have not had this exact one but I have had a similar appliance on the bottom. It will keep her molars from moving while her canines come in. If you do these early steps when your daugther does have to be in braces later in life it will be for a MUCH shorter amount of time. It is much easier to correct problems now then for your daughter to have a full set of braces for several years later.

Hi C.. When I was about her age I had to have an appliance as well. Not sure of the exact name of it since I am 33 now however, my mouth were too small for all of my teeth. So what I had to do was where this appliance all of the time (with the exception of when I ate) and it had a key that fit into it and I had to turn it once a week so that it widened my jaw. Then after I jaw was wide enough, then my dentist put braces on to straighten my teeth. I don't remember the appliance being painful but it does make you spit when you talk and you do talk a little funny with it. The major thing that I do remember is having to be very careful about not throwing it away at lunch because I would take it out and put it on my tray while I ate. The other things is, and you may want to ask this, I will have to wear a retainer at night for the rest of my life to keep my teeth straight.

Good luck to you and your daughter. It really isn't that bad though.

Is this the appliance that will hold the molars untill the rest of her teeth come in, so they dont slip and fill in the holes? If so My daughter didnt have one of those. they gave her a space maintainer instead and it worked great. it is a cap that goes over one tooth and a wire that goes in the hole area to keep the teeth from shifting. and they take it off as soon as the other tooth pokes thru. My daughter said that it didnt bother her at all. I dont know why they wouldnt suggest this instead of the Nance. Maybe she has more than one hole to fill? or insurance reasons? IM not sure but you can check it out the different ortho appliences here:
http://cyberdentist.blogspot.com/2006/09/space-maintainer...

Good luck and I hope you find the answeres you are looking for.

I'm curious how this went? My 8 year old is almost done with an expander and the next step is a Nance appliance. Are you happy with the results? How long did she wear it? What were the food restrictions? Do you have any advise?

Hi there,

My son had a retainer at age 8. It was the one you could take out to eat, he still couldn't have anything sticky to eat. I bought the extra insurance that allows 2 replacements, if the 1st pc was lost. Well I am glad I did. He took at out at lunch, put it on his tray and forgot it and there it went, out into the trash. Didn't even think about it til much later! This happened one more time, then I got the one that stays in until the dentist removes it. He too will need braces soon, but they said it did help alot, that they can tell the difference. It's beyond me! haha
Yes, you should do it, it will help. They are doing these things in steps, so she needs to have the roof improved, then soon after the teeth can be...If they give you the option, I would do the one that doesn't come out until the dentist removes it...unless she is an organized, unforgetful child!

Good luck and God bless!