My 9 year old just got braces! I didn't think kids needed braces until Jr. High or High School. But as it turns out, sometimes, like in our case, they need them sooner. We learned so much as we dove into the world of braces for the first time and wanted to share.

We have partnered with Cameron Orthodontics to bring you :

5 Reasons to See Your Orthodontist Before 5th Grade

#1 Your orthodontist can usually tell by age 7 if/when your child may need braces.

#2 The key to success is getting in early. In our case, my daughter has a cross bite or a trapped tooth. She needs braces now so her tooth isn't damaged. After the tooth is moved forward they will reassess when all her adult teeth come in.

#3 If you wait too long, some problems can't be fixed. Once a child stops growing, it's a lot harder to move bones.

#4 When fixing a bite, it is imperative to get in before your child hits puberty, this includes a crossbite, overbite, and underbite.

#5 Consultations are usually FREE. Enough said.

We went for our first consult when my daughter was 9 year old, just a few months away from her 10th birthday! She ended up getting braces a week later. I really thought she wouldn't need them until she was 12. Just shows how little I knew about this stuff. If we had gone in sooner, I would have had a better idea as to what to expect and when it would be happening.

I hope these early intervention tips help you parents out there who haven't entered into the world of braces. And we can't wait to share more of our journey with you as we go along.