Age of the "Ugly Duckling"?

The age of the ugly duckling usually ranges from 8 to 12 years old.

It is a stage in which the child begins to experience a series of transformations in his body, voice, facial features and mainly a change in his teeth.

This dental change begins when the patient begins to lose their deciduous teeth or commonly called "baby teeth", giving way to the period of mixed dentition.

Mixed dentition is one of the most complex processes, in which the child presents a series of characteristics that occur gradually while the eruption of the permanent teeth takes place chronologically.

This stage of tooth replacement is often called the "ugly duckling stage" because the child's appearance changes, becoming unaesthetic, which not only worries them, but also their parents.

Parents are usually unable to determine why their child looks different. However, the characteristics in all children are almost the same. What mainly identifies this stage is the presence of spaces between the upper teeth and crowding of the lower teeth. In most cases dentists decide to have the patient under control to see how the dental replacement is carried out, however it is important to make the first consultation with the orthodontist from 6 years of age, so that an assessment can be made prior to the start of the mixed dentition. At this time, aspects such as supernumerary teeth, collapse of the upper jaw, maxillary deficiencies or inadequate growth of the jaw can be checked.

On a psychological level, patients going through this stage will be affected because the teeth have a great impact on the emotional part. Generally, a smile is associated with vitality, good health and esthetic harmony.

It is important to talk to the children and explain to them that they are going to enter a process of changes that even if they are called ugly ducklings, they will become beautiful swans.