Braces?

[MizLacey]

Val's getting braces next month. Her best friend has them, so she won't be the only one of her 'group' with them for the next 12-24 months (we don't know yet how long she'll be treated).

I didn't have braces and have no idea what to expect. I know traditional braces hurt when the bands are tightened. Invisalign are not an option.

Can anyone tell me experiences they've had with either themselves or their teen?

Thanks!

[KatieK]

My husband has braces. He said it hurts for a day or two after the bands are tightened but otherwise is painless. Once in a while he'd use a little wax if something was rubbing wrong. His teeth were BAD before the braces. Scary bad. They look so much better now! :nod:

I would offer one suggestion, though. If your teen isn't willing to wear a retainer (or do whatever is required to keep her teeth straight after the braces are removed), I'd save your money and skip the braces. DH refuses to wear his retainer regularly and now his teeth are getting screwed up again. It was SOO expensive (he had them on for like 4 years his teeth were so bad) and it angers me that we wasted all that money just for him too be too stubborn, lazy, or whatever to wear the retainer. :mad:

[Nocona]

I had them for 4 years (3rd-7th grade) for an underbite. It was either braces or break my jaw, thankfully my parents opted for braces. I totally agree about the retainer. It's a must, must, must. It's great that she'll not be the only one with them. I was, but since I got them so young it was cool and everyone wanted them. Stupid kids :lol:

The worst part was the band tightening, but not horrid or anything. I also had to wear rubberbands on mine for a good portion of the time.

[mcox]

How old is your daughter?

I wore braces for 3 years. I was 9 when I got them put on and I really think that was too young. I agree with the others, it hurts after they tighten the bands for a couple of days. I had to use wax too whenever a wire or bracket would be pressing into my jaw. I also had to wear the rubber bands, as well as, a headgear thing at night. I HATED that thing!!! I would actually take it off in my sleep. It made my mom so mad!! I agree that if you don't wear the retainers then all the money and time is in vain. I wore mine pretty good but not all the time. My teeth did shift some. Good luck.

[Ami]

I wore braces from 7th grade until the end of my freshman year in college! :eek: The first few days after I got them hurt pretty bad, after that just when they tightened them. Maybe give her some Advil before her appt. when she gets them put on.

[Jillian]

I had braces for 14 months in 7th and 8th grades. They hurt when they were tightened, but only for a couple days or so, they got tightened once a month. I agree on the retainer aspect...I wore mine for a year, then just got lazy about it, my top teeth are fine but my bottom teeth have shifted quite a bit...they still look fine for the most part...the orthodontist I saw says the only treatment I'd need to fix them is a new retainer...but it's annoying.

[MizLacey]

Thanks!!! She's 16 now, and her friends have told her she'll have to use a retainer for 6-12 months after the braces are off, and then at night only for a year, and then if all goes well she will only have to wear it 3-4 nights/week. I'll make sure I ask the Orthodontist about that.

We got an intro packet from the orthodontist's office already, and they're going to give her a Rotodent teeth cleaning brush as part of her treatment so she can keep her gums healthy and keep the braces clean as well as avoid calcium deposits on her teeth during treatment. She thinks that looks pretty cool.

I'll definitely bring some Advil. They're doing the impressions on the 11th and putting the braces on on the 17th, in the middle of spring break. She's already telling everyone she can't wait because it means her smile will look fantastic for her senior portraits.

[bunybomb]

I wore braces from 6th grade until 3 days before my 8th grade graduation. The tightening hurt for a couple days and I hated it, but had to wear a neckgear at night (is there still such a thing?) I didn't wear my retainer for long enough and my bottom teeth are now a little crooked.

My daughter will have to get braces and this summer is the consultation. I'm sure they will pull some teeth before moving forward with braces. She is 9 and already talking that she wants Invisaline.

My teeth look good and I'm so thankful that my mom struggled to pay for braces which wasn't easy for a single-widowed mom.

:kiss: Thanks MOM!

[Leslie]

I have a permanent retainer. It is fixed inside against the back of my bottom teeth. It is obviously always in there and I think it has done an excellent job of keeping everything inline. You should look into getting a permanent one. My mom didn't get one and now her teeth are crooked again.

[redhairedgirl]

I would offer one suggestion, though. If your teen isn't willing to wear a retainer (or do whatever is required to keep her teeth straight after the braces are removed), I'd save your money and skip the braces. DH refuses to wear his retainer regularly and now his teeth are getting screwed up again. It was SOO expensive (he had them on for like 4 years his teeth were so bad) and it angers me that we wasted all that money just for him too be too stubborn, lazy, or whatever to wear the retainer. :mad:
While I do agree with this, on the other hand, my parents (or my father, rather) decided that he didn't like that I ate the occasional "Snickers" bar or whatever that the orthodontist says was bad. So, he never got me the braces that I needed.

I am 27 years old and so far, we have paid almost $9,000 for my teeth alone. I cannot get insurance because most insurance companies feel that I'm too old for braces.
My Orthodontist has recommended that I get Orthognathic surgery, which breaks my jaw and resets it. He told me that if I would have had braces when I was younger, more than likely, I wouldn't need the surgery because I'd still be growing.

Sorry to be O/T, I just wanted to point out that while my father saved money, my husband and I haven't. :furious:

Braces really aren't that bad. The upkeep isn't that bad either. IN fact, I figured they were going to hurt more. Your daughter's self confidence will go up because of them. Maybe not while she has them so much, but the end result is really worthwhile! :biggrin:

Mandy

[KatieK]

I have a permanent retainer. It is fixed inside against the back of my bottom teeth. It is obviously always in there and I think it has done an excellent job of keeping everything inline. You should look into getting a permanent one. My mom didn't get one and now her teeth are crooked again.
DH has permanent retainer for his bottom teeth. It's the top ones that he's slacking on. (I guess they don't do permanent retainers on top?)

[MelissaM]

William needs braces for a relatively pronounced underbite as well. He is 9 right now and there is NO WAY that I would even consider having his put on yet. MAYBE when he is 16...we'll see. Right now he is not the best with pain (he writhes around on the floor when he has a stomach ache) and any discomfort at all would be completely hellish for us. He needs to mature ALOT before we get them on, but he will indeed be getting them.

[AmyP]

I think you are doing the right thing, Melissa. I had them put on when I was 9 (for a horrible overbite, huge gaps in my teeth, you name it). As far as handling pain, that wasn't a major problem, but I was 16 when I had them off and I didn't wear my retainers and do what my orthodontist said. Had I been older and more mature, I probably would have listened to my orthodontist and worn my retainers. My younger brother can't handle pain (much like William) and he was HORRIBLE with the pain association with EVERY orthodontic treatment he had.

Now I'm 26, and I'm getting them again and I'm paying for it. I really wish I'd been more mature and had listened to my orthodontist.

[Susannah]

My daughter just had her braces taken off. She had terribly crooked teeth (dentist said it was a combination of big teeth & small palette). She wore the braces for 2.5 years and is very good about wearing her retainers. The pain was manageable and she had the most discomfort the first week or so of having the braces on. Her teeth look so nice and braces are now the "in" thing. Back in my day, braces were so not cool.