braces as an adult

[eks6426]

Has anyone ever had braces as an adult? What sort of reactions did you get from people? Any advice?

I had braces as a kid (and head gears, retainers--the whole routine). I faithfully wore my retainers for 5 years like I was told then stopped. But 15 years later my teeth have moved...a lot. And now my dentist is telling me I need orthodontic work as an adult in order to reduce the pressure on my middle teeth (top and bottom). One of my bottom teeth is behind the others and sticks up and my front 2 teeth are starting to fracture from the pressure. So, I''ve gone to the orthdontist and he wants to use the Damon3 system on me. He says I should be in braces for about 12 months. 12 months in braces as an adult just seems like forever! I''m interviewing for jobs and I''m worried how braces will be percieved in the professional world. Has anyone else gone through braces as an adult?

 

[Caribou]

Date: 2/17/2006 10:32:58 AM
Author:IslandDreams
Has anyone ever had braces as an adult? What sort of reactions did you get from people? Any advice?

I had braces as a kid (and head gears, retainers--the whole routine). I faithfully wore my retainers for 5 years like I was told then stopped. But 15 years later my teeth have moved...a lot. And now my dentist is telling me I need orthodontic work as an adult in order to reduce the pressure on my middle teeth (top and bottom). One of my bottom teeth is behind the others and sticks up and my front 2 teeth are starting to fracture from the pressure. So, I''ve gone to the orthdontist and he wants to use the Damon3 system on me. He says I should be in braces for about 12 months. 12 months in braces as an adult just seems like forever! I''m interviewing for jobs and I''m worried how braces will be percieved in the professional world. Has anyone else gone through braces as an adult?

My best friends mom has braces, she''s 60ish. I remember him telling me about it but I kind of forgot, I went to his sister''s wedding with him. When she smiled, I noticed that she had them ( I think I more assumed that they were already off ). They really weren''t that noticeable.. I mean, I noticed them right away but later I realized that you hardly noticed them.

I had a headgear, braces and top and bottom retainers. I never wore my bottom retainer and you can tell. I had a bad over bit so I wore the head gear religiously for 4 years, then I had braces for 1 year..maybe 1.5 years. My dentist once told me that once my wisdom teeth come in, there''s a chance my teeth will get all crooked again.

All that work for nothing.

 

[pebbles]

My husband had braces both as a teen and as an adult. He only had to wear them for about a year and he was interviewing for jobs when he wore them (just out of college). He never said he got any kind of negative reactions to them. I think they are pretty commonplace nowadays.

My dad''s cousin had them when she was an adult too; I want to say she was in her late 30s/early 40s when she got them. She is a career woman (no kids) in sales so she sees a lot of people. She said she convinced a couple of her clients to get them for themselves after seeing her with them.

She said people used to think she was a lot younger than she was b/c the braces made her look younger. In her line of work that wasn''t really a bad thing.

I''ve contemplated getting them for myself again too. I don''t think it''s a big deal.

 

[FireGoddess]

These days there more options than just a mouthful of metal...invisalign, clear braces, etc. A friend of mine had braces as an adult, and while she didn''t love it, a year isn''t that long in the grand scheme of things if it is necessary.

 

[curlygirl]

My husband has the Invisalign. It seems to be working just great! It''s definitely pricey and insurance doesn''t cover it but it seems to be a great alternative to traditional braces. They''re clear and removable--you can''t eat with them in. His "sentence" is about 12 months, he''s had them for about 6 months already and we see significant changes in his teeth. He had a lot of overcrowding but it all seems to be shifting and straightening very well. You may want to check into it...

 

[eks6426]

Yeah, I looked at Invisilign, but I was told they wouldn''t work for me. The totally clear brackets would add about another 6 months to my time in braces. The Damon3 line brackets are 1/2 clear but not totally clear like the ceramic or sapphire ones.

 

[monarch64]

ID, there''s a really informative website called archwired.com specifically for adults with braces or adults who are contemplating them. There is even a forum section like this for asking/answering questions.

I''m 28 and never had braces...when my brother got them in high school my parents couldn''t afford to get them for me as well, so I have put them off for years. I aked my dentist about Invisalign, but apparently I have more going on with my teeth than Invisalign can fix.

I went to the orthodontist for a second opinion...the news wasn''t good! I have a slight crossbite, open bite (my front teeth don''t meet the bottom ones because my jawbone didn''t form correctly), and my top arch is too narrow! Since the bones in your mouth fuse together after puberty, they can''t use an expander to widen my upper mouth, it would be a surgical procedure. To correct my open bite (if the expansion alone did not) I would have to have my top jaw surgically corrected also. THEN I could get "regular" braces, and would probably be looking at 12-24 months in those!

I haven''t made a decision yet...I''m going to get another opinion before I start anything.

I am telling you my situation because things could be a lot worse than having to have some clear braces for a year or so...or even metal ones!

Did you know they make "lingual" braces that go on the backs of your teeth now? They also have great clear, ceramic braces you can barely see that are attached to the front of your teeth as an option. Even metal brackets have gotten smaller than in the past and are less obtrusive.

I''ve heard a lot of people say that 12 months in braces flies by...they also say it''s great for weight loss--due to some minor discomfort, you don''t eat for pleasure with them on (and they''re a pain to keep clean)!

 

[monarch64]

Hey, think about all the "grillz" going on in Hollywood right now...I wonder if they can make braces with some kind of swarovski crystals or something--you know, jewelry for your teeth, LOL

 

[eks6426]

Monarch--you do help put things in perspective. I am grateful my parents paid for my childhood orthodontic work. I had a 2 inch overbite as a kid as well as a variety of other problems (crossbite, crowding etc.) I wore a headgear to school for 3 years. You make a good point on loosing weight...maybe that will help my diet!

You might be onto something with the bling for braces. They did have gold but I didn''t see any crystal options

 

[monarch64]

ID, I learned a lot on the archwired.com website. If you get a chance, take a peek. I was surprised to see how many adults actually have braces, even in their 30''s, 40''s, and up. It''s just one of those things in life no one wants to go through, but makes life better for the long run. (This from a woman who needs to have her face pretty much broken and rearranged, lol). Seriously, though, if your bite is really affecting those top teeth you''ll be so much better off taking care of it now. If I could go ahead with braces today without all the other stuff, I definitely would do it. I want to have children in the next few years, and I know that it will all get put on hold for many more years if I don''t do it now. I know you''re through that part of life, so you have NO excuse not to make your mouth happy, girlfriend!

If I were an interviewer, I think my attitude towards seeing a potential hire would be that hey, this person takes care of herself...she is doing something that isn''t pleasant but has to be done. It would tell me that the person is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve a great end result.
Having braces just might get you a job, lol!!!

 

[qtiekiki]

I have two friends who have braces as an adult (one just took her off and the other still have another year to go). They don''t really get negative reactions on them. But they are both Asian females and look younger than their ages, so most people think they are even younger with the braces. I don''t think it really bothers them tho.

 

[monarch64]

http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2006/01/26/71792.html

This is a story about how it''s so cool to have braces in Thailand that kids are buying fake brace kits and sticking them on their own teeth! Here we are thinking we look horrible, and in this part of the world they''re such a status symbol that kids are ruining their teeth with fake ones!

 

[sunkist]

Date: 2/17/2006 3:54:16 PM
Author: monarch64
http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2006/01/26/71792.html


This is a story about how it''s so cool to have braces in Thailand that kids are buying fake brace kits and sticking them on their own teeth! Here we are thinking we look horrible, and in this part of the world they''re such a status symbol that kids are ruining their teeth with fake ones!

Oh my gosh, Monarch! That''s so interesting, I guess that''s the only word I can think of...! Because I understand why they''d be doing it, but to us it seems crazy!

I had my braces during junior high for 2 years and once they were off I never wore my retainers for more than a few hours at a time. By the end of high school my teeth had moved so I decided to wear my retainers and get them straight again. It hurt so bad, but I wore them! Now I still wear them everynight. During the day they move just a little, but then I straighten them out at night. My orthdontist told me I should wear them one night a week for the rest of my life, but I think it''s better to just wear them everynight.

 

[tawn]

I had them when I was 20, and wore them for 13 months! It went by soooo quickly! I did get ID''ed a lot more when I would go out though! (BC, Canada drinking age is 19)

My 12-yr old is just about to get them, and he was really against it at first...but so many of his friends are getting them, and now he can''t wait!?

 

[Gracie1]

I just got my braces off this past July, I had them on for about a year and a half. I got the porcelain brackets, not the metal and no one really noticed them unless I got different color bands (which I sometimes did) or it was near the end of the 3 weeks in between orthodontist visits, at which point they would start to get yellow (the bands that is). BTW I wore the braces from ages 33 to 34. I work in a professional job and it never bothered me nor did I get any negative reactions and believe me, it was worth it, my teeth look fabulous

. It probably helped that at the same time my two best friends as well as my sister also had braces. Anyway, I think adults with braces is much more commonplace now and, in my experience, as well as my sister and friends, having braces didn''t have any negative impact.

 

[glaucomflecken]

I had braces for two years from the age of 25 to 27. I had the ceramic brackets on top, and metal on the bottom (my orthodontist would not put ceramic on the bottom because he said the ceramic is harder than the tooth enamel and if you hit your top teeth on the bottom brackets it could chip them) but it really wasnt noticeable. I went in because my four top front teeth were crooked and found out i had an overbite requiring rubber bands and i developed TMJ from misaligned teeth (thanks childhood dentist for letting all that pass by

)

anyhoo, I LOVED having braces as an adult! My teeth were not overly crooked that i was self concious about them as a teen so I am glad I did not have to do the whole teen braces-glasses-acne thing that I would have had going on. It was all motivated by vanity until I found out about the overbite, etc. As an adult, it was a great conversation starter, and the guy I liked at the time thought it was really cute and that he "hadnt kissed anyone with braces since he was 16". So it added a "cute" factor to me that got him interested I was at first self concious that my patients would think it was weird or unprofessional but a lot made comments on how great it was. It was the BEST thing I ever did. Although my teeth werent super crooked it was just enough to really boost my self esteem. they are still not perfect but i love to smile now


I also started a trend (i was in my last year of school at the time) and several of my classmates went and got braces too!

 

[eks6426]

Well, I''ve had my braces for a little over a week now. Bracket day was April 25. I have the Damon 3 Insignia system. The brackets are 1/2 metal/1/2 clear but you can definitely still see them when I smile. The Insignia system is custom braces. The ortho sent fancy mold of my teeth and each bracket was custom designed. The brackets come with a jigs that fits each tooth so the bracket is placed exactly right. There''s also a computer model of my teeth now and how they will change...and the finished product which is kind of cool.

But I do have to say the braces really hurt. Not so much my teeth but my gums. Last I counted I had 23 canker sores so I am using tons of wax. It is very hard to eat but even when I do eat I feel like stuff is stuck in my teeth and braces. I think this might be a good weight loss program because I now do not snack at all at work--too much of a hassle to spend picking stuff out of my braces afterward. I''m hoping the cankersores will get better soon or else this is going to be a VERY long year.

Anyway, my husband snapped a picture of me in braces the day I got them. My son has braces too so it''s a mom & son picture with us both in braces. I feel like I''m 13 again.....

 

[diamondlil]

You and your son look adorable, ID!!!

I missed this thread the first time through. I have been considering braces for several years. I was planning to get them as a gift to myself for my 40th (I''m now 42). Right about that time, we found out my son not only needed braces, but he would also be looking a implants because he is missing two adult laterals (sort of a birth defect). His mouth is going to cost a small fortune, and none of it is covered by dental insurance. My daughter will be in them shortly as well although she has no real issues and will be out of them in a short time. My desires were put on the back burner, but my husband tells me to just do it! Maybe it''s time.

Do you think the orthodontist will give me a discount since we''ll have three of us all from the same family in braces at the same time?

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

At least half a dozen women of my acquaintainence (and age) are presently in braces--and for various reasons (jaw pain, recorrection, asthetics....). And often it is a family affair---parents and their kids alike!!

cheers--Sharon

 

[soulsis]

Oh heck, I wore a retainer in my mouth for a year (12 years old) that kept my upper and lower teeth together at all times. Afetr that it was the whole headgear routine for two years. Then I went on to wear braces throughout high school. At 26 I was in a car accident and received TMJ which put the braces back on for two years. Believe you me, I hated them. I had the full throttle, top and bottom full size brackets. All because of ONE initial tooth they had to move. Now I am 34, I have beautiful teeth, and get continuous compliments on my smile. I don''t regret any of it.

 

[diamondlil]

Date: 5/5/2006 11:14:55 AM
Author: soulsis
Oh heck, I wore a retainer in my mouth for a year (12 years old) that kept my upper and lower teeth together at all times. Afetr that it was the whole headgear routine for two years. Then I went on to wear braces throughout high school. At 26 I was in a car accident and received TMJ which put the braces back on for two years. Believe you me, I hated them. I had the full throttle, top and bottom full size brackets. All because of ONE initial tooth they had to move. Now I am 34, I have beautiful teeth, and get continuous compliments on my smile. I don't regret any of it.

Soulsis, I had that retainer/plastic thing that both upper and lower teeth locked into. I referred to it as *my bubble*. From there I went to the headgear too, and then to a retainer that I wore for a few years. I wish I had continued to wear the retainer because with age, my teeth have continued to shift. Now at 42, they are crowding.

It's good to know that after all those years of braces, people actually notice your nice teeth. It's one of those things I always notice on people (that and beautiful eyes), but I don't think everyone does.

With my own kids I'm going to be a nut about making them wear their retainers FOREVER!

 

[eks6426]

Diamondlil--You might ask about the discount. I couldn't get a true cash discount, but the orthodontist charged me for the regular braces like my son has (with the rubberbands holding onto the wires) but did the more sophisticated computer generated bracket system with the self-litigating (no colorful rubberbands--much better for an adult) He's also including bleach trays for free when I'm done.

The computer-generated, self-litigating braces cut my time in braces down from 24-30 months to 9-15 months. I'm hoping for about 12 months. But it's definitely going to be a LONG 12 months.

I need an inplant on one of my front top teeth which is what started this whole process for me. I feel your pain on the cost. It's definitely going to slow down my diamond shopping.

 

[diamondlil]

Well, I called my son''s orthodontist all ready to make the consult appointment. They are closed until Monday for some *continuing-education* class. My regular dentist (who I see for my cleanings) does Invisalign, but the front-desk ladies quoted me $5400 which seems a bit much since I really don''t have very crooked teeth. Does that seem high to you? Besides, somehow I''d feel better having an orthodontist do the work than my regular dentist I think. I''d be perfectly fine with the old metal kind if it was a savings -- and my kids will have fun pointing and laughing at their dear old metal-mouth mom. I''m sure I''ll be in them less than a year so I could deal with it.

 

[eks6426]

Diamondlil--

Congrats to you on setting up appointments. At least after the consultation you''ll know what you''re in for....

My teeth actually look pretty straight except 1 tooth on the bottom, so you never know how long you''ll be in them. I honestly was shocked that I needed them for as long as I did AND that I didn''t qualify for the Invisilign. I actually got comments on how straight my teeth were....but it''s my bite that is off and my arches aren''t wide enough......

The $5400 price sounds about right for the Invisilign. But honestly, the regular metal braces are not HUGELY cheaper. It does pay to shop around though. I got 3 different quotes...pricing and method were all very different. I went with the method I liked best rather than the cheapest. I think you get what you pay for many times. And yes, go to an orthodontist rather than just a dentist..even if the dentist does orthodontics sometimes.

There is a website for adults in braces...They have a forum..kind of like PS. I found it rather useful:

http://www.archwired.com/

 

[diamondlil]

Thanks, ID, I''ll check them out.