Braces? As a LIW?

[Sabrina_Fair]

Hi everyone!

Hopefully I''ll be able to stick around more often and post, find the chance to introduce myself later and indulge in this forum for awhile. For now, I just can''t get the thought out of my head of whether or not to get braces. I''ve just had a visit to the orthodontist and it is an option. It''s a huge expense (about the cost of a ring!!), I have NO coverage and it will take about 2.5 years to go through the entire procedure. It''s not severe, but it would be noticable.... Plus, I''m no spring chicken (as my best friend delicately put it) so it''s best to do it early rather than wait.

Would you do it if you had the chance? Do you think there''s anything else to consider? I''ve had one recommendation to see a periodontist to see what he/she would think. As a LIW, are there any options for the wedding day?

Trying to think ahead....

 

[sera]

OH! Are we supposed to introduce ourselves somewhere?! I never did!

Well, there are those invisiline things like Tom Cruise had... they are a series of "invisible" molds that fit over your teeth to correct them. I have no idea what they cost, though.

I''ve seen quite a few non-spring chickens?... uh?... winter chickens?... errr?... ladies later in life get braces. If I were to get the metal braces, it''s not a big deal but I would probably wait until after the wedding.

 

[musey]

If you think a wedding is imminent, look into Invisalign. I had a few friends who did this and loved it. They're clear trays (like professional bleaching trays) that snap onto bumps that the dentist attaches to your teeth, so they're removable for meals, etc. I think it's pricier than normal braces, though.

My mom had braces at 45! It's never too late. She did it more as moral support for my brother, who had to get them at that time as well. Her teeth look great now, though, so I think she's glad she did it.

 

[vizsla]

i have braces.... got engaged in november and had my braces put on 2 months ago... i know... i''m nuts... but my thought process was why wait until after i get married to have great teeth.

i justified the cost because it is something i''ve always wanted and i don''t want to have any regrets later in life (i''m 30

anyhoo... i talked with my ortho and he agreed to take the braces off for the wedding and is putting them back on when we get back from the honeymoon... and not charging me.... hey.. i played the wedding card you could always ask.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

I was at a football game and one of the ad''s was for those new braces that go on the back of your teeth...one of the cheerleaders had them...

Lingualcare® was founded in 2002 with the singular goal of advancing orthodontic treatment by developing products that are patient-friendly and offer real value to orthodontic specialists. Lingualcare''s patented iBraces are invisible, intelligent, individualized braces made using advanced laboratory procedures and proprietary technology. iBraces are 100% customized for each patient and placed on the back of the teeth so they are "invisible" from the outside. The customization ensures optimal patient comfort and treatment efficiency. iBraces have each patient''s unique prescription built into the braces to deliver individualized clinical results. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Lingualcare serves orthodontic specialists and their clients throughout North and South America. Visit their website at www.ibraces.com to learn how you can achieve a smile as dazzling as America''s Sweethearts!

 

[Sabrina_Fair]

Sera, I only meant the introductory thread for the LIWs!

I assume I''ve got a bit of time to wait for a proposal, so at least a year and a half before a wedding. Another factor is that I''d have to get four teeth removed near the front because of crowding. Because of that, Invisaligns aren''t an option (rats). The orthodontist said those are for mild cases only. I wish it were only an option for braces that go on the outside or the inside of teeth, but with gaps like that, I don''t think it will matter!

Vizsla, I''m glad to hear that removing them for a little while is an option!! I heard that they stay on until you''re done, no matter what.

 

[musey]

Date: 8/16/2007 2:54:50 PM
Author: iwannaprettyone
I was at a football game and one of the ad''s was for those new braces that go on the back of your teeth...one of the cheerleaders had them...


Lingualcare® was founded in 2002 with the singular goal of advancing orthodontic treatment by developing products that are patient-friendly and offer real value to orthodontic specialists. Lingualcare''s patented iBraces are invisible, intelligent, individualized braces made using advanced laboratory procedures and proprietary technology. iBraces are 100% customized for each patient and placed on the back of the teeth so they are ''invisible'' from the outside. The customization ensures optimal patient comfort and treatment efficiency. iBraces have each patient''s unique prescription built into the braces to deliver individualized clinical results. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Lingualcare serves orthodontic specialists and their clients throughout North and South America. Visit their website at www.ibraces.com to learn how you can achieve a smile as dazzling as America''s Sweethearts!

What a cool idea! I might look into this for myself. I never had braces--not crooked enough to "need" them, but I''ve always coveted that perfectly aligned smile!

 

[monarch64]

I don''t know exactly how old you are, but there are tons of adults with braces. There''s actually a great website, www.archwired.com that caters to the adults w/ braces crowd, it''s wonderful!

I just turned 30 and got braces this past spring. I wasn''t a candidate for invisalign, though, and my orthodontist does not do the lingual type which go on the backs of your teeth. You''d have to do some research to find out who does those in your area, and I''m not sure but they would probably cost more as they are newer and not widespread yet. I got the clear ones on all my front teeth and I have the ortho use clear elastics so you really can barely see them. Before I got the braces, I also had to have my upper palate surgically expanded and my 4 wisdom teeth removed, so in addition to the braces I also have a metal expander device in the roof of my mouth until my bones fill in the space that was expanded up there!

None of this has stopped me from doing anything in life, though...yes, I was already married so I didn''t have to worry about a wedding, BUT I was laid off my job earlier this summer and as a result went on a few job interviews with braces and a slight speech impediment! Interviews are nerve-wracking enough to begin with, so to add self-consciousness about my braces made it a little worse. But you know what? I got through all of it and landed a great job where I will be dealing with the public face to face, and I''m feeling positive about all of it. Some people have even commented to me that they themselves had braces as an adult! My point is, they aren''t so bad.

The cost thing...I have insurance, but in the end it only covered $1000 of my total cost, which was around $5500. Most orthos let you set up a payment plan where you pay a portion each month, so that makes it more tolerable as far as your bank account.

Good luck!

 

[happilyeverafter]

Does anyone have experience with their teeth "going back" after braces? I had braces when I was pretty young and no one told me that i''d have to wear the retainer nights for the rest of my life (since teeth continually move throughout adulthood). So I stopped wearing the retainer and my teeth moved back slightly. I have to make an appointment to ask an orthodontist, but by chance if anyone knows, could I just get a retainer to move my teeth back into alignment? Has anyone done this?

 

[omieluv]

Not sure if it can be done, but I have noticed that my teeth have regressed, since not wearing my retainer. I never did have poorly aligned teeth, even prior to braces, but they have shifted a bit. I still have my retainer, but my ortho failed to mention that I should wear it. The other day, i tried wearing to see if it would help, but it kinda hurt.

 

[happilyeverafter]

Date: 8/17/2007 5:25:48 PM
Author: omieluv
Not sure if it can be done, but I have noticed that my teeth have regressed, since not wearing my retainer. I never did have poorly aligned teeth, even prior to braces, but they have shifted a bit. I still have my retainer, but my ortho failed to mention that I should wear it. The other day, i tried wearing to see if it would help, but it kinda hurt.

That''s what was happening to me when I was young, so I stopped wearing it. It got to the point where they would move somewhat during the daytime, and I''d put my retainer in at night and be sore for a bit.

Ah, such is the price we must pay for beautiful teeth

 

[monarch64]

I''ve spoken to a lot of people whose teeth have shifted again after having had braces...I''m planning to have permanent retainers installed as long as my ortho has no problem with it. I would hate to have invested thousands of dollars out of pocket only for my smile to regress, I shudder at the thought of having as much work done as I''ve had and not having the results "stick."

 

[Sabrina_Fair]

Most people I know have had the stainless steel wire put in behind their teeth. I''m not sure how it looks or what it feels like, but it''s permanent and is supposed to stop your teeth from shifting back. The orthodontist said I had the option of putting in a retainer for use in the nighttime or get the permanent wire.

Why can''t we be born with perfect teeth?

I think I''ll get an opinion from a periodontist, but I need to get the x-rays from my dentist first.

 

[vizsla]

hi.. just wanted to add that i also had to get wisdom teeth removed before i got braces... but your mouth heals so amazingly fast.... it''s not like you have to wait months and months after having surgery to get your braces.

i would totally do it! i would talk to your ortho and just give her/him the straight and narrow... i "hope" to be getting married by X date, what can we do before that time... at least then he knows your timeline and can possibly adjust treatment to fit that.

also, i have very mixed feeling about invisalign etc... while i totally agree that it''s nice that you can''t see them... i think it''s weird to have a dentist, not an ortho work on the alignment of your teeth and bite etc... something you don''t want to mess with, an unaligned bite can cause some major problems.... and if you don''t have to wear them for tooo too long (i''m on a 16 month plan) i just say do it... go for the gusto..... i call them "my grill"! embrace the braces.... (pun totally intended

 

[swingirl]

I have Invisalign and you definitly want on orthodontist to treat you. Even tho dentists can be trained to get you through the Invisalign process an orthodontist has much more experience with moving teeth, jaw alignment, bone health and issues that come up unexpectedly. I am in my 50''s and it''s never too late as your teeth will continue to get more crooked as you get older which puts extra pressure/stress on old weak teeth and gums. Either way find an orthodontist with a lot of experience with children and adults. Your regular dentist is a good place to get a referal because they see first hand the success stories.

 

[omieluv]

Date: 8/20/2007 12:48:01 PM
Author: Sabrina_Fair
Most people I know have had the stainless steel wire put in behind their teeth. I''m not sure how it looks or what it feels like, but it''s permanent and is supposed to stop your teeth from shifting back. The orthodontist said I had the option of putting in a retainer for use in the nighttime or get the permanent wire.

Why can''t we be born with perfect teeth?

I think I''ll get an opinion from a periodontist, but I need to get the x-rays from my dentist first.

I actually had this for my bottom teeth, however, the ortho removed it though b/c he thought my teeth would not shift. Unfortunately, he was incorrect, as there have been some shifting over the years. My brother learned from what happened to me and asked the ortho to leave it, which he has not regretted.

As for the feeling, it does not hurt and it really does not get in the way.