Braces

[Pillow]

To keep with my obsession with teeth, flossing, brushing, and denistry...let's expand a little to orthodontics.

Who had em? How old? Worth it?

[Troy McClure]

To those who had them and hated them:

My honest opinion is that I didn't and wish I had. My brother and sister had screwed up teeth and had braces. The dentist said mine were OK, and I didn't have to if I didn't want to.

Now, my brother and sister's teeth are perfect, mine are not even close. And, I am jealous.

[Buru Buru]

I am curious to know who had them, just to have their teeth go back to the way they were when they got their braces taken off. I know just so many people who had braces in childhood and later either got them again in adulthood or just decided to live with teeth that reverted back to the way they were pre braces. After I got my braces off, I didn't wear my retainer for the rest of my life as instructed by my othodontist. I was one of the lucky ones (well so far) in that my teeth have only shifted slightly back, but I know others who weren't that lucky.

[ne11er]

I had them. They weren't loads of fun, but I didn't hate them. Actually, the only time I hated them was when I got bread and other food caught in the front brackets. I got them on at 21 and got them off at 22 (16 months and one day...) Definitely worth it, IMO. It was a tad embarassing having them in college, but I survived. :)

[ne11er]

I was one of the lucky ones (well so far) in that my teeth have only shifted slightly back, but I know others who weren't that lucky.
Not everyone's teeth structure does the same thing. It's a luck of draw, I suppose. Even people who do religiously wear their retainers can have some regression.

[Pi Man]

had em. hated the pain (soup for days at time after 'adjustments'). the raw, chaffed insides of the cheeks... yeah, real fun.. especially when my teeth reverted completely. what an idiot THAT guy was....

[Patience]

hated when they were tightened
hated having the molds made
hated broken pieces of sharp metal impaling the inside of my mouth
hated keeping them clean
not eating corn or whole apples

liked playing with the rubber bands
liked smiling at the last second & having my brother bust his knuckles

[Pillow]

liked smiling at the last second & having my brother bust his knuckles
:lol:

Yeah, the rubberbands were fun to play with, weren't they?

I think the only time I got colored bands was for homecoming...and I ONLY did the bottom half.

[thing]

Never had them. My teeth are noticably crooked, but I just don't care. My parents tried to talk me into getting them, though.

I'm pretty sure all my siblings did. Not positive, just pretty sure.

[Maine-iac]

I had them, around 5th or 6th grade. Had them off by 7th, I think. They were kind of a drag, but not that bad. The teeth have pretty much stayed put. Since I had a tooth growing out the back of the jaw rather than up for lack of space, I didn't have a whole lot of choice about it.

They pulled that one out, and hauled the others into position. Funny, though, I now have a small space where the pulled one could have fit if I still had it.

[aces219]

I had them from 13 to 15. Not that bad, and I like having straight teeth now. I wear my retainer every night because I also have to wear a splint for the top because I grind my teeth when I sleep. The splint keeps the top straight and the bottom retainer keeps the bottom teeth from getting pushed out of place from the grinding. I must have a lot of stress in my life.

[bland alterego]

Had full braces in 8th grade and got them off as a freshman. Slept with headgear, never had a retainer. I did have a form fitted mouthguard with air holes that I wore when sleeping and playing football. I had 4 teeth pulled before getting braces (not counting wisdom teeth pulled later). I now have a small gap between my two front teeth but other than that my teeth are straight.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

Had them from end of 9th grade to near beginning of 12th (a little over two years). Removed just before Senior pictures.

I got to choose the dinner food the night before braces were tightened.

[Tom Servo]

I had braces for a year, but still have permanent orthodonics on my top and bottom four teeth to keep them straight. If they weren't there, I would have a gap in my front teeth big enough to drive through.

[Captain America]

Had 'em in Jr. high. Hated 'em. They were worth it until I had my teeth smashed out. Now I've got fake ones that are even better.

So I guess I should've just waited. :)

[Traci]

"""I am curious to know who had them, just to have their teeth go back to the way they were when they got their braces taken off. """

Hand going up

The bottom ones stayed put, but the top ones especially my two front teeth slowly overlapped again.

My dentist tried to talk me into braces again - I said - NO WAY - what else ya got?

Instead (Troy, this might work for you) - just this year - I got two crowns for the front ones and veneers on either side. They look better than the real thing! And it only took two appointments in two weeks! (Cost the same - maybe a little more than braces)

[Han Solo]

Had them twice. First time (7th or 8th grade) didn't take, so I had to get them again in high school. Plus a retainer, the rubber band thing, 18 teeth pulled.... I think I put my dentists kids through college. Not that I'm bitter or anything......

[Meshuga]

had them in 7th and 8th grade. hated them. hated wearing the retainer. bottom have shifted back some. i'd consider getting them again but i couldn't go for a year or so without eating popcorn.

[RiSK kid]

I know just so many people who had braces in childhood and later either got them again in adulthood or just decided to live with teeth that reverted back to the way they were pre braces.

Actually I heard of that too. I had braces for almost four years. They weren't that bad, the thing I hated the most was the constant tightening of them. That hurt.

When I was done, my orthodontist put permanent wires behing my teeth. I don't know of anyone else who has this. But I don't feel a thing and no one knows I have them, plus it's supposed to keep my teeth straight. So far it's worked. :D

[Ozric Tentacles]

Had them twice. First time (7th or 8th grade) didn't take, so I had to get them again in high school. Plus a retainer, the rubber band thing, 18 teeth pulled.... I think I put my dentists kids through college. Not that I'm bitter or anything......You have only 18 teeth left? 4 or 5 in each quadrant?!? How do you EAT, man?!?

And now for my poll answer:
Hated, hated, HATED!!! HaTeD hAtEd! having braces.

Had them from mid-6th grade through August btwn 8th/9th grades.

I had four teeth taken out - THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING!!!
:x :swear: :evil: :soap:

The first half of my braces (lower, I think) went on one month later TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!
:x :swear: :evil: :soap:

I had them for 2.5 years. And to top it all off, you know how most braces are simply glued onto the front, and only the back ones are those thick, metal rings? Well, ALL TWENTY-FOUR* OF MY TEETH HAD THE THICK, METAL THINGS!!!
:x :swear: :evil: :soap:

I lost my retainer twice, but luckily my teeth have only slightly reverted. Thank goodness.

* 32 minus 4 removed minus 4 wisdom teeth that came in during 8th grade = 24.

[Han Solo]

No, actually, I still have 24. I had a couple extra (compounding the small mouth problem), plus a couple of the ones they removed were still baby ones that weren't ready to come out on their own but were blocking matters and causing lots of problems.

[Ex-parrot]

< A bunch of stuff in a rant. >
I think Nelson speaks for those of us who never had braces: "Ha ha"

[Han Solo]

< A bunch of stuff in a rant. >
I think Nelson speaks for those of us who never had braces: "Ha ha"
My wife is one of those. I am praying every night that the kids got her teeth.

[Daria]

Had them, from 8th grade until 12th. Only real problem was my 2 front teeth, which still have a space between them to this day.

Orthodontist was a real jerk, and the brackets kept popping off my teeth, no matter what I did. My teeth don't have much enamel on them, and what they did have got ripped off with the braces.

Yea, I'm bitter.

[Retired Bookworm]

Instead of "No, I was lucky."

I vote for "No, and I still have ugly teeth."
:D <- Notice them pominent upper teeth.?

[wally world]

I'm doubly lucky as I've never had braces, and I've never had to have any wisdom teeth pulled. I'm 31, and can't say I know too many people who have had neither. Many have had both.

[Daria]

now that I've had lunch, I can tell the rest of my teeth story. It ain't over.

I had 3 teeth pulled before braces, plus my 4 wisdom teeth the summer after 12th grade. And...

So, I had braces for a total of about 5 years. The last year or so, I only had brackets on 2 teeth, one upper tooth and the tooth below it. See, I had a "supernumerary", a 3rd tooth growing where I already had an adult tooth. Not only that, but it was growing in twisted and sideways. Actually, by this point, it was not growing at all, just sitting there. First, I had surgery to CUT OUT A PIECE OF MY JAW so that they could get the tooth to grow upwards. It was still twisted, but it now surfaced (part way), and was perfectly happy where it was. This was sometime in 10th grade. Took X-rays, orthodontist thought...we can get this tooth to come up...let's attach rubberbands, and pull that sucker. Unfortunately, if you actually looked at the @#$@!# X-rays, you could tell that the tooth was attached, set, not going anywhere. Spent a year with @#%@%# rubberbands...tooth stayed where it was. Finally got the orthodontist to give up...I mean, my braces were already fully paid for, he wasn't getting any more money out of my family.

Fast forward a few years...about 2 1/2 years ago, my screwy tooth finally cracked. I knew I'd always have to do something about this tooth, but I decided to wait until the tooth decided it wanted out. Got the tooth pulled, and had an implant to replace it. It took several visits to the dentist & periodontist, a couple of surgeries, 1 MRI, a few lost weekends spaced out on drugs (halcyon is fabulous!), and about a year to complete the procedure. Oh yeah, and about $3000 for 1 tooth.

My current dentist tells me every time I go in for a cleaning that they can fix that space between my 2 front teeth with braces. I not-so-politely decline the offer.

[Maxine]

:o :o :o

[Redhead]

Had mine later in life, after college, from age 23.5-25. My dentist said I needed them to correct an improper bite that, if left alone, would grind down my teeth and make me more susceptible to gingivitis. I had the white ones, not the big metal ones, so it wasn't so bad. 2 teeth pulled beforehand. Lost some weight when I first got them on, seeing as how I couldn't eat anything, that was cool. Not cool to get married with them on. Oh well, the marriage didn't last anyway. But I'm sooooo glad I got them, I get compliments on my smile all the time.

[GenkiGirl]

I first had a retainer that I couldn't talk with (man my teachers loved that one) but it was so big that it kept gouging under my gums...Heck I still have scars.. Then a smaller retainer...And finally I got braces when I was 16-17 and got them off in my second week of university. But my teeth have since gone back to what they were before...so am excited about finally getting a job with a dental plan so I can get them fixed again.. I said I hated them...but ...I wouldn't mind having straight teeth again..

Once again..I can thank Japan for my change of heart...

[ejell]

I had invisalign a couple of years ago and they weren't all that bad. Could take them out to eat and clean, and no one could tell they were on (unless you were way too close to my face!)

[Happy Skunk]

:bump:

[The President]

Had them for 3 years and my teeth are crooked :shrug:

[Frenchie]

I voted "hated" because they were very painful for me. I have an extremely low tolerance for pain! My ortho put on the 2nd to loosest wires (or however that works) on me. The next day, I was in agony. We met him in the parking lot of the IHOP (his office was closed on Fri) and he took my wires out then and there until he could see me in the office on Mon. It was comical b/c people were walking by looking at me, bent over the car, with this old man reaching into my mouth while I screamed! :lol:

Moved to FL about a year later, and the ortho there used wires to tighten each bracket. They were much tighter than elastics. He would only do top one month, bottom the next, because they stayed tight for so long. More crazy pain!

All in all, I had them for 4 years. My teeth are still really straight. I have a space showing up b/t a couple of teeth, but on the side. But my dentist says the braces did a very good job and said I didn't need to worry about the spacing.

[Frenchie]

I am curious to know who had them, just to have their teeth go back to the way they were when they got their braces taken off. I know just so many people who had braces in childhood and later either got them again in adulthood or just decided to live with teeth that reverted back to the way they were pre braces. After I got my braces off, I didn't wear my retainer for the rest of my life as instructed by my othodontist. I was one of the lucky ones (well so far) in that my teeth have only shifted slightly back, but I know others who weren't that lucky.

I NEVER wore my retainer afterwards. My father overruled my choice (I guess b/c of cost) and got one that looked more like a football mouthpiece. I hated that thing. Even though it was to wear at night, it was just awful! Still, as I said in previous post, my teeth didn't revert.

I also think it had to do with my corrective problems were due to breaking my jaw as a child and not so much overlapping teeth and stuff like that. I had more of an overbite than anything.

[Frenchie]

:lol:

Yeah, the rubberbands were fun to play with, weren't they?

I think the only time I got colored bands was for homecoming...and I ONLY did the bottom half.

My best friend in grade school had the rubber bands, and to annoy her little bro, she would pop them out of her mouth at him! :lol: