Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces
Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces
Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#1
Posted: 4/23/08 at 10:31am
To make a long story short- I should have had braces as a kid, never did, I'm now in my 20s, working at a job that covers a good chunk of ortho under dental, and I'm thinking that it's time to *finally* get my teeth straightened.
I'm looking for info as to what the braces process is like for adults, from anyone who has/had braces as an adult- how long you had them, did you have to do the whole retainer bit after, any horror stories of cut cheeks and gums and whatnot, etc. Trying to get an idea of what I should expect, what I should be looking for, what questions I want to ask as I start looking into this...
And also, if you have recommendations for orthos in the NYC area please feel free to pass them along. :)
Thanks!
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#2
Posted: 4/23/08 at 10:50am
Look into Invisalign. Katherine Heigl used it this year and corrected a really badly crooked tooth and no one would have even known.
I am not sure what the insurance would cover, though.
Invisalign
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#2
Posted: 4/23/08 at 10:54amI am in your same boat, and have been talked to about a lot. Now a days, there are many options for adults that make it less noticeable and annoying. Invisalign like Amber pointed out is the thing that has been recommended most.
BroadwayBoobs: I'll give all of you who weren't there a hint of who took the pictures ...it rhymes with shameless
SOMMS: I knew it was Tink!
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#3
Posted: 4/23/08 at 10:59am
I am like you, I was suppose to have them as a kid and frankly I still have a grudge against my parents slightly for not doing it!
I currently have adult braces. I am about 18 months into it (should in theory get them off before the end of the year). I am also having corrective surgery done to the jaw in a little over a month (yes - I am having it broken to fix the overbite!)
I also had my wisdom teeth out last October as well as a part of the process (basically even though I have never ever had a single problem with my wisdom teeth, I am not spending all this money just to have them pop up in 20 years time and screw all of this up).
On a side-note, if you still have your wisdom teeth, I do suggest thinking about day-surgery to get rid of them. I found the cost to be pretty reasonable, I was up and bouncing that afternoon and you have peace of mind of the wisdom teeth to screwing this work up later in life.
Plus, yes I can't deny I didn't enjoy being super-high on pain medication for a good 4-5 days afterwards (the normal course of the medication I was given). I did not feel a bloody thing but felt like I was on cloud 9 
A couple of friends still tease me about the 'happy' text messages I sent them during that time.
The worst part about the braces was the mounts that where put on the molars. Mine where put on in two stages and it hurt like a mofo for a couple of days afterwards both times. Other then that, readjustment/wire replacements have never been more then a tingly feeling which disapears almost immediately.
Cuts on cheek wise, other then some exposed wires from a half-set up bracket that I had to go back to the Orphodontist to get cut off because it was really ripping my cheek up badly, my cheeks actually held up pretty well I have to say.
Oh yes the cheeks/gums did flair up a bit and on the odd occasion still do, but it has always thankfully been pretty minor for me.
I have to admit it has been a rather cool feeling to actually feel the teeth shift (yeah you do feel them from time to time and oddly I found it to be pretty cool).
The teeth actually 'straighten' pretty quickly, the major buck I had with the two front teeth disapeared within less then two months, but obviously the process takes two years to make sure they keep in place. 
And yes, after getting them on at the beginning, I could only eat soft food for 3-4 days. And sadly I discovered McDonalds Burgers where quiet soft and went down without any pain. I was completely grossed out at myself but I had to eat. Then again
Sorry, since I don't live in NYC, I can't give you any tips for Orpthos there. All I did was ring up the couple my dentist did recommend and worked from there.
Sorry for the rather ad-hoc ramble, but if you have any questions, feel free to pick my brain (or my teeth!).
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#4
Posted: 4/23/08 at 11:25amInvisalign is the way to go for an adult. I went that route 4 yrs ago and am pleased with the results.
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#5
Posted: 4/23/08 at 11:38am
Cool, thanks all- I *am* hoping to go the Invisalign route, if possible, but I'm not sure with my overbite...
Urban: jaw surgery?? OUCH. But that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I guess it's a good thing that all four of my wisdom teeth have been extracted already, in the most painful process *ever*- impacted, they had to be cracked into pieces and then removed, by a dentist who then asked if I wanted to KEEP THE PIECES?!? I've only had one consult so far, and was told I should be fine with just braces- was your jaw surgery something that they knew you would have to do before the braces process started, or is that surgery a result of the now straightened teeth?
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#6
Posted: 4/23/08 at 11:50amThe jaw breaking is in my future as well, which I guess is why I am dragging my feet. My over bite is so bad, my bottom teeth literally touch the upper roof of my mouth. The dentist said i can go on without it, but I will most likely develop problems when I am older with headaches and possible arthritis in the joints, so might as well get it all done at the same time.
BroadwayBoobs: I'll give all of you who weren't there a hint of who took the pictures ...it rhymes with shameless
SOMMS: I knew it was Tink!
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#7
Posted: 4/23/08 at 11:56am
My best friend went through the whole wire braces thing about three years ago. From start to finish it was about a two year experience of wire cuts, popping bands and food stuck in braces.
Last year, he had his jaw broken to correct the bite and sleep apnia. It's not for the faint of heart. The bruising lasted for over two months and your jaw is wired shut meaning ALL food must be blended and strained. He did lose 18 pounds, but he put most of it back on when he could eat again.
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#8
Posted: 4/23/08 at 11:59am
liquor can be sipped through straws so my biggest concern is out
I guess my main concern is if that is something you can go on short term disability for? I just can't see how you can work a normal job like that, at least for the first few weeks, but not many people have that much vacation time...
BroadwayBoobs: I'll give all of you who weren't there a hint of who took the pictures ...it rhymes with shameless
SOMMS: I knew it was Tink!
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#9
Posted: 4/23/08 at 12:02pmI'm not sure Tink as he owns his own Interior Design business. He was totally out of commission for about two full weeks.
Broadway Star Joined: 4/18/07
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#10
Posted: 4/23/08 at 12:38pm
I did Invisalign. All out of pocket, and I'm in the final phase, and will be wearing a retainer at night for a while. It took 2 1/2 years for me, but it all depends on your case. It's expensive, and there are some spaces between back teeth that were not there before, but it corrected some problems, overbite being one of them, that were causing further problems, and I'm glad I did it and got it overwith.
Updated On: 4/23/08 at 12:38 PM
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#11
Posted: 4/24/08 at 10:32am
If I could avoid jaw surgery, I would, but I can't. It is the overbite like MotorTink. In fact, I originally went to a dentist to get this done, but he came back to me a few days later to admit in my case I was out of his league and had to go to a full on orphodontist/surgeon.
If you can do invisalign and get away with it, then good for you. I suppose even if I could I may go the traditional route as I am not sure if I can be that disaplined to do Invisalign. Sadly there is a part of me that needs the fact they are glued in my mouth and I can forget about them.
I have to say though, I have white mounts on the front teeth and seriously nobody notices them. In fact somebody tonight who I have known for the length of the braces was shocked to see I had them!
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#12
Posted: 4/24/08 at 11:18am
Wow, I had no idea how many other people on this board have had jaw surgeries!
Anakela, good luck! I think you should go for it if it's been on your mind and it's bothering you enough
Joined: 12/31/69
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#13
Posted: 4/24/08 at 11:23amI've had major oral surgery, and can honestly say that with the right doctor, it can be quite painless. I literally had the entire roof of my mouth taken out and then sewed back in, with stitches between every tooth, and I only ever took ibuprofen. I'm definitely the queen of pain, too! I cry getting shots and I'm almost 18. Seriously, shop around for a good oral surgeon. Mine was an ex military surgeon, and one of the kindest men Ive ever met. I am very happy with my experience. It was pretty cheap, too!
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#14
Posted: 4/24/08 at 11:43am
are white mounts = 'porcelains'?
and oh wow to all of the jaw surgeries everyone! I haven't heard any talk of surgery for me, for now it's all just been braces talk, but I worry about the teeth getting straightened and then that causing some other problem in my mouth, so this is all very helpful to know.
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#15
Posted: 4/24/08 at 12:09pmI had braces twice; first time when I was 16, second time at 35 (for two years). I had the metal ones both times. My teeth started doing all sorts of funky things which is why I had to go for a second go-round. I had them off 8 years ago and continue to where a retainer. So far, so good. Invest in a waterpick though.
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#16
Posted: 4/24/08 at 1:24pmYes, white mounts are porcelins. I just have my own terms for half the stuff in my mouth and sometimes I forget they are my own terms and not what other people call them! Hehe. But seriously the white porcelins work very well and very unnoticeable. I was a bit dubious at the beginning thinking people wouldn't notice but suprisingly it was the case. Often people only end up spotting the fact I have braces because I play around with them with my lips (a bad habit I know).
re: Looking for info from those who have/had adult braces#17
Posted: 9/10/08 at 12:09pm
Just wanted to update/thanks again to all who helped me out with the braces question- I am now 2 months into my approx 18 months Invisalign plan, and so far so good:
- I *love* the removability factor, not so much so that I don't have braces in photos, etc., but just because it's no more difficult to brush/floss/eat than before.
- I have *five* brackets, which I think are totally noticeable, but considering the fact that I've actually had to point out the aligners themselves to people, apparently they're not.
- Had to get two molars "reproximated" to make room, that part was awful and pretty much almost made me gag, but that should be all I need to create all the room the teeth need
- I might have to get rubber bands for a while (yes apparently you can do rubber bands with Invisalign, who knew?), that will be decided next month
...and, yeah, so far so good- we'll see what things look like at the 18 month mark, but for anyone considering braces who is eligible to get Invisalign I highly recommend it!
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