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Adult Braces Experience

smallerthanyou

I find the forum great for questions and research. Haven't found a thread though with someone's experience from start to finish (I may not have looked hard enough!) so maybe this will help.

At 26 I've decided to fix up the minor imperfections in my teeth. I mentioned it to my dentist who set up an appointment with an orthodontist. The orthodontist is an active member of the Orthodontic Society of Ireland, which was important to me. I wanted to go for the best option I can afford. I like saving money on socks or pens or stuff but I think teeth, eyes etc are worth doing right.

I went for the consultation with him last week and I liked him so going to get this done. I had questioned on Invisalign and other invisible solutions but he recommended that fixed appliance methods give the best results so should go with this. So in two weeks time I'm getting the good old train tracks top and bottom.

It is pretty expensive for what I, and friend & family, consider minor enough issues but maybe they're just being nice. I will post a few pics when I figure out how. I'm not sure how detailed I'm allowed to go into costs but lets say above 4, less than 4.5 but part of that was because I decided to have ceramic brackets on the top teeth which are a couple of hundred extra.

Advice I would give so far is do a lot of research before the consult as I didn't do enough on things like bite (mine is off, surgery would correct it but I won't be doing that as it's not something that bothers me) and ask plenty of questions because I had loads walking away that I'll have to ask him before putting on now.

If anyone has any other experiences/advice for the putting on stage let me know.

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rawn

I have had my top brace on for a while now, got the lower brace fitted today, I'm in agony

i don't think the upper one hurt as much! Any suggestions for the pain?

syndrome777

Lia_lia wrote: »

As far as I know these don't really work on adults. My brother got one (an expander) before his braces when he was about 18 and it made no difference at all as he was too old apparently. So he had to get surgery in the end.

Maybe what your looking into is something different. Best to get a consultation with an orthodontist as everyone is different!

thanks, upon reading a bit more and as I don't really have any issues but what I perceive narrow smile, I prob wouldn't go for it as it could cause some issues if it isn't done for actually problem

[Deleted User]

syndrome777 wrote: »

does anyone here have any experience with orthodontic expander? where this would expand your back teeth to give you wider smile?

my teeth are fairly ok (i did have braces as a child, but didn't widen my teeth as the dentist was't the best it seems) , and I wouldn't wont to wear complete braces, and with having my front two teeth in veneers don't even know if it would work(braces).
Anyway I would like to widen my smile, as at the moment Only 6 front teeth are barely seen, almost only 4.

Any ideas, suggestions?

http://veryniceteeth.com/patient-education-articles/expanders

something like this. Hope the link is allowed

any suggestion on ortho that would do this kind of thing?

As far as I know these don't really work on adults. My brother got one (an expander) before his braces when he was about 18 and it made no difference at all as he was too old apparently. So he had to get surgery in the end.

Maybe what your looking into is something different. Best to get a consultation with an orthodontist as everyone is different!

syndrome777

does anyone here have any experience with orthodontic expander? where this would expand your back teeth to give you wider smile?

my teeth are fairly ok (i did have braces as a child, but didn't widen my teeth as the dentist was't the best it seems) , and I wouldn't wont to wear complete braces, and with having my front two teeth in veneers don't even know if it would work(braces).
Anyway I would like to widen my smile, as at the moment Only 6 front teeth are barely seen, almost only 4.

Any ideas, suggestions?

http://veryniceteeth.com/patient-education-articles/expanders

something like this. Hope the link is allowed

any suggestion on ortho that would do this kind of thing?

BetsyEllen

So my wisdom teeth removal all went smoothly - although the recovery was much worse than last time!
I had to take 5 days off work in the end as I was in a lot of pain and swollen.
However it's all healed now and thank God I never have to go through that again!

I have an appointment with the orthodontist tomorrow for her to re-assess me and I can then book in to have the moulds etc done and all going to plan I should be able to have my braces fitted in around 4 weeks.

I have my Mum and Sister coming over for a little holiday in mid June so I think I'll wait until after then.
So end of June I should officially be a brace face

I've been following a few people on instagram that are showing their progress weekly with adult braces and it's really given me a boost in confidence to getting them on, it' amazing how quickly the teeth can move and the ceramics don't look nearly as yellow as I thought they might.

Casualcontrol1

Has anyone had the 6 month braces as appears to the regular clear ceramic braces?

BetsyEllen

Thanks for the replies messy tessy and Dingle_berry.

I had a wisdom tooth out last year with no problems at all - I could have gone to work the next day.
This time I'm getting 2 out in one go so I'm a little nervous but it has to be done - it brings me one step closer to the perfect smile!
Think of me tomorrow afternoon

I've needed braces for years and I'm super self conscious, I never smile with my teeth on show and feel embarrassed if I laugh etc.

I have my appointment with the ortho in mid May to get re-assessed after the teeth are out and then I can get the braces on a few weeks later.

I'm 100% certain on going for the ceramics now, thanks for your advice Dingle_berry on the little cleaning brushes and the waterpik - I'd heard of that before but forgotten what it was called so I'll look it up.

Dingle_berry

I've had one ceramic and one metal arch of braces (upper / lower) for almost a year now.
The ceramic brackets don't stain. And I have self-ligating(?) brackets so no elastics (I think?). As said above, it's the elastics that stain. They are surprisingly discrete!
The metal brackets.. again, I have self ligating ones. Not as discrete. Something that I wish had been mentioned to me is how much sharper they feel! Maybe it's a difference in my upper versus lower lip but I never needed wax for the ceramics, with the metal if I don't use wax for a few days a flap is cut out of my cheek/lip!!

You'll need the interdental brushes that look like very small bottle brushes for cleaning under the wire and around brackets. I've found my WaterPik great for cleaning all crooks and crannies too.

Also, I had wisdom teeth out too. Very little swelling, no bruising, no pain. Follow your surgeons instructions esp the soft food, no straws and taking prescribed medicines!

messy tessy

BetsyEllen wrote: »

Littlemouse, I know you posted a while back so I hope you don't mind me bumping up the thread and quoting you!

I just wanted to ask you - and any others who care to answer - your personal experience with keeping the ceramic braces clean?

I'm getting 2 wisdom teeth out this week and can then finally get my braces on in around 12 weeks.

I need to decide if I'm going for ceramics or metal and I'm torn!

I've heard all the usual 'oh no, the ceramic ones go yellow, don't get them!' and 'you can't eat ANYTHING with the ceramic ones, no curry etc, or they stain'...however none of this was mentioned in your post and you should quite happy with them.

Do you find it a chore to keep them clean or easy enough? Is there anything you absolutely can't eat at all?

I don't mind the metal ones, if they're the best option then they'll be worth it.
But as 30 year old single woman, I'd like my braces to be as 'invisible' as possible so I'd really like to get the ceramics if they're easy to clean

All honest feedback appreciated!

I have my ceramic braces a year now and they were well worth getting. My top teeth are really straight and just small gaps in the bottom ones

I think ceramic braces are much more discrete than metal ones, when I got them at the start a few of my friends didn't even notice I had them til I pointed it out! The bracket itself doesn't stain - it is the elastics which are changed every 6 weeks. Curry does stain these elastics but they'll be changed anyway so not really an issue, wait to have your curry nearer your dentist appointment!

I don't eat apples unless cut, toffee sweets are out because it is a pain to clean your teeth after. I wouldn't really have something like quinoa (especially the mixed colour stuff) if I was out for dinner as these tend to get stuck in the brace, but other than that I can't think of anything else I don't eat.

If you don't care about metal ones, these are roughly 200/300 cheaper so might be worth considering.

BetsyEllen

littlemouse22 wrote: »

I've had my braces on since August now and I'm so happy with the results so far! I still had a baby tooth on top which resulted in the adult tooth being rotated as there was no slot for it to go. It also pushed the rest of my teeth to the left so my centre line was off. First I had to get the baby tooth removed which left me with a gap for the adult tooth to slot and rotate into. I can't believe how quick it moved - the gap is completely gone and the adult tooth is fully rotated. My teeth have all pushed back towards the centre. There is a few small gaps to fill but barely noticeable.
I went with the ceramic braces on the top and bottom and people are constantly commenting on how great they look, you would hardly even notice I was wearing braces even in photographs! I was contemplating getting braces for ages, reading up on progress stories, looking at before and after pictures etc.. Best decision I made, 4 months down and I am already delighted with the progress.

Littlemouse, I know you posted a while back so I hope you don't mind me bumping up the thread and quoting you!

I just wanted to ask you - and any others who care to answer - your personal experience with keeping the ceramic braces clean?

I'm getting 2 wisdom teeth out this week and can then finally get my braces on in around 12 weeks.

I need to decide if I'm going for ceramics or metal and I'm torn!

I've heard all the usual 'oh no, the ceramic ones go yellow, don't get them!' and 'you can't eat ANYTHING with the ceramic ones, no curry etc, or they stain'...however none of this was mentioned in your post and you should quite happy with them.

Do you find it a chore to keep them clean or easy enough? Is there anything you absolutely can't eat at all?

I don't mind the metal ones, if they're the best option then they'll be worth it.
But as 30 year old single woman, I'd like my braces to be as 'invisible' as possible so I'd really like to get the ceramics if they're easy to clean

All honest feedback appreciated!

greensheep777

I would love some recommendations of an ortho in the Dublin area if anyone could PM me?

Curb Your Enthusiasm

19 year old here, just out of the orthodontist after getting my braces fitted. Very strange feeling and lots of work to do, but it will be worth it in 2 years time!

littlemouse22

I've had my braces on since August now and I'm so happy with the results so far! I still had a baby tooth on top which resulted in the adult tooth being rotated as there was no slot for it to go. It also pushed the rest of my teeth to the left so my centre line was off. First I had to get the baby tooth removed which left me with a gap for the adult tooth to slot and rotate into. I can't believe how quick it moved - the gap is completely gone and the adult tooth is fully rotated. My teeth have all pushed back towards the centre. There is a few small gaps to fill but barely noticeable.
I went with the ceramic braces on the top and bottom and people are constantly commenting on how great they look, you would hardly even notice I was wearing braces even in photographs! I was contemplating getting braces for ages, reading up on progress stories, looking at before and after pictures etc.. Best decision I made, 4 months down and I am already delighted with the progress.

Wanderer41

I'm 21 and thinking of getting braces. A relative who is a dentist mentioned fixing a tooth on the top which is slightly rotated and said I could go for invisalign-type braces. My bottom front teeth are a little crooked but the rest are fine. Most people think I have had braces as my top teeth look straight and you wouldn't notice the tooth that is slightly rotated.
I'm not sure whether to get braces or not. I'm 21 but I look very young and I imagine braces will make me look even younger. It's not a huge issue but still! Also, I absolutely hate things in my mouth and going to the dentist. The last time they took an xray by putting something in your mouth at each side (not the one you bite down on the big machine) and I could not tolerate it at all, I kept gagging! That also puts me off. I know these things are probably minor but I'm just trying to weigh up the pros and cons really.
I might inquire again into them and see where that goes.

purple hands

Any fellow Invisalign patients may be interested in the below!

http://investor.aligntech.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=992964

BOHtox

BOHtox wrote: »

October 20th is the day I get them on. All going well I can enjoy Christmas dinner in 2018 with them off

Got them on yesterday. I was told they'll take around 2 and 1/4 years. I suppose if I'm lucky I'll have them off by Christmas 2018.

Already counting down the days...

rawn

I'm getting married in November, I got braces on a few months ago and they'll be temporarily removed for the wedding. I'm a bit worried about staining on my teeth? Has anyone had any issues with that and were you able to prevent/fix it? I have a cleaning booked before the wedding but beyond that I'm a little stuck as I'm pregnant and can't use anything to chemically brighten my teeth. They're already yellowish...

messy tessy

My bottom teeth have moved a lot since my last visit to the orthodontist, which is great but now the newly aligned teeth are clashing off my wisdom tooth. It's not massively painful but at the same time uncomfortable when I eat. Did anyone have a similar problem? My next visit is in two weeks.

BOHtox

October 20th is the day I get them on. All going well I can enjoy Christmas dinner in 2018 with them off

BandMember

BOHtox wrote: »

Anything anyone would like to tell me? Really looking forward to getting them off and I haven't even gotten them on yet. Are invisible braces worth getting?

Unfortunately there is no way of answering that question here. For example, where invisible braces might work for someone else, you might need the full metal/ceramic braces or vice versa. The best thing you can do is talk to an Ortho because what is needed and will work for one person will be completely different for another one so there is no "one size fits all" fix, if you get me?

Any decent one will offer a free consultation, talk you through what you need and don't need, breakdown of timeframe and cost etc. while answering any questions you have. Once you've done that, you'll find loads and loads useful tips and advice to suit you and help you by reading the thread. Best of luck!

BandMember

GingerLily wrote: »

I'm 3 months in so far and my teeth already look straight, hoping to get them off this time next year in time for my wedding.

Just to give you a heads up, if I may, in that timeframes given can sometimes slip due to one or two pesky stubborn teeth who are slow to move....but.....don't worry too much if this starts to happen and it doesn't look like they won't be off in time for your wedding. My Ortho mentioned that he has had patients who wanted them off for their wedding or some other once off occasion where there would be photos/some record of so he would bring them in the day before, take off the braces and put them back on the next day. So, just in case this happens, maybe have a word with your Ortho to put your mind at rest and you enjoy your big day with a smile.

Once again, apologies for my earlier post!

BOHtox

22 and checking in. Might be 23 when I have them on but sure who cares haha?

Hopefully have them off by the time I'm 25, finished college hopefully starting a career soon after that.

Anything anyone would like to tell me? Really looking forward to getting them off and I haven't even gotten them on yet. Are invisible braces worth getting?

Wish me luck - I'll keep yous posted

GingerLily

I paid upfront and got a 5% discount, so 3.8k total, which I'll claim 20% back from tax.
I also needed two extrations and some xrays so that cost was on top of that again.
I'm 3 months in so far and my teeth already look straight, hoping to get them off this time next year in time for my wedding.

rawn

PinkGiraffe wrote:

I would appreciate any advice that could be thrown my way. I have been contemplating braces for years. I keep saying after I have paid for this or that, then I'll get them. Realisingn there will always be something else and that I need to go for it now! So I'd like to visit a few otho's & just get the ball rolling on prices & how much work they think I need done.

I got top braces on 2 weeks ago. I had two teeth extracted. In November the braces will be removed for a week or so for my wedding, then I'll be getting a bottom tooth extracted and bottom braces fitted. All in all it will take about 2 years and the total cost is 5500e. This includes cleanings, extractions, fitting, removal, retainers etc. So it was 700e deposit and 200pm for 2 years. Best decision I've ever made! Best thing is to just stop thinking about it and go for it

PinkGiraffe

I would appreciate any advice that could be thrown my way. I have been contemplating braces for years. I keep saying after I have paid for this or that, then I'll get them. Realisingn there will always be something else and that I need to go for it now! So I'd like to visit a few otho's & just get the ball rolling on prices & how much work they think I need done.

Can anyone tell me how much approx I'm looking at? I will not be getting invisalign

Can anyone recommend an orthodontist? I am in Clondalkin Dublin but will travel a reasonable distance.

If you would like to pm me that'd be great!!!

BandMember

GingerLily wrote: »

I only asked a question and your answers have been extremely rude.

helimachoptor wrote: »

Bandmember please watch your tone

Yes, I have re-read my response and it comes across badly alright.

@GingerLily - please accept my apology, I should have phrased my response better. I mean no offence, sorry to have caused some.

@helimachoptor - noted, and I have apologised to GingerLily for any offence which I may have caused.

helimachoptor

Bandmember please watch your tone

Secondly gingerlily, you have a treatment plan, it's advisable to stick to it, please dont self medicate on your dental work, you could at worst irreparably damage your teeth and at best prolong treatment and increase cost

GingerLily

BandMember wrote: »

GingerLily wrote: »

I get them changed once every 6 weeks, I want to increase the frequency, I would have thought that was blatantly obvious.

Ok, well, attempting to change them yourself is the definition of madness! You are spending thousands of euros, you have a trained professional providing you with a service - attempting a DIY job without knowing what you are doing is not only going to defeat his efforts, you could cause some serious long term damage to yourself. I'm sorry if I appear blunt or rude, but that is........I wanna avoid using the words "beyond stupid"........so I'll just say that it is a really bad idea.

My ortho will change mine as often as I want but I never have had to do this, usually get it done as scheduled every 6-8 weeks.

Can I ask though, why do you want to get them changed more than once every 6 weeks?

I only asked a question and your answers have been extremely rude.

BandMember

GingerLily wrote: »

I get them changed once every 6 weeks, I want to increase the frequency, I would have thought that was blatantly obvious.

Ok, well, attempting to change them yourself is the definition of madness! You are spending thousands of euros, you have a trained professional providing you with a service - attempting a DIY job without knowing what you are doing is not only going to defeat his efforts, you could cause some serious long term damage to yourself. I'm sorry if I appear blunt or rude, but that is........I wanna avoid using the words "beyond stupid"........so I'll just say that it is a really bad idea.

My ortho will change mine as often as I want but I never have had to do this, usually get it done as scheduled every 6-8 weeks.

Can I ask though, why do you want to get them changed more than once every 6 weeks?

GingerLily

BandMember wrote: »

GingerLily wrote: »

I have clear ceramics. Has anyone tried changing the elastic bands on their braces themselves? My friend who had braces as a teenager keeps telling me that you can do it but if never heard of it.

I have people telling me lots of stuff as well, but I know bullsh*t when I hear it and your friend is talking absolute complete and utter rubbish there!! I have the same as you and there is no way that you could change them yourself. Besides, even if you could, why would you want to when you can get it done for free???

bowsandarrows wrote: »

Just wondering, if I get braces and pay up front, can I immediately claim tax back for it this year?

No, you will need to wait until January 2017 to claim anything back for this year.

messy tessy wrote: »

Do you find the elastics getting stained easily?

If you brush regularly after meals/eating and stick to the list of stuff that they recommend you avoid because it stains them esaily, then I find that I can keep the elastics pretty much stain free.

I get them changed once every 6 weeks, I want to increase the frequency, I would have thought that was blatantly obvious.