New and very confused

[evik'smom]

First of all, I apologize because my English is not very good, I will do my best to explain my problem. My son will be 13 in october, since august last year we have seen 7 orthodontists, trying to find the 3B's Bueno, Bonito y THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR (Good, Pretty and Cheap). My husband of course wants to go with the cheapest ($2,750) which is a general dentist that does orthodontics too and he found him in the internet. I want to go with a specialist in Orthodontics that 2 different friends recomended me, her price is $4,850 and she uses Damon system. My son's problem is a huge overbite (12 mm) and spaceing, most of the doctors estimated 24-30 months even with the Damon which supposedly is less time. Another problem with my son, he's EXTREMELY picky to eat, we're going to see the swallowing dissorder's doctor soon. Because of this I want the less traumatic treatment for my son, but my husband who had braces when he was a teenager, says braces are all the same, is not big science and there is not difference if is a general dentist or specialist who does the job. I need to know if is REALY less painful the treatment with Damon that with traditional braces and if you can give me some good arguments to justify the $2,100 difference and convince my husband to choose a specialist, like maybe bad experiences with cheap dentists...... his argument is "what can go wrong with a piece of wire that needs to be tighted every month?" HEEELP!!!!! P.S. Please don't recomend me to change husband, I already tought about it, but I still love him

[ashesgap]

The type of braces do not matter. The orthodontists experience does matter. You can use the best system in the world, but if the guy applying it doesn't know what he's doing, it can all end in a mess. I say find a certified orthodontist, but don't just look for a certain type of braces. My ortho has been in business almost 30 years, but still uses basic braces, and he's fantastic and well priced. And actually $4800 isn't bad, kinda seems cheap. Show your hubby this post and all the different prices that people pay- viewtopic.php?f=13&t=34589
Where are you located?

[evik'smom]

To ashesgap: Thank you for give me the prices' post and you're absolutly right, $4800 is kind of cheap compared to most of the others. I didn't see any response from Houston, TX but compared to Dallas, San Antonio and other cities here in Tx, I think we are the cheapest. Now, can somebody tell me if some type of braces are more "confortable" than other ones, I have heard that you can get sores inside the cheeks, is this "normal" or the ortho didn't applied them correctly?

[Jethro]

All bracket systems (braces) have the potential to cause mouth irritation, and yes, this is normal. Most people have some discomfort when braces are initially applied, but kids seem to adapt remarkably well. There are varying opinions as to which brackets are more comfortable, but in general, the smaller the bracket the more comfortable they are. Most orthos seem to prefer metal brackets over ceramic on younger patients due to their durability and smaller profile. Hope this helps.

[Steph in Sac]

Good luck to you. I am not familiar with Damon braces. I can say that I had metal braces at 13 and ceramic braces at 36. They both caused some irritation on the cheeks, though not much. The metal were much easier to get off. There was a lot of tugging with the ceramic. It felt like my teeth were going to crack. I wouldn't recommend ceramic for kids/teens. Most kids have metal and so it is not a big deal to them. I would say that traditional braces are likely fine, but I would use an orthodontist vs. a general dentist.

[RMF7825]

The speed braces are smaller and do not use ligatures- the elastics and are therefore easier to clean. Hygience is big issue when wearing braces. The ceramics even though they are tooth colored can stain and I believe all require the elastics which also get discolored. As to the cost, it varies widely depending on the part of the country you are in, the type/length of treatment and whether or not the orthodontist does the adjustments him/herself or has the assistant do them. My advice would be to ask if the orthodontist has a current/former patient that has a similar issue as your son that is willing to talk with you. You can also learn a lot just by sitting in the waiting room and observing the patients that come in. If you can sit in the actual exam room for a while you will see a LOT too. Good luck in finding someone.

[libbylou]

My 11 year old daughter is having the miniature metal ones, top and bottom applied next month, for her overjet, no extractions required, just a tiny bit of IPR. I agree with the posts which state not to focus on the bracket types - as you will inevitably end up with the wrong orthodontist that way. I initially thought that I would want Damons, or Ice clear for her, but having had two orthodontist appointments - I completely changed my mind. The first orthodontist did do Damon braces, but his attitude and manner were awful - he instilled no confidence in me that he would do a good job.

The second orthodontist has a fantastic local reputation - it is very difficult to get an appointment with him. However, he gave me a very good rationale as to why he felt that self ligating braces were the wrong option for my child - he felt he could do a far better job with traditional, but miniature versions of regular brackets. He has quoted a treatment time of just 9-12 months, then permanent retainer for one year.

This website generally has really helped me to realise that we shouldn't fall for the marketing as I was initially searching for an orthodontist by the brackets he offered, rather than his skill. I am really happy with the ortho we have now chosen, and she cant wait to have the coloured ligs!

[Crazy4Snow]

WHAT went on my teeth wasn't as important as WHO put them on. My first and most crucial decision was to find an excellent orthodontist. After finding him everything else fell into place. I was prepared for the price, $5,000, so that wasn't an issue. What I wasn't prepared for was the inconvenience of wearing braces. It's a pain I won't lie about that. But you adapt, I drink most of my meals still...and I'm 14 weeks in. But everytime I look in the mirror or look at my progress photos on my blog...I realize it's ALL worth it.

I've read and heard that braces aren't as bad for kids as they are for adults...who really knows...but you do what you have to do and suck it up. I wish I'd done this as a teenager...the important thing is to do what is best for YOUR kid. If you see a certified Ortho with an impeccable reputation, he will guide you and your child down the best path.

[libbylou]

Crazy for Snow - you are so right.

I am so glad that my daughter is able to have the braces so young, she is just fortunate that all her permanent teeth are through, so she is going to be ahead of her friends in having them, who are still waiting for all of their baby teeth to drop out. I was so tempted by all the marketing of the aesthetic braces, and then all the information about the speed of self ligation, that initially I was trying to do the ortho's job for him - by going in there and telling him what I wanted for her! Thankfully this fabulous second ortho that we saw really took the time to take me right back to basics, and tell me what he really thought was right for her. They must get so weary of everyone going in clutching a picture of their favourite bracket, which they know is not the right treatment for that particular problem!

I too need to go down the ortho route at some point, after some relapse of my teenage treatment with a spring aligner.The adult braces stories are so inspiring, yours included. I love reading them all, and will have to take the leap myself soon!

[Katvo]

First of all, I apologize because my English is not very good, I will do my best to explain my problem. My son will be 13 in october, since august last year we have seen 7 orthodontists, trying to find the 3B's Bueno, Bonito y THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR (Good, Pretty and Cheap). My husband of course wants to go with the cheapest ($2,750) which is a general dentist that does orthodontics too and he found him in the internet. I want to go with a specialist in Orthodontics that 2 different friends recomended me, her price is $4,850 and she uses Damon system. My son's problem is a huge overbite (12 mm) and spaceing, most of the doctors estimated 24-30 months even with the Damon which supposedly is less time. Another problem with my son, he's EXTREMELY picky to eat, we're going to see the swallowing dissorder's doctor soon. Because of this I want the less traumatic treatment for my son, but my husband who had braces when he was a teenager, says braces are all the same, is not big science and there is not difference if is a general dentist or specialist who does the job. I need to know if is REALY less painful the treatment with Damon that with traditional braces and if you can give me some good arguments to justify the $2,100 difference and convince my husband to choose a specialist, like maybe bad experiences with cheap dentists...... his argument is "what can go wrong with a piece of wire that needs to be tighted every month?" HEEELP!!!!! P.S. Please don't recomend me to change husband, I already tought about it, but I still love him

I'm concerned that you're discussing going to a therapist for a swallowing disorder but considering orthodontics to take care of the overbite all at the same time. If your son is having a difficult time eating as is, you may run into other issues once you start orthodontics. I would suggest that you discuss your desire for braces with the therapist first, to make certain that it is something that can be tackled with your child's situation. I would also suggest that you mention the swallowing disorder to your orthodontist and make sure that you find someone that is familiar with dealing with children with special needs- such as a swallowing disorder. I would also, as the others have suggested, look at the outcomes of the different providers. You might find that you love the GP who puts braces on for the fun of it. He may take great pride in his work and go to great lengths to get the extra training and continuing education that goes along with doing orthodontia, or he could be a real hack. Ask around to see who your friends have used. I would even recommend asking your son's therapist for a recommendation. The worst things that can go wrong are your child having a hunger strike and the treatment not turning out. I wouldn't want to see you guys hand over big bucks just to have a bigger problem on your hands than what you started with.

-Kat