Poll for adults with braces - if your interested

[Iceolated]

Sort of an A

My parents intended to get me braces at age 12 but financial woes prevented that from happening. I wore a space maintainer for about 14 months in anticipation of braces but alas it never came to be until 18 years later.

Interestingly the price may parents told me they were quoted for braces back in 1989 ($4000) wasn't that much less than the $5100 I paid in 2007.

ICE

[timewaster]

My answer would be A. My parents couldn't afford them.

I did have an uncle offer to pay for them when I was 16, but after we got an estimate on the costs, he backed out. Now, 6 years later, my estimate for costs is the same. I was so surprised!

I mean, it's not like I have $4500 lying around, but it's good that the price hasn't increased in 6 years!

[marlina10]

Please indicate by key letter in a seperate response the reason that you did not get braces as a child

A. - I wanted them but my parents couldnt afford them

B. My parents were too selfish and wouldnt put out the money/ was neglected

C. I didnt want them and refused to get them even though my family offered

D. I was a complicated case that nobody wanted to touch

E. My parents were uneducated about the importance and just didnt think it was a big deal

F. Other- please explain.

-------------------------
My answer would be F. I didn't need them when I was younger. Unfortunately as I got older my bruxism wore down my teeth and altered my bite, now voila I have braces!

[JenD]

F. Other:

My dentist didn't think I really needed them. I had one crooked tooth (cuspid). Other than that, my teeth were perfect. Frankly, my parents wanted me in braces, but trusted the dentist.

But, as I have aged, the tooth has protruded more, sifting other teeth and not my bite is off. So, I'm getting braces at 51.

[dbtrini]

My answer would be C

I didn't want them - I was too afraid of any kind of pain involved

Now 20 years and three kids later - after going through childbirth 3 times with no drugs or epiderals - I think I have conquered my fear of pain

So here I am - braced August 14th, 2007

[Beth85]

I would have had them as a child cos i registered with the NHS at the age of twelve. But the waiting list was so long my braces didn't get fitted until i was 21!
But i'm not complaining as i'm only 22, so still young

[John37]

Oh, so long ago! It's hard to say so I choose F. Other - please explain.

I am 38 now. I never really thought my smile/teeth/bite was bad when I was younger. I never really compared my smile to other people's smiles. My oldest sister got braces, but my two brothers and I didn't get braces. Maybe my parents thought a girl's smile was more important. I'm not sure if they had dental insurance to cover braces.

Around age 14 I had major cavities on all four first molars and big fillings put in. After that experience I hated dentists and just started brushing more. I didn't go back to a dentist until I was about 20 and the lower molar fillings had fallen out and I needed two crowns. If it was mentioned that I should get braces I and my parents didn't do anything about it.

I'm not sure how crooked my teeth were at age 14. I think they may have gotten worse when my wisdom teeth tried to come in and pushed things around. That was during the years I didn't go to a dentist.

Basically, the topic of braces never came up. My parents didn't stress the important of dental health enough. It was only after seeing pictures of my smile recently that I decided to do something about it. I hadn't had many pictures taken in my 20's. Smiles never look so bad in person; it's usually pictures that make the imperfections stand out.

[shaolin]

E - I'm older that most here and back in those days it wasn't a big deal to have less than perfect teeth.

[Beckster]

My response would be F.

(Hm, I think there should be a getting them again due to relapse and/or not wearing retainers enough/after a while as a kid/teen)

I had braces from age 11-13, and was fairly good about retainer wear, at first. Years down the road, however, I did not even bother to put them in every few nights and ended up with a decent amount of relapse. So, I ended up back in braces at age 24(lowers May '06 to Feb. 07, uppers August '06 to Feb. '07) I had to get lower braces yet again on 2/16/08 despite very faithful retainer wear, and must say that I will do everything to make sure there is no potential relapse this time around!

[dforum]

Definitely 'A' for me

i love this dental forum btw!! : )

[Faerydust]

F. Other

I had braces as a child (ages 10-12), but due to a combination of being unable to continue wearing my retainer and my father quitting the job which allowed us to have great dental benefits, my treatment ended at phase I.

During high school my teeth weren't too bad and I wasn't bothered by my bite, but in my early 20's when the wisdom teeth came in, my upper teeth moved forward forming a huge overjet and my lower teeth became really crowded. I wanted to do something about my bite when I first noticed the problems with it, but at the time I didn't have the funds.

Right now I'm in college full-time and decided to use part of my student loans to fund my orthodontic work until I get a job.

[jumbie]

That would be F cause my teeth wereny mesed up until after my wisdom teeth started coming out in my late teens

[Bekah]

F. I had perfectly straight teeth and a perfect bite until my wisdom teeth came in.

[SuperDave]

well,

it wouldnt be me if i didnt get an "F". my life story. hell,...i married the clerk of divorce court. how smart was that. ancient history now.

lol

I had them as a teen. but only cause i paid for them myself with a part time job. dad would not spend the money cause he had a bad experience as a kid himself. finally i got braces at 16. but after two years in braces almost,....the reatiner never fit right. caused bleding from the gums. so i didtn wear it much. so....20 years later........here we are.

everything went right back to where it was. well almost.

so now i got a really good job, ( i drive a freight train ) make good money and can afford to "fix" my smile. it sucks to do it again,....but on the other hand...its a self improvement project and im enjoying it from that stand point.

even tho its really not cool to have braces as an adult,...more and more adults are doing it and is way more common place now. its really not been that bad. plus it makes me feel alot better about myself. for whatever thats worth. overall,...i like the rusults thus far. and im pleased.

however,....the rubber bands really do suck. lol

Super Dave

[Memran]

C