when did you realize you wanted to get your smile fixed?

[Tyrantblade]

My experience hearing that i need braces started when I was around 12 or 13 years old

At first I didn't know too much about braces and due to family not figuring we had the money i never so much as had a consultation, until last Friday (my choice as my smile getting worse over time just isn't a good feeling)

I guess ive been conscious about my smile probably since I was around 14-15 years old, and I would have accepted getting braces, but I can't honestly say I would have taken care of my teeth and braces if I got them then.

The past few years is when i realized my smile was getting a lot worse than it used to be, partly due to losing 2 teeth on my top row of teeth (one front tooth, one on the left side near the back) and partly due to a tongue thrusting habit I guess I did out of boredom and didn't realize it would give me a pretty bad open bite (the orthodontist said they were surprised I could eat and had a lot to say about my smile, my overbite on the front, open bite all over but more noticeable on the sides, and an apparent crossbite which I actually never realized I had)

This year ive been ready to get braces and take care of them since the year started, but I couldn't help that life got in the way delaying getting started

Its nice to know that finally getting braces is around the corner, but naturally im still a little scared of nearly everything, I guess in order of what i fear the most it would be

1. Surgery (who doesn't at least dislike any kind of surgery, particularly the types messing with bones or your jaw)

2. Appliances (because some must be awful to have to deal with)

3. Extractions (just because I already have 2 fairly large gaps on my top row of teeth, and I wouldn't want more)

But regardless im prepared to get started and will be looking forward to August (just happens to be the earliest convenient Time due to using a dental school and that will give me time to gather funds and get care credit approved for whatever I can't get)

So when did you realize you want to get your smile fixed?
what was your main issue(s) growing up and how djd things change when you got older? What were your worries? How did things change once you got things going?

[EWUgal15]

My story is much the same: dentist told my parents when I was a kid that I needed braces and they played the "We can't afford that" card. As I got older, I dealt with the problems the dentist told my parents about. Never once was I unhappy about my smile...except for maybe the color. My parents never really instilled the best dental hygiene practices in me as a kid...and as a result, my smile isn't exactly pearly white. But it's not so terrible. When I was 19, I had my wisdom teeth removed and was fitted for a night guard to help with my grinding habit. 6 long years, a move to a bigger city on my own, and landing an awesome job, later I went to the dentist. This was the first trip back since I had my night guard made when I was 19. That visit was the first time since I was 19 that I had discussed TMJ issues with a dentist and fixing it. I had to do something. I spent a lot of time with my jaw in pain, dealing with headaches, and the joints locking up and I was sick of it. The weirdest part, to me any way, is that I really didn't care if my teeth were straight. The crowding had never bothered me before. The rotation of a few of my teeth didn't bother me. Having straight teeth wasn't a reason for me to get braces...I wanted everything else: pain relief, improved function... It wasn't until after I had my braces put on that I realized how bad my teeth actually were, aside from the TMJ. And it amazes me every day that I never cared about the crowding until now.

Definitely a cliff notes version...but I think you get the point. Looking back, I know I would have been a typical kid and ignored wearing my retainer and performing all the maintenance required when you have braces, so in a way, I'm kind of thankful my parents didn't. I just wish it hadn't cost me so much in the long run.

[Tyrantblade]

Yeah by far if it was just an issue of whether my teeth were straight or not (they aren't) I probably wouldn't be too bothered by my smile

But instead I have an overbite at the front, which by itself has always bothered me, and now a pretty bad open bite which probably would not be quite so bad if I didn't have the two significant gaps on my top row of teeth

I also have had TMJ problems like you described but I haven't noticed any TMJ problems except for the popping noise I heard when I was having my consultation

And I guess you could say I do have trouble eating if I try to eat a lot in one bite

Im definitely not backing out for any reason, even though as ive said I have fears of any possibility of needing surgery (they did say this might be necessary) appliances (didn't say anything, so im unsure of if I will need to have any put in place), and to some degree extractions (which im to believe won't be necessary as at my consultation they seemed to think it wouldn't be necessary and I am missing more teeth than is noticeably to most people, even on my bottom row of teeth which looks packed)

[EWUgal15]

I'm in the long haul as well: 2 extractions prior to braces, then BSSO later this year/early next year. I was measured at an 8mm overjet...so rather than just correct with braces and elastics, they have to advance my mandible.

[irnjaw]

Hey

I guess I always knew my smile should be fixed. When I was about 10 or 11 I got 3 teeth out and wore a plate to push my upper teeth forward. I had an underbite - still do. I wore that for about 2 or 3 years then got a new one, by this point I was at secondary school where other people were getting fixed appliances. I felt like I had dodged a bullet as I really didn't want "tramlines". However, this new plate had blocks that sat between my top and bottom teethat the back which made it so embarrassing to talk. So I started to wear it less, used to put it in my school bag and would put it back in my mouth when I was nearly home so that my mum thought I'd been wearing it all day.

Then one day, as I was nearly home, I reached into my bag to put my plate in only to realise it wasn't there. Uh-oh. My mum took me to the orthodontist and told him, and that was it. No more treatment. See ya. Bearing in mind that in the UK the treatment is free to under 18s so there was no insentive for my mother to insist on a replacement. I just had to get on with my life with my crooked teeth and underbite.

When I was maybe 14 I went to my dentist and asked if he thought I should get a brace. He said no so that was all I needed to hear. I knew fine that I did need a brace, and I should have done something about it. In hindsight I don't know why he didn't just refer me to an orthodontist.

So, fastforward 17 years and I decide to go to the orthodontist myself. Got the consultation, was told because of my bite I qualified for NHS treatment and the brace would be £400. Yipppeeee sign me up! BUT. I got the Xrays done and this showed him that I had 2 lower teeth next to each other which had both had root treatment. Due to that there may be a risk of damaging the remainder of the roots therefore NHS treatment was not for me as I could cause more expense to the NHS if these teeth needed further repair, so private treatment was all that was available for me. £2500 -£3000. Gutted. Far too expensive.

Then, fastforward again another 3 years, lying in bed one night I think "I want to get braces". So I phoned the orthodontis back, get another consultation, they dig out my xrays and impressions and I now await my next appointment to discuss final prices and what teeth need to come out etc.

The main reason for wanting the treatment is because I hate my teeth, but I have made the final decision to do it now because I now have a little boy, he's 1. I know that in years to come he will look at my teeth and ask why they're not nice like daddy's and that would utterly break my heart. So this is for me and it's for him. So that he doesn't have the mummy with the horrible teeth.

[Kissyface30]

Is since birth an option? Seriously I've hated my teeth as far back as I can remember. My top row looks massive compared to the bottom due to an overbite. Top row also has spacing issues and 1 front tooth is slightly tilted. More than anything though is the moderate fluorosis on my 2 front teeth that people stare at constantly. (I'll be having that fixed after my teeth are straight.) I'm tired of looking like the grinch because of being embarrassed to smile.

[BeautifulDisaster]

I have had crooked teeth since my permanent teeth came in. My parents couldn't afford putting me in braces. I made a commitment to myself when I was a teen that once I was out of college and landed a stable job, I would make the investment for myself...and here I am!

[Eve255]

Now at 40! Only because my bridge cam out and I'm thinking of having the operation to bring the canine that is still lying in the gum.

[Bracesat57]

When I became a grandmother!

I knew my front teeth had shifted over the years but I just lived with it. I didn't think it was that noticeable. Then came my beautiful baby granddaughter. All the pictures were taken up close of me smiling and holding the baby. Yikes! How horrible my teeth really were . What a wake up call that was.

[Lorianne]

Exactly what Bracesat57 said!!

[bbsadmin]

I seriously began considering it in my mid-30s. I began to notice that my bottom teeth were overlapping more and it seemed to be getting worse -- they were getting increasingly more crooked.They were extremely crowded. It was really hard to floss those teeth, so I often did a rather poor job of it. I went to a few orthodontists for consultations, but most of them said that I would need to have 4 teeth pulled. One was going to put me in headgear. I didn't like any of that.

Finally, about 5 years later, a friend showed up at a Girl Scouts meeting with braces on her teeth (our daughters were both in Girl Scouts together). She told me about her orthodontist, so I had a consultation with him. He said he'd be willing to try braces on me without pulling teeth first. Ironically, 6 months into the treatment, the gums at my two front lower teeth began to recede dramatically, and it was clear that I really did need to have those 4 premolars removed -- which I did -- and continued treatment.

I really wish I'd had braces when I was younger, but my parents insist that the dentist never mentioned it to them. I had an open bite, so how could the dentist have missed that? I think that when I was younger, the crowding on the bottom wasn't as bad. It definitely got worse over time.

[LH2015]

Always hated by smile due to 'fang' teeth and misaligned front teeth. People always told me they didn't see what I was talking about, but I saw it.

The final straw came when we had formal photos done on holiday and the photographer made me smile showing my teeth. I hated the photos so much, I phoned up the othodontist as soon as we got home!

At 26, I've now had them for 3 months. Never had them as a teenager as I was told I didn't need them. Vanity finally took over although my ortho said that my bite now requires a small correction anyway.

[sheilas]

My parents couldn't afford it when I was growing up, so I had to contend with that. All through school (and till recently) I have been called Bugs Bunny. I am 37. I never smile with my teeth in my photos and as such I've been told I look grumpy in them! Decided that it was enough and decided to get a consultation.

Went to see my current ortho. He suggested 4 premolar extractions. I wasn't happy about having healthy teeth taken out, so I told him I needed time to think. It took me 6 months to think, but in the end I decided to go through with it. My ortho also 'slept' on it too, and is trying the non-extraction approach with me first. We may need extraction down the line if gums are getting compromised. I am hopeful that things go alright.

Taking care for teeth with braces requires huge responsibility and a lot of commitment, so I am glad I am going through this as an adult, not a teenager.

[kbh75]

Since I was a kid. One of my top teeth came in behind a baby tooth. For some reason neither the dentist nor my parents thought the baby tooth needed to be pulled. This one tooth is my main problem but I also have an overbite.

My parents took me to an ortho as a teen but as soon as they heard the cost we were out of there. They could afford it with three younger kids.

I have always been very self conscious about my smile because when I do it looks like I am missing a tooth. My other teeth have serious wear from the overbite also.

As an adult I would think about getting them but things would get in the way..new job, a move, two babies. As the kids grew I thought to myself I will get braces IF they don't need them. And guess what, they dont! So here I am 40 years old and one week into braces.

I can't say that I haven't Second guessed my decision because I have. I don't know how I am going to survive these things for 18 months. But, it will be worth it right?

[newbite]

It was never an option when I was a kid (although needed) and, silly child I was, I was actually HAPPY I didn't have braces like other people I went to school with. For awhile I thought if I just whitened my teeth they'd look ok (crooked but white is fine, right?) then the dentist started telling me I have recession and probably am grinding my teeth. "You need braces." I went to an ortho when I was in my early 20's but ended up not having the money to follow through. Almost ten years later my bruxism, TMJ, gum recession, tooth destruction, and bone loss were all worse and my bottom teeth were getting even more crooked and crowded, amazingly. I finally had the money (kind of) and was planning to live in one place for long enough that I found an ortho I liked and went for it.

If it wasn't for the irreversible bone loss and gum recession i now enjoy because of my former bad bite, I would unequivocally say I'm glad I waited. That's a big "if", but I'm still mostly glad I waited. If I had it done as a kid in the early 90's god knows what they would have done to my teeth. If I had Invisalign in the early 2000's God also knows what they would have done to my teeth. Now I have self ligating braces and Acceledent-- some of the latest in technology (only perhaps sure smile wires would be better-- I think that's what they're called).

I'm looking forward to the day that they can raise bone and gum levels across multiple teeth. That's the holy grail of dental research at this point (well, one of).