This is the place to post general questions and comments about all areas of orthodontic treatment. Before you post a question, use the forum's SEARCH tool to see if your question has already been answered!
New Members: YOU MUST MAKE A POST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REGISTERING OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED. In other words, don't sign up unless you plan to actively participate in the message board immediately. This is necessary to keep out spammers and lurkers with bad intentions. Of course, you can read most forums on the board without registering.
DO NOT POST FULL-FACE PHOTOS or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
It's nice to know what your treatment will be before it begins so you know whether you want to go through with it, right? You want to be informed!
Well, before I started, I asked ALOT of questions. I asked if soda pop was OK and said I only have maybe 3 cans a week. First, the ortho said to stay away from it completely, later the treatment coordinator said that was just "perfect" and wouldn't hurt anything. While my molar bands were being put on, the assistant said to stay away from regular soda completely and only drink diet pop. She gave me a paper with instructions to take home that said to stay away from diet soda because it's even more acidic than regular soda!
I was also told in the beginning that I'd need to wear rubber bands only at night while sleeping. I figured that wasn't so bad. Later, the treatment coordinator said I'd have to wear them all day and night, except when eating. Now, after the molar bands are on and giving me trouble, I thought the bands would help keep me from biting my cheek like I have been and I thought I could start using them now. But now they tell me I won't be using them at all until the end of my treatment.
I also asked about headgear in the beginning. I wouldn't have started treatment if I would need headgear. They said I wouldn't. I wonder what they'll say later on after the braces are in!
Your ortho is the ONLY one of those people who has been trained in dentistry and orthodontics. The treatment coordinator could be anyone with the qualifications they are looking for and the ortho assistants are on the job training. If you're lucky they might be dental hygienists but there is not a class or program for orthodontic assisting. It's not a certification or anything.
My point is you should direct questions to your ortho and follow his/her advice. I don't know anyone who has had braces who had to completely give up soda. I didn't drink any less soda than I did before braces and have no problems from it. I also ate popcorn, chewed gum, ate peanuts, crunchy tacos, you name it! When braces are new you tend to avoid the no no list. Later on you find your own comfort zone and find what you can and can't eat. I only had one broken bracket in 6 years and it was from biting a sucker the wrong way. I never bent any wires either. You may have different results but as I said, it's something that comes with experience of having braces.
Basically you should follow the instruction sheet given by your ortho and ask your ORTHO any questions you have on it. If he tells you something off the wall like "Only drink soda on tuesdays that are an even day of the month" that's where this board comes into play. I'm curious what most people here have been told about soda? My ortho never said to cut back or stop drinking it. Diet is recommended a lot because it doesn't have sugar.
As far as the elastics (rubber bands), they can come anytime during treatment. Beginning, middle, end, or any combination or all three! Elastics are generally worn 24/7 except when eating or brushing but your ortho may tell you a different schedule when the time comes. You will get used to the braces and things won't always be so sharp and pokey. Use wax if you need it. Warm salt water rinses help some people. Personally I only used wax the first couple days or so then never again. I'm a trumpet player and it interfered with my playing so I just didn't bother with it.
I didn't mean to type books to you lol. I hope I've helped a little. Please ask if you have any questions that haven't been answered.
Jenn
Paramedic student
Full Braces (all metal) 5/12/1999 - 4/20/2005
Class II (overjet) on the left only
Upper and Lower Hawleys
Unfortunately when you start treatment, the nurses and the ortho cant really guarantee anything. As your teeth move and your bite changes, different situations present themselves. I was told that I might need extractions in the beginning, but the ortho wasn't sure... because he didn't know how things would work out after my teeth began to move. I ended up not needing them at all, which was great! But in the beginning he seemed pretty positive that I would need them. I guess its just a down side of wearing braces. But it is all worth it. And if anything, just ask your ortho all the questions that you need answered that way you'll know you have the "best" answer. I am sure he'll tell you that he wont be able to guarantee anything. But you'll have a better idea on what his best options are for you. Good Luck
*Usually the longer roads lead to more rewarding endings*
Braced~ 10/11/04
Braces come off May 2, 2006!!!!!
Hawley Retainer full time!
I was the same as you, Brooke. I asked a ton of questions. I wanted to know exactly what was going to happen and when. I was unrealistic and didn't know it at the time. She explained it to me quite simply: It's like a pot of soup, you have to add a little of this and that as the process goes. It takes tweaking here and there to get it right. No one knows for certain exactly what you'll need. Some people's teeth/bone structure respond to one appliance, whist another's responds to something totally different.
As to the headgear: This is something that -generally- is either needed or not and it is known from the get go. I don't think headgear is used in adults much. Elastics, TPAs, springs, etc. are all considered par for the course.
Generally elastics are worn 24/7. I am lucky enough that my diagonal one across the front will be worn at my discression. (Somehow I think that this is reverse psychology as I will likely try to get that puppy on as much as I can.)
Talk only to the Orthodontist about theses things, however, even at that, things can change.
Pat
Class III tendency, crossbite 10-23
Maxillary horizontal & 2mm deficiency for upper teeth
GAC In-Ovation R, metal. Now with upper & lower Hawleys 24 hrs.
I totally agree w/everyone-ask your Orth-they're the one's with 13 yrs+ training and schooling. I'm lucky enough to ONLY have my Orth work on my mouth-the assitants just hand him tools, wires, brackets etc.
For what it's worth, my ortho said "I don't think you'll be needing headgear". I just hope he's right. I wouldn't even want to bother with something like that!
I know this is a very serious discussion and issue, but is there a pun in the subject line here? Ortho comes from the Greek word "orthos" meaning "straight". So, it's entirely appropriate for you to wish that your ortho would be straight with you.
I know what you mean. One week he's doing one thing, then he stops and tries something different. Then the next month, he'll go back to doing what he was doing originally. It almost seems like he's just flying by the seat of his pants. Kind of a, "lets see if this will work" approach.
I know he knows what he's doing. It seems to me that there are many ways to achieve the desired result. And the order in which the ortho desides to address each issue seems to be different in each individual case, for the most part. I know certain results can only be achieved by certain techniques, so I try not to worry about the preference of order he desides to travel. Many roads lead to the same destination.
As for drinking soda, I don't think its a big deal. Just don't drink it all the time. And when you do, brush afterwards. Just think of all those kids in braces; you know they drink it all the time, and don't brush as much as they should. I've seen kids in restaurants all the time drinking pop, in braces, with better looking teeth than I could ever hope to have. I think its just a common sense thing.
Pat
Class III tendency, crossbite 10-23
Maxillary horizontal & 2mm deficiency for upper teeth
GAC In-Ovation R, metal. Now with upper & lower Hawleys 24 hrs.
Well, to be fair, it wasn't just the ortho himself I was talking to, but I assume that my file at the office has the same information on me for everyone I talk to to read. First, it was the ortho I talked to, then the treatment coordinator, then an assistant, then a receptionist who answered the phone when I called and she was able to look up my info. on a computer when I gave her my name.
