Why didn't you have braces as a child/teen?
Moderator: bbsadmin
I have to ask where you spent your time in the US (California?). My guess is you spent most of your time in some of the larger cities. I think when you get to the small towns, perfect teeth aren't as common. I'm from Michigan and I would guess it's about 50/50 with those that had braces and now have pretty teeth to those who did not.
-
weird_wired
- Posts: 427
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:33 pm
- Contact:
Re: Why didn't you have braces as a child/teen?
Also living in the Middle East, I would say it is a product of the culture here. Make-up here is far heavier and more artificial than in the "west", and plastic surgery rates, Botox, skin-bleaching and fake hair are far more prevalent too.missingu wrote:When you say that women dress up and enjoy looking good, and that crooked teeth mean that you are poor and cannot affort to fix it, are you implying that that is a US cultural thing or a product of the culture in which you are currently living (Middle East, from what your avatar says).butterfly wrote:
Only when I moved to another country in my mid twenties I changed my opinion completely. Here we live under a major US influence in regards to culture and lifestyle. Looks are very important. Women dress up and enjoy looking good. This is not regarded as superficial but is the expected standard. Crooked teeth mean that you are poor and cannot afford to fix it. Noone even imagines someone would refuse treatment out of his own will! After I settled down and married I finally got braces.
Anyway back to the OP's question: the reason I couldn't get braces was because my wisdom teeth came through very late, and the dentist said there was no point doing my teeth before then. By which time I was at university, and my teeth weren't so very bad that it seemed necessary. I had a too-high fang like canine in my teens which had descended somewhat by my early twenties.
Ten years later it had descended more, and was pushing its neighbours out of place as there was so little room, hence the brace. And also all my front lowers had got way more crooked too.
well my father rasied me and my sister after my mother left us. so we were on a fix income because my father was disable from the war. i had slight buck teeth and i got tease alittle as a kid...but it was after hurricane katrina and me almost dying. i thought if i die today my 4kids would not have one pic of me smiling to look at to remember me by, and i thought that was so sad...so my hubby said i could get braces for my b-day..and you know what i truly blessed to get them because alot of people can't. 
My teeth were straight when I was younger. They started becoming an issue for me mid-twenties. My parents took my brother and I to an ortho who said we were fine (for the time being). An interesting thing though is that the issue I have runs in my family, on one parent's side. I find it interested that the ortho didn't make the connection, since the problem is pretty obvious (my parent being there in the office). Maybe he did? I was a kid and not privy to the whole conversation. And the other weird thing is that none of the males have ever bothered to get them fixed. It's only us ladies who've bothered to get braces (and the issue is not purely vanity, there are functionality problems).
Damon 3s. On 2/15/2006. Off 2/21/2007!
Essix on uppers, Hawley on lowers.
Essix on uppers, Hawley on lowers.
I had a chance to get braces when I was about 14, but I was too scared to. My parents were constantly telling me to get braces, but I thought I would never be able to take the pain. Now at 18, I finally got enough courage to get braces and I'm happy I waited. Because I'm more mature, and I'm able to understand everything my ortho says. And, I have to say that having braces isn't at all painful. So, those of you who are afraid of the pain, hey if I can do it, anyone can.
MATEO'S,
Wow - you have really gone through a lot. May you have a long and happy life in the future, full of smiles.
Personally, I didn't need braces when I was young - things started shifting around when I got older because of baby teeth that didn't get replaced by permanent teeth. The shifting became noticeable when I was in my 40's. A friend of mine had to get braces when she was in her 40's because she broke her jaw when she was in her 20's and things started shifting for her after that.
So, as they say, shift happens.
Wow - you have really gone through a lot. May you have a long and happy life in the future, full of smiles.
Personally, I didn't need braces when I was young - things started shifting around when I got older because of baby teeth that didn't get replaced by permanent teeth. The shifting became noticeable when I was in my 40's. A friend of mine had to get braces when she was in her 40's because she broke her jaw when she was in her 20's and things started shifting for her after that.
So, as they say, shift happens.
First off BettyBat - shift happens LOL - love that!
My parents never took me to see a dentist. Therefore they never knew all my dental problems. They did not know that I had two impacted canines, crossbites and six baby teeth.
I have two brothers and my parents took them to the dentist and they also both had braces. My parents said that their teeth were worse than mine.
I think I always knew that I wasn't going to see a dentist, so I took really good care of my teeth. Never had a cavity untill I took myself to the Dentist for the first time in my early twenties when I got dental insurance. Then I only had two cavities of which were in baby teeth. Still to this day no other cavities.
When I went to the dentist that first time in my early twenties, I went to the same dentist that my family had gone to. My dentist was upset with my parents for never bringing me, and said that I would need braces if I wanted to keep my teeth.
Anyway, I had wanted to get my teeth fixed for along time. But other things always seemed more important. I've been a single parent since my daughter was two, she's now fifteen, so she is my priority and I couldn't afford braces for myself.
Fast forward to now. I decided it was time to take care of me! Knowing that these impacted canines would take along time to come in, if they do, I took the plunge. Unfortunately, I didn't know how emotional this would be for me. I actually cried the day after I got braced at the Ortho's office no less. I think I was scared, overwhelmed, and had finally done something that I had always wanted.
I have to say that if it wasn't for my supportive boyfriend I probably still wouldn't have braces. He said that he would help me pay for them as they are all out of pocket. He knew that I had always wanted this, and was behind me 100%.
My parents never took me to see a dentist. Therefore they never knew all my dental problems. They did not know that I had two impacted canines, crossbites and six baby teeth.
I have two brothers and my parents took them to the dentist and they also both had braces. My parents said that their teeth were worse than mine.
I think I always knew that I wasn't going to see a dentist, so I took really good care of my teeth. Never had a cavity untill I took myself to the Dentist for the first time in my early twenties when I got dental insurance. Then I only had two cavities of which were in baby teeth. Still to this day no other cavities.
When I went to the dentist that first time in my early twenties, I went to the same dentist that my family had gone to. My dentist was upset with my parents for never bringing me, and said that I would need braces if I wanted to keep my teeth.
Anyway, I had wanted to get my teeth fixed for along time. But other things always seemed more important. I've been a single parent since my daughter was two, she's now fifteen, so she is my priority and I couldn't afford braces for myself.
Fast forward to now. I decided it was time to take care of me! Knowing that these impacted canines would take along time to come in, if they do, I took the plunge. Unfortunately, I didn't know how emotional this would be for me. I actually cried the day after I got braced at the Ortho's office no less. I think I was scared, overwhelmed, and had finally done something that I had always wanted.
I have to say that if it wasn't for my supportive boyfriend I probably still wouldn't have braces. He said that he would help me pay for them as they are all out of pocket. He knew that I had always wanted this, and was behind me 100%.
Braced - 10/04/05
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
Re: Why didn't you have braces as a child/teen?
butterfly wrote:Butterly wrote: Growing up I even believed in this BS of being self confindent meaning to cope with your flaws. In my 20ies I attempted to get braces but eventually got scared of the prospect of 4 pullouts. People also discouraged me, telling my this is not necessary. "Anyone who doesn't like you because of your teeth is not worth your friendship". Oh well this is easy talking when it is not about YOU...
Only when I moved to another country in my mid twenties I changed my opinion completely. Here we live under a major US influence in regards to culture and lifestyle. Looks are very important. Women dress up and enjoy looking good. This is not regarded as superficial but is the expected standard. Crooked teeth mean that you are poor and cannot afford to fix it. Noone even imagines someone would refuse treatment out of his own will! After I settled down and married I finally got braces.
It is like a healing process. I am finally becoming the woman I always wanted to be - self confident, beautiful and proud of it. I love my braces and I am not ashamed of them. People tell me all the time it is a good thing to improve yourself. Many are jealous because they don't have the money or are too scared of them.
Wow!! I could have written much of this post!! I agree with everything you wrote a million percent. This has been my experiences too (and I live in the USA), that teeth are connected to class. And everything you said about appearances and the expected norm has been what I experienced, too. I used to try to believe that my flawed teeth gave me "character", but I got over that and I realized a nice smile would be something far better! And looks are of major importance, no doubt.
As for the question about getting braces as kids, I actually have parents who could afford to get me braces, but never considered it. They were very naive, and didn't fully realize how important a smile is. They totally believed that braces weren't ever necessary, and were a vain thing to do. Even though all my classmates got braces and looked great afterwards, my parents refused to get me treatment year after year. My general dentist kept telling them to get me braces, but they dismissed his concerns. So my teeth looked awful, and my parents were confused as to why the boys didn't like me, and kids made fun of me. Sigh.
But now that I got the braces as an adult, I can finally get that smile I wished I had.
Debanded in May, 2006! Total sentence: Three years and two months. Now in hawleys which make me gag! Before braces, I had dracula fangs in their own rows, and everything else was crooked, crowded, with a cross-bite, too!
I will be 22 next month. I didn't get braces as a teen because my dad said he didn't have the money... although I always felt he had the money to spend on other things. He also kept saying "later, later, I'll get them for you." Well, that "later" never came and I had to buy them myself as an adult. I have quite a bit of resentment towards my father each time I visit my ortho, and even each time I look in the mirror and see my braces... the braces all my friends had 10 years ago.
If this post sounds bitter, my apologies.
If this post sounds bitter, my apologies.
Braces removed 10 months early on 1/23/07!
I had 6 teeth out when I was 12 in preparation for braces, but was sick for 2 weeks afterwards as my mouth wouldn't stop bleeding (hence my fear of dentists). I had always thought that it was because mum and dad couldn't afford it - but I found out recently that it was because i was so sick and they kept getting conflicting opinions from orthodontists (one said surgery was necessary, another didn't) so they decided not to do anything.
My ortho (28 years later) said that it was lucky that they didn't just do the braces since braces alone wouldn't have fixed my problem and now it's my choice. So i'm going the braces/upper and lower jaw surgery plus genioplasty route. I don't think I would want to put my children through jaw surgery even now when the technology is a lot better than it was 28 years ago. It would have to be their decision.
Chris
My ortho (28 years later) said that it was lucky that they didn't just do the braces since braces alone wouldn't have fixed my problem and now it's my choice. So i'm going the braces/upper and lower jaw surgery plus genioplasty route. I don't think I would want to put my children through jaw surgery even now when the technology is a lot better than it was 28 years ago. It would have to be their decision.
Chris
-
JumpTheDitch
- Posts: 533
- Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:57 am
- Location: Australia
I grew up in country Victoria where our local dentist (an hour away) was a butcher who didn't wait for the anaesthetic to kick in before he would start drilling. 
I think my whole family developed severe issues with dentists from this guy. I didn't go to a dentist for nearly 10 years because of how scared he made me of dentistry!
Like many others here, it was cash for me too. My dad had just died when the topic came up with the local dentist, and my teeth didn't look too bad. With five kids to raise on her own (and all of us sent to boarding school), if your teeth weren't falling out of your head, they were fine. Funnily enough, I have the straightest looking teeth in the family but now having my bite problems sorted out.
Braces would have been a lot easier as a kid but I'm glad I'm doing this for myself now.
I think my whole family developed severe issues with dentists from this guy. I didn't go to a dentist for nearly 10 years because of how scared he made me of dentistry! Like many others here, it was cash for me too. My dad had just died when the topic came up with the local dentist, and my teeth didn't look too bad. With five kids to raise on her own (and all of us sent to boarding school), if your teeth weren't falling out of your head, they were fine. Funnily enough, I have the straightest looking teeth in the family but now having my bite problems sorted out.
Braces would have been a lot easier as a kid but I'm glad I'm doing this for myself now.
I grew up in the colonies and am of that generation where orthodontics was uncommon. I can remember one, maybe two other kids in high school who had braces. My parents weren't hard up, but they didn't regard orthodontics as important either.
That said, my mother asked me at 15 whether I would like to have braces. This came completely out of left field and without any reasoning. Naturally, I said no. But I did wonder....
Three years later, my wisdoms erupted and my bite went from not so great to pretty bad, with vertical gaps opening up everywhere. At this point, I was referred to an ortho and went to the consult in fear and trepidation. He took one look, said there was nothing he could do and told me my teeth would most likely fall out by the time I reached 40. I was unimpressed and depressed.
Fast forward 35 years and to another country. During this time, I've been mulling over whether or not to do anything about my teeth - still with me despite the ortho's prediction (thanks to a great dentist and a rigorous maintenance regime).
I see other adults in braces, including some friends. I ask myself the question: do I want to reach my 80's and ask "what if?" or do something now?
I go in pursuit of Invisalign (patently unsuitable, which I sort of expected) and end up with braces. Would it have been better having had it done as a kid? It's hard to say, so I don't dwell on it.
That said, my mother asked me at 15 whether I would like to have braces. This came completely out of left field and without any reasoning. Naturally, I said no. But I did wonder....
Three years later, my wisdoms erupted and my bite went from not so great to pretty bad, with vertical gaps opening up everywhere. At this point, I was referred to an ortho and went to the consult in fear and trepidation. He took one look, said there was nothing he could do and told me my teeth would most likely fall out by the time I reached 40. I was unimpressed and depressed.
Fast forward 35 years and to another country. During this time, I've been mulling over whether or not to do anything about my teeth - still with me despite the ortho's prediction (thanks to a great dentist and a rigorous maintenance regime).
I see other adults in braces, including some friends. I ask myself the question: do I want to reach my 80's and ask "what if?" or do something now?
I go in pursuit of Invisalign (patently unsuitable, which I sort of expected) and end up with braces. Would it have been better having had it done as a kid? It's hard to say, so I don't dwell on it.
loong story!
Since I started getting adult teeth they were crooked mainly because my other baby teeth wouldn't fall out so they had nowehere to go. It was a mess. By the time I was about 13 I'd had 12 baby teeth pulled out. It helped my top teeth tremendously and they were almost perfect. My bottom teeth were still a mess. I was told I needed braces and even had moulds done. Then I needed more teeth pulled out. I'd had enough by then and told my mum I don't want to do this anymore. She says now that then I was that upset that she just couldn't force me to do it. I'd been through enough. Then after I left high school I always talked about getting braces but you guessed it, it just never happened. Then one night when I was about 21 I said right that's it I am getting braces, it wasn't until I was 22 in Februaury 2005 that I made an appointment to see an ortho, I needed two more baby teeth pulled out (yes I STILL had them! - and just oddly enough STILL have one but it can't be removed becasue there is no adult tooth undernearth - yeah i'm one of those "difficult" cases!!) and also all four wisdom teeth had to come out. So finally in December 2005 at 23 I had the braces fitted! That's my story!
