Going for Consult May 15- have a few ?s

[Nille]

I had braces when I was a teenager. Got them off when I was 15 but didn't wear my retainer like I should have. I asked for a permanent retainer to be put on the bottom but my Ortho wouldn't do it. I have alot of crowding on the bottom now and gaps on the top, the worst is between my 2 front teeth. I went back when I was 19 and got a retainer made for the bottom, the top weren't that bad at the time and he told me that my teeth would never be totally straight. This really ticked me off b/c IF that were true he should have said that at the start of treatment.

Anyway, I am now 29 and have been thinking for a few years that I would like to see an Ortho and see what it would take to get me straight again. I have definitely learned my lesson about the retainer! I saw a new dentist a couple of weeks ago and he suggested that I see an Ortho. He says I would probably only be looking at a treatment time of 9-12 months.

My Consult appt. is on May 15th. I have already made up my mind that I want to do this so unless they come up with some Un-Godly price I am ready to start! Does anyone else have a treatment time this short and about how much did it cost?

They said at the consult I will have an exam and then they will go over the treatment plan, cost and financial options. Then "if applicable" they will do photos, xrays, and impressions. Do you give them an answer that day or do you go home and think about it and make another appt? If you answer yes that day do they go ahead and put in spacers or do you come back for that? About how long after the consult do you actually have the braces put on?

Also, I definitely want the ceramics on top but can't decide what I want to do on the bottom. I see that alot of people go with ceramics on top and metal on the bottom. Is this b/c you don't really see the bottom much anyway or more b/c of the cost?

Sorry so many ?s. I was 13 when I got braces the first time so I don't remember anything about the decision making b/c I wasn't the one making the decisions then!

[KDangel18]

[Do you give them an answer that day or do you go home and think about it and make another appt? If you answer yes that day do they go ahead and put in spacers or do you come back for that? About how long after the consult do you actually have the braces put on?

Also, I definitely want the ceramics on top but can't decide what I want to do on the bottom. I see that alot of people go with ceramics on top and metal on the bottom. Is this b/c you don't really see the bottom much anyway or more b/c of the cost?
]

At my ortho's office u can give them an answer that day and sign ur contract and they will go ahead and put ur spacers in. I decided to go ceramic on top and metal on bottom because it was cheaper AND because you cant really see them anyways when u talk. Hope this helps [/quote]

[OneTime]

They said at the consult I will have an exam and then they will go over the treatment plan, cost and financial options. Then "if applicable" they will do photos, xrays, and impressions. Do you give them an answer that day or do you go home and think about it and make another appt? If you answer yes that day do they go ahead and put in spacers or do you come back for that? About how long after the consult do you actually have the braces put on?

By then this was my second consultation. Couldn't wait any longer so I made an a decision.


During my consult and detail predictions from the ortho. I agreed to the plan. The financial lady came and discuss the plan, term, and the price. I was given papers to read and sign. Then the ortho's assistant came to get me, walked me to the photo room. She took my xrays and polaroids. Given an appointment. I came back two days later for spacers and upper to be braced. Then given another appointment for 2 weeks later. I came back for spacer removal, and was given the option to have the lower brace put on. I took it, rather than wait for another appointment. That was another 4 weeks.
I was fully braced in less than 30 days.

Every ortho is different, depending on the time/day...

[Flora2006]

Hi there,

My estimation is 24 months and I am paying 5500$ CAN...it would have been 5000$ but I chose ceramics hence the additional 500$.

There are defintely people that don't have to have braces for too long. So who knows.

I only met with the ortho my dentist referred me to and at my first consultation, I loved him so I proceeded with doing the x-rays and than made an appointment for the records and molds. You don't need to say yes/no at the consult. In fact, I suggest you "shop" a bit. Unless you have a really good feeling about the ortho (which i did) than shop around. But yeah, you don't need to agree to anything on the first day.

As for the ceramics/metal brackets. My ortho said I could have ceramics on top but I would have to get metal on the bottom. Yesterday when I went for my 3rd adjustment, he told me that I was getting my lower teeth braces at my next adjustment and when he saw my concerned face...he said that we could try ceramics on bottom but that it would be a little risky. The reason why he wants to put metal on bottom is because the ceramics are a bit bigger and they would be too strong for my lower teeth...or something like that. So I am going with the metal...lower braces show less so we'll see.

Not everyone can get ceramics though, the ortho will tell you if you can have them or if it would be better to have the metal ones.

Good luck

[ashantia]

I got fully braced this monday. I had my consult about 2 months ago, but wanted to think about it and do more research. At the consult my ortho came in asked me what I wanted to do, and then told me risks and possible issues with achieving my expected results. Had I opted to do it, they would have put the spacers in then. But since I wanted to wait, when I went in this past monday they put on my braces and spacers. I have an appt this coming monday to get the spacers off (thank goodness!!!!) and put the bands onto my molars.

I too got ceramic on top and metal on the bottom. I really wanted them on top and bottom, but my ortho said they are to abrasive for my top teeth since I have a slight overbite and it may damage my top teeth. Not for sure it would but better safe then sorry. Safety over vanity! Now that I have them on doing full metal wouldnt have been so bad. The ceramics are a bit bigger then the metal and feel huge in my mouth (I am sure this will go away once I get more used to them) Ceramics were an additional $250 for just the top so expect to pay something extra.

I hope that helps. Just make sure to ask questions about his/her expectations on your results, experience with cases like yours, and as far as financial stuff, whats included in the price, whats not, extra charges for broken brackets, if you go longer then your estimated treatment time, etc. All this stuff should be mentioned somewhere in your contract.

Good luck, look forward to hearing your decision.
Tia

[missingu]

Short of bringing up another dreaded discussion on Damons, if you are getting damons you often don't need spacers, but not always.

I didn't, and went from consultation to braced in 5 days, needing no spacers as all teeth had cemented-on brackets. However, I'm the one who got de-braced within 2 months (see the Damon thread, long story) and now will probably get ceramic. I have been told if your bite is such that your teeth hang over the brackets, because the ceramics are "bulker" that the upper teeth can hit down on the brackets of the lower teeth if they have ceramic. I imagine since most people are overbite (I'm underbite), that may have to do with it, but only a factor.

As for time, given the previous work I can see about a year, but maybe in your mind prepare for longer, just in case. Maybe you have a good bite and alignment that won't be too hard to correct. Let's hope so.

[missingu]

meryaten

According to my ortho, he didn't need to band my molars because the Damons were smaller than the other brackets and he had more working room.

I asked the same question, but because I am going to have the larger brackets, I am being banded on the molars.

Just my case, though. Everyone is different and each ortho approaches differently.

[Echo]

My braces were $1995, with an estimated treatment time of 10 months. It has already been 10 months, and no sign of getting them off yet. Not sure why, my teeth weren't even crooked, just looking to improve my bite. Anyway, the day I went for my consultation, I could have gotten braced. They wanted to start that day, but I wanted to think it over so I made an appointment for 2 days later. No need for spacers, brackets are glued to molars just like the rest of the teeth. I'm not sure why some ortho's use molar bands and some don't, but I'm glad I got to skip the whole spacer ordeal!

[missingu]

I have no restorations, at al,l in my mouth. I have fillings in the back two teeth upper and lower, right and left., so I was surprised not to be banded initially.

I can only speak from my experience, as others do, in that I was told I did not need bands on the molars with Damons, and I do with ceramic. The ceramic are significantly larger so this is why, I'm sure.

I simply wanted to provide my input. I kind of thought people here got the idea we all were just talking about our experiences and not fact. Otherwise I'd think 12 months in tx was normal, since 2 people disucssed that!

[Flora2006]

That aside ... I don't have bands, coz he also doesn't use them, unless it's absolutely necessary.

I don't have bands either. I have what KK has, which is a bracket that has a tube...

[Flora2006]

[quote="MeryatenI'm sure you're right - ceramics are indeed quite a bit larger. Point of fact, my ortho only seems (based on my limited experience, I will grant you ) to use them on the front 8 teeth. My molars are banded (due to crowns/onlays/fillings) but the second premolar on each side sports a smaller, metal bracket. My suspicion is that your ortho would have felt able to go bandless with any metal brackets - so it's not so much a Damon's vs everything else, as a ceramics vs metal issue.[/quote]

Yeah that what I have; my last 3 teeth in the back are metal and the rest is ceramic.

[Nille]

Thanks so much for all the info and input! You have all given me alot to think about! I have a better understanding of things to ask at my appt. I will guess that I will get ceramics on top and metal on botoom b/c I do have bit of an overbite. But hey, if it's cheaper and no one sees them then it doesn't matter anyway! And if someone does see them I'm not THAT concerned anyway! I'll be the one with the great smile in a few months! I am guessing I will need molar bands b/c I have those big, ugly silver fillings from when I was the little kid who didn't like to brush her teeth! YUCK! I guess we'll see!

One more question...I have noticed alot of people with the metals on bottom use pink ligs. Is this just for fun or does it help them to blend in with your lip?

Thanks again!!!

[jennielee81]

I think that the back 2 brackets in most mouths are tubes, not regular brackets. These are neither self-ligating nor traditional, they're tubes. Some are on bands and some are for bonding directly to the tooth.

I think it's more what the ortho chooses to use. My kid's ortho always uses bands on molars REGARDLESS of the tooth structure. Why would a bulkier bracket be easily bonded to smaller from teeth but not to back molars?

My ortho uses bands on teeth that the bonding material won't hold on to.

I think this is a matter of orthodontic preference. They do best with the materials they use.
These are buccal tubes without bands

these are buccal tubes with bands

[ssfw]

Hi Nille,

Congratulations on making an appt. for an ortho evaluation. I do suggest you get at least 2 evaluations. I went to 4 evaluations. They all had different treatment plans and personalities. I chose the office that I was most comfortable with and the office staff and assistants are wonderful too.

You can make your decision when you're ready, whether it is that day, in a few months or even longer. My thought is if you know you want to proceed with ortho treatment and once you have found the orthodontist that you want, try to begin as soon as possible because why put it off. If the time happens to be around the holidays or special event, you may want to schedule the beginning of the ortho treatment until after the event but you can have all of the preliminary work done, x-rays, photos, etc. if needed. I waited about 3 months because I wanted to use my Flexible Spending Account which didn't begin until January and I also needed time to make the decision and it was a difficult decision for me but am so glad I decided to proceed with the orthodontic treatment.

Good luck and keep us posted.

ssfw

[Joual]

I had consults with 3 orthos. With the 1st ortho I didn't make a 2nd appointment. I was in such shock that he wanted to remove 8 teeth (I was expecting wisdom teeth, but not biscuspids). Also, he gave me a verbal estimate, but he didn't write it down.

By the time I saw the 2nd ortho I had gotten used to the fact that I might need 4 bicuspids out. With the 2nd ortho I made an appointment for the records and for getting the braces on. However, I canceled those because the 3rd ortho gave me a much lower estimate.

The 3rd ortho's assistant is waiting for my insurance paperwork to go through before she calls me to make an appointment for the records, x-rays, etc. That ortho said that I can keep all of my wisdom teeth, but he did mention removing bicuspids.

I don't have a treatment time as short as you, so I don't really have input on the cost.

I'm getting ceramics on top and metal on the bottom. Nille, as you said, it's because you don't really see the bottom much anyway and because of the cost. I figure that's $200 - $300 that I can save for something else.