Metal Mouth Message Board

I went to my dentist a week ago for my regular cleaning/checkup. I have worn a nightguard for years for teeth grinding. (I've chipped 2 teeth within the last year because of it). My dentist suggested that I see an orthodontist who could help correct my bite. I wore braces in Jr. High (I am now 35). I am open to the possibility of wearing them again if they would help. My problem is not so much cosmetic (although therre are some things I'd like to change---I have a slight overjet and bottom crowding; I also have some minimal spacing along my upper set of teeth which I didn't have before). My dentist even thought my problem could be corrected with Invisalign, but after reading some of the comments about it, I think I'd opt for the regular braces! (What do you guys think?)

I finally made my appointment with the ortho my dentist suggested for my first consult (which is next Wednesday). The office already sent me some paperwork to fill out to bring back with me. I'm a little scared about what the ortho might say. I know I won't be having my x-rays, etc. done then, but I hope he can give me a fairly clear picture about what can be done.

I almost feel a little selfish for doing all of this. (My husband probably needs braces worse than I do). We're in pretty good financial shape, but my dental insurance unfortunately doesn't cover orthodontics for patients over age 19. Anyway, sorry for the rambling, but I just had to vent. Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated!!

I remember the months leading up to getting braces for me were a mix of anxiety and excitement (I had records made Dec '05 and didn't get braced until just last week, so I had a few months to stew on it). I was nervous because I was getting big metal things glued on my teeth with wires running through them, but I was excited because I knew once I got my braces I'd be going down a road towards healthier and straighter teeth, so I definitely know how you feel.

It seems like my problem was similar to yours. I was grinding my teeth at night and prematurely wearing down my teeth. I wore a nightguard, but I knew it was only a temporary fix, so I took the plunge and got braces.

My dental insurance doesn't cover adult orthodontics either (I'm 23) but you should look to see if your employer has any sort of Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) program. I use an FSA, and basically you use pre-tax dollars to pay for your medical expenses not covered by insurance and you save a lot on taxes that way.

Hope this helps. Good luck

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It definitely helps to hear what other people have gone through with consultations and treatment. I actually saw an orthodontist about 7 years ago for a TMJ-related problem (I was having a lot of jaw pain---probably due to stress). I wore a splint at the time to lessen the clenching at night (although I find the soft-plastic nightguard my current dentist made me much easier to wear at night). This orthodontist said at the time I could benefit from braces, but I never followed up (I was teaching high school at the time). Now that I'm home with my young daughter, I know I wouldn't be as self-conscious about getting treatment. (Plus, we are in better financial shape, even without my husband's insurance covering treatment for someone my age).

Thanks for the reponses and I'll keep you posted!!

I considered Invisalign but after reading a lot about it online, I decided against it. I guess it doesn't matter anyways because my ortho told me they weren't an option.
I've heard that a lot of people aren't satisfied with the results. But there are also people who are satisfied. I goes that goes for anything really.
The thing that turned me off was that a lot of people were saying they still needed traditional braces even after they had used Invisalign for their whole treatment time.
I figured if I'm going to run the risk of having to get traditional braces after paying all of this money for Invisalign, why not just get the traditional braces in the first place?
I just googled Invisalign and came up with a bunch of message boards for people who use Invisalign. They really helped out.
Invisalign may not even be an option. I hear it's usually for people with crowding.. not for sure though.

I'm still covered under my mom's dental insurance but they don't cover orthodontics. We found a really great orthodontist that is working with us financially.

Anyways, goodluck with everything!!