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I've been visiting this site for a few months now, and I finally got the chance to join and post! Let me introduce myself...
I'm a 16-year-old upcoming Junior in high school, and I got braced on June 8, 2006. I've been looking at getting braces since I was in the 7th grade, but unfortunately, my mom couldn't afford them until I was put on my dad's insurance just recently.
I will have to wear my braces for a minimum of 20 months, which means that if I follow all of the rules, and wear my rubberbands properly, I can have them off before I graduate in June 2008!
congratulations on getting braced. you are quite young still, and believe me, things are faster and easier for the younger bracket users. Just do things correctly, be careful not to interrupt the process, and your teeth will be straight and nice for those graduation pics.
KK, this is from the American Association of Orthodontists:
Can orthodontic treatment do for me what it does for children?
Yes. Healthy teeth can be moved at any age. Many orthodontic problems can be corrected as easily for adults as for children. Orthodontic forces move the teeth in the same way for both adults and children, but adult treatment may take longer due to the maturity of the bone. Complicating factors, such as lack of jaw growth, may create different treatment planning needs for the adult. This is why a consultation with an orthodontist, the dental specialist who aligns teeth and jaws of patients of all ages, is essential.
Most other sites just mention that orthodontic treatment might be more difficult or involve surgery or extra appliances due to the maturity of adult bones.
However, I know many teenagers that have been in braces 2.5-4 years and I am only looking at 12 months. It really does depend on the nature of the problem being fixed, and the skill of the ortho.
Best of luck, jmpmntwnty3! I have been told my estimated treatment time is 9-12 months, and my graduation from uni is 9 months and 9 days post B-Day, so my fingers are crossed.... but I am more than prepared to graduate with a beautiful shiny smile!
Banded 22 June 2006.
Debanded 24 July 2007.
Loving it!
