Hello There

[dreamrio]

I'm 27 years old and will be getting braces in 9 days. I've been using archwired as a resource for a long time and thought it was time to join the community now that I'm finally getting braces. Like many here, I've needed braces since adolescence but my family could never afford it. When I assumed responsibility for my own finances and healthcare in my late teens/early 20's, the fear of not being taken seriously/advancing at work and not being deemed attractive to the opposite sex became major hurdles for me in addition to my paltry salary and deficient insurance.

I've dreamed of having braces since I was 10 years old and held on to the hope of my parents one day, rather miraculously, having the money to pay for them. I even used to strip the paper off twisty ties to expose the thin metal wire and put it accross lower teeth and pretend it was my retainer. Despite my dreaming and hoping, my reality was being the youngest of 4 orthodontically challenged kids in a lower income family with intermittent health insurance. As an adult with a small income and no dental coverage, it seemed that my DIY twisty tie retainer would be the closest I'd come to having the orthodontic appliances I'd always wanted. That is until a six months ago when my mom's childhood best friend's son, a dentist, moved to my city. He was gracious enough to offer me, along with many others, discounted dental work for which I had been paying for full price and out of pocket for a year prior to meeting him. Upon my first exam with him he brought up braces and how my overall oral health would benefit from them. I explained to him that they were too expensive. When I had dental at a previous job an orthodontist quoted me at around $6000 dollars of which $2000 would be covered. At that point it was still too expensive and didn't get them then, let alone now with the same income and no dental coverage. To my surprise, a couple of weeks ago at my most recent cleaning, he told me he talked to the orthodontist at his practice who had agreed to give me a good discount and that I should go in for a consultation. I went in this past saturday for the consultation and couldn't believe my ears when the ortho said he'd only charge me $2500 instead of $6000. It was a no brainer. In fact, I got records and spacers put in the same day I'll be getting ceramic on top and metal on the bottom. I'm totally stoked and can't wait until next week when I get them on after all these years of wanting them.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to being a part of this community. Apologies for the long post!

[stepher7]

Congratulations! I think most people on this forum can understand most aspects of your story of waiting to be braced. The financial issue tends to be the big one, I know it was for me! That's amazing that you're getting such a discount! Where do you live? (Just a general area, I'm not trying to be a weirdo lol) I'm in Ontario, Canada and it's costing me $6360 when all is said and done. That price includes the records appointment I had for x-rays, impressions, etc. so that was paid before the braces went on, then I put $2000 down the day they went on ($1000 of which was generously donated by my parents, thank goodness) so the remaining cost was $4060 which I'm paying off $203/month over 20 months. That price also includes all of the retainers I'll need when the braces come off, so that's good because I've read on here that some people pay extra for retainers afterwards. Were you given the option of a payment plan? I'm sure the next 9 days will seem to go by quickly and they'll be on before you know it! Welcome!

[ladyksilver]

Oh how wonderful of that Ortho to offer you such a great discount.
Congratulations on your braces journey and good luck. I think finances has been a real issue for a lot of people regarding ortho treatment and most dental insurances don't cover it. Something should be done to promote the overall benefits associated with an ortho treament, so insurance companies will be more apt to covering these procedures. Anyway, enough of my ranting- I get braced next Monday and it's been a long time dream of mines also- good luck!

[TinkB]

That's great that you got such an awesome discount.

This week is going to go by quickly.

Good luck!!!

[dreamrio]

stepher7 - Thank you! I hope you're right about this week going fast - I'm dying with these spacers! Not out of pain but sheer annoyance. I've flossed my spacer-free teeth 4x today because it's all I can do to fight the urge of flossing the spacers out. I'm in Chicago. The price for braces around here seem to be on par with the rest of the States based upon my prior research. The $2500 includes retainers but I didn't discuss which kind I'd have. I'm assuming I'll be getting the Hawley type of retainer. Thankfully, I will have a payment plan, otherwise I couldn't afford this now. I didn't have to pay for impressions/records and I'll have to put down $750 when I get them on next thursday. I'll be paying $103 over the next 17 months which is totally reasonable. Thanks for the welcome!

ladyksilver - Word. He's a really nice man too. I was completely at ease with him and his staff. Especially when he showed me a picture of himself grinning ear to ear in metal top and bottom braces from 2 years ago. Apparently, it's the picture he uses on his practice's website, brochures, etc.. Lol. Congratulations to you as well! I wish you the best. Monday can't come soon enough, huh?

TinkB - Thanks! I truly feel lucky.

[dreamrio]

I just got my braces! About 2 hours ago. They look awesome! Clear on top and metal on bottom. My ortho said since I was so happy with them he was going to make them permanent The whole process wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought. Except for the bit with the little vacuum device that you put your tongue in. I could have done without that. I'm so ecstatic right now. I hope I don't have too much pain to suffer through later tonight and into the week. Oh, and I don't have a lisp! My sister got braces a few weeks ago (same deal as mine, thanks to our generous ortho!) and she had a lisp for a couple of weeks before she adjusted. Just 2 more years!

[stepher7]

Congrats! Good for you for being so excited about them! I was definitely excited to get them on and get the process going, but so NOT excited to have them attached to my teeth for the next 2 years or so lol I'm used to them now so it's no big deal anymore. You should post some pics so you have something to look back on as your teeth change. It's amazing when you start comparing the differences!!

[Harriet]

Hello, That's excellent to be getting such a good deal! I too know how it feels to desperately want orthodontic work but not be able to afford it. I'm 22 so haven't had to wait as long as you have, but can appreciate your circumstances. I'm getting my braces in 3 weeks time and I'm very excited!

[dreamrio]

Harriet - 3 weeks will go by in no time! Congrats to you as well!

[Jensniffer]

Congrats! Thats exciting! I waited until I was able to afford my own too so I totally understand! I have dual coverage between mine and my husbands insurance so its now or never!

[dreamrio]

Thanks Jensniffer! I see you're getting clear braces on top AND bottom. I'm totally jealous I just have clear on top and people keep telling me they can't tell I have them on until they're up really close or I smile really big and expose my bottom metal braces. 2 of my coworkers and my friend have expressed that they may get clear braces now that they see just how imperceptible they are compared to metal braces. Congrats to you and good luck on friday!

[Jensniffer]

Thanks I can't wait! How are they feeling so far? Do you have the clear ligatures as well? I don't know what colour I am going to go with, something subtle but stain resistant I hope!!

[klobird]

Hi dreamrio!

Welcome to the braced!!! Lol--I have put a straightened paper clip thing on my teeth, pretending they were braces...
You have some really wonderful people in your life to offer you such a great deal!! I have a friend who's son needed braces and she was divorced with no money...her ortho gave them to her son for free!!

I came in to some strokes of luck to enable me to get braces right at this time, and I am so thankful!

Have I noticed any changes? Very subtle--but I am older and my teeth will move more slowly than a younger persons.
What I do notice, and it's weird, is that I notice a change in my lips! They seem to be getting fatter!! (Which is a good thing--the ortho is trying to get away from the thin lip, narrow smile thing).

[noveldevice]

Just FYI, I get clear ligatures on the top because I have powerchains and I think the coloured powerchains are really ugly and obtrusive on top, and I haven't had any problems with staining even though I drink all the coffee in the world and eat a lot of spicy food with chili and cumin.

I have gold brackets and really like them.

[dreamrio]

Hi everyone! I'm approaching my 3rd month in braces on the 19th and just had my 2nd adjustment yesterday. I've had no major changes since getting braces but my left wayward canine that used to flare out now points down, yay! I can't wait until it aligns properly. I wish I could show you before and current pictures of my not-so-bad bottom teeth and my truly jacked up upper arch but I have none to share. I lent my digital camera loaded with before pics to my analog dad in order for him to capture my nephew's piano recital. The camera was returned with my pictures erased and blurry pictures of my nephew in sweater-vest and tie. And since then my 8 year old camera just keeled over and died on me. RIP.

When my ortho first put on my braces back in May, he mentioned that he hoped to put a spring over my right lateral incisor which was pushed waaay back and semi-successfully hidden behind my crazy right canine in order to make room for it and to place a bracket on it like the other cool teeth and bring it forward to join its friends (individuality cannot be tolerated in my mouth!) Looking very much forward to the day I'd no longer look like the great toothless wonder, I crossed all fingers and toes during my 1st adjustment back in July for a spring and, yet, no spring came. Yesterday, I had high hopes that I was finally ready and still no spring. :sigh: Here's hoping that the 3rd time's the charm.

A couple more things: I unknowingly broke the ceramic bracket over my left canine at some point during the last 6 weeks. I was bummed to hear it as I thought I was taking great care of my braces and monitoring them closely. Apparently not. Have you ever broken your brackets? Is it a normal occurrence with ceramic braces? I have the Clarity brackets if that makes a difference. Also, my ortho replaced two of my metal brackets on the lower canines for "better alignment". Is that normal? Or did he mess up in the beginning and was now fixing his mistake?

Oh, and I decided to have a little fun with my ligatures and got purple on my bottoms. I stuck with clear on top. I just realized that I better limit my tea and coffee consumption to the bare minimum (I'm an addict with the Starbucks Gold Card to testify it) to prevent ANY yellowing lest I want to be mistaken for a Laker Fan (ewwww) who's decided to express their team devotion through during the offseason/lockout through orthodontia. To any Lakers devotees out there, I'm j/k. Sorta.

Anyways, thanks for reading!