I'm getting COLD FEET

[beth1966]

Did anyone else experience major 2nd thoughts before getting braced IF they were in a similiar situation as myself? I think that if my teeth were very, very crooked and I felt that braces would really make a difference in my appearance etc, that I would be very EXCITED for my b-day.

But instead, I have straight teeth for the most part and would never consider spending all this money on braces if it were not for my bad bite. My bad bite makes it difficult to bite into things and get a grip on them, for instance lettuce slides right through, and it is hard to chew some things on the sides of my mouth but not all - and I am definitely able to eat.

This shift in my bite has happened over the past 2 years. My dentist feels braces to correct my bite are important because a bad bite is not healthy for the overall 'well being' of your teeth. An unstable, bad bite is also probably part of the reason for my jaw pain - however that has resolved itself for the past 6 months. My dentist believes that eventually it will return.

My reservations about committing to this are as follows;

Spending $5100 out of pocket - insurance payments will come every few months for a total of $1800, so total out of pocket is $3300. A lot of money to me.

Committing to the next 18 months in braces - obvious inconveniences, esthetic appearance, talking with them, sores in the mouth, pain after adjustments, brushing all the time and even if out to dinner with friends, rubber bands and the annoyances that go along with them.

Once on being unhappy with how they look - whether they be ceramic and feeling they are too big and bulky or metal and shiny and unattractive.

I guess worst case scenario I can always quit once i start if I am that unhappy - though I don't know if that is a good idea since who knows how off my bite may be or how weird my teeth might look and potentially even worse then when I started - if I quit mid treatment.

I just don't like the thought of committing to this for so long and the uncertainty of it all. I totally trust my ortho 100% - - I just don't know if I can do this. Especially when I have been functioning 'okay' for the last few years and I look okay too.

Here are 2 pictures of how I look when I am smiling;





Anyway - anyone els feel this way and cancel their plans for a while to think about it more?

[betterlatethannever]

I hear you loud and clear. You are ahead of me. I just made my consultation appointment today. People always come up to me and say I have beautiful teeth and can't believe I never had braces. I have a slighltly wonky tooth on the bottom that will only get worse over time, but for the most part, no one sees it. What really bothers me is my overbite and while it's part of me and my 'look', it's always felt oncomfortable for me. I have a long way to go considering I don't even have a diagnosis and a treatment plan but I will do my best not to chicken out.

My biggest fear is showing up to a client meeting with braces. I think I'm gonna feel kind of weird. Do I say something beforehand? Do I just pretend they aren't there? I'm sure I'm overanalyzing...

Good luck to you. I'll be looking to you as a role model

Sincerely,

Carlette

[beth1966]

I'm here 100% for bite. My teeth were cosemetically just fine before starting. I never believed I needed braces! Who me!? None of my friends understood why I got braces...
I SO know how you feel.

Just for comparison though, I'm spending double out of pocket because I needed several teeth removed, etc. And my quote time is upwards of 4 years.

18 months in braces should be a breeze!

Yeah, it seems like such a big deal. But it really isn't.
You'll be obsessed for the first week, and rather impatient the first month. But after that, the clock just ticks by.

No one will notice your braces. No one will ask you about your progress. No one but you (and us!) will even care.
I really do think you'll be pleased with the results though. And you've gotta think long term rather than short term. Sure, you may not be in much pain now. But what happens when your teeth start to fracture and crumble because you're chewing wrong?? My dentist used a magnifying camera to show my fracture lines in my teeth and that's all it took to convince me.

I love my braces! I'm so happy I went through with it. I wish I could see more progress like my comrades here who are correcting crooked teeth... but I'll get there someday.

Go for it!! You can do it!!
Get excited and be happy you can afford to take care of your health! AND you'll have an AMAZING smile to show for it when you're done.

Hi and thanks very much for the pep talk. I LOVE your Boston Terrier - what a cutie! I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback, she is my BABY!

I forgot about my extraction, the first one I had removed 2 weeks ago - cost me $400 out of pocket, they paid 80% of extraction fee but would not pay for anesthesia. IF I have to have 4 more out - the overall cost will go up - so total as of now with that one tooth extracted is $5500. But still as you mention, you are paying double.

At this point I'm not sure any of my teeth are in danger due to the way I bite but I am sure you are correct - and in time that could change. The fractured tooth I had extracted 2 weeks ago had a root canal in it but the pain continued. I dealt with it for 2 years and then had to have it removed for braces. It is thought that I might have fractured it from grinding my teeth at night - do you do that??

[beth1966]

I hear you loud and clear. You are ahead of me. I just made my consultation appointment today. People always come up to me and say I have beautiful teeth and can't believe I never had braces. I have a slighltly wonky tooth on the bottom that will only get worse over time, but for the most part, no one sees it. What really bothers me is my overbite and while it's part of me and my 'look', it's always felt oncomfortable for me. I have a long way to go considering I don't even have a diagnosis and a treatment plan but I will do my best not to chicken out.

My biggest fear is showing up to a client meeting with braces. I think I'm gonna feel kind of weird. Do I say something beforehand? Do I just pretend they aren't there? I'm sure I'm overanalyzing...

Good luck to you. I'll be looking to you as a role model

Sincerely,

Carlette

Thanks Carlette - and best of luck to you too! I worry about how my lips will protrude and how weird I will look with mouth closed since I have a SMALL mouth and small lips.

[beth1966]

Another issue is that I do not want my wisdom teeth removed. They are fully erupted and give me no issues. That said the oral surgeon feels removing them is somewhat risky given their location to certain nerves. The ortho opted to leave them alone and has said we will try to correct my bite without removing them, but in 4-5 months if that does not work they will need to come out. If I don't want to do that - will it be too late to abort orthodontia at that point?

My oral surgeon suggested that, he said if my bite can't be fixed without removing the wisdom teeth, then I just quit treatment. (Obviously incurring a financial loss.) He also said it wouldn't be the end of the world for me to not get braces and just leave things alone - and get an implant in the space where I just had the extraction.

So I am getting some mixed advice.

[beth1966]

Oops - posted twice by mistake.

[tazzle]

I was actually begging to have something done about my bite because of the increasing discomfort when eating and the damage my deep bite was doing to palate and gums.

Although I also disliked my teeth and things like photos never had me with an open smile I would not have had anything done for cosmetic reasons. .

My current dentist was shocked I had not been treated sooner and its not just braces, I need surgery.

Although no one has a crystal ball and knows for sure what will happen ......... if your bite is such the opinion is that you will end up damaging teeth gums .......... imo sooner rather than later should mean less time overall to fix the problem and prevent problems. who knows , in the future you might be less able to afford it ?????

[beth1966]

Another risk I run is increasing pain in jaw - - or the return of jaw pain now that I am pain free.

This is probably the biggest risk of all for me.

[skyhawk]

I'm braced solely to fix a crossbite that no one ever sees. My front teeth are a little crooked, and I do have a midline discrepancy, but again, not something anyone ever notices.

My insurance covers absolutely nothing for adult orthodontia, so it's all out of pocket for me. That's a lot of coin considering we're a one-income family (my wife is a stay-at-home mom). There is a possibility I'll need extractions, but at least those are covered at 80%.

So, yeah, I can empathize with your second guessing. My wife is nothing but supportive, she thinks it's great that I'm getting my bite fixed. Even if that means no vacation this year (or next).

Try to take a long-term view. Fixing your bite now will add years to the life of your teeth. Braces now are cheaper than dentures later.

[dugsmom]

Don't wait...I'm talking from experience!!!! I waited almost 11 years to get my braces. My first visit to the ortho was about 11 years ago and I kinda freaked and decided to "think" about it. My teeth were as straight as can be except for my crossbite which is in the very back and you can't tell it's there. I used to get compliments on how straight and beautiful my teeth were....what people didn't know was that I had lost 2 molars when I was a child so my bottom back teeth were starting to drift.
Fastforward 10 years...I now have bottom gapped teeth, most of teeth on bottom have tipped, twisted premolars, tilted, tipped molars and I started grinding and clenching (because my bite has gotten so messed up and my teeth don't know where to rest). the funny thing is if you talk to me, you'd never know how messed up my teeth are...my top teeth (with the exception of the crossbite)are pretty straight. I did just find out that I have an overbite and excessive overjet. All that's getting fixed...kinda. Overbite won't be fixed 100% because I don't want to have surgery. The only reason I am in braces is to fix my bite. I am hoping that will stop the grinding and clenching and my molars will finally be where they belong.
I, too, am paying out of pocket....100% out of pocket. It is pricey (5,400) but it's worth it.
I just got braced on April 7th and I started getting cold feet the week before. I almost called and canceled my appointment...Thank God I didn't. I am already seeing results...my gaps on my bottom front teeth have closed (just the 2 front bottom ones). they will start closing the other gaps next month.
Just go for it, and don't give up. Stick with it...you'll be glad you did. 18 months is not a long time...I have to be in braces for 3 years.

good luck!!
Jessica

[SnowSara]

I had a mild case and was supposed to be in braces for 18 mo - it ended up being 1 year and it went by so quickly! My teeth were already quite straight but I did have some minor cosmetic issues (gaps), an overbite, and some mild pain on the right side of my jaw. All of that is gone now, and 1 year in braces was a small price to pay. I'm thrilled with my results and can't believe it's all over already.

As people on this site will tell you, most people you meet don't even notice your braces, and if they do, they don't care. I was 27 when I got my braces and found myself to actually be the youngest of 3 people in my office who had braces. They are all professionals that deal with various clients and it hasn't affected them or myself one bit.

It's scary, and YES, the temptation of backing out last minute was on my mind, but I'm SO GLAD I went through with it. My teeth are healthier and I am happier for it!

Does your company offer a flex health spending account benefit? I used that to pay for mine and it eased the burden quite a bit, I saved a bundle on taxes and I felt like my braces were practically free. Highly recommend looking into it if you have the option!

[beth1966]

The only people who notice are the people considering braces themselves. Which I've only had maybe 4 or 5 people ask in the year I've had :

That might also depend on the people you encounter. I've never thought I needed braces but have DEFINITELY noticed them on other adults - for sure.

[beth1966]

Does your company offer a flex health spending account benefit? I used that to pay for mine and it eased the burden quite a bit, I saved a bundle on taxes and I felt like my braces were practically free. Highly recommend looking into it if you have the option!

Thanks - yes we have it, but it is too late for me to join this year, and I have to pay $1500 upfront for my treatment, by the time I begin to save next year, it will be all over shortly therafter at the end of 2009.

What kind of braces did you have?

I also worry about kissing my boyfriend, which I greatly enjoy and I know it will affect that as well as the pain you feel off and on. I've spent 2 years in pain with TMJ issues and am finally pain free, so I don't feel like dealing with jaw pain again.

Thks again!

[Debbra]

At 54 years of age I can tell you your bite and teeth problems will get worse as you get older. I really didn't have major cosmetic issues with my smile either, but the bite was off causing TMJ issues. Incidently, I've had those issues since my late teens, but the problem would subside for a while and I'd opt out of the braces as a cure. It's really important to have your teeth properly aligned and a bite corrected if at all possible...the only reason not to would be if you just can't financially swing it...and who can argue with that? But if you can afford the cost, I'd say to move ahead and get the 18-24 month committment over with now. I've had my braces on since September 2007 and I'm glad I didn't procrastinate any longer. Believe me, if those of us in our 50's, 60's and beyond can do it...you certainly can. And hey, you have all the support in the world right here on this forum. (FYI, I have no problems kissing my handsome husband!) Best of luck to you...whatever you decide.

[*melissa*]

I worry about how my lips will protrude and how weird I will look with mouth closed since I have a SMALL mouth and small lips.

Beth, try not to worry so much. I have a small mouth and lips too, and braces do not make your mouth protrude out at all... the first week it feels like your mouth is huge and everyone can tell you have braces...but then you realize, hey, you can't even notice them (you're getting ceramics too, right?).
I worried alot before getting braces, but it didnt do me any good! I didnt know that getting braces is a breeze... nobody told me! All I heard was the 'bad' stuff. Like, "it feels like you got hit in the mouth with a baseball bat." Um, yeah right, I didnt have any pain! Just a slight pressure.

It will be okay Beth