I'm braced!

Message

#1 Post by **GiverSSJ** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:12 am

I'm 24 years old and got braced today. I got the clear ones because I do a lot of public speaking events. My ortho doesn't like the clear ones that much because they're invisible and makes it hard to get the bands around the bracket.

So I have a question. I noticed that my 2nd molars on both sides don't have brackets on them. Is that common for orthos to leave a tooth without a bracket? I will be getting my wisdom teeth out soon so is that the reason why?

#2 Post by **32withbraces** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:16 am

i started out with several teeth without brackets now i have 2 without brackets..i think its to allow for movement of certain teeth

#3 Post by **Lingualita** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:34 pm

Hi there. Congrats on getting braced. I don't have brackets on my 2nd molars or 3rd molars (wisdom teeth). And I've had the braces for seven months. When I asked my ortho I understood it like it wasn't necessary to get the movement he wanted. Not sure if I will have it later on though. So he might be able to do what he wants without bracing all of the teeth.

Good luck!

#4 Post by **GiverSSJ** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:40 pm

Lingualita, I noticed you had the lingual braces. How are those braces, btw? How much more were those braces instead of the regular braces? I thought abotu getting the lingual braces, but I was told they were $2,500 more(is that true?).

#5 Post by **Lingualita** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:01 pm

Hi there,

I'm very happy with the lingual braces. I have to admit that it made it much easier to take the plunge, as I'm a bit (and I would say really in the beginning) self-conscious about the whole braces-process. I don't find them to be completely invisble though, as some do, cause when I speak, the braces in my lower jaw becomes visible (at least in certain angles, and I know that at least some see it, cause a couple of friends I didn't tell about the braces asked me about them, and sometimes you can feel people "looking" at your teeth without saying anything). But overall I find them very discrete and comfortable, and lisp was only an issue for a couple of days.

I'll be paying at least 6500 USD for the linguals, as opposed to about 4200 for regular. (approximate numbers). If I decide/the OS decide later on on surgery, the gov. covers the "cheapest" way to fix the teeth for surgery, i'e' regular braces, and in that case I'll get appr. 4200 of the appr. 6500 back. Since I'm in Norway it might be different from the US, butmy general impression is that linguals are more expensive, sometimes even the double price of regular (metal) braces, and that the prices of the clear ones are somewhere in between.

How are you finding it so far? It's a long journey, but in the end it'll be soooo worth it

#6 Post by **GiverSSJ** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:13 pm

I'm glad I got the clear because I do public speaking as a job(when I'm not at school). My ortho wanted me to get the metal because it would have been easier on him to do adjustments, but I decided to get clear at the end because I will be the one wearing the braces for 12-14 months.

If I had more money, I would have gotten the lingual braces, but I am right now using funds from my graduation party from last May to pay for this.

A lot of things are "visible" in the lower jaw. People who were born in the 1950s and 1960s usually have amalagm fillings on the bottom which are visible when they speak.

Are you going for jaw surgery later on?

#7 Post by **Lingualita** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:26 pm

I might have jaw surgery later on. I'm not sure yet. Will still be a couple of months until I see an OS to explore my options. But my ortho has told me about the possibilities to have upper jaw surgery, lerfort 1, to decresae my lower facial height. I have a gummy smile and show a lot of teeth when I speak. I'm definately happy with the results so far, but to get the "best" possible outcome, surgery might be the optimalb solution.

This freaks me out and makes me excited at the same time. Looking at pic's online of people with the similar features as mine, that looks amazing post surgery, it makes me excited. But the thought of a major surgery, a change of my appearence (even though for the better), the pain etc. makes me anxious and scared. Overall I think I'm leaning towards having surgery if the OS thinks I'm a good candidate. But I'm looking forward to see an OS to discuss the pro's and con's of a potential surgery and what I can expect.

I'm a student as well, and there's no chance I would be able to pay this myself, at least not without serious priorities, so my parents are paying for the braces. They've understood that it's been bothering me BIG time for several years, and I'm glad they're helping me out.

12-14 months is not such a long time. Are your teeth fairly straight?

#8 Post by **GiverSSJ** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:29 pm

It's just one side of my mouth that's "off". I have a crossbite on one side of my mouth which is causing my TMJ so I got braces to correct that.

I was told that I might need SARPE surgery if the conversative treatment(braces) doesn't work.