Adult Considering Braces

[OsteoGo]

What made you decide to get braces? Im still deciding and am weighing the pros and cons. Can anyone help with with a list of their ups and downs with treatment?

Thank you!

[vlsh]

I'm not getting any younger and want to have a better smile!

It's only temporary (2 yrs average), and in the long run, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

I've had mine on for almost 4 months now. The day I get them off is getting closer! Just another 20 months! Better than 24 months! haha

[fosterp]

Its kind of one of those things you always sort of want to do but hesitate because you are not sure if you really want to do it or if its a phase that will pass. The way I see it if you are thinking about it you will probably always have the "wish" for having straighter teeth.

Pros:

More confidence
Improvement in profile (in some cases)
Improved dental hygiene (if your teeth are hard to clean now)
Increased likelyhood of your teeth lasting longer


Debatable pros but in my opinion:

More successful career
Better success with men/women

Cons:

Braces can hurt at times
Some are embarrassed of their braces and feel it hurts their confidence/looks/social skills during the brace period
Expensive$$$
No way to accurately see what you are paying for
Potential risks (root resorbtion, tooth decay, etc)
A lot of adult cases require surgery which has its own risks plus additional downtime for recovery
Potential for relapse
Many times requires permanent retainers to maintain the smile

[daffodil]

I'm getting braces primarily to position my teeth for jaw surgery, but one of the biggest factors in deciding to through with jaw surgery was the idea of having braces for two years.

In the end, I decided that two years isn't really that long in the grand scheme of things and the sooner I go through with it, the sooner it will be over.

[evilnel]

Being embarrassed about my bad teeth was enough motivation, honestly. The cleaning, the jaw clicking, and other things were side benefits. I'm a very outgoing person and didn't want to be self-conscious. I just had to work up the courage to do it, but I'm glad I did.

[smithie]

It began to seem silly to have a significant problem (crooked teeth) that I could easily afford to fix. I spent a year thinking about it, and all that accomplished was realizing I could be halfway done instead of just starting when I got them on. Four months in and happy with my decision to do it.

[Finn]

Hi,
I didn´t want to be unconfident about my teeth, to. They do not look that bad as it could be, but when I was younger, they always told me that my hanging over tooth looks so ugly that I now think about it every time I smile. I want to be free of that problem.

What are your thoughts?

Finn

[bb]

My reasoning was that it was only 2 years out of my life and then I'd have a great smile and bite for the rest of my life.

Like bridges and dentures, braces are also costly, not always "needed" but well worth it in the long term.

[hj55]

I was tired at 53, of not being able to chew properly - due to tilted molars which I'd had since I was in my late teens. I decided enough was enough and 18 months to 2 years wasn't that long. Now after 14 months I can really feel the difference and don't regret my decision.

[mikesmile]

I'm 53, and my reason for getting braces was to correct my long standing bite issues - primarily an underbite. The wear and tear of having an improper bite for many years resulted in major damage to my 4 lower front incisors. I have no problem wearing braces for a year or so in order to fix things right, and I'm not the least bit self-conscious either. I feel fortunate that I'm able to do this, and have no regrets at all.

[braced4secondtime]

This is the 2nd time I've done this, but I was 12 yrs old the first time. The ultimate decision was knowing I was increasingly becoming uncomfortable with my teeth (crookedness) and knowing what it was like when they were straight and how they were years later looking so NOT STRAIGHT I just wanted to get the braces again and get it over with.

Pros: its such a small investment time wise for the rest of your life with a great smile!

Cons: its very expensive, it can be painful, it can play on your self esteem if you don't like your appearance with braces on.

Good luck with your decision!

[braceguy1]

OsteoGo, I read some really great comments on your post here. Most of them ring true for me. As for me, I had thought about getting ortho treatment for years. Recently I felt that I was in a position to afford the treatment and I went for it and got the ceramic braces. I am SO glad I just went ahead and did it because just thinking about doing it will never get it done -ever. The first day you have them on will be 1 day down and 1 day closer to the end of treatment. 1 week is 1 week down etc. If you think about it for years (like me) you will eventually think you could of gone through the treatment and been done with it years ago and been enjoying a great smile for all those years after it (like I am thinking now). BTW, the price quoted by the ortho recently is nearly double what it was when I looked into it years ago with the same ortho. I also went to 2 other orthos for evaluations recently and they were the same price.
Once you get them on, you are done with puzzling and agonizing over getting treatment and then you just have to brush and floss and bear some temporary pain.
Just my 2 cents, hope it helps you or others thinking about ortho treatment.
Good luck!

[Waiting2BeFabulous]

I can only echo what everyone else has said about the pros (preventing future dental health issues, having a great smile, etc.)

With regard to actually WEARING braces I have to say that there's something VERY satisfying about watching the smile change and improve. I've been fascinated with this entire process. I guess that everyone knows that braces work...but when they work on YOU it's like, "whoa". I haven't seen my teeth this straight since....well, never! I almost feel like my orthodontist is an artist or architect of some kind. It's been fun and rewarding and so far, very much worth it for me. I can't imagine coming out of this experience regretting a single thing.

Cons?
- Some discomfort (initially, and then mostly only after adjustments for me)
- I am somewhat self-conscious about how they look on me
- The pleasure of eating has somewhat lost its shine
- I don't feel like I can do anything to brighten my smile until they're off

[bracer222]

I'm in a similar position at 36. I was told by a dentist in 2003 that I couldn't have braces. But my current dentist has referred to an orthodontis saying I can and it will straighten my upper front teeth.

[kas289]

Just do it.

I spent years hemming, hawing and thinking it through. I finally just did it one day. Its been often painful and mostly interesting and I'm thrilled with the results I've had so far.

At the end of the day, the thinking about it was far worse than the doing it