I need YOUR opinion

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#1 Post by **MrsDantel** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:34 pm

I'm getting married in may and I will still have my braces.. (which i knew when I got them that I would have them) I'm a little worried about what to do...

I was told I could have them taken off for the wedding then have them put back on a day or two later for a small fee.. (yea right) $300.00 to be exact.. not an option since this wedding is costing us a pretty penny.

My question is.. since I am not about to pay 300 to get them off I have 2 options.

1. Get everything off except for the brackets (free of charge) and then go back and get everything back on the next day... ( which is a 2 hr drive because I will have moved by then)

2. Get pearl or clear (which stains more?) I drink coffee and I smoke and I dont want an ugly smile in my photos.

I have clear brackets on the top and metal lowers.. any suggestions??
Also I want my teeth to look as white as possible.

I would love to have any suggestions you all may have.
Thanks so much!

#2 Post by **bracesmom** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:05 pm

Well, I'd suggest go with the clear or pearl and avoid spagetti sause (I just learned the hard way) and don't smoke

and try your best to stay away from coffee. If it were me, I'd save the $300 and pay to have the wedding pictures touched up or buy yourself something nice. I know what you mean about wanting them off for your wedding though.

Congratulations to you. Regardless, I'm sure you'll be so beautiful!

#3 Post by **dena** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:20 pm

I agree. I get the pearl and they work pretty well. Just try to get them changed as close to the wedding as possible. Can you go for a cleaning right before your wedding, too? I'm sure they'll do an extra-nice job for the special occassion!

Yes--spend the $300 having the wedding photos touched up if you want. Too much agony to take them on and off anyway.

#4 Post by **MrsDantel** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:35 pm

Well as far as the cleaning.. I have an appt to go to the dentist on the 14th... So I guess that is close enough.. it will have to do...

I plan to go to the ortho the same day... before and after the destist to get everything off.. (except for the brackets) and then get the cleaning then back to get it all put back on...

I think I may try the pearl this time to try it out and see how it looks etc. I am going to try to schedule my ortho as close to the date as I can.. Im getting married on a sunday so It will likely have to be thursday.. my ortho isnt open on fridays... go figure.

I have so much in my mouth as it is.. that my teeth look "hidden"
I have wire ties x across all my teeth under the archwire then powerchains over top of those.. and some doubled up with regular o rings on top of those...

Ahhh the joys of having braces.. I more year..and maybe a month.. cant wait to have them off already.. seems like an forever that I have had them on.

Thankfully my teeth have never hurt as bad as they did when I first got them on.. sore at times yes.. but in the begining it was pure agony and I was taking my vicoden that the dentist gave me for my extractions and that barely helped! SO I am very thankful that they dont hurt like they used to.

So all the newly braced out there... there is hope! I really does get better!

#5 Post by **Dark_angel** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:47 pm

I suggest that on the thursday you go have your wires taken off and have some clear ligs put on and maybe ask the ortho for more so you can change them yourself (which isnt too difficult) if any stain. Go back on the monday and have your wires put back on before your honeymoon.

A friend of mine had a gum infection so her ortho took her wires off for a week or two while things healed. Im sure having no wires for a few days wont do you too much harm.

#6 Post by **stclair5211** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:51 pm

Hmmm....should I say EXACTLY what I am thinking or give the answer you want to hear? Let me think.... Ok here goes...Are you insane!

I can understand you wanting your wedding...no I can not understand. Be thankful for the blessings in your life and stop worrying about stupid stuff like braces in your wedding pictures. Take the $300 and donate it to a charity, hug your future hubby as much as possible and cherrish the time together and smile as big and proud at that wedding as possible! Take a step back and ask is this something I should be worrying about??? Ooops, I said exactly what I was thinking. I hate when that happens.

One thing I've learned in my short 31 years on this rock is nothing is perfect or exactly how we want it or imagine it in our minds. Usually its better. Congratulations on getting married!

Stop sweating the small stuff.

#7 Post by **MrsDantel** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:23 pm

I wouldnt exactly say Im "sweating the small stuff" you see, to you it may be small and stupid. But to me it is not. and for you to say that is simply rude!

For as long as I can remember I have never smiled in any photos.. no matter what the occasion. My teeth have always been a bother to me. So I take offense to your comment. Its not small and it never has been and yes my teeth may be better but I still have my issues and still do not smile in photos....... Not that I need to explain that to you!

I think you need to think before you speak. Dont be so shallow... i'd say more but I think I will keep it simple and clean!

ENOUGH SAID.

As for everyone else who is willing to honestly help me on this I would love to hear from you... if not then i would rather not hear your opinion.

#8 Post by **momof2grlz** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:57 pm

I don't think you're "sweating the small stuff" by being worried about how your wedding photos turn out. After all, your wedding is supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. I would follow everyone's suggestions for cleaning and fresh ligs, but I would also talk to my photographer to see about having your braces digitally removed from your photos. I'll bet it won't cost nearly as much as the $300 you're thinking of paying for having your braces temporarily removed. Also, keep in mind that many of your photos probably won't be extreme close-ups, so your braces may not even show. You may only need to have the close-up shots retouched to remove your hardware.

Good luck. I'm sure your wedding will be beautiful whether you're braced or not.

Chris

#9 Post by **stclair5211** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:05 pm

Maybe if you knew where I was coming from you would understand. I lost my future wife and best friend in an auto accident. So sorry if I think your problem is silly. Have a nice wedding.

#10 Post by **butterfly** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:21 pm

Pay the 300 bucks and enjoy the day!! How many times you plan to marry in your life?? I consider you lucky because I married BEFORE braces and there is not a single picture of the bride with a smile.

#11 Post by **Flora2006** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:39 pm

Honestly, just get clear or pearl ligs...

Aslo, a good photographer should be able to photoshop your pictures and could possibly remove the brackets from the pictures. So save that 300$ and pay a bit extra for your photographer to edit the pics.

Good luck

#12 Post by **MrsDantel** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:09 pm

Thank you everyone for your helpful tips.. I will check into the photographer with editing the pics..

I am going to give the pearl a try next week and then next month try the clear and see which I like best, and then decide

#13 Post by **Shoegal** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:28 pm

Personally, I'd ask for metal tie wires. My ceramics looked best with them and they don't stain. They are tiny and you won't even see them. Good luck...

#14 Post by **jaws** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:41 pm

Hi MrsDantel,

I agree that you should see if you can get someone to photoshop your braces out of the pictures. A good friend of mine had her engagement pictures done when she had ceramic braces, and a friend of ours (who is a graphic designer) photoshopped her braces out of the picture, and her teeth look great! The pictures don't look like they've been touched up at all.

Good luck!

#15 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:52 pm

mrsdental, Have someone take some pictures from a "normal" wedding photo distance and see how your teeth look. If you're unsure, post here and we'll tell you how it looks! You can block out the top part of your face if you're worried about anonymity. Just show us your teeth.

You usually don't smile with an open mouth, right, so will your teeth show in your wedding pictures enough to justify the $300?

I ALWAYS smile with a BIG HUGE toothy smile so mine would show, but would my braces show from the normal photographer distance?

Too bad Halo doesn't post here any more, he's a photographer and he would have some excellent "expert" advice.

stclair5211 That is SO SAD! I'll bet the entire world looks different to you now.