Braces and the military

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#1 Post by **girl_with_a_bob** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:15 pm

I just got braces about 2 months ago, and plan to go into the military upon my graduation next week. My treatment time is approximately 2 years. I asked on another site about seeing the orthodontist while in the army, and heard that I can't go into the army until my braces are removed in 2 years. I also heard that if I have the orthodontist remove my braces before my treatment is complete I'll be ineligable for active duty. Is this true? Can my braces really keep me out of the army?

#2 Post by **jaswi** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:47 pm

no expert on braces, but I know a thing or two about getting in the military. They won't let you in with braces. You should be able to have the braces off early and they wouldn't be able to keep you out. Military does NOT have full access to your medical records anyhow, so if you didn't tell them they wouldn't have any way to know you were undergoing ortho then abandoned it. However, I would advise you to keep going with your treatment until treatment is over.. I don't think going straight from high school to the forces is a good idea anyhow, you should get some real life experience in then around 20 or so re-think your descision. Just my $0.02 of coarse.

#3 Post by **Michal** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:52 pm

I'm active duty military so here are my 2 cents. No, you cannot come into the military with braces on. Most of the time, they will make you get the braces removed before going to basic training. Your recruiter should have told you this. If not, ask! The reason you can't have braces when you come in, is because of orthodontic access. There are very few orthos in the military. Another reason is because of mobility issues. If you are doing a tour in Iraq, there isn't an ortho out there to do adjustments for you. So it would definitely stretch out your treatment time. Another item is that the military isn't going to pay to continue an "elective" treatment. It's the old thing that "if the military wants you to have something, i.e. braces, then they would give them to you".
BUT AGAIN, TALK TO YOUR RECRUITER.

#4 Post by **girl_with_a_bob** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:22 am

Hi Michal.

First off, I didn't have braces when I met with the recruiter. My parents made me get the braces after, due to an open bite from overcrowding caused by my wisdom teeth coming in. You are currently active duty? I can still enlist, but I'll need to get my braces off, is that what you're saying? I heard from someone else that if I had my braces removed before my active treatment was over, I would be ineligable to go into the army still. Is that true? I am more than willing to have the braces removed, I didn't even want them in the first place. I look forward to your response.

Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:28 pm

I agree with Michal, in my experience people may not enter the military with braces on, although many people already on active duty DO seek orthodontic treatment. Almost everyone I knew in the military on active duty had thier braces done by a private orthodontist. I knew of one dentist in the US public heath service who was also an orthodontist. ALso, unless they were injured in the line of duty(one young man fell face forward during a ceremony and broke his jaw) it was on thier own dime, but I have read that military healthcare, called Tricare, does offer a $2000 lifetime orthodontic benefit so I'd recommend looking into it. Basically, as was said above by Michal, you're not eligible for worldwide assignment with braces on. I don't know if getting them off before treatment ends can make you ineligible. Michal's advice is great, talk to the recruiter. The people who do the medical screening are called DODMERB(Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board), and thats who your recruiter needs to check with. Consulting your service branch's Medical manual is also helpful, that will probably address the issue. You may be able to find copies of DODMERB protocols and your service's medical manual in pdf form on the internet.

#6 Post by **JPosey** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:03 pm

Ditto to what everyone else has said. My husband had braces on when he graduated high school. He wanted to enlist but was told he couldn't go through basic with them on. He ended up going to college for a couple years and enlisting under the delayed entry program. So not only did he get a bigger bonus because he had an associate's degree, he was able to come in as an e3, and the time he spent in college counts towards his IRR time. So now that he's getting out, he desnt have nearly as much time that he can be called back. I just thought I'd throw that out there because that may be an option you hadnt considered.

#7 Post by **nimo** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 1:38 pm

I wasn't able to get braces for my first 2 and a half years in the military because I was in training status. And now every doctor, dentist, secretary, human being I see tells me that I'm really, REALLY lucky to have my braces. They only do orthodontic work here (Hawaii) on people who need jaw surgery. So the average case of crooked teeth would have to go to a civillian orthodontist, and I'm not sure if the military pays for that, whereas my case is paid for in full.
I would suggest waiting. My case is severe, and I would have much rather had braces YEARS ago than be having them now when I'm 25 and have to have jaw surgery. The military will still be here when you get your braces off. You can wear your retainer in basic (I knew plenty of people who put them in before they went to bed). And you won't have to worry about dealing with orthodontists, or a complete lack of them.

#8 Post by **Michal** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 4:53 pm

I also had to wait 15 years until I was able to get braces. I had to wait until I was in a non-mobility position and had to pay out of my own pocket. Unless your orthodontic problem is a "Health Issue" and not cosmetic, the military will not pay for it.

#9 Post by **girl_with_a_bob** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 5:51 pm

Thanks Michal and everyone for the info. I already have my braces on. I don't expect the army to pay for my treatment, I am currently on a payment plan with my ortho, so no prob.

From all the advice I have gotten here, it sounds like I should stay in my braces until my treatment is complete in 2yrs, and then join the army.

I'm going to call my ortho on Monday for a meeting, and see what I can expect if I do have my braces removed before my treatment is complete. I'll also call my recruiter and get some info.

#10 Post by **Michal** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:28 am

Good Luck!

#11 Post by **girl_with_a_bob** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 2:03 pm

Well, I talked to my ortho and my recruiter. My ortho said he would highly advise against removing my braces before treatment is over. He said it could lead to problems with my tmj, and damage to my teeth.

My recruiter said now that I have braces on, the DODMERB says I am "ineligeable until active treatment has been successfully completed". He said I should enter under the deferred entry program, and enter in 2 yeras after my treatment is complete, and my retainers won't be a problem. He suggested I go to college in the meantime so I can enlist in a better position.

So, it looks like I'm stuck in these braces for the next 2 years. Thanks all for the info. See you around.

#12 Post by **afrederick** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:08 pm

in 2 years you can get an associates degree and maybe even get a commission. good luck, it's not so bad. maybe you wont' want to join after that.