Braces!

[pixie921]

My son is missing two teeth in the bottom sides also. He has been in braces for going on four years now. We have paid over $5,000 because we have no orthodontic insurance at all. We are now in the process of closing all the gaps from the two missing teeth and he should be out of them in 8 to 12 more months. At first we thought we were going to have to go with implants also, but a new thing has come out they call TADS. They put a titanium screw into the bone and attach a wire from that screw to the back molars to pull the molars forward. The front teeth are not strong enough themselves to pull the molars forward but the screw is. It is not a painful process, he has already had them put in. This will take care of any gaps and no bridges or implants will be nessecary in his future. You may want to inquire with your orthodontist about this new procedure.

I will definitely ask about the TADS at his appointment next week! His ortho is pretty progressive, but that's not an option that they've mentioned yet. I'm going to see what kind of info I can gather so I go in prepared. Thanks so much for mentioning it!

Ds is wearing the "speed braces" which are the kind where they photomap the teeth and the ortho uses a computer to design custom wires to align the teeth. He's having his first custom wire put on next week. This method is supposed to knock 4-6 months off the process.

His braces cost us over $6K, but we're so pleased with the process so far that we feel it was worth the extra cost over the other orthos we consulted. I wish all medical offices were run as efficiently as this office -- we actually get seen on time, every time, and the staff is super.

 

[sallysue66]

OMG I hear ya, we just went today too!! Have the same 1k coverage on orthadontia and my 13 yr old is thrilled too. I on the other hand am p*ssed. This is a kid w/perfect teeth. EXCEPT finally lost her last baby molar all the way in the back on the left and the thing is growing in sideways! WTH?? She needs a whole mouth full of braces to turn one tooth. I questioned this and he said that moving that tooth will cause her teeth to shift and the top and the bottom may not line up anymore, but no worries she'll be back to perfect when we're done. ggggrrrr I'm not happy as her 11 yr old sister definitely needs them and I don't relish doing both at the same time. Lets hope the 8yr olds teeth grow in straight. Don't you ever wonder why all kids need braces now but when we were growing up hardly anyone did? I'm from a family of 5 kids and all of us have perfect teeth. My husband and his sister have perfect teeth why do our kids have so many problems?

I have to tell ya...As a teen I had one tooth that was crooked, the ortho put braces on just my front 6 teeth and "anchored" on the back teeth. I wore the braces for about 2 years, did the retainer thing, then slowly over the years, the tooth turned almost completly back to how it was before braces. So, just before my middle child got his braces off I decided to ask his ortho about the costs of fixing mine, I figured since it was just the one tooth i could get by with the same thing I had before. Turns out, the old ortho that did mine really messed me up. My top row of teeth aren't shaped like a U, they actually curve inward on both sides, the result of forcing the first six out and not bracing the rest.

 

[runwad]

I have to tell ya...As a teen I had one tooth that was crooked, the ortho put braces on just my front 6 teeth and "anchored" on the back teeth. I wore the braces for about 2 years, did the retainer thing, then slowly over the years, the tooth turned almost completly back to how it was before braces. So, just before my middle child got his braces off I decided to ask his ortho about the costs of fixing mine, I figured since it was just the one tooth i could get by with the same thing I had before. Turns out, the old ortho that did mine really messed me up. My top row of teeth aren't shaped like a U, they actually curve inward on both sides, the result of forcing the first six out and not bracing the rest.

Ya Im sure he's doing the right thing by her, I'm just upset. My neighbor used to work for this ortho and recommended him to me because she said he's conservative and doesn't do things just to do them, so i have to trust her because she worked there a long time and should know. I just don't relish having 2 kids in braces at the same time.

 

[palmtreegirl]

DD is getting speed braces tomorrow morning, the total cost for treatment is 3500.00.

 

[MrsPete]

This is a kid w/perfect teeth. EXCEPT finally lost her last baby molar all the way in the back on the left and the thing is growing in sideways! WTH?? She needs a whole mouth full of braces to turn one tooth. I questioned this and he said that moving that tooth will cause her teeth to shift and the top and the bottom may not line up anymore, but no worries she'll be back to perfect when we're done

I wouldn't pay 5-6K to turn ONE TOOTH, especially since it's in the back. I'd at least get a second opinion before doing it.

Don't you ever wonder why all kids need braces now but when we were growing up hardly anyone did?

No, I don't question that. It's not uncommon for me to notice that a person my age has crooked teeth. We weren't raised in the era of "I must provide everything possible for my kid".

I think the "everyone has them" mentality today comes from two things: 1) Parents today are raising fewer children, which means that they have the time and money to be insistant about things that previous generations considered "acceptable". 2) People today are more willing to borrow money.

He's missing two teeth on either side of the front of his mouth so once the braces come off, he'll either have to wear bridges or get implants.

I'd like input on this situation, please: My days-from-16-year old just got her braces off, and she's in a bad situation now. She had one baby tooth (no adult tooth above it) and the ortho straightened it along with the adult teeth. It's a large baby tooth, and it's sort of mid-way to the back. When we started the braces three years ago the ortho and the dentist agreed that this was the route to take, and we'd HOPE that the baby tooth would stay in for years. He said it was quite possible that we'd keep the tooth 'til she's 35 or 40. Now the dentist now says that we didn't get lucky; the baby tooth probably has six months left (x-rays show that the roots are shrinking), and then it'll be gone, leaving a hole in her perfect teeth.

The dentist talked to us about options, showed us models, and it seems clear to me that the implant is the way to go. It doesn't look pleasant to get done, but it seems to be the most permanant, easiest to care for option for the future.

Here's the rub: Our dentist says he won't do it 'til she's 21. He says that she may still be growing 'til then, and IF that happens she'd have a mess in her mouth. So that leaves her with FIVE YEARS without a tooth. He wants to put a fake tooth into her retainer and have her wear it 24 hours a day (except when she eats).

I do not love this solution, and neither does she. I would much rather just plan to keep the baby tooth as long as possible, but the day it becomes clear that it's on its way out, we'd put the dentist on alert that we want to schedule the implant.

I'm definitely going to get a second opinion on this, but has anyone else been in a similar situation? Any suggestions before I start looking for another dentist to consult?

I would say the cosmetic benefits alone justify braces everytime. Every kid needs great teeth, as perfection is the accepted norm.

If a kid has noticeably crooked teeth, then I agree that parents should do everything they can to get braces for the child. My girls were not in the questionable range at all, and we never even discussed whether to pay: It was a need.

But then there are kids like my niece, who has a set of teeth that're perfectly straight and well-proportioned . . . except for one incisor that's a bit crooked. In a case like that it's not worth the cost, the time investment, and the pain to the child to straighten something very, very minor.

None of us have infinite resources. You have to compare the need for braces against the cost . . . and then use common sense to determine what's right for the individual situation. Realistically, for some kids the question might be, "Should I fix this minor problem, or invest that money and use it to pay for her freshman year of college?"

 

[mamalle]

wow its been a year since this thread was started! dd is near the end of her phase I and we paid it off in Feb. Her smile is beautiful. Now we have ds in a palate expander as soon as we paid off dd. Mine are still on and wow what a difference!!! Im in them the longest and have another year to go and 8 more payments for myself. ds total is just about what we paid for dd $3400 I believe and we pay half of that with insurance.

 

[NMW]

OMG I hear ya, we just went today too!! Have the same 1k coverage on orthadontia and my 13 yr old is thrilled too. I on the other hand am p*ssed. This is a kid w/perfect teeth. EXCEPT finally lost her last baby molar all the way in the back on the left and the thing is growing in sideways! WTH?? She needs a whole mouth full of braces to turn one tooth. I questioned this and he said that moving that tooth will cause her teeth to shift and the top and the bottom may not line up anymore, but no worries she'll be back to perfect when we're done. ggggrrrr I'm not happy as her 11 yr old sister definitely needs them and I don't relish doing both at the same time. Lets hope the 8yr olds teeth grow in straight. Don't you ever wonder why all kids need braces now but when we were growing up hardly anyone did? I'm from a family of 5 kids and all of us have perfect teeth. My husband and his sister have perfect teeth why do our kids have so many problems?

I don't think a lot of adults that didn't have braces have perfect teeth. Maybe it's just something I notice, but I see adults all the time that I think should have had braces. Mostly older than me though. I think many adults my age (38) had braces as kids. My brothers and I did. So did my husband and his brother.

My oldest son should be done with braces in the fall. That should be jus tin time for my middle son to get them on in the winter. Then I have my daughter that at 8, my dentist told me to get ready for braces...

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Glad to hear it was a success.

DD15 got her braces on about 7 years ago. She got them off 2 year later and has the most amazing smile. Hers cost $5100. I cried when I found out how much they would be and some people told me he was too expensive but our very trusted pedetrician takes his 4 kids there so we went with him. He was so worth the money and I am so glad we went with him. DD10 needed 2 rounds of braces. He said round 1 was our option so we didn't do it but then she fell and hurt the front tooth (thankfully it was OK), after that we saw why he recomended it and went ahead and did it. Her bill is $7200 and she is on her phase 2 of braces plus has a herbst and is doing well. We owe another year and a half but again, I feel it is worth it. DD8 goes for her next visit in a couple weeks, but I know she still has time before she starts (though she will need them, hers look just like her sisters') but he likes to see how they are growing from about age 7 on. He doesn't charge till you start so thankfully all these check ups are free.

Itis a crazy amount of money but if you saw DD15 before and after, you would say it was worth 10 times what we paid. SHe had such an awful bite and now her smile is amazing!

 

[penn19]

My DS16 just got his braces off last week. An "emergency" taking off......He has had them on for 2.5 years. The ortho said 1.5 years. Next time, next time she would say. So during this time she (and the dentist) noticed that his front teeth had started to decay. Brush your teeth better they said. Well last week at his cleaning the dentist was like Yikes! It's getting bad. So I made the decision to have them taken off. Who cares if his teeth are straight if he doesn't have any left! So now in addition to the $5,000 dropped for the braces, I am looking at some serious change to fix the decay, and oh by the way he has some white on white spots on his teeth (which he has had since he was little), so we would like that fixed also.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd13 is wearing them ($6300 - insurance covers $1000), and 3 others definitely need them, and one can go either way (according to the orthodontist). When my mom was growing up, it was rare to have braces. When I was growing up, a lot of kids had them, but many who had slightly crooked teeth didn't. These days, unless the kid has perfect teeth, braces are put on. I really think that when my kids are adults, their peers will all have perfectly straight teeth, and I'd hate for my child to be at a disadvantage in life. Yes, appearance does count, especially in the workplace.

Ds11 has an appointment today, and I've giving the green light.

 

[tink1969]

Boy do I know the feeling! My DD just had top/bottom braces put on 4 days ago. $6800 later....whaaaat? I sure chose the wrong profession.
My insurance covers $2000 which is better than nothing. But now I have a monthly payment of $250..

 

[txaggiemomof3]

Funny to see this thread I'm about to go pick up my daughter to get her braces put on today! I took her to 5 different orthos for consults before picking one. Our cost will be about $2500 after our insurance discount (he's a preferred provider) and our ortho benefit ($1000) kick in. She is our first child to get braces and I have two more to go. I used to think my kids were expensive as babies - they are MUCH more expensive now!!!

 

[MrsPete]

and oh by the way he has some white on white spots on his teeth (which he has had since he was little), so we would like that fixed also.

That's probably de-calcification, which doesn't really have a fix.

My daughter has that too, and I learned AFTER THE FACT that these are very common after braces. This is just one more reason not to put braces on kids who have very minor orthodontic needs. They sometimes do have unintended results.

 

[princessmom29]

I agree about not doing braces for minor problems. I have a very small gap between my top front teeth, and the ortho fferd braces to move everything together and correct it. Mom said no and I am glad she did. Iti s not worth all that pain and expense to fix something no one notices anyway.

 

[palmtreegirl]

wow its been a year since this thread was started!

lol I didn't even notice how old the thread was, I did a search for braces and found it.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

I started this thread over a year ago and I was shocked when I did my daily morning check of the DIS Budget Board today and saw it on page one.

My DD has had her braces for almost a year now and her teeth look great. She should have them taken off late this year - - that is if she can remember to wear her rubber bands! She takes them out to eat and then forgets to put them back on.

Only 7 more payments!!!

 

[penn19]

That's probably de-calcification, which doesn't really have a fix.

My daughter has that too, and I learned AFTER THE FACT that these are very common after braces. This is just one more reason not to put braces on kids who have very minor orthodontic needs. They sometimes do have unintended results.

They are talking about veneers possibly? The Ortho painted this gloomy picture if my son didn't get the braces. So I took the bite. Truthfully, he probably would have been ok with out them. But I didn't get them, and even though my teeth are straight, I have some bite issues. Always wish I had got them, but with 6 kids, my parents felt good enough was good enough!

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

Thanks everyone for sharing - we just started the first of triplets in braces - luckily the other two still have baby teeth so their braces will go on only next year some time. Hope we'll finish paying for triplet #1 before starting on #2 and #3! Not to mention their younger brother... Well, it's something we've been waiting to deal with since they were born. Like one poster said, you just do it. They're going to have such great smiles