Whether to do braces or not

[megveg]

i am 25 and my parents didnt get me braces and i desperately needed them. now i have the most ridiculous looking mouth and its my only downfall. i wish i had braces when i was younger because i cant afford them now. PLEASE get your child braces, dont let them end up like me. i want braces so bad and cant afford them (((

 

[NotUrsula]

My eldest has Aspergers, and when he was little having anyone messing around with his mouth caused serious terror, so we switched him to a big pediatric dental practice in a wealthy neighborhood because they had special facilities and experience with disabled kids. His younger sister now goes there, too.

When DS was about 7, the appt. secretary asked when we were going to be scheduling his first orthodontist visit. We asked to see the diagnosis that showed a problem, and she said there wasn't one on record; that it was just standard at that practice for all kids to start prepping for orthodontia at age 7. When we next saw the dentist, we asked what exactly was wrong with DS' teeth that would need that kind of correction, and he looked surprised. "Oh, nothing's WRONG with his teeth; but they won't look their absolute best until the orthodontia is done." Um, no ... we are not spending that kind of money and losing that much time from work and school for ortho appts. if there is no real reason for it. (He subsequently told us that we are the first and only insured parents using that practice who declined to put a child in braces. Quelle horreur!)

FWIW, DH has perfect teeth; any time he sees a new dentist he gets asked how long he wore braces. He didn't; he just has naturally straight teeth, and actually, DS' teeth are not that much different.. Mine are crowded and a little out of line, but I've never felt their appearance was a problem. Americans are WAY too obsessed with cosmetic dental issues.

 

[dimimi]

I have never heard anyone say they were sorry they got braces- but have heard PLENTY say they were sorry their parents never got them braces. I have friends that had braces as adults because their parents never got them for them.
People with missing/crooked teeth are judged as low class, like it or not it is the way it is.

I would never even think of it as being an option. We just thought it was part of good dental health, not to mention your son's looks. Also, having a poor bite can hurt him later and cause more problems. Both of my kids (and me) had braces are our teeth are not discolored at all.

I am a high school teacher. Many students are getting braces or getting them off. I have never heard a student complain. (Even when it is a bit uncomfortable.) Since most kids wear them, I think the understand.

I should add, if my child was special needs I would certainly think differently.

I would suggest you go for second opinions as far as cost. We went to 3 recommended orthodontists and 1 was over $1000 with the same good recommendations. Good luck!

 

[diznygirl]

As others have mentioned, orthodontia is not just for cosmetic purposes - it's for the alignment of the teeth and having a correct bite. These issues only get worse as you age. Getting it corrected while things are still growing is the best option.

Starting orthodontia early - age 7/8 - is one way to do this. Spacers can be placed when baby teeth fall out to prevent crowding when the adult teeth come in. Also, you never know what is lurking - my son was completely missing an adult tooth.

Once you hear what the orthodontist has to say, you can use your own common sense and decide what is best for your child in your situation. But please don't think it's all about vanity. And please, please don't thing it's all about money.

i am 25 and my parents didnt get me braces and i desperately needed them. now i have the most ridiculous looking mouth and its my only downfall. i wish i had braces when i was younger because i cant afford them now. PLEASE get your child braces, dont let them end up like me. i want braces so bad and cant afford them (((

I was in your shoes - I went to the UCLA orthodontic school - it was a set price that I paid monthly - I paid it off long before they finished. Check around your local colleges - this might be a good option for you.

 

[DeaverTex]

We did braces on Tex Jr. in late elementary school because he needed more room for permanent teeth, and the dental insurance actually paid for it. If it had been strictly cosmetic, honestly, I wouldn't even have considered it. His teeth are just fine. I just don't understand people who are so vain that their psyche is wounded if something about them isn't perfect -- just like the advertisements tell them it's supposed to be. What's wrong with looking like yourself?

If you can chew, you're just fine. That's what teeth are for.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Thanks, everyone, for so many responses. It really made me feel better about all of this!

I do want to reply to / ask more about the canker sore advice:

As for the cancer sores...often there is a dietary issue that causes them, either from a medical condition or something lacking in a diet. It might be worth looking into.

We do know foods with a lot of citric acid irritate them if he has one, so he watches that. (But I don't want him to be short on vitamin C either, so it's a balance thing.) Is there a specific nutrient to look for in the "something lacking in a diet" part?

In regards to the canker sores I have a few suggestions that have worked in my family. I was plagued by cankers my entire life until I gave up dairy. My children both get them after using toothpaste with Sodium Laurel Sulphate so we started buying an SLS-free toothpaste. Now on the rare occasion that someone gets one (from an injury, or whatnot) we use L-Lysine supplements and/or a homeopathic Borax remedy.

We have changed his toothpaste, and that has helped some, but I had never heard of dairy being a problem. I'll look into it. Are the L-Lysine supplements just an over-the-counter thing?

I get horrible canker sores too. I read that toothpaste without SLS - sodium lauryl sulfate - will help avoid cankers. I have been using it about 7 months and I do think it has helped a lot. I still get some but not all the time and they aren't as severe as they used to be. I found one of Tom's kinds that does not contain it but they are hard to find. Tom's used to be all SLS free but now only certain ones don't contain SLS.

We found a Sensodyne Pronamel that didn't have it as well.

 

[luvsJack]

Dd had braces and we love the results. Her ortho was careful to leave some room in her mouth for her wisdom teeth. I have seen some who did not and more work had to be done later.

Neither of my sons had braces and have perfectly straight teeth. The dentist they saw at a young age did procedures that reduced any crowding in their mouths (not just pulling teeth but not sure what he did).

Dil had braces when she was young and when the braces came off all the enamel came off her teeth. I honestly think that perhaps they were left on way too long and she didn't take care of them. She has had to have a huge amount of work done to correct all this.

I would never not get them if the ortho could show me exactly what was wrong and how it would be fixed.

To the canker sores, if dd drinks too much orange juice or eats too much citrus fruit she will get them. She just takes vit. C everyday and doesn't drink juice.

 

[NewRVLady]

I had my 4 wisdom teeth removed early to allow the proper alignment of my terribly crooked teeth
I feel sorry for those whose parents didn't do it....but it IS very expensive (so don't be mad at them)

 

[kamik86]

I never had braces and am glad for that. I don't know if my parents would have done it as we weren't great off financially and I know none of my sisters had them (but I am 28 and my youngest sister 38 so it was less common then)

However my teeth are almost perfectly straight anyway. I have two teeth that came in a bit forward and pushed my gums to have a bump but the teeth settled back in right... and its the same tooth on both side so its symetrical. So maybe I was just lucky and never needed them.

I am generally one that waits until I see if something is an issue before I get it done. My dentist has been telling me for years to get all my old silver fillings changed to new ones because the silver ones I got as a kid are breaking down and becoming loose. I have been doing it but very slowly. Because my teeth don't bother me.

The only ones I wish my parents had done were my wisdom teeth. It was mentioned once as a teen and was never done as they weren't coming in yet. I didn't get them done until my 20s but it was a pain when I did. However I had better insurance when I had them done and frankly with my parents financial issues can understand why they didn't want to spend the money to save me possible issues later when I could just pay for them myself as an adult.

 

[North of Mouse]

If in doubt of what your own dentist recommends, OP, I would get a second opinion, but if he needs them, I would definitely get them if you can afford it.

But, comparing teeth braces to 'foot binding' - no comparison - not even close!
To me, 'foot binding' is 'forced mutilation'!!

 

[ORMom2Four]

We had our two oldest in braces (now 22 and 20) spending around $10K total between the two.

For our oldest, the results were great. For our younger one, the results were not so great (with same doctor!). The younger one had his bottom teeth go right back to being VERY crooked only about a month after the braces were removed.

 

[Happy Snowman]

Thanks, everyone, for so many responses. It really made me feel better about all of this!

I do want to reply to / ask more about the canker sore advice:



We do know foods with a lot of citric acid irritate them if he has one, so he watches that. (But I don't want him to be short on vitamin C either, so it's a balance thing.) Is there a specific nutrient to look for in the "something lacking in a diet" part?
.

Not knowing his medical history, but chronic canker sores are often associated with autoimmune conditions so if he has any other symptoms, it might be worth looking into.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I have never heard anyone say they were sorry they got braces- but have heard PLENTY say they were sorry their parents never got them braces. I have friends that had braces as adults because their parents never got them for them.
People with missing/crooked teeth are judged as low class, like it or not it is the way it is.

Same here.

Additionally, it can help with dental hygiene to have the teeth in proper alignment. Easier to floss. Easier to reach surface areas of the teeth when brushing.

I guess it depends on how much a person needs intervention. Our cases weren't terrible, but we knew getting braces was the best decision for our children.

Very happy with the results.

 

[Mommee]

DS at age 12 was referred to the orthodontist. I asked why, and was told he had a slight overbite. Other than that, his teeth aren't very crooked. BUT, he is terrible at brushing his teeth and did not want them. We discussed it with the dentist, and with DS, and we decided NOT to go with braces. If he changes his mind when he's a bit older then we will re-evaluate.

Oldest DS had a terrible overbite and crowding, and hated it, so he got braces.

Oldest dd had a crossbite so she did the 2-phase treatment, except that phase 2 is not needed at this point. She has had the braces off for 2 years and her teeth are still perfectly straight.

Youngest dd will need treatment for a cross bite, also. I've just about reached my goal of having that $$ set aside.

Point? Every kid is different. I would talk to your son as well as the dentist and ortho and then make a decision.

 

[pooh4evr]

My oldest is almost 14 and she will be getting hers off this summer BEFORE high school. She will have had them for about 2 years. I am glad we did it when we did so she can start HS without them. Her ortho is very good, and goes through each step with us (wires, brackets spacers..) her biggest issue was an overbite, which was large. OP if your son brushes regularly (get him an electronic tooth brush) and uses the mouth rinses and stuff his teeth shouldn't be damaged at all.

Just when #1 gets hers off #2 will get hers on... never ending cycle! 1 positive- we have to use a CC for payments- hello Disney Reward Points!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I never heard of braces affecting the health of teeth, but then again I'm not a dental expert.

Does he play a musical instrument involving his mouth, either brass or woodwind. If so, crooked teeth can affect his performance (either his tonguing or his embouchure).

Also, I am an adult with crooked teeth. I wish I had gotten braces as a teen.

 

[megveg]

I was in your shoes - I went to the UCLA orthodontic school - it was a set price that I paid monthly - I paid it off long before they finished. Check around your local colleges - this might be a good option for you.

Thank you for your suggestion. Im looking into going to the Tufts dental school in Boston to see what they can do for me.

 

[*pixie*dust*]

DS is 9 and has had braces on his upper teeth for almost a year. He also currently has a palatial expander. He has crowding and his upper jaw isn't wide enough. They are done amazing things in a very short time! OP, if you simply can't afford braces that is understandable why you would hesitate but if you have the means to do so, absolutely get them for your child!

 

[havaneselover]

It's amazing what palatal expander do. My niece had one and it has made an unbelievable difference.

 

[disney1990]

These days, it seems like every single child needs braces. Hummmm