Worries over braces

juby_2002

Penny_Watcher wrote: »

Show him these photos of my DS1

Before




After



Both my youngest children have had fixed braces (DD2 has about 12/15 still to go). Newly fixed braces are can make your teeth feel achey for a couple of days and also after things have being tightened. But that discomfort means that his teeth are moving to where they need to be.

I watched while DS1 had his braces taken off. The adhesive they used came away very easily. They then gave his new smile a bit of a polish to remove the last of the glue and hay presto - Hollywood Smile

The treatment started when he was in primary school - he needed to have his bottom jaw moved forward over a year or so - and then a fixed brace for about 18 months. Even now as a grouchy 15 year old he said it was "worth the hassle".

wow.

his teeth look so perfect,, like he has had veneers on:j

Reggie_Rebel

Show him a picture of Plug from the Bash Street Kids

Toothsmith

juby_2002 wrote: »

wow.

his teeth look so perfect,, like he has had veneers on:j

Veneers never look like perfect teeth to me!!!!!

kettlefish

I must admit, I was none to impressed when I got told I needed braces... and would need them on for 2 years. Now, I think it was the best think I could have possibly done, as I've had comments on how nice my teeth are. Once I had had them on for a few weeks, and was over the initial "mouth ulcery" stage (as your lips have to change shape to accomodate the metal work - I would recommend Anbesol liquid to help with this) I began to look forward to the fittings and changing the colour of the bands and could really notice a difference. There was absolutely no damage at all to my teeth, but I was told to avoid sweets and fizzy drinks. Chocolate is better than sweets as the fat stops so much sugar collecting around the brace, or so my orthodontist told me! I still have my retainer about 5 years on and wear it twice a month, initially after the brace was removed it was every night. As others have said NHS funding is a rare thing and even if a child's teeth don't look too bad at the moment as their jaw and further teeth grow they can be all knocked out of alignment. DEFINITELY go and chat to the orthodontist!!:rolleyes:

mintymoneysaver

My twelve year old has just had a brace fitted after having to have four teeth out. She is a real scaredy cat and says the worst bit was definitely the mould they have to take as it makes you gag! She had it fitted about 4 weeks ago now and I won't deny that it was definitely ' uncomfy' for up to a week. She had paracetemol. I was worried she'd get loads of ulcers as she frequently suffers from them already but so far so good. She hasn't had to use the wax they recommend at all. She did burst into tears when she came out and looked in a mirror, but that's 12 year old girls for you!The only catastrophe we've had was that one of the metal bands on her back teeth came off ( while she was eating something we shouldn't!) but it just popped back on! I really think you should be a cruel mum and make him go, he'll thank you for it eventually! My oldest daughter also had a brace and had no problems with the cement. I think things have probably moved on a lot since twenty years ago!

And penny watcher those photos are fab! I'm going to show them to her right now....

money_saving_diva

I had braces when I was 16 until I was 18 1/2 - I felt like it was the worse time in my life to have braces! (I had to wait until all my baby teeth fell out but they still all hadn't fallen out by then and so the dentist had to help them! I wanted braces when I was a bit younger - I think 14 is a great age for them!)But................I am sooooooooooooo glad I did!!! When I look at pics of when I was 15 I cringe at the state of my teeth. i now smile with pride! I am so glad I had them! Please encourage him to have them. yes they hurt a bit when they are adjusted but a couple of days pain over a year or so, you soon get use to it and you get a life time of straight teeth!
I have no damage from my fixed braces and I don't know anyone else that has.
I hope he goes and has the brace - good luck x

carolinosourus

One of my friends had braces when she was younger, had them off and then had to wear a retainer which she didn't bother with. She then ended up having to have train-tracks throughout uni which I think kind of damaged her street-cred! So make sure they do the aftercare process correctly, otherwise all that pain will have been worthless...

And the first thing I thought when reading your post was that things have moved on a great deal from 20 years ago, and I'm not sure your niece should be telling your son horror stories

Apricot

I had braces for 3 years due to a prominent underbite and the cement has definitely not damaged my teeth and having the brace and then a subsequent operation to reset my jaw was the best thing I ever did.

Honestly, braces do hurt when they are first put on, they make your teeth ache like mad - but ice cream really helped take away the pain. I would never smile before in pictures with my teeth showing but now I quite happily show off my straight, white teeth. Actually I remember when I had my braces off my teeth looked really big and white (to me anyway) because I wasn't used to it but now I get complimented on my smile (I sound so big headed)

Show him some of these messages and to ask his friends in school (surely some of them have got or had braces) and he will see that it is the best thing he could do.

Kimberley

My youngest sons mouth looks like a car crash. His teeth are all over the place and his bottom Jaw sits a lot further back then his top jaw. His Orthodontis checks his teeth every 6 months because he cannot start treatment until all his adult teeth are through. He did mention that after having braces to straighten his teeth he may want to have an operation at 17 to break his bottom Jaw and have it reset to line up properly with his top Jaw.

Has anyone had this done? Has anyone had a child who has refused this operation because at the end of the day the decision will be up to my son.

remembered_nights

Make him have them, please! I have a friend who always tries to avoid smiling properly (especially in photos) because she's ashamed of her teeth and is looking into paying for traintracks as an adult... I can't say I liked mine (especially trying to play clarinet around them) but I am so happy to have lovely straight teeth now, it's definitely worth it. No problems with the cement here either, had mine about 8 years ago.