Braces

[anonymous-user]

Did/do any of you have braces? One of my sons (12) needs braces, we sat at the orthodontist today and the nurse showed me NHS “classic train track” braces which would be free. Then some much less obtrusive ones which were just a single thin wire which were aparently around £3,000.

We’ve got a while before anything needs to be done and in our next meeting we’ll be able to find out more about how long he needs them for etc but what experience do any of you have with this?

[SantaBarbara]

In the USA we call them Suspenders

[Chester draws]

SantaBarbara said:

In the USA we call them Suspenders

lol


I was told as a kid I needed them. My parents gave me the choice and I chose not to have them. Don't really regret it.

But my youngest may need them depending on how his come through.
I'd like to think I'll give him the same choice I had.

If it was £3,000 that may well make the decision for me though. (As his teeth aren't that bad).

[Shakermaker]

I had them between 13-15 as my teeth came through incredibly crooked - I had two separate rows in places!

Didn't cost any money though, as I was a child, and they didn't charge for that work at the time. Didn't realise they had started charging for braces now?

[anonymous-user]

Shakermaker said:

I had them between 13-15 as my teeth came through incredibly crooked - I had two separate rows in places!

Didn't cost any money though, as I was a child, and they didn't charge for that work at the time. Didn't realise they had started charging for braces now?

You get the train track ones (metal) free on the NHS but if you want less obvious single wire ones (ceramic) then you have to pay for it privately.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 1st November 17:02

[Dromedary66]

If you're considering paying for those then also look into invisalign as they're even lss obtrusive and generally nicer as it's more of a retainer type solution so can brush teeth properly, take out for food etc... I had it as an adult and it was great.

[alorotom]

+1 Invisalign - I know a few adults who’ve used this method with great results

I was offered braces as a kid but the orthodontist reckoned I only needed them if I was planning on a modelling career ... as an overweight freckled teen I thought this hilarious

Do kids still get picked on for braces?? They didn’t in my 2ndry school back in the mid 90s

[witko999]

Chester draws said:

lol


I was told as a kid I needed them. My parents gave me the choice and I chose not to have them. Don't really regret it.

But my youngest may need them depending on how his come through.
I'd like to think I'll give him the same choice I had.

If it was £3,000 that may well make the decision for me though. (As his teeth aren't that bad).

With the greatest of respect, kids are stupid and I personally would ensure that they take the braces. A kid will take the easy choice and then have to potentially live with crap teeth as an adult.

[LittleBigPlanet]

Dromedary66 said:

If you're considering paying for those then also look into invisalign as they're even lss obtrusive and generally nicer as it's more of a retainer type solution so can brush teeth properly, take out for food etc... I had it as an adult and it was great.

Agreed.

I'm 34 and finished Invisalign a couple of years ago - worth every penny. Some people at work didn't realise I'd had them on for weeks.

Only trouble with teens/young people is the discipline required - you take them out to eat and then need to clean teeth (I was advised that chewing gum for 20 mins was fine) before putting them back in. It's a bit of a pain in the backside but you get used to it. The results/duration will depend on how dedicated he/she is.

[anonymous-user]

Dromedary66 said:

If you're considering paying for those then also look into invisalign as they're even lss obtrusive and generally nicer as it's more of a retainer type solution so can brush teeth properly, take out for food etc... I had it as an adult and it was great.

Thanks for that.

Just looked at them, seems the orthodontist I went to supplies them also.

[steveatesh]

Last year I went for the less obtrusive braces, Quick Straight Teeth I think they were called. Very difficult to see, permanently in place though unlike the other make being talked about.

So you don’t have to remember to take them in and out, but whatever he gets he should clean his teeth after eating.

My son needed braces at 14 (free of charge on NHS) but he declined in case he had the piss taken out of him at school.

He regretted that decision as an adult as he need up paying for it himself and cost him a fortune!

[Chester draws]

witko999 said:

Chester draws said:

I was told as a kid I needed them. My parents gave me the choice and I chose not to have them. Don't really regret it.

But my youngest may need them depending on how his come through.
I'd like to think I'll give him the same choice I had.

If it was £3,000 that may well make the decision for me though. (As his teeth aren't that bad).

With the greatest of respect, kids are stupid and I personally would ensure that they take the braces. A kid will take the easy choice and then have to potentially live with crap teeth as an adult.

Fair point, just feel it would be hypocritical to "force" him to have them, when I was given the choice. 2 years of braces Vs 50 years of straight teeth does seem a fair trade, and I don't think there's as much of a stigma / bullying / name calling as there was 30 years ago.

We've got 3 years or so before it's a question to be answered, and it may not even need to be asked. So will place it in the 'bridges to be crossed later' drawer.

[GordonL]

Semi retired dentist here. Invisalign type braces aren’t suitable for every case and do require a lot of co operation from the patient. Maybe a problem for the average teenager :-)
It’s not all about aesthetics either, straight teeth are generally easier to maintain so less chance of gum disease later in life.

[bloomen]

My gob was destroyed in a cycling disaster when I was a youngling. No one offered me any braces at any point despite the bottom half looking like a shipwreck poking through the waves. I can't say I feel deprived.

[Fastpedeller]

Our daughter had them for 18 mths, and it was very successful - It seems also that lots of kids want braces??? A badge of honour? Who knows, but if it gives them better functioning teeth in later life it's worth the 18 mths. Have to give up fizzy drinks etc (no bad thing!)

[gregs656]

I had them for quite a while. Top and bottom. 4 molars removed to create space, and a canine that had grown behind the front row brought round.

I don't remember it being a bad experience. I certainly wouldn't have ponied up 3k to have slightly less obvious ones at a time when there were plenty of other kids in similar positions to me - different as an adult where it is rare to see someone with obvious braces.

This was 15 years ish a go now. I have worn a retainer on my top teeth ever since - every other night usually.

[98elise]

Both my kids needed them, and had the traintrack type. No bullying or stigma and both now have perfect teeth.

The good thing is that once you start with NHS they will get them perfect rather then just cosmetically ok. That means sorting out problems with overbite etc.

[sideways sid]

gregs656 said:

I had them for quite a while. Top and bottom. 4 molars removed to create space, and a canine that had grown behind the front row brought round.

I don't remember it being a bad experience. I certainly wouldn't have ponied up 3k to have slightly less obvious ones at a time when there were plenty of other kids in similar positions to me...

Same here. Had awfully crooked teeth as a kid, and had a couple of years of tramline treatment by an consultant orthodontist on the NHS during my early teens. No problem at school and managed to swing a few mornings off to go for adjustments etc.

I'm glad I had them as I had great teeth as a sixteen year old, which with hindsight was probably one less thing to worry about.

[GCH]

Inman aligner

[FreeLitres]

I had the old fashioned "train tracks" when I was a kid. Quite a few kids had them as school and I don't remember anyone taking the mick to be honest.

I have always been extremely powerful though.