NationStates Jolt Archive

Prompted by an orthodontist appointment for my retainer earlier today, I was just wondering how many people here have or had braces. I had my braces from the end of 5th grade to the summer after my sophomore year in high school (i.e. last summer).

I had two separate appliances, and I currently wear my retainer every night and have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth. When I look at my pictures from before I had braces and the pictures after they were removed, the differences in the teeth is astounding and I can tell why my parents got them for me.

So, share your experiences with braces, if you had them.

Never had any. My teeth are reasonably straight, though I don't think those clear, one piece braces would hurt.

never had braces so no stories here

I had two separate appliances

:p

Prompted by an orthodontist appointment for my retainer earlier today, I was just wondering how many people here have or had braces. I had my braces from the end of 5th grade to the summer after my sophomore year in high school (i.e. last summer).

I had two separate appliances, and I currently wear my retainer every night and have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth. When I look at my pictures from before I had braces and the pictures after they were removed, the differences in the teeth is astounding and I can tell why my parents got them for me.

So, share your experiences with braces, if you had them.

I had a fixed brace and then a retainer afterwards when I was a kid. I hated it. I discovered many years after, that my orthodontist wasn't qualified, when I read in the local paper about her practice being shut down! She was good though so I can't grumble too much.

Had braces for about 3 years, I believe. Had a retainer that I haven't worn in years. And while talking about overbites with Chandy, I just realized that half my front teeth are on the bottom, and the other half are overbiting; lucikly, it's not noticeable.

lucikly, it's not noticeable.

nothing Mr hammer can't fix ;)

Never had braces. I knew a guy years ago who got them when he was in his forties. He also got an earring and a motorcycle (which he promptly crashed).

I had braces for 18 months when I was 12-13. It was awful.

I had them tightened every 4 weeks, and for two weeks after having them tightened I was largely unable to consume solid food. Now, since I was a very thin child, losing that much capacity to eat wasn't terribly pleasant.

Over those 18 months, I lost weight. But I grew almost five inches. That moved me from very thin to unbelievably thin (think Nicole Richie), and my weight didn't even begin to approach normal again until I was in my twenties.

never had braces so no stories here



:p

The Herbst appliance
http://www.braceplace.com/images/herbst.gif

An expander of some sort. Mine had a key and that had to be turned in the expander every night to tighten it. I think it looked something like this:

http://www.braceplace.com/images/palateexpander.gif

Prompted by an orthodontist appointment for my retainer earlier today, I was just wondering how many people here have or had braces. I had my braces from the end of 5th grade to the summer after my sophomore year in high school (i.e. last summer).

I had two separate appliances, and I currently wear my retainer every night and have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth. When I look at my pictures from before I had braces and the pictures after they were removed, the differences in the teeth is astounding and I can tell why my parents got them for me.

So, share your experiences with braces, if you had them.

I didn't get braces when I had the chance. Consequently, my teeth have worn themselves into scraggly peaks not unlike the Rocky Mountains.

And I'm only nineteen. :(

SNIP

that made my teeth hurt just be looking, can't the doctor just get a Ball-peen hammer and knock them into the right position?

The Herbst appliance
http://www.braceplace.com/images/herbst.gif

An expander of some sort. Mine had a key and that had to be turned in the expander every night to tighten it. I think it looked something like this:

http://www.braceplace.com/images/palateexpander.gif

My brother has that, reminds me of terminator. I was kinda jealous I didn't have that.

that made my teeth hurt just be looking, can't the doctor just get a Ball-peen hammer and knock them into the right position?

I don't know.:p

I had them towards the beginning of my time in braces (4+ years), so I can't exactly remember what it felt like, although I'm sure it wasn't pleasant. I remember the expander making my mouth sore, though. I also remember only being able to eat mashed-up macaroni and cheese or apple sauce on the first day I had braces. I guess that was what it took to straighten my teeth.

I can't find the before and after picture they gave me after they took the braces off, but there was a huge difference.

Hello my name is Fleck and I have been braces-free for 6 months. I can control my urges for dental pain and mouthal damage. :p

I first got my braces in February and consequently had chapped, unpleasantly ripped lips for a month. My teeth are okay now, but I still should be wearing thee retainers at night.

Which I dont, to no one's surprise. I think my worst offenders, my overbite and crowded front bottom teeth, are reoffending yet I dont seem to mind. :)

crowded front bottom teeth
Just get some lower bicuspids pulled.

I also remember only being able to eat mashed-up macaroni and cheese or apple sauce on the first day I had braces

*is jealous*

I can't find the before and after picture they gave me after they took the braces off, but there was a huge difference.

forgot to floss on that day eh? :p

I've had braces ages 9-11. I can't toss around English terminology for them like you do, but I needed them for both the upper and lower row of teeth, and they were plastic thingies with wire thingies attached to them that you put into your mouth and took out for eating (and, in the beginning, talking intelligebly) and cleaning only. They also had that little thing in the middle where you inserted a key and turned the thingy a notch that made the whole thing expand, and it'd hurt like hell for the next hour or two. I very vividly remember this weekly ritual, and untilt his day I try to avoid the cupboard-like thing my mother used to keep the key in.. urgh.

Apart from that weekly hour of pain, I was rather fine with it. Nobody dared ridicule me because of it, and the difficulties with English (I started learning English right at the same time I got the braces), or more accurately, its pronunciation I had after the'd been removed have evened out rather quickly.

Shame is that my teeth are, to a big part, back to what they've been before now (10 years later).

Apparently I don't need them.. but that's NHS dentists for you.

Just get some lower bicuspids pulled.

I'm already missing a wisdom tooth! (It refuses to come in. That might make surgery interesting. . .:( )

*is jealous*



forgot to floss on that day eh? :p

No. My teeth were sticking out of my mouth, sort of, and my mouth looked really large.:p

I can't find the picture, though.:(

nothing Mr hammer can't fix ;)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/McHammer.gif

I had braces and am glad I did (not the fixed ones, though - I only had to wear them at night. Would that be a retainer?!? Plastic with wiring? I don't know!)

Now that one wisdom tooth I have is messing things up and pushing the teeth around. I need to do something about that soon!

I had braces and am glad I did (not the fixed ones, though - I only had to wear them at night. Would that be a retainer?!? Plastic with wiring? I don't know!)

Good to see I'm not the only vocab-challenged person around.

ETA: Okay, Wiki's your friend.. looks like THIS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:ClockFace_Retainers.jpg)is a retainer, while THESE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dental_braces.jpg)nice things are braces. In other words, braces are Feste Klammern, while retainers are Lose Klammern. :]

Which has me having had retainers. Funnily enough, I never knew them to be administered as a treatment AFTER braces, but as an alternative to them. You have them either or around here.

EATAA: There's more weirdness out there than the average German braces victim would have figured.. APPARENTLY (http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/brace-yourselves-kids/2006/01/26/1138066919616.html), wearing fake braces to be bought in drug stores are a major fad in Thailand, to the point that they are looking into prohibiting the sale of such things by law, and there also seems to be such a thing as a braces FETISH (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_braces_fetishism)...

I'm already missing a wisdom tooth! (It refuses to come in. That might make surgery interesting. . .:( )

reminds me of my wisdom teeth when they come through there was a stand of gum over one that was annoying so I did what any reasonable person would do….

I got some scissors and cut the strand of off, after I finally stopped bleeding and crying I decided never to play with gum again!

No. My teeth were sticking out of my mouth, sort of, and my mouth looked really large.:p

Surely you have more than one embarrassing photo of young Chandelier?

I can't find the picture, though.:(

I think your just trying to hide something either that or you don’t trust what NSG people will do with this said photo…

remind me of my wisdom teeth when they come through there was a stand of gum over one that was annoying so I did what any reasonable person would do….

I got some scissors and cut it the strand of off, after finally I stopped bleeding and crying I decided never to play with gum again!



Surely you have more than one embarrassing photo of young Chandelier?



I think your just trying to hide something either that or you don’t trust what NSG people will do with this said photo…

My wisdom teeth were visible on the latest x-ray. Apparently I might be able to keep them.


Probably, but not that I can find right now. And that photo had the before and after pictures side by side, so it was easier to compare. I could try to find one later, though.

I'm already missing a wisdom tooth! (It refuses to come in. That might make surgery interesting. . .:( )
I had all four second bicuspids removed when I got my braces, and that's the only reason I had space for my wisdom teeth.

Unfortunately, the position of my mandibular muscles made it virtually impossible to keep my upper wisdom teeth clean, so I have those removed last year. So I'm down to 26 teeth.

I had all four second bicuspids removed when I got my braces, and that's the only reason I had space for my wisdom teeth.

Unfortunately, the position of my mandibular muscles made it virtually impossible to keep my upper wisdom teeth clean, so I have those removed last year. So I'm down to 26 teeth.

I had four teeth removed to get my braces, too. I'm not sure which ones, though.

Good to see I'm not the only vocab-challenged person around.
Yes, you caught me being lazy... :(
ETA: Okay, Wiki's your friend.. looks like THIS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:ClockFace_Retainers.jpg)is a retainer, while THESE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dental_braces.jpg)nice things are braces. In other words, braces are Feste Klammern, while retainers are Lose Klammern. :]
Oh ja - Klammer oder Schneeketten, that's the question.
Which has me having had retainers. Funnily enough, I never knew them to be administered as a treatment AFTER braces, but as an alternative to them. You have them either or around here.
Mmh. That's how I've always conceived it as well.
EATAA: There's more weirdness out there than the average German braces victim would have figured.. APPARENTLY (http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/brace-yourselves-kids/2006/01/26/1138066919616.html), wearing fake braces to be bought in drug stores are a major fad in Thailand, to the point that they are looking into prohibiting the sale of such things by law,
Okay, now that is weird!!! I never heard of that before...
and there also seems to be such a thing as a braces FETISH (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_braces_fetishism)...
...whereas, (dare I say it?), I've known about this one for quite a while. :D

Which has me having had retainers. Funnily enough, I never knew them to be administered as a treatment AFTER braces, but as an alternative to them. You have them either or around here.


I see. Here, we usually have both. After the braces are done, we get a retainer so that the teeth won't shift after the braces are taken off. Apparently I'm supposed to keep wearing my retainer at night for as long as I want my teeth to stay straightened.

Had braces for just over two years starting when I was 19. They say it's more painful when you're an adult. I also had major jaw surgery involving breaking both jaws, widening the top jaw and lenthening the bottom jaw. Had my jaws wired shut for six weeks.
For the person who lost so much weight when they had braces, you should try living on homemade milkshakes with protein powder. Only lost a couple of pounds.
Also have had all my wisdom teeth removed. It was worth all the pain. I now look beautiful. :D

Had braces for just over two years starting when I was 19. They say it's more painful when you're an adult. I also had major jaw surgery involving breaking both jaws, widening the top jaw and lenthening the bottom jaw.

I had to have my jaw broken to have my wisdom teeth taken out.

I now look beautiful. :D

hah, don't doubt.

I had braces from the 7th-9th grade, and had all my wisdom teeth yanked this past march. I wear my retainers at night, but I think that can end sometime soon.

I only had to wear braces for less than a year due to strategic growth spurt. Woo!

I have braces now. :(

I never had braces. When I was in middle school and all my friends were getting them, I asked the dentist* why he hadn't recommended I get braces. He looked at me like I was crazy and said that my teeth were already straight and I didn't need them.

*To the best of my knowledge, this is what I asked him. I had to do the asking in Italian, so I'm sure what I actually said was much more mangled. :p

never had any because we never had dental insurance growing up and apparently buying crap was more important than my health.

never had any because we never had dental insurance growing up and apparently buying crap was more important than my health.
You'll notice I was an adult before I got anything done with my teeth. My parents wouldn't take you to a doctor for anything less than imminent death or massive blood loss.

You'll notice I was an adult before I got anything done with my teeth. My parents wouldn't take you to a doctor for anything less than imminent death or massive blood loss.

yep, the rule in my house was "if it's not broken or in need of stitches, you will probably live, if you die we promise to bury you"

:rolleyes:

my mom still thinks I am "wasting money" by taking my kids in for check-ups.

I have dental insurance now, I will probably go after the first of the year to get things started.

You'll notice I was an adult before I got anything done with my teeth. My parents wouldn't take you to a doctor for anything less than imminent death or massive blood loss.

my father is a doctor, and my mother is a tad....overbearing. A sneeze had me in the hospital.

my father is a doctor, and my mother is a tad....overbearing. A sneeze had me in the hospital.

:p

You'll notice I was an adult before I got anything done with my teeth. My parents wouldn't take you to a doctor for anything less than imminent death or massive blood loss.

My dad's the same way, even though I've had insurance that pays for any and all checkups and whatnot...

I had braces for three years exactly. I had elastics, but no head gear, and after I got them off, I got permanent retainers. However, I ripped those suckers out within months, and replaced the bottom with a removable plastic retainer (my top teeth I just trust implicitly).

My mouth while I had braces (This picture was from 8th grade):

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6043/bracesbm6.jpg

I couldn't find any picture of my mouth before braces. This picture will have to do. My retainer is green, though.

I think braces can be sexy, but then, I _AM_ depraved.

I had braces once, but not anymore. I also got my jumper zip caught in them once.

I have braces now. :(
Oh, turn that smile upside-down! You'll have nice teeth later on and there's people who are turned on by braces. :p

Then again, I remember some painful episode which included braces - so whatever you do, be careful! :D

I had to have my jaw broken to have my wisdom teeth taken out.


Hahaha....what?

Aw crap, I'm 24 and 2 of my wisdom teeth still havent come though, and the ones that have (the top ones) seem to come down a lot further than the other teeth on the top. My dentist doesnt seem to see anything wrong with it though.

I just hate these threads because we always get people talking about their horrible, disfiguring wisdom tooth pain. I really should stop reading them.

I had braces for 4 years, had to wear a retainer 24/7 for a year after that and now I wear it at night. Though on the plus side, my teeth are teh shiz now.



Though I need to brush them.......

Now that's five years of pain my mouth would prefer to forget.

Got a plate brace when I was 13, just for my top teeth. A year later, that was removed and I had 'train-track' braces on both upper and lower teeth. Oh, and I also had two teeth taken out. Eighteen months later, the braces were taken off, and my teeth were, supposedly, fine.

Six months later I received a phonecall. My orthodontist had been struck off whatever qualified register it was he'd been on because of malpractice. He was also being investigated as a result of numerous sexual assaults on minors. He was subsequently found guilty of these, banged up, and put on the sex offenders register.

I had a free consultation about the work done on my teeth, and it was found that they were not fine. So I had these lovely train-tracks put back on my teeth, and some nice little blue bands inserted between canines and molars both sides, top and bottom. They fucking hurt, and had to be adjusted once a week. I couldn't eat solids for 3 months, until they were taken off. A year after these were put in, I was brace-free again, but had to wear a retainer 24/7 for six months. After that, I just had to wear it at night. And now I've been brace-free for two and a half years.

Frankly, it wasn't worth the time, effort or pain.

[QUOTE=Call to power;12104350]reminds me of my wisdom teeth when they come through there was a stand of gum over one that was annoying so I did what any reasonable person would do….

I got some scissors and cut the strand of off, after I finally stopped bleeding and crying I decided never to play with gum again!QUOTE]

Oh my god.

Didn't you just bite on carrot or something. you're a mentalist - putting scissors in your mouth. aaaarrrrggghhhh

i had braces for a year when i was 13 only on the bottom to avoid overcrowding when wisdom teeth came in. train tracks. i hated it when they tightened them. sensation is horrible.

my wisdom teeth were very well behaved when they came in. no pain and straight and all.

I had retainers... and after them, I still have a slight lisp... :(

i had braces of various forms from the age of 11. from about 15 to 18 though i only had a small permanent retainer on the back of my bottom teeth. i was supposed to have that until i was 21 i think but it broke when i was 18 (maybe 17 i can't remember) so i pulled it out myself with a pair of pliers cuz it was cutting my tongue. i never got round to going back to the orthodentist to get it replaced. before i had my brace most of my teeth were at right-angles to each other, and i had a huge over-bight.

edit: oh, plus i had all my pre-molars removed to make room for the rest of my teeth.