31 year old dental assistant considering braces.

[anitahansen]

Hi!

I'm a new member here. I think I have a fairly decent set of teeth. I had braces when I was younger, but my teeth has been shifting some, and I'm considering braces to get them back inline. I mostly looking for experiences with short time braces, and possibly lingual braces. If I go ahead with my braces, I will of course share my story here.

Has anyone here tried braces during a short time span, like the 6 month smile or similar?

Anita.

[touchofhiddencharm]

I have a friend that did six months braces and i was considering it so i did a lot of research. Her teeth are fairly straight but her bite seems off (they only focus on straight teeth, not jaw placement or bite problems). Since you've had braces before, you should be a perfect match for the six month braces because they don't have to worry about that aspect. Check it out. Oh, and i don't think you should get lingual braces. Ive heard they're very hard to clean and keep clean and a pain for techs and orthos. But do what works with you!! Cant wait to see!

[Yusra]

[quote="anitahansen"]Hi!

I'm a new member here. I think I have a fairly decent set of teeth. I had braces when I was younger, but my teeth has been shifting some, and I'm considering braces to get them back inline. I mostly looking for experiences with short time braces, and possibly lingual braces. If I go ahead with my braces, I will of course share my story here.

Has anyone here tried braces during a short time span, like the 6 month smile or similar?

Anita.[/quote]

I got braces (normal front braces) for 6 months before my wedding. It made A LOT of difference! Go for it, just go for normal braces for 6 months

[anitahansen]

Thank you for your feedback! I do see your point about lingual braces being more difficult for the orthodontist, but I'm having a hard time accepting that I should put those very visible brackets on my front teeth, I feel I will look like a kid again :)

With ceramic braces, you still need a metal wire right?

[EbonyQ]

I´m a dental assistant with metal braces. Worked as a general dental assistant when I got my braces but today I work as a ortho assistant.

Wearing braces (metal braces) while being a dental assistant is a very positive thing. People ask you about them and you will be surprise how many adults who wants them but feel they are too old.

Had it not been for my dental phobia then I would have finished my treatment in both jaws but now I only have in one jaw (after wearing full braces for 1,5 years). My dental phobia was too strong for me to handle (you can read my story “can I do it” at the braces story section).

If your teeth bothers you then go for braces and as a dental assistant you don´t need to worry about what people will think about you with braces. You might be able to help other adults who wants braces but don´t know how to get started

[anitahansen]

Thank you so much EbonyQ! Your really put things into a different perspective for me! I'm gonna read your story, and think trough all if this again, hopefully with a new mindset

[Angel269]

I had ceramics, with a coated archwire. Many people I knew never even noticed them. I found that as an adult for me the only way to go was with ceramics

[Yeej]

@anitahansen: I got braces put on three months after I turned 31. So I totally hear ya!

I've had my braces on since October 2012, just last year. So I just wanted to encourage you – you are definitely never too old to be wearing braces or to be looking geeky! At the time I approached my orthodontist, I was keen to get Invisalign, but he flat out recommended I go for regular braces instead because to him they are far more effective and quicker. Like @Angel269, I opted for ceramic braces, and to be honest, many people have said to me that they never even noticed I was wearing braces until they got to looking at me up close. The metal wire is not really that obvious with tooth-coloured brackets.

And you know, time really does fly. My teeth were not terribly crooked, and he said he expected to have me fixed in a year "or possibly even less". I went for a visit just yesterday, and he's told me that I might be done in three or four more visits. So 6 months (give or take a few) will really fly by.

The reason I had the guts to go for braces as an adult was that I had started seeing many other adults with braces, and realised it wasn't so bad at all. After I started wearing them, a few friends started getting them too – until I got them, they had simply assumed they were too old. So there! Plus, looking like a teenager again in your 30s is really not a bad thing at all... You do take on a certain youthful outlook. In my opinion, people who wear braces appear optimistic, because we are – we are looking forward to something really good at the end of those 6, 12, or 18 months. :)

[anitahansen]

@Yeej: That was a very interesting perspective! I'm starting to lean towards ceramic braces. Thinking about it now, it's possible part of my concern is due to the fact that I work in a dental office, and that it might look strange for me to have braces. I've actually had a few patients ask about my teeth, and how perfect they must be since I'm a dental assistant. They are always surprised when I show them a mouth full of silver fillings, but the fillings are something I have needed to get done, the braces would be something I decide to put on my teeth, and it will be very visible when I'm talking close up to patients without my mask on. Not sure how I feel so different about the braces, difficult to explain...

[djspeece]

That was a very upbeat post, Yeej, and I hope more people considering braces read it.

[isthistaken]

That was a very upbeat post, Yeej, and I hope more people considering braces read it.

Agreed, and I agree with all of Yeej's points!

[bannishg]

Anita, I was in a similar situation around this time last year, where I was in this rare "on-the-fence" position of not really NEEDING braces, but could potentially benefit from them. In the end, my teeth look fine and will only look into it again if Hollywood calls.

But keep us posted!

Greg

[kathydell]

Go for it! I'm 47 and I got ceramic upper & lowers in March and a lower incisor extracted in May of this year. That makes me almost 6 months in and it was by far the single best thing I have ever done for myself. The positive changes in my appearance over the last few months are indescribable as I had very severe crowding in the front and it caused a great snaggletooth canine! Now, all of my teeth are aligned on the arches and the tops & bottom touch everyone. And, for some magical reason, ever since I got the braces on, I don't have circle under my eyes any more! It's crazy how much progress happens so fast. And, I've found that everyone is really accepting and supportive. Most people think I'm cool becaue I had the guts to do it as an adult. And, every once in a while when I trip over my lips during a meeting or presentation at work, I just make a joke about it and move on. Nobody thinks twice about it but me.

[bannishg]

If your situation does not have any potential of taking a turn for the worse, based on the account you provided, I would spare myself of the expense, the tedium of adjustments/check-ups and the inconvenience of having to avoid certain foods.

Have you been able to isolate the source of the shifting? You do have the advantage of being, in some sense, an ADA insider, so milk that cow for all it's worth. If you get a chance, use your position to get access to case studies that involve situations similar to yours. Try to get a consensus among your colleagues at your office.

IMHO, unless you're an adamant perfectionist:

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!"