Metal Mouth Message Board

Hey all!

Please advise me on something!

Before the treatment, I had told my orthodontist that I will travel back to my country for 3 weeks for marriage proposals, and if he can take the braces off temporarily for that time period. He then said..yes, he will do that.

I am leaving to go back home on Nov 26, and returning on Dec 19.

In my last adjustment yesterday, I asked my ortho if he can take my braces off for 3 weeks from Nov 26 to Dec 19. He told me he does remember about committing to take braces off, BUT advised me NOT to take the braces off. His point was...my teeth just started moving nicely and if he takes braces off for one month....it will increase the total treatment time by 3-4 months. He said the braces do not look so bad and he would not advise taking them off at all. He reluctantly said he wil take braces off if I still want to take them off temporarily.

Now, I am in complete dilemma on what to do. I am not sure if I should take them off or travel back to home with braces. Actually I will first be attending a marriage...and then going to see my own marriage proposals. Obviously I am not comfortable having a smile with braces in a public function like marriage where you meet and talk to people every minute! But as per the ortho, his advise is to continue and not take the braces off!

PLEASE PLEASE advise me on what you guys think about it. My mind has completely stopped working on it..and desperately need to know what you people's opinions are. Thanks a ton for your support as always, and sorry for lengthy email!!!

You are doing something for your health (potentially). It is your choice and your body. Keep your braces on and if anyone doesn't like it, it's their problem. Tell them you are going to have a great new smile and you are proud of your decision!

I wouldn't get the braces off but ultimately it's your decision.

I agree. Its totally up to you. Honestly 3-4 months is a good bit of extra time. Do you mind at all having to wear your braces for this extra amount of time? Its like starting over again. Oh and you have ceramics on top, if youre taking pictures Ive heard that they hardly even show. I use to worry about what other people would say about my braces before I got them on. Now that I got them, Im so happy- especially to see my teeth change every day:lol: Make the right decision for you.

Thanks Karen and all others for the great support!!! This forum is the best when we need support!

KK wrote:giantfigure
I think you need to take the word of your ortho though, as if you have to stay in treatment longer won't that mean that there would be a chance you might still be in treatment when it comes time for your marriage?

yeah Karen, you are absolutely right. Now it is only my marriage proposal. Marriage is likely to be in Spring 2007. So if my treatment time (which is suposed to be finished by 2006 end) will get extended to Summer 2007...which will mean...either I have to again take braces off during marriage..or extend marriage date by 4-5 months!

It is getting trickier for me. Taking braces off or not taking them off...both have their pros and cons. I am really confused now!!! Although after reading you guys posts, I am inclining towards not taking braces off at this point so that my ultimate treatment time does not get extended so much!

I didn`t really understand what a "marriage proposals" is. Is it engagement? Or is it asking the bride "wanna marry me"? Excuse me I just don`t know (english is not my language and I am not from US).

Whatever it is: I think you should do whatever necessary to be braces free at your wedding !!! I married with my ugly (not braces yet) teeth and I have not a single pic of me smiling!!

Although I hope you decide to keep your braces on, if you do decide to take them off I would ask if there are options such as a temporary retainter or "invisable" options such as that. At least a retainer would prevent regresion of progress. I have heard that tooth colored wires are also available (and if you have ceramics...) or possibly Invisalign braces. Even if they are not practical for long term treatment, it may be possible to get them temporarily.

Keep in mind that these are not options you can spring on your ortho last minute. He will need time to order/make appliances.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still urging you to keep them on. Self improvement should not be socially unacceptable.

Tooth colored wires are a great idea!

If your major concern are photos there is a solution as well! If your teeth are virtually straight I can't see why not taking your photos with the braces on and simply remove them later at the computer! It`s very easy to do. Anyone with a little knowledge in editing graphics can do it. You won`t see a thing.

yeah I asked ortho about tooth colored wires. He said no. I am not sure if it is because they do not have tooth-colored wires available with them. I forgot to ask them about retainers though.

hey butterfly! marriage proposal means asking if we agree to marry each other. marriage is not that soon...stilll one more year to go before that. I am tired of my closed-lips pics too. I want to be brace-free and smile broadly in every pic in my marriage!

thinking more about it and your all advices, now at this stage...I am 75% decided on keeping the braces on. I know this being one of the hardest moments of my life if I have to deal with marriage thing with being braced. More than anyone else, i am eager by myself how i get through it!

This is just a thought. If your teeth were bad enough that you decided to get braces, won't your potential spouse candidates notice your crowding and deep overbite if you have the braces taken off? They may think you're not doing anything about your teeth and be turned off. If you tell them you are in the middle of treatment, wouldn't that be the same as just showing them that you're in braces right now. I think I would want to know that someone I might marry is doing something to improve themselves rather than thinking they didn't care about their appearance and oral health. Like I said, just a thought. (I'd keep them on and let your potential mates see THE REAL YOU!)

By the way, if you have ceramics, they hardly show in photographs so I wouldn't worry about the wedding either.

Chris

I have to disagree with some of the previous comments... if it is very important to you to NOT have the braces on for your marriage proposals... then don't. Even if it will extend your treatment time... if it's something about which you'll be extremely selfconcious throughout your trip, I'd say just take them off and deal with the extension of treatment.

I would hope that maybe some kind of retainer, or temporary invisalign, or something, could be made for you to wear at night while you're away? Whatever the case, I wish you luck!

Treatment time aside, how does the removal and re-bracing affect the PRICE of your treatment??? Is your ortho just willing to do this for the same cost as the regular treatment?

I'd go with not taking them off. I certainly wouldn't want my own time extended three or 4 months. And the pain is probably going to be like having them done all over again!

She'll love you for who you are, not what your teeth look like.

greencapt...ortho did not mention anything about the additional cost of temporarily taking braces off and putting them back on. So, I am assuming it does not involve any extra cost.

I have started to see teeth moving at a good pace in last 2 weeks. In fact, crowding is much lesser then it was at the beginning of the treatment. Now, having the treatment time extended by 4 months, plus teeth moving back to original position, are not the good things to happen during the treatment. That also, because I am not being provided the option of tooth-colored wire, or retainer, or invisalign. And, after seeing the visible improvement in teeth in last couple of weeks, now I am really hesitant to go back to square one.

I have decided. I will explain to the girl, if she is concerned about the braces, during marriage proposals. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will understand that it is not a big deal and just a temporary thing.

Thanks guys!!!

I'm a little confused. You're going to propose to someone who doesn't know already that you have braces? Shouldnt you know a person before asking them to marry you??

Thanks KK for replying to jenns on my part

it's been a wait of 15 years that i finally got braces... also seeing improvements, and now i do not want to backtrack. I was in two minds though but you guys helped me to make the clear decision. I owe a big thanks to everyone