Metal Mouth Message Board

Here's a question for October, the month of scary Halloween. What, if anything, scares you the most about braces and ortho treatment?

For me....I was really worried that my face would change and look different after I had 4 teeth extracted (which was unfortunately necessary because of all the crowding in my mouth). But in the end, everything turned out OK.

So what about you? Was there anything in particular that scared you about braces before you started your treatment, or that still scares you while you are in treatment? Or even....something that scares you about your upcoming time after treatment is over?

I wouldn't say it actually scares me, but everything is taking so much long than I originally thought, and I'm starting to wonder if I'll EVER be finished!

I voted for unfavourable changes as that is the only one on the list that has me worried. My face has changed a lot since my treatment started but I'm ok with it so far.

But, my biggest fear is the stability of my teeth once my treatment is finished. I'm worried about going through all this discomfort and expense only for my teeth to move after the braces come off.

The only thing that I was concerned about was the cost. It was fear of the bill that held me back for so long.

Take longer than it is planned and also changes in the face after I get my extractions...but I am excited about having a great smile after finished.
Taking longer worries me the most, because for financial reasons I wouldnt be able to have my son start with his braces as I couldn't afford paying them both at the same time. He is suppose to start once I am done.

What scares me the most is that it won't work. That my ortho at some point in the future will say, "sorry but we're not going to be able to do what we thought we could." Or something along those lines.
Or maybe he'll just laugh and walk away waving my 6K on the way to some exotic vacation while I sit there with my gaps and crossbite.

I know this goes against all logic and I am continually amazed by orthodontics and the things I've seen/read accomplished on this board.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories.

Im with Toni Im terrified it won't work out and that the end result will not be what I expected. Im not necessarily looking for any type of Hollywood smile just to be able to smile without being conscious and if I can't do that after all this time, effort, stress, money and pain.

I voted other.

I was initially scared of pain but whatever, I got over it.

I'm scared of snapping a bracket. I don't want to add on any more months to my term. I live 6 hours away from my ortho. I got my braces on in my hometown but I go to school in a different city. I'm so afraid I'm going to break something and not be able to go home for a few days and it will ruin all the progress my teeth will have made.

"Cost" hadn't occurred to me, but it can be scary, so I added it as a poll choice today.

I posted "Other" because I just got braces a week and a half ago and I'm planning on studying abroad for 9 months next school year. My fear is not being able to find an orthodontist in Florence, Italy. Or having my braces on for 9 months longer than planned.

I voted "other" as I'm petrified that after all this cash and disruption of normal life, my teeth move back to non ideal positions. I guess what worries me is the long term stability of my new bite.

The initial worry for me when I had my braces was the cost. I did not have comprehensive ins that covered ANY ortho work, so I paid out of pocket entirely for it myself until the accident occured. Ins from the accident then paid for something like 5 or 6 additional months I had to continue treatment plus the remainder of the payments, but I had already paid most of it by then, I think it was about $4900 lol. I know the ins paid about 700 so I guess those were some expensive braces.

OHHH. I just thought about another thing I was scared about - one of the orthos I had a consult with said he thought I'd need surgery and THAT scared me. Having braces doesn't worry me at all but I want to avoid any surgery unless it's because of an emergency or accident!

I suppose my concern now is that I won't be able to just have a consult and maybe have another retainer with springs made. If I decided to do it again, I think i'd be more worried about the cost than the time.

I guess since everybody else lists their info - 94-97 metal, bonded lower retainer, hawley with springs

I said the cost is what scared me most. I went into this pretty blind as to what to expect and didn't do a lot of research...just went to my initial consult and said "Do it!". I realize now that I didn't ask any questions, only about cost but, thankfully, it's all working out so far .

The thing that now scares me the most, aside from the cost, is that I'll be in braces a lot longer then I'm sentenced for or that the braces just won't be able to completely straighten my teeth(I know...silly ). I saw so many changes in the first 3-4 months and now, being in my 7th month, I feel like I'm at a stand still, even though rationally I know something is happening, it just takes time.

Even after 14 months of braces my biggest fear is what other people say or think. Shallow, I know, but I'm working on it and it has gotten a little better. Mostly just when I meet new people or people who haven't seen me in them yet.

I also worry about having them longer than expected, that they won't stay in the same position after I get them off, and a little bit about the pain when I have adjustments.