Metal Mouth Message Board

It's been 10 years since I got braces and 7 years since I got retainers. I wear my original Essix retainers every night and my teeth are still as straight as the day I got my braces off.

I take very good care of my teeth, gums and mouth, all of which I neglected before orthodontics. I could not be happier with the results. I am a teacher and my appearance is important. And having my teeth straightened has corrected all the issues I had with bite, and the resulting wear and tear on my teeth and gums. And I have had no cavities in 10--count 'em--years!

Braces are worth the cost and the effort. All the best to those of you who are still on the journey!

I'm happy to read about your long-term success. Very helpful. Thanks for your report, Tim.

I feel a little bit better about the journey that I am going to undertake now. Thanks for the report.

That's great to hear! My teeth and gums have never been healthier either. Aside from the healthier alignment, I think we just tend to take better care of our teeth since we've invested so much time and money into them.

Checking in with my 8-year report. My teeth are still straight and healthy. I'm only wearing retainer one night a week now. Having braces convinced me of the importance of oral hygiene. The benefits of braces far outweigh the hassle and discomfort of wearing them.

Thats awesome. Before I had my braces and even when I had my braces I didn't properly clean them. Once I got them them off and saw how good it looked. I started properly taking care of them. ITs also important because you are spending so much money on them