Why no love for removable braces?

[Jamesyeats]

Back when I was a kid, my first time in braces, I had a series of removable braces. Some with expansion screws, some with just plain wire springy bits acting on each tooth, all pushing against a retainer-style wire which I was told was the "ideal" shape for my teeth to be in. I had them on the top and bottom. They worked perfectly, my teeth were as straight as anything, but the advice at the time was to wear the same braces as a retainer 24/7 for a month, then only at nights for 3 months.
That was when I was 14-17, I'm now 31 and my teeth are crooked again. Not bad on the top, a litttle more crowded on the bottom, but I would like them perfect again.
Is there a reason that removable braces are rarely used now? When I had them they were the norm (I live in the UK), and only severe cases needed fixed braces.
I would love to get my teeth perfect again, but I am paranoid - so I'd like to be able to take the braces out for a couple of hours if needs be. I don't like the look of invisalign and have heard very varied reports about them.
Are removable braces still available and in use for adults? I have been thinking and dawdling about getting my teeth done for about two years now, but I don't want fixed braces and I don't really trust aligners...

Thanks,

James.

[PARR]

My non professional guess is:

as a kid your jaw is growing and it is possible to push teeth into spaces and influence growth by doing so. As an adult it is not. To align and level teeth requires more leverage than just pushing here or there. Even aligners have limitations and some folk require many many trays as I read here.

The most efficient and effective method is with affixed brackets and wires, giving the orthodontist the most options for effective correction.

All that said, ask and see what options are available for you. Each mouth is different.

[class3citizen]

Hi,

I have removable braces called twin blocks. I like the idea that I can brush my teeth well and that in the event of an extra-special occasion I can take them out, although I have never done it.

The down side is that removables require commitment to wear the braces. I cannot tell you how hard I had to focus during my first week to keep them in despite the discomfort. Another down side is that, at least in my case, they give me a lisp.

My guess is most orthos don't use removables because many adult patients don't wear them properly. Taking the braces out a few hours a day is not an option - they only work when worn full time.

Hope this helps.

[jennielee81]

The fixed braces that I wore for 21 months weren't that bad at all. They did a perfect job without ANY EFFORT from me.

If I'd had a removable brace, I would have left it out most of the time...

Since you work from home ( read from another thread) why not go with the traditional, fixed braces??

Any route you take, be sure to wear the retainer for ever. First year 24/7 after that nighttime for life.

That seems to be the key to long term perfection!

[Jamesyeats]

Jennielee - if only I were told that when I finished treatment! But unfortunately the "standard" advice 15 years ago was completely different. I have a lot of friends who had braces (both removable and fixed), who's teeth are badly relapsed due to the idea that once your teeth are stable, they will stay there for life!

Meryaten - I don't see anything "terrible" about fixed braces, they just aren't for me. Invisalign, to me looks a little like you have "something" in or on your teeth, but as the public don't really know about them yet in the UK, I would get embarrassed having to explain the whole process every time someone noticed!

[Jamesyeats]

Maybe I should clarify a little here, I don't want to make any enemies. I see nothing at all wrong with fixed braces, but when I'm not working from home, I often have to give presentations, public speaking, etc. to small groups of people. I want people to be focusing on ME and what I am saying, not looking at my teeth. And Invisalign - well, apart from the "halfway between normal teeth and braces" appearance I think they have (no offence to anyone!), I've read too many failure stories on here and elsewhere about people having to go to fixed braces after using aligners.
I'm looking into "Clearstep" as well, as they seem to be less visible than Invisalign. But ideally I would want the same sort of thing as I had when I was young - braces I can take out for a special occasion, for a first date, just as I did first time around! And with no Invisalign attachments left behind. I don't mind how much is visible (like a Hawley wire), or speech problems - as long as I can take them out completely and be "normal" for a couple of hours when I need to.
Like Class3citizen, I did have a lisp initially with the removable braces, but that left within a couple of weeks - comparable to Hawley retainers. I'm not the most socially confident of people at the best of times which rules out lingual braces, as I see a lot of people have some difficulty with speech all the time while they are on, not just for a couple of weeks.

[hhangel]

I was in braces in my mid-20's. 20 years later and there has been some shifting. I spoke to my kids' orthodontist, had them look and they said nine months and I would be done (with a retainer in the end). I am in month 2 and I can say that they are straigtening up very nice.

Do the fixed braces. They can get you the results you want and it could be less than a year. It's not a big deal at all.

[elpi]

I guess that they're out of fashion because they only work on mild cases and people with mild cases will choose invisalign if they want the freedom to remove their braces. Also invisalign seem to do lots of marketing so other types of removable braces are going to be forgotten!

Maybe it's worth going for an orthodontist consullt to find out if you are a mild case and then finding out your options? You never know unless you ask

[Jamesyeats]

You have this idea in your mind that they'll be a problem, but my 28 months of experience in braces tells me otherwise.

You are undoubtedly right, Meryaten - it won't be a "problem", but it is something I would rather avoid if I can. I know there are a couple of people on here (been lurking for ages!) who had removable expanders and the like, and was just wondering if it is even possible to treat a (mild) adult case with removable braces? Maybe my best bet is to ring round the orthodontists in my area, and ask, then go in for a consultation?
By a bizarre coincidence, I went to the garage for petrol about an hour ago, and the girl behind the counter (late twenties, I would estimate) had removables. Definitely not just a Hawley, as I could see several "finger springs" (I'm sure she must have thought I was a freak for staring!). Her teeth were quite bad, certainly worse than mine. But I would never ask her about it, as she might be sensitive or embarrassed about it, it's none of my business!

[Jamesyeats]

Haha, you posted while I was writing! Yes, I think they are "out of fashion" perhaps. I don't like invisalign at all, I've heard too many bad stories about them - if I'm going to spend £4000 on my teeth I want it to work! I think a few phone calls may be my best bet.

I guess that they're out of fashion because they only work on only mild cases and people with mild cases will choose invalisign if they want the freedom to remove their braces. Also invasilgn seems to do lots of marketing so other types of removable braces are going to be forgotten!

Maybe it's worth going for an orthodontist consullt to find out if you are a mild case and then finding out your options? You never know unless you ask

[rolo]

James,

You thought of linguals? Fixed braces, behind the teeth? Pm me if it's of interest and will give you details of how to find UK provider, cost etc.

[Jamesyeats]

I have, Rolo, but am worried about speech problems - in fact I have just posted in the lingual forum about the same thing!

James,

You thought of linguals? Fixed braces, behind the teeth? Pm me if it's of interest and will give you details of how to find UK provider, cost etc.

[Dawna]

I've had Invisalign, and also clear ceramics with white wire, now clear ceramics with normal wire.

Invisalign was fantastic for being discreet. I work from home, but when I do have to go make a presentation it's usually on the executive level and I am just not personally comfortable with a mouth full of traditional braces. No one noticed them when the trays were in, and if I was making an important presentation I could take them out (I always adhered to the daily wear time, always). Invisalign sucks at derotating in certain cases, as well as having problems in some cases with teeth tipping into extraction sites.

I went to clear ceramics with the white wire and found it just made my teeth look like there was something awfully wrong with them - the shadows or something just looked (for me, maybe not others!) like I had big chips in my teeth or something.


Now I'm in ceramics with metal wires and find that pretty ok, I just hate them at certain times when Invisalign would have allowed me that 45 min of freedom. Bear in mind I never chose traditional braces but basically had to change halfway through my invisalign treatment, so I'm kinda biased. That being said I really love the way the ortho can fine tune at every appt based on our interaction that day- with invisalign your trays are made and you can't really change anything along the way....

HTH

[Jamesyeats]

That is what I would really like - my 45 minutes of freedom! And I mean complete freedom, I don't want any attachments glued on or anything,
My bottom teeth aren't an issue - you never see them unless I delinerately show you them. But I'd like to be able to remove all traces of orthodonics from my top teeth if I want. I think I have a few phone calls to make!

[Dawna]

Hi James - most people need attachments, but they are truly not very visible. Mine were the larger ones and no one ever noticed at all.

There are excruciatngly close close-ups here if you want to see:

http://dawnasbracefaceplace.blogspot.com/

good luck!!