what do you wish you had known re braces?

[Anonymous]

Get at least 3 estimates. Expect each of the treatment plans to vary inexplicably by length and cost. Pick the middle one, or the one closest to your house (or their school) because you’ll be there a lot.

[Anonymous]

I think if you know parents who have hit this stage, their recommendations are the best source of information. Where I live, there were two that people really liked. The next thing after that is who do you like - staff, office practices etc. You’re going to spend a lot of time there so you want to be satisfied.

Of the two that everyone liked in my neighborhood and groups, one overscheduled and took you on a first come first served basis. Like scheduling 2( appointments at once with only seven staff. I hated that. The other scheduled actual appointments. That worked better for me. I also liked having someone who would communicate with our dentist and also call me - we had some pretty big issues with one of my kids so the ease of communication was so helpful.

[Anonymous]

My son just went through an expander and first set of braces, and I had braces as an adult. There is a lot of soreness/pain when appliances are first installed so expect a soft diet for a couple of days...ice cream etc. Everyone is different, but when my son first got his expander, he was so uncomfortable I kept him home from school the next day. Also, try to schedule bigger appointments on Fridays so the child has a few days to adjust. And also try not to schedule tightenings the same day as a big dinner or event...I know for me, my mouth was always sore the night my teeth got tightened.

Also, I don't know if you have dental insurance. We do, and decided to pay the fee in total upfront. We sent the forms in for reimbursement, and even though we paid in full already, the insurance reimburses on a monthly basis over the course of treatment (in our case two years). So don't expect a big check at once and plan accordingly. All places tend to have monthly payment plans as well, but do offer a small discount for full payment.

[Anonymous]

Insurance should be the last thing you consider in picking either an orthodontist or a treatment plan. But if you plan to claim in any event, be sure to jump through any preauthorization or other hoops before you start. Those are a favorite dodge for insurers seeking to avoid stepping up to the plate.

Where built ins and Invisalign are both options, consider your child. I wanted Invisalign for my DC and they were completely compliant with the regime. Some kids are better off with not having to remember to put them in and take them out. The mockery I recall being common years ago seems to be less a factor now, with braces being almost ubiquitous.

Consider office location and especially parking. You or at least the kid will be there often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I’d known how much having them taken off would hurt. DD was in so much pain. Glad I knew to book her for a teeth cleaning immediately after that though. Her teeth were filthy!

Thanks, any tips for dealing with the pain?

Take Tylenol or Advil before the treatment.

[Anonymous]

Ask around to get recommendations - I asked on Facebook and came away with three names that multiple people recommended. I made appointments with all three (the initial appointment will be free, make sure you send panoramic x-rays ahead of time, you can request the images by email from your child's dentist). You'll either get three very different opinions or two of the same opinion and a third very different one. And you'll also get three very different prices. Go with the orthodontist you like the most and the treatment/price you are most comfortable with. In our case, two orthos recommended similar treatments and one wanted to pull teeth. I asked the dentist her opinion and she said she never recommended pulling teeth, so we went with one of the two that we liked the best and was closet the kids' school for mid-day appointments.

[Anonymous]

Don't do what our parents did to us in the 80s and wait until high school. Start early so you can enforce more compliance and less breakage of brackets.

[Anonymous]

Making your mouth colder will decrease inflammation and make braces hurt a little less. Popsicles, ice cream, smoothies and shakes galore in the first week after braces are put on. Sucking on an ice cube helps, but you have to remember not to bite down on it.

Orthodontic wax can cover a bracket that’s rubbing a lip or cheek raw.

Flossing with braces is challenging. Add a Waterpik to your regimen.

Your dentist should be able to recommend orthodontists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Making your mouth colder will decrease inflammation and make braces hurt a little less. Popsicles, ice cream, smoothies and shakes galore in the first week after braces are put on. Sucking on an ice cube helps, but you have to remember not to bite down on it.

Orthodontic wax can cover a bracket that’s rubbing a lip or cheek raw.

Flossing with braces is challenging. Add a Waterpik to your regimen.

Your dentist should be able to recommend orthodontists.

^^None of that is relevant if you go with Invisalign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish I’d known how much having them taken off would hurt. DD was in so much pain. Glad I knew to book her for a teeth cleaning immediately after that though. Her teeth were filthy!

Thanks, any tips for dealing with the pain?

My DD found that chewing gum really helped, especially in the day or two after each adjustment. Something about the counter-pressure. Ortho said it was fine as long as it was sugarless, non-stick gum (most is, these days).

[Anonymous]

It's a scam. Orthodontists overcharge for work that is basically performed by their underpaid technicians. Avoid the one in the City of Vienna!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a scam. Orthodontists overcharge for work that is basically performed by their underpaid technicians. Avoid the one in the City of Vienna!

And so those who need braces should do nothing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Making your mouth colder will decrease inflammation and make braces hurt a little less. Popsicles, ice cream, smoothies and shakes galore in the first week after braces are put on. Sucking on an ice cube helps, but you have to remember not to bite down on it.

Orthodontic wax can cover a bracket that’s rubbing a lip or cheek raw.

Flossing with braces is challenging. Add a Waterpik to your regimen.

Your dentist should be able to recommend orthodontists.

100% agree with buying a Waterpik. We're going to make DD keep using it after her braces are gone since she otherwise wouldn't floss.

[Anonymous]

Don’t be surprised when everything is going great and the orthodontist says the kid is on schedule and almost finished but then, oops, sees the 12-year molars coming in, and has to add 6 more months to the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Making your mouth colder will decrease inflammation and make braces hurt a little less. Popsicles, ice cream, smoothies and shakes galore in the first week after braces are put on. Sucking on an ice cube helps, but you have to remember not to bite down on it.

Orthodontic wax can cover a bracket that’s rubbing a lip or cheek raw.

Flossing with braces is challenging. Add a Waterpik to your regimen.

Your dentist should be able to recommend orthodontists.

^^None of that is relevant if you go with Invisalign.

We asked orthodontists about Invisalign and they all recommended against it, especially for a tween, even though they would have made a lot more money on it. It's a terrible idea for a kid this age.