Has anyone experience of removable braces for teenagers?

[Oddsocks2]

Ds has been referred to the orthodontist and is keen to have removable braces so that he can play his trumpet without hindrance (permanent ones cause problems for players). But having read up a little, I’m concerned that the need to remove them every time he eats or drinks may prove a problem, as he’s a constantly hungry teen! Especially as he hates the school toilets and would have to clean his teeth in there after lunch. He might not bother to put the braces back in. Does anyone have experience of using them? How much hassle are they?

Curious as well. Dd has serious sensory issues so I think these are our only real option.

Both mine have has them but both have also had to have fixed braces too. Biggest hassle is losing them, we have had some very stressful days when it has taken hours to find them.

Ours haven't been the invisalign type though, you might be able to get away with no fixed ones if you go that route.

DD had (removable) twin block braces for two years and has had fixed train track type braces for the past year. The twin block braces made it difficult to speak, sleep and eat (she was instructed to eat with them in). She retrained her embouchure to play the flute with them in, but then could only play when they were in. The fixed braces have been comparatively straightforward and painless.

Thanks for your responses. Did the fixed braces go because the removable ones weren’t effective?
Silverhill - that doesn’t sound great at all

My two were allowed to take the twin blocks out for eating, but also had to take them out for football, hockey, swimming, singing so lots of chances to lose them. They both learned to speak clearly with them in pretty quickly but it took them both a few weeks to get used to sleeping with them in, they would take them out in their sleep and end up down the back of their beds.

DD2 has removable braces and is a brass player. She's been brilliant about wearing them for as much of the time as possible, only removing for brass-playing, sports and eating as per orthodontist's instructions. At school, she rinses them in water before putting them back in after eating. Her brace is a twin block/functional appliance designed to bring her lower jaw forward rather than to straighten her teeth but if the orthodontist recommends fixed braces for your DS, it's likely to be because that's the most effective treatment. My DD will be having fixed braces fitted soon and has been warned it'll affect her embouchure but actually, her entire jaw position moving has already affected it dramatically so the fact the next brace will be fixed is neither here nor there in lots of ways.

We know lots of brass players who've had/have fixed braces as well as lots of brass teachers with students who've had/have fixed braces and they all say the same; it takes a while to get used to, wax or lip bumpers may be useful but that one advantage is that they will learn to play by putting less pressure on the lips. You don't say how old your DS is, or what standard he's playing at, but if his teeth are on the cusp of qualifying for braces and to decline treatment won't cause issues later e.g. needing jaw surgery, extractions etc. it may be that he chooses not to have braces. I know at least one teenaged brass player who has chosen to live with a couple of wonky teeth rather than have to alter the way they play their instrument.

@Oddsocks2 - the treatment plan specified first removable twin block braces (to reduce overjet and create space in lower jaw) then fixed braces (for alignment) from the start. She is now over 3 years in, and hopefully the end is in sight.

(She has ASD which includes sensory processing disorder, so has done very well)

Twin blocks do a different thing to fixed braces, the TBs re-position the jaw and the fixed ones straighten the teeth. To be honest, you have to go with what is needed for your child's particular needs but its definitely worth mentioning any concerns to the orthodontist.

@Castlepeak one of mine has sensory issues, we waited till he was a bit older to start braces, to be honest the braces themselves haven't been too problematic (and I was worried about this) but he has complex misalignment and has had to have fairly regular sets of impressions made (you have to close your teeth into a tray of putty like stuff and hold it there) and this has been fairly awful for him. Our orthodontist has gone above and beyond to minimise distress and has been so patient, thankfully. Worth asking around locally for orthodontists that are good with SNs.

I had removable when I was younger and was told to eat with them in. I didn’t as I hated getting all food in it. Probably different to today’s removable ones though? I ended up with a fixed one for a year afterwards.. I think I just didn’t wear the removable one as much as I should have

My DS had a fixed palate expander put in just before Xmas and tbh it was brutal. He was in so much pain and the damn thing kept falling out the orthodontist removed it in the end, which caused my DS even more pain as they have to file the cement off the teeth (I say cement but its a paste like glue).

The only problem with the removable braces is having to constantly remind him to put them back in after he has eaten!

We are making very slow progress as he has a front tooth that refuses to come through but we're getting there!

I'm not a dental person but from DDs experience of braces, I don't think you get to choose whether you have removable or fixed braces. You need the ones that are right to correct your problems.
She has fixed braces at the moment but over the next 2/3 yrs will also have twin blocks, and removable braces all to do different things.

She plays the flute and it took about 5/6 weeks for her to be able to play again, she couldn't get a note out of it to start with and she's about grade 6. We expect the same to happen again when they are taken off, and will ask to delay any changes in braces around the time of GCSE performance recordings. It could be that the trumpet would be the same, just takes time to adjust?

I agree that for many young people, having the impressions made is difficult. DD tends to stop breathing unless actively reminded to continue.

When I was an orthodontic dental nurse my experience was that the boys never wore them and lost them a lot. The fixed brace is a safer option. FWIW, we had professional musicians and singers and it takes around 2 weeks to get fully used to the brace but then they don't notice they're there

Eversodelighted - I see what you mean about being easy to lose- could be expensive!
SE13Mummy - interesting point that the alteration with the fixed braces needed an embousure change anyway. Ds is 13, a strong Grade 5 after 4 years playing. His teacher thinks he will not progress for the time he has the braces. I’ve heard all sorts of horror stories about brass players & braces, but think we will probably need to go ahead and get them. I thought the removable braces would avoid the problem, but maybe not

I had to do a 60 mile round trip to fetch DS's braces once after he left them somewhere 🙄. Thankfully they where still there when we got there. I have retrieved DD's from the kitchen bin when they got scooped up with some orange peel. We spent hours ransacking the living room first.

Yes @Arrierttyclock that is certainly my experience. I am constantly nagging DS to wear his!

He will be having the fixed 'rail track' braces at some point. At least he can't lose them!

@Arrierttyclock Yes I can imagine fixed are a lot easier for teenage boys to manage! Is there any choice, or is it just a matter of getting what you need?
@EversoDelighted 60 miles!!
@xyzandabc That’s a good idea - being flexible around exam dates. Sounds like it’s been difficult for your daughter

We had some for DS (ASD) but he just took them out and refused to wear them and said that rabbit teeth was a good look.

One NHS funded patient and one private patient here; we were never given any option on what kind of braces we were going to have and nobody ever asked what would suit best our lifestyle; it was just the best and most cost-effective treatment for my kids teeth ..... which happened to be fixed braces for c.2years.
I guess if you go to a private practice and specifically ask about Invisalign or whatever, it might be an option - but if they were as good / quick, surely they would be the more the norm?