To ask anyone who has a teen with braces

[Tattooedmama]

My son had his appointment at the orthodontist today and fantastic news is he can have the braces, hes having moulds and photos taken next month then having them fitted 3 weeks later.
Ive tried looking online, and stupidly should have asked more questions.
They said he needs a brace fitted before the actual brace to line his teeth up before the standard metal brace, his top teeth stick out at 12mm when they should be 2mm. He has to have it in for around 9 months. Has anyone else had this and is it removable?

DD's treatment was in 3 phases.

1. removable top brace (6 months)
2. removable top & bottom block braces (6 months)
3. fixed 'railway track' top and bottom (1 year and counting)

DD kept the removable ones in full time except for cleaning. The orthodontist said it was good to keep them in for eating (even though hard to start with) as that's when the muscles do the most work so then they have the most effect.

His speech may be impacted to start with, and it may be ongoing dull ache for the first week or so. Very soft food such as cottage pie or soup for the first days. Favourite meal cut very fine.

Cant offer advice about type of brace.
But ice cold water for the first week swirl in mouth helps with the pain xx

Thankyou for the responses

The removable brace your daughter had sounds alot like what he needs, id already asked a few questions and i didnt want to be annoying by bombarding her with more

Block braces op...
9 months to align dd's jaw.
Then metal train train fitted ones.
Beware BB create lots of saliva at the beginning and the braces stink!.
Mouth wash and sugar free mints seem to be helping!
Washing the braces with toothpaste after a slosh of salty water too!
Taken out for meals and sport only.

Ah yes ive just googled bloco braces and that looks like them, thank you
Hes so excited

Block

Watch out for grumpiness as there is a kind of constant dull ache which can get wearing for them.
Def. check with orthodontist re in or out for meals as different people get different advice.

My DS has had the same sort of treatment.

He had removable twin blocks which worked amazingly quickly to match up his top jaw with the bottom one and then had the fixed braces to straighten the teeth.

He will be having the braces removed at Christmas. The whole treatment has taken 18 months and the results are fantastic.

He will then be wearing a removable retainer at night ( apparently you have to wear a retainer for the rest of your life to keep the teeth in place ) We had the choice of a fixed one but we've decided against it.

I took him to have regular sessions with the hygienist throughout the treatment to make up for his typical teenage lax approach to brushing.

I needed a brace for around 8 years. The first one was a retainer brace which I was able to take out to clean. It's not recommended to leave it out for too longer periods of time because the position of the teeth can soon go back to how they were. I made that mistake and it put my second lot of treatment on hold for about 6 months. My second lot of treatment was the train track braces. I needed them both top and bottom and needed them in for around 7 years. My bottom teeth still aren't perfectly straight and one tooth on one side of my mouth twists inwards and the other one on the other side twists outwards. I just have a slight jut to my top 2 front teeth but it's barely noticeable. The retainer brace I had also pulled 2 teeth down from up in my gums. I did need 9 teeth pulling out in order to make room for my teeth going back into position. It was years and years of painful treatment and monthly journeys back and forth out of town but totally worth it in the end

I think the exact treatments vary between individuals. Our orthodontist has been fantastic!

My recommendation is to get your son a smoothie maker and fill the freezer with frozen fruit.

For a couple of days after each tightening (every month / 6 weeks as necessary) chewing and eating is very, very uncomfortable. We make smoothies with bananas, oats, milk (or coconut milk), seeds (chia is good protein for a sporty child) and frozen berries / mangoes / nectarines, seasoned with ginger, cinnamon....

Ibuprofen helps too.,.