Teenagers - braces - would you or wouldnt you?

[Scramblinghealingdreaming]

One of my teens has just had an appointment with an orthodontist.

My son is borderline needing braces but the orthodontist recommends he has them. But I really didnt feel that she took anything else into account such as his general health, anxiety levels, confidence, sports, the fact he plays a wind instrument etc.

Can anyone talk me through what it actually is like for their teen to have braces for a couple of years? We would have NHS ones so the silver ones.

When I asked what the repercussions would be of not having them till he is an adult (and could decide, chose invisible ones if desired), she didnt really have an answer. His teeth wont get any worse. They look fine and he is happy with his teeth.

He is currently between stage 2 and 3 of overbite.

PS I have made an appointment with my lovely dentist to follow this up (this is the dentist that referred us on pre-pandemic. At the time of referral it was very borderline as if he would need braces).

PPS last couple of times I have tried posting, I have got off topic pretty fighty replies which sadly does seem to be a bit standard. Just looking for good quality, kind replies. Not a squabble about unrelated items such as did we go in an electric vehicle.

Two of mine have had braces. One was desperately in need of them. The other had a couple too many teeth so had them removed and braces afterwards, but I wouldn’t have said he needed them from looking at him

The biggest thing is the time for appointments - every 6-8 weeks for 2-3, even 4 years - for 2 of them! I feel like I bloody live at the orthodontist! If you go private you may get after school appointments but as mine were NHS I had to take whatever they offered so usually within school hours.

For them, there was some discomfort when they change the wires for a couple of days, and having to brush them very thoroughly twice a day without fail to avoid permanent discolouration - but of course they should be doing that anyway!

They will also have to wear a retainer at night after the treatment is finished - presumably for life - to stop the teeth moving back again. So it’s a big commitment for your DS if he does have them done.

TBH if they’re borderline then I don’t think I would bother. In fact my eldest was borderline and didn’t have them, but that was more his choice than mine.

Ds had braces for several years and played a brass instrument. He was not bothered by the look of his teeth but has really benefitted.

My DS wasn't unhappy with his teeth as he didn't know any different but now he has finished his orthodontic treatment he says he is so much happier with them now.

I dont know about musical instruments but DS played a lot of sports and it did t have any impact. He had a gum shield made by the dentist for boxing which was more money than the normal.boil and bite ones but was worth it for the peace of mind.

All my DC had braces. I would recommend you go forward with it. There are long term health issues with crooked teeth and misaligned bites. Greater chance of gum disease and tooth loss, greater chance of jaw problems. Greater chance of tooth decay/chipping teeth. Plus later on there is the anxiety over your appearance and smile as a young adult, to older adult as crooked teeth tend to get worse with age.

Braces are not cosmetic for most people. It’s an investment in your teeth being healthy because they and your bite are aligned correctly.

It's a shame, but he's not bothered. Maybe wait.
I wouldn't though. Ds1 and ds2 didn't qualify nhs so I've just paid. I would bite their hand off if offered nhs. You might be making a big mistake. Take it now. Sometimes they grow into their teeth, as their face grows and gets bigger they then don't fulfil nhs criteria. Please think carefully about it. Big big opportunity missed.

I would definitely have them get the braces.

My dd looked like she didn't need braces but dentist said she had inherited a small jaw from one parent and a fine set of teeth from the other which was destined to cause problems later. Absolutely no problem with them. Lots 9f teens have braces so they see them as no big deal. Lovely teeth later also 8ncrease confidence. Go for it!

My DD has had braces, she very much needed them and it took 2 years from start to finish.

My DN was referred at the same time and he was borderline like your DS. He opted to have them in the end and it only took 9 months before they had worked their magic and he had them removed! He is really pleased with his lovely straight teeth. Braces are very expensive as an adult OP. My advice would be to go for them now and get it out the way. The time passes very quickly, he shouldn't need to wear them for long if he is borderline.

Show him all of the threads on here started by adults who are embarrassed by their teeth. Much easier and cheaper to have them done now while all of their friends are getting them done. He might not care now, but he probably will later.

Mine also wasn’t unhappy with his overbite, but he was also supremely unselfconscious and at no point gave any thought to his appearance ever. He had a receding lower jaw, meaning that we had block braces for a few months, and then train track ones. I know that the block braces - which were very inconvenient but highly effective - have to be used at a time when they’re growing - they aren’t suitable for adults. Basically, puberty is perfect timing. So it wouldn’t have been possible to fix it in the same way later on.

Looks and confidence wise - really hard to tell. Tbh a year of mask wearing and lockdown has made it pretty easy. But soo many of them have braces - half his close friendship group have or will have them. And I can see a clear “improvement” - though he’s my beautiful boy and always looks lovely.
Can’t advise on wind instruments - maybe ask the teacher??
I’d say it’s in general a good time to have it done - there’ll never be another time when so many of your immediate circle is also likely to be going through the same thing. But it’s possible that could be outweighed by the particular issues your particular child has right now.

If braces are being offered on the nhs then yes, of course he should have them. It's a no brainer.

A very large majority of teens have them these days and it's a very simple and non intrusive process.

As an adult about to spend 6k on orthodontics and dental work I’d say go for it now.

NHS wouldn't offer braces if it was only borderline, it must fulfil certain criteria. In the US they do braces even earlier than here, 11 or 12. It is easier while the teenager is still growing and things are 'bendier' I think, harder once an adult, plus best to get it over with when everyone has braces and they feel less self-conscious.
But if you and your DC don't want braces, you don't have to.
If they qualify for NHS treatment then they will still qualify later if they change their mind. But there will be waiting lists.
I think pre-pandemic we waited a year or so. Will be worse now.
Private is thousands though.

Both DS had braces for an overbite. DS1 was 15, on the NHS, and due to Covid is only having them off next month and he's 19 in December! Teeth look great.
DS2 was 1mm off qualifying on NHS but wanted them done so we paid. Took two years. Again, teeth look great.

Other info - he was pretty unhappy with the block braces over the first few days. It’s a huge imposition- they take up half the space in your mouth. But he fairly quickly got used to them and they made a big difference quite quickly. His friends never said anything off to him. Just grunted to each other about minecraft and cricket as usual. He plays cricket but there was no issue at all there.
Now he’s on train track braces, they are a doddle compared to the block braces. Achy teeth especially on the first 2 days, and a little achy for about a day after new wires every 6 weeks / 2 months. But he is great at cleaning them and just compromises on things like wotsits and quavers rather than hard crunchy crisps. Looking forward to whole apples, toffees and chewy sweets when he is through!
He’s only had very occasional problems with them rubbing but usually it’s better by the next day. They’re pretty low hassle. And I am not aware of any comments etc. They’re so common. And it feels like something they can be encouraged to do now, but would be a massive expensive hassle to do later, and they probably wouldn’t bother. Mine is likely to be a lot more self aware and self conscious in a year or so compared to now. So good to get it in as early as possible.

Both of mine had them with a view to needing an implant.
One didn’t want the implant in the end, so that was a waste of time.
The other one was told they were no longer doing implants on the NHS, as she had her braces off, so that was a waste of time too.

My eldest had braces & his teeth now look amazing, he’s so glad he had them, his first girlfriend had them too, it didn’t affect his confidence or ability to do sports etc.

It’s a bit of a laborious process to go through & they really need to take care of their oral health carefully - plus he had a couple if repair visits before he realised he really did need to stick to the food rules. Altogether totally worth it though.

Apparently I was offered braces when I was a similar age but my Mum declined them because she ‘didn’t want me to go through that’, 35 years later my horrible wonky crooked teeth are wonkier than ever and I hate them, really wish she hadn’t decided that for me!

Definitely have braces if he qualifies for NHS. The criteria are quite strict so assume he needs them and better you sort it out now. My eldest had traintrack braces and the process was really very straightforward. Slightly uncomfortable chewing for a day or so whenever they tightened them (soft food) but other than that easy. So glad we got it out of the way early on.

Had a chuckle about the electric vehicle! When I was a teen the dentist recommended braces for overbite. He said they’d pull the teeth back an eighth of an inch. My mum said no and at the time I was glad, but as an adult, I wish I had just had them done.

I can only speak from personal experience. I refused for years despite dentist bringing it up every single appointment I had. They made moulds of my teeth and showed what’s going to happen etc etc and I still refused. 7 years later I went in, absolutely bawling my eyes out because I’d finally admitted to myself that my teeth and overbite were causing a massive problem. Had to pull 6 teeth, 2 years of full silver brace, the embarrassment of having them done much later than everyone else (the “You cannot possibly be 18! You look about 13!!!” comments).
I had absolute hell with my teeth and I wish more than anything I’d listened a lot sooner.

I don't think you would be offered them on the NHS if he didn't need them. It will cost him alot of money as an adult if he wants it done then.

Two of my kids needed them, the one with the more severe problem had them and has nice teeth. The other one wasn't as severe and insisted he didn't want them. I think kids need to co-operate, if nothing else the dental hygiene needs to be good. So he didn't have them. He is now looking at spending several thousand pounds to get them and regrets his decision.

Other benefit was when teeth were straight migraines stopped.

Please get him the braces . I ended up with them in my 30s due to disastrous dental treatment in my teens that could have been avoided . Currently waiting on an op to extend my jaw which also could have been avoided too. Not that this will happen your son but if getting the braces now stops him needing them later on then its worth doing. My sister and a girl i work with who both never had braces have had to get them in their 30s too but for lesser reasons than me.

I'd rather keep the 4K I spent on Invisalign and had braces as a teenager

My dd gave up playing a brass instrument due to her braces. However, her teeth are beautiful. Well worth it.

Half the school will have them so it's not embarrassing.

The overbite brace was a bit painful at first but compared to another medical condition she had treatment for, it was a piece of piss.

my 4 teenager had braces, the oldest 3 have finished, 14 yo still gas them.
they are free through NHS, didn't see any reason not to get on with it.
for sports they can have special mouth guards.

my youngest 3 will also need them, they ready have crowding of adult teeth, but we have to wait until older.
The earlier the better