Braces question: Will my teeth return to previous shape afterwards?

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KingstonU

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Dec 26, 2006
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So looking to get my 4 of my front bottom teeth straightened/aligned. I thought of doing it now while I still have benefits at my job that covers 50% of the costs.

I got opinions from 2 separate dentists. Both say ~$3,000 and 1 year of braces on lower half of my teeth.

However one of them told me that the issue is that after I finish the one year and get the braces removed, my teeth are just going to go back to their original alignment and the only way to keep them properly straight is either install a little metal wire permanently behind the teeth (that has to be repaired now and then) or have a nightly mouthguard thing that I have to use forever. Thus incurring more costs continuously :| I Had no idea about this. :colbert: Anyone have any experience to know if this is true?

If this is the case then I might not bother going through with it. Any helpful insights appreciated
 
Mar 22, 2002
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I'm not quite sure why having a retainer (mouthguard) at night or the permanent metal wire is such a big deal to you. It's pretty simple, the retainer lasts a while, and your teeth stay good. Eventually, you can start to skip a couple of nights per week, depending on how strongly your teeth are pushing back into their original alignment. My girlfriend has both of those and it's really no problem.
 

iluvdeal

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Nov 22, 1999
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The nightly mouthguard aka retainer is pretty much standard for anyone who has had braces. It should be standard for an orthodontist to include it as part of your treatment plan, if the other one didn't mention it, I'd question him or her on why not as it's definitely something you want to use to prevent your teeth from reverting back. It's not good practice for the other ortho to spring that cost on you later as an added fee, it should be stated up front.

I wore my retainer for ~10 years and then stopped wearing it, my teeth didn't move. Also I didn't need to go to followup visits to the ortho when I wore my retainer. So I wouldn't say you have to wear them forever, but you do need to wear it religiously especially during the period after you get your braces off. I know people whose teeth have become crooked again because they didn't wear their retainer as prescribed after they get them off.
 

jaedaliu

Platinum Member
Feb 25, 2005
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I know people whose teeth have become crooked again because they didn't wear their retainer as prescribed after they get them off.

That's me! I need braces again. Though, I will probably go with invisalign because it's less visible, and about the same cost.
 

TheUnk

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Jun 24, 2005
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I have the permanent wire behind my lower teeth. Nobody can see it and I forget it's there most of the time now. It's never needed repairs, I've had it for like 4 years. The only issue is flossing those teeth, you can't. Only option is like a toothpick.

I wear my lower retainer once or twice a week if I remember. It never feels tight. I wear my upper one each night, it's never as loose as my lower one. Makes me almost wish I had a wire on my upper teeth too...

Oh and I'm 34.. I didn't get braces until my late 20s as my parents couldn't afford.
 

brandonb

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Oct 17, 2006
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I have the permanent wire behind my lower teeth. Nobody can see it and I forget it's there most of the time now. It's never needed repairs, I've had it for like 4 years. The only issue is flossing those teeth, you can't. Only option is like a toothpick.

Oh and I'm 34.. I didn't get braces until my late 20s as my parents couldn't afford.

They have little devices where you can floss with the wire.

http://www.amazon.com/Butler-Eez-Thr...sing+threaders

They are in the floss area in any super market. You put the floss in the loop and push that thing through the teeth between your gums and the wire, and you can floss. Somewhat tedious but it's possible to floss.

---

OP, my teeth are reverting back slowly even with a wire. The teeth where the wire is fine, but the teeth next to it are starting to shift every so slightly. There is now a little gap between one of the teeth that was not there originally. I'd suggest the retainer or wire or both.
 
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