Braces - Evans,GA

They are very expensive but, I would never put a price on my child's self esteem. I had bad teeth as a child and it is miserable. I found myself avoiding smiling so people would not look at my teeth. I paid a ton (more than I would have for braces) as an adult to have them fixed. My oldest daughter had them for 3 years and has the most beautiful smile. Now my middle child has them.

I would have the braces done for the crooked teeth, even though they aren't bad. I have a few crooked lower teeth that were never straightened because they weren't that bad. It is difficult for me to get them cleaned properly when I brush which means the Dental Hygenist really has to work there (which is NOT fun) when I get my teeth cleaned.

I had braces and they were much different then. As far as I know, from looking into braces for my son, invisalign are about the same price.
Some people will be fine without braces but in most cases, it is not just cosmetic. It can cause lots of problems down the line. Even if it was "just cosmetic", it would be worth it for the increase in confidence and a great smile. She will appreciate it later as I did.

There are 2 things we will never compromise on in our family....
Health and Safety

I would never consider not providing any type of medical or dental care if my child needed it.

I personally do not feel that braces are cosmetic. Of course, you can let things go and she'll probably be just fine with crooked teeth. It will damage her self esteem though and might draw her further into her shell.

I waited until I was 26 to get braces and pay for them BY MYSELF because my parents didn't think my bite was "that bad", even though it was highly recommended that I wear them.

I STILL have jaw issues to this day which possibly could have been prevented if my parents had followed through with the recommendations of the dentist and orthodontist.

So, I waited from age 11'ish until 26 to fix it myself. I am thankful I did it and my teeth are better but again... I have some major jaw issues.

After I got my braces at age 26 and got them off around 29, my mom decided she needed braces as well. She has gone overboard apologizing for not doing the right thing when she should have when I was around 11.

As far as your daughter being bullied.. get her into a program that builds her self esteem, martial arts, etc and help her empower herself.

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I read your SWH. Braces are 1 thing that are necessary for many people. If they were purely cosmetic... insurance would not cover them because insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery or dentistry.

Your analogy is silly.... Braces are TOTALLY different than allowing teen to get a boob or nose job. And, no.... I would not go under the knife for cosmetic reasons nor would my 18 yr old.

It sounds to me like you are trying to equate braces with cosmetic surgery so you can excuse yourself from any parental obligation to provide needed treatment for your child. :( Consider your child's health first.

I personally have bad teeth and an overbite. I wanted braces but my parents always told me that my teeth weren't that bad and they were too expensive.

By the time that I actually made decent money as an adult, other things took a much great priority than my teeth. Can you guess what I am most self-concious about even today? Yep, my teeth.

Your daughter is 11. I PROMISE that she will feel differently about her teeth later than she does now. I REALLY wish that my parents had looked at it differently and had my teeth fixed when I was young.

Yes, it is expensive. However, the results can last her a lifetime. PLEASE at least have her evaluated by an orthodontist and go from there.

"Not that bad" is an esthetic judgment, and you may be right. But that has nothing to do with the position of the teeth in the jaw, and what will happen over time. I think, if you are unsure, you should get more than one opinion. Ask what the xrays show (and you should be getting whole-mouth xrays), and find out what will happen if you don't pursue it. Unfortunately, what a child wants in the health category can't really be considered. Maybe it can affect the timing of the braces, but honestly, she's not going to be any happier about it at 14 than she is now. You need a respected orthodontist who answers your questions and who doesn't dismiss your concerns.

The vast majority of recommendations for braces are not just for esthetic reasons. If they were, insurance wouldn't pay for it, right? Look for a payment plan, and see if there is insurance through the employer that can help with some of the expense.

I don't think she'll be bullied because of braces - 2/3 of her school has them at some point. If she's already a target, I would suggest you deal with those issues and not base a decision about braces on this. Most schools have anti-bullying programs now - it's disgusting that it's necessary, but it's good that constructive work is being done. She may feel worse if she has poor teeth, especially during her teen years.

ETA after your SWH - I would NEVER equate braces with breast implants or a nose job. You are going overboard in this. Children aren't supposed to get breast implants or nose jobs. Braces for ANY reason are covered by insurance before the age of 19. Insurance NEVER covers cosmetic surgery, B.. They DO cover braces. It's one thing to tell your daughter to be happy with her breasts or her nose. Another thing to withhold braces. You ought to look at some before and after pictures in the orthodontist's office and see how people's facial structures are changed and how they look better. Honestly, some people with bad teeth get treated differently in our society because of it. It can affect her future earning power. Having small breasts doesn't.

Original:
Of course people go without braces. They just have a mouthful of crooked teeth.

I personally would not consider whether braces are necessary OR cosmetic. To me, that's not really the point. The reason you get braces for your child is to give them a chance to have what nature cheated them out of - a good smile. The fact that your daughter doesn't want them has no bearing in reality. Kids don't want a lot of things that they need. They don't want to do their homework, they don't want to take a bath, they don't want their shots, etc. Each kid has his or her own "hot button", so to speak. We ignore it and do what's necessary or what we know will make a difference when they are older.

You haven't said how old she is. My son was skittish with his orthodontist when I took him in at 14. The doctor had absolutely no bedside manner and "barked" at him. Now, I wouldn't pay a dentist the kind of money braces cost for acting like that, period. I could have just gone to a different guy, but I realized that my son needed to be older so that he felt more comfortable going through this. I waited until he was in 11th grade, and used Invisilign Teen. It was VERY successful and by then, he was totally on board with having braces and very thankful that we were helping him out. He was never made fun of (his teeth weren't terrible) but his midline was off and his lower teeth were crooked. Looking at pictures of nice teeth, he realized that it simply wasn't a hardship to have teeth that would look good. All he had to do was brush regularly, wear his trays like the doctor said to, and in a little over a year, voila, perfect teeth! He still wears his retainer to bed to keep his teeth that way.

There are kids whose parents cannot afford braces and they don't get them as kids. As adults, they bite the bullet and pay for them on their own (if they can possibly afford it). Braces are harder on adults all the way around. For people who have insurance, some coverage of orthodontia under the age of 19 is very helpful, and out of approximately $5000 worth of orthodontia, I only had to pay $2500 out-of-pocket. (There is no benefit for adults.)

As far as being bullied with them, look around her school. There are SO many kids with braces. Kids expect other kids to get braces. If she's in middle school and this is really an issue, simply wait til she gets in high school when kids are a little more mature.

When you are making the decision, consider what she might do for a living as an adult. If she has crooked teeth, it might affect her ability to "shine" for a career. That "special someone" might not notice her off the bat because she has become self-conscious of her crooked smile. You cannot foresee that she will continue to "not care" that she has an overbite and crooked teeth. Kids tend to get self-conscious as they get older, especially girls.

Braces are an investment in your daughter's future, kind of like getting her into a decent college (or sending her to college, period.) You do it because it's beneficial to her life overall (not just right now while she's young). If you can afford it, do it for her. If she's really young, wait a year or two when she can see a little better why it's in her best interest. You can also look at different kinds - the Damon System is good for kids with low pain thresholds. Google that and read up on it - you can put in the computer your area and it will tell you what orthodonists use this system. Then there is Invisilign Teen which is great for kids without too much going on in their mouths. However, she has to be compliant to use them because they aren't "affixed". If she's going to sneak and take them out, you shouldn't consider Invisilign. And then there are the regular braces that now are much less "tinsel-mouth like" than long ago, even colored ones.

Hope this helps in your decision.
Dawn

I guess it depends on what you consider 'not that bad' and how old she is?

Ask yourself if you would want teeth like that when you are an adult or a teenage girl looking to meet and hang out with boys/guys.

Will she be embarrassed by her teeth? If you think that for one minute the answer to that question would be a 'yes'...then absolutely get her the braces.

So many kids have braces these days, I do not think it's a 'bullying issue' as much as it used to be, to be honest.

~My two front teeth are crooked. As a 'ward of the court' as I was growing up in CA, I did not get braces...and boy do I wish I did. I hate my teeth. I looked into as an adult and learned that they would now have to break my jaw to fix them and I am too chicken. If only someone was looking out for me that actually loved and cared for me as a kid and put themselves in my shoes and thought about how I might feel as an adult...if only!

It's NOT just cosmetic.
The way teeth grow and come in affects the jaw, shape of the face and how well the teeth now (and in the future) grow against and wear on each other.
My sister needed braces as a girl and because it wasn't "that bad" my mom didn't want to spend the money on it.
She is now in her mid thirties and even though she is a sweet and attractive girl in other ways the minute she smiles it's like "oh, wow." Her two front teeth became crowded about five years ago and now she's a real snaggle tooth, it's awful, and it seems to keep getting worse. She will likely end up using all her savings to pay for braces sometime this year.
Please, get a few opinions (including one from your dentist) but if she really needs them do what you can. A healthy beautiful smile is SO important, it really is.

Braces are necessary if you consider that your bite is responsible for the alignment of your jaw, shape of your face, etc. If the alignment of your jaw is affected so can the blood vessels, nerves, etc. That considered, headaches, overcrowding, wisdom tooth problems.... are all possible. Not to mention that I always hated my smile growing up and avoiding smiling. My oldest has braces now and I think it's absolutely worth it.

It's not always just for looks. An overbite can affect the jaw and cause problems down the road. Do they bother her? Does she want braces? It's much easier to do now than later in life. It can relate to self-esteem as a teenager too. I am SOO glad my parents got braces for me years ago before it was common.

i know this is a long shot...but do you want to kiss someone that has bad teeth and possible bad breath because of the teeth issue. i know you said that her teeth aren't that bad...yet. she hasn't gotten her wisdom teeth in yet which could cause more havoc on her other teeth and mouth!!!! my son had a cross bite and crooked teeth when he was in 2nd. we didn't hesitate to getting them fixed. and now he has a great smile....he never did get bullied because of braces!! (my son loved choosing different rubber bands for his braces-green and gold during football season. he even did a hot pink and hot orange for the fun of it)

I agree that they are more than cosmetic. My youngest daughter was like yours- overbite, a little crooked teeth, but didn't look bad. We wanted her to get them to fix the overbite, etc. I explained to her that she didn't understand this now, but she will have been glad to have them in the future. She REALLY did not want them, but did get them and now she is about to get them off. It took about 20 months total and I think she'll be glad she did it. She ended up doing well with them and if your daughter is middle school age, almost EVERYONE in middle school has them, so now is the time. I doubt she would be bullied as they are so, so common at that age.

They can be medically necessary. A bad bite can lead to headaches, broken teeth, teeth grinding, teeth that cannot come in because there isn't enough room, etc. Your dentist should be able to tell you if it is needed or cosmetic. You may also want to look into retainers instead of braces. They can be significantly cheaper.

it's not so much about cosmetics...

it's more about the proper structure of the bite & how it meshes together.
If your alignment is out of whack, then health issues can arise.....such as headaches, TMJ pain, & loss of teeth. Having a proper "bite" helps in being able to attain a healthier future....even down to avoiding back, shoulder, & neck issues.

I had braces, as did both of my sons. Mine cost $1500 in 1978, my older son's were $3600 in 2000, & my younger son's were $5200 in 2009. When you factor that cost & divide by lifetime benefits.....the cost is doable.

That said, my only beef about orthodontics is when long-term alignment cannot be maintained without lifelong retainers. To me that screams "wrong"....a situation where the teeth are being forced into positioning not natural for the mouth. :)

I know right? So expensive! U know, I have two friends from grade school who did not get braces. I did have them for four years. My two friends have since gotten braces on their own as adults and its made a huge difference in their confidence. I watched both of them be so insecure through high school about their smiles. Unfortunately fitting in is important. That is how our world is. Though she may not want them now she WILL thank u when she grows up! Do u have insurance? Also, some teeth problems can cause jaw problems, etc. as adults so u may want to check with the ortho. Hope this helps.

What does your dentist think? A lot of issues cause problems with the jaw and bite which can lead to fractures in teeth and jaw issues.

Correcting an overbite is not cosmetic. It's important to have properly aligned teeth and jaws for long-term dental health. Misaligned jaws can lead to TMJ, uneven wear on certain teeth, and clenching of the jaw at night (leading to neck and back pain). Crooked teeth can lead to an inability to properly clean all surfaces of the teeth (hence more cavities and gum disease). Also, it's much less painful to correct this problem at age 11 than waiting until she's older and done growing. I would just do it now. I'm sure that there are dozens of kids at her middle school who have braces. ALL of my daughter's friends have them (she's 10). She will be done by high school. Yes, it's expensive (we are looking at $6K per child, so I feel your pain), but it's an investment in her beautiful smile that will last her whole life, and potentially head off a lot of expensive problems in the future.

I agree with you totally, now adays there are a lot of dr/dentists that will play on fear to get families to buy into their $6000 needed services. God made us this way unless there is a medical need, let them be, we don't need to be perfect. When I was a kid, we knew we wouldn't get them, our family couldn't afford them.
Definately get a second opinion, and a third.

Having *nice* teeth is a huge deal. Think of applying for jobs, self image, dating.

Also, what 11 yr old is going to say "YES, I want braces". Kids don't make the best decisions, especially when it's about their future. She's not thinking about job interviews. Don't let her make the decision here.

And your breast plant comparison is silly. That's why they make wonder bras.

Overbites/crossbites, etc. can cause terrible headaches if they aren't corrected. My grandmother had an awful time with headaches, and doctors attributed them to her teeth. She always wished she had had braces. My mom never had braces either, and has a slight crossbite. I think she looks fine, but she hates her smile. Beautiful teeth give a person such confidence. If you can afford it, I think it's worth it.

ETA: I had braces, and am very thankful for my straight teeth. Our oldest son has braces now, and should get them off soon.

My 3 siblings and I all had braces. My husband had braces. My oldest niece is just starting. I always thought of it as something everyone does, although it is cosmetic for most people. Tough call!

It depends. My husband and I had a discussion about this not too long ago. Our son is in braces right now.

When I was a young child, and when my parents were kids, braces were uncommon, and most people had imperfect bites. When I was hitting tween and a little older, it seemed to explode and EVERYONE was getting braces, so it seemed. It almost seemed like it was a "popular" thing... you were "out" if you didn't have them.

Now I am noticing that almost every kid seems to cycle through getting them.

So, is it a popular thing to do? Is it vanity? Is it necessary? Why now and not before? etc etc.

I think it is a little of it all. My personal opinion. People of my parents generation (and hundreds of years before) didn't have access to such dental care. And their teeth showed it. No, not everyone had ugly teeth or ugly smiles. But think about how many of the older generation have bridges or partials. Why is that? Maybe because their teeth were never properly aligned, which contributed to worn teeth and dental/jaw problems that precipitated the losing of teeth, requiring dentures.

Or maybe not. How can you prove such a thing? You really can't.

I have never had braces, but my dentist (when I first became a patient in his office, as an adult) asked if I had--because my teeth were so nicely aligned. My husband is my same age (44) and a few years ago lost a tooth (just crumbled) and had an implant put in. He has another tooth that something similar is expected (but we are hoping it doesn't happen). He has some crowding and other things with his bottom teeth, and also never had braces. His smile/teeth are not unattractive, but I'd bet his teeth could have benefitted from having some orthodontic work when he was younger. The tooth loss now, could very well be related to having his teeth wear due to poor alignment.

Our son has/had a terrible overbite (couldn't see his bottom teeth almost at all). His teeth have never been unattractive or looked bad, but his overbite and the way they aligned, would likely cause long term damage (AND, he was biting into the gum behind his top teeth with his bottom teeth)... so he is in braces to correct it. Hopefully, he won't have more serious problems down the line, since corrections are being made now.

Daughter, has several teeth that have come in sideways, and also has a slight overbite (not as bad as son's). She, too, will have braces soon.

Do SOME people get them for cosmetic reasons? Probably. Does it mean there is no benefit if that is WHY the person ultimately decides to receive treatment? Not necessarily. But cosmetics could be what convinces someone to go forward with treatment, when otherwise they might be unaware of any long term detriment to themselves without treatment.

The way I see it, it is something a person needs to do a cost/benefit analysis for. What are the likely costs of treatment (time/$/pain) and the benefits of same. And what are the costs of opting NOT to have treatment (dental problems down the road that may be very costly, and have few treatment options, some permanently unpleasant/less attractive smile in the short run if cosmetics are on the list)?

Only YOU can decide if the tradeoffs are worth it. Your daughter needs you to be an advocate for her, since she's a minor. The early teen years are the time span when orthodontics are the easiest, because of the growth they are going through it makes the shifting of teeth/jaw bone growth much easier and faster.

Good luck with your research.

ETA: For what it is worth, I think the bullying is a non-issue when it comes to braces. SO many kids have them it just isn't an issue. Unless she is already a target for bullies for some reason, the braces aren't going to be a reason to suddenly kick start someone bullying her.

Even if it were purely cosmetic, I would still do it! With overbites and overcrowding, it can cause many problems down the road structurally and with self esteem. Thank goodness we have the beauty of advanced orthodontics. Fair or not, people are held in a lower regard if they don't take care of their teeth.

As a parent, it is MY job to make sure they are done well and in a timely manner. My daughter had two phases (first with the expander, amazing device!!!), the first right after she turned eight. She had the second phase in middle school and was done with the entire process before high school. Each phase lasted about a year.

We loved the orthodontist!! Each phase was about $3,500, Delta Dental paid $1,500. Well worth it, she looks amazing.

I can promise that your daughter will be thrilled to be a teenager and have perfect looking teeth!!!

I had braces as a kid in middle school.
For 3 years.
Now as an adult, I STILL have to wear my retainers.
Every night.
Sue H. below, alluded to this use of retainers, "for life."
If I do not wear my retainers, my teeth, shift.
The Dentist said it is because, teeth/the mouth has memory. And it will shift or shift back.
The mouth/teeth is not static. It also changes per age etc.

I had an underbite. So I guess I "had to" have braces.

My girls begged for them evn though they had great teeth. I didn't get them. It is considered a status symbol here in Athens. It is all the rage. If she doesn't want them, I would worry about it. She may change her mind later.

I don't think its solely cosmetic. I have an overbite and some of my teeth are crooked and it has caused problems.

My GD got braces in October, 2012. She had very crooked teeth and she was experiencing pain when trying to eat because her teeth were so out of whack. She is on Medi-Cal, but they won't pay for braces when there are still baby teeth, of which she has many!

The DDA recommended not waiting to see if Medi-Cal would pay after all baby teeth had fallen out because he said the pain and other problems would get worse and she would have to wear the braces longer and it would be more uncomfortable for her.

I am paying for it out of pocket. The ortho has put us on a VERY REASONABLE payment plan. She is not having any problems with discomfort, even after the adjustments. The DDS says that's because we didn't wait.

So, expensive as it is, I think she should get the braces. They aren't as bulky and unsightly as they used to be and the kids get to pick a different color at each adjustment. My GD has not experienced any teasing by the other kids.

As an alternative to traditional braces, there are a lot of different options out there so that it wouldn't be noticeable that she has braces. You'd just have to check with your orthodontist to see if they have them.

Invisalign (Both of my parents did this in their late 40s, early 50s, and my dad had HORRIBLY crooked teeth. His dentist actually got his permission to use his before and after molds as advertisements.)
http://www.iceclearbraces.com/ (traditional braces, just transparent brackets, from what I can tell)
http://clearcorrect.com/Default.aspx (looks like another version of the Invisalign)

Of course, none of this helps with cost (in fact, they are probably more expensive than traditional braces) but it would certainly help with the fear/anxiety about them.

I think braces are one of the most important things to get, for appearance AND for avoiding painful jaw problems later. Note I didn't get them at 11 and then when I was 20, well, oh boy. I got them then and it was a different experience.

We're starting the kids at the ortho at age 6, and they'll start treatment when necessary. Often they do expanders first at a young age.

Braces can be necessary, some kids have teeth coming in incorrectly, on top of each other, they may have orthodontic issues that can have other side effects like migraines, trouble chewing.... etc.

However I would say that probably 90% of braces are for cosmetic issues only. I don't intend to get my DD braces as a tween if it is purely for cosmetics. My mother did this for me and it was a HUGE mistake. I hated them, I did not properly care for them, I got cavities and damaged enamel (partially due to the braces, partly as part of generally neglected oral hygiene) and after thousands of $$$ spent I got my wisdom teeth at 19 and everything was for naught.
My teeth are slightly crooked now, not bad enough any trouble chewing or brushing, but definitely not perfect. You know what... I DON"T CARE! My husband does not care. I don't think I ever lost a job interview or a friend for not having perfect teeth... Maybe I am not beauty queen material, but I think I am beautiful just as I am. That is what I want to teach my child.

Personally if it is not medically necessary and your DD does not want it... put some money aside every year and once she is older and if she changes her mind she can still get it done. There is a lot of controversy among orthodontists about whether it is really any better/easier/faster to have braces younger rather than older and there is definitely something to be said for a young adult taking charge of their own health and taking care of their braces in a responsible manner.

Good luck.

My son needs braces. His dentist told him a while ago that it was going to happen when he got a bit older. He was 8 when she told him!
We took him to the orthodontist about a year ago (he was 9 1/2) and had the ortho look at his mouth, take some xrays, and then sit down and talk with me about a plan for when he needs to get the braces and how much it's going to cost. The whole appointment was free. It's a consultation. In fact, he went BACK in December for another checkup and he is going back again in June. Each appointment is free until he gets the actual braces put on.
Maybe talk to your dentist and find out if she or he can refer you to an orthodontist and then call and find out if they do free consultations.
L.