Braces and retainers....

In July, the dentist referred us to an orthodontist. I waited a month or maybe two to make an appointment and then my son, who is 9, had a consultation about 2 weeks ago. Tuesday I went in to discuss his treatment. Next week he will have a spacer put in between four of his back teeth (to make room for the braces). The week after he will have a top brace put on. The braces will be on for about 10 months assuming all goes well. Then he will need a retainer. Not sure how long he will need the retainer for. When he is 13 or 14 he may need braces again.

Braces are simple. If you get a great dentist he will explain the details. I have had my braces on for over a year now and it's not as bad as it seems, just the first time is the worst but then things get easier and better. I like the braces with the rubber bands cause the kids can choose two colors, for instance there school colors or halloween or some other holiday. The first visit is getting x-rays and discussions on what type of braces is needed or what is best for your mouth or coverage. It took one hour to half hour to put them on. This part is usually the most hardest part cause you have to sit in that chair for that long time frame. The retainer is for after the braces and it just helps keep your teeth in the same position after the braces are taken off to help insure that you don't need to go back and get the braces on again. Like a cast would do with a sprained ankle. I am still in the process of learning about the retainer myself which I will soon be having in December when I get my braces off. I do not know how long it needs to be on but I have heard some use the retainer for over 5 years it all depends on the person. The first time I saw my dentist I visited him twice in one month, then after that it is every month or 4-6 weeks. Have a great day. Make sure your dentist gives you a family discount when you take the kids in to get braces.

What you want to be looking for is an orthodontist. As far as the time frame of the initial visit, I'm not sure about that because I've never had braces (my daughter will need them in a year or so though). I did have a retainer when I was a child and that was all that I needed to straighten my teeth, I was very blessed. With the braces, after the first visit, you return once about every month to have them adjusted and in most situations after they are straightened, then you move out of the braces and into a retainer. As far as finding an orthodontist, if there is a dental college anywhere near where you live, that would be the first place that I'd check. There is one where we live and they did all of our specialized dental work when we were children. The orthodontists did my brother's braces and they had a oral-facial pain clinic that took care of my TMJ.

Not all dentists are orthodontists. Orthodontists are the ones who correct the jaw's lineup. Braces can take a few hours to attach but if some of their teeth need to be extracted first, you might need to come back for the putting of braces. Your first visit would be for the extraction of some teeth and the second visit is for the putting on of braces. After that, you just need to schedule your monthly appointment (or whatever the orthodontist wants). Retainers are used after you had braces to basically "retain" the alignment that the braces used to maintain.

I had braces and retainers when I was a young boy. Its rather simple to remember and to apply. When your teeth grow, they take form and will move in the direction that they are growing in. Retainers move your teeth in a certain direction. So for example if you have an overbite, your teeth will be pushed by the retainer inwards to guide the teeth into having less of an overbite. Braces are more to keep the teeth into place and ensure that they grow aligned with one another. I think that it is defintately worth having both of these, as they will definately improve your smile.

wow how much will braces cost? i think thats pretty expensive