Braces

[Disney4us2]

Well, DD took the plunge yesterday and she started with braces.

Seemed like it took all day with the consult first and all the pictures, impressions etc. She left the office with braces on the top and will return for the bottom at the next appt.

So far all is ok.... but... Her teeth hurt (told her it would hurt for several days). Then she complained about pain in her chest.... I think it is anxiety.

I gave her one Aleve caplet. Is there anything else I can do to comfort her? I am giving her soft foods now. I remember my mom putting meats in the blender for me when I had braces.

Any suggestions???

[murphy1]

Yes, soft foods and also give her meds prior to the appt. My daughter has good appts and hard ones. I remember it being painful when I had them, too. Popsicles are also good.

[cather74]

Ice cream. She won't notice a thing.

[Katzateer]

My 17 year old just got braces 6 months ago. Some visits she has no pain-some aren't as easy. It is going to be a long 2 years,especially next year when she is at college and living on campus! Appointments will be fun working around her schedule.

Good luck and hope she feels better

[Dulcee]

When my nephew got his put on he had some anxiety thinking about friend's reactions at school. To get his mind off things we spent the day after doing things together (shopping, science experiments, went to a movie), anything to just take his mind off it. It seems silly and simple but sometimes its easy to dwell on the negative. Try to get her up and out this weekend and keep that mind busy!

[tinklover]

you are doing the right things for your daughter. when I got mine on I also got top first and then bottom. The tops were uncomfortable but the bottoms were VERY painful. Make sure to give her some aleve or advil before her appointment to have the bottoms put on. Bless her heart.

[olivegirl]

My 13yo DD just got her braces on September. Both top and bottom at the same time! All in all she handled it like a champ. She did have pain but the ibuprophen helped along with popsicles and ice cream! Soft anything works well and she was able to adapt quickly!! She likes being able to choose the colors of her bands! I do have to say that her monthly visits to tighten the braces are VERY uncomfortable! But she does know that it is only for a day or two! Good luck!!!

[PirateLover]

Not to take the subject off topic but I find it interesting just how many kids seem to be getting braces these days. When I was a teen, and not that long ago I might add as I turned 13 in 1998, maybe 3 people in my class had braces. In high school, kids had them but I don't remember there being a ton of them. Now I teach 8th grade and almost every kid has braces! So my question is are more kids growing up with crooked/crowded teeth or are dentists/orthodontists just being more cautious?? The good thing about it is, no one gets teased because everybody has them!

[magicofdisney]

I also feel like more and more kids are getting them today.

My son got top braces in July and the bottoms put on last month. The bottoms seem to cut him up more. Are you using wax? That really seems to sooth and prevent snags and tears. Also, we did milkshakes often; probably longer than necessary, but he knows how to pull my heart strings.

[murphy1]

MaryAnn, yes,that does seem the case, funny thing too is they seem to want to do it younger now. I put my foot down that she wasn't getting them younger than 11/12 b/c you have to care for them and know people who did it younger and then had to go back in them later on. Lindsey had to have three teeth pulled after she got them, too, after 16 months, her teeth are looking great.

[Melanie]

Did you all not have braces? I actually had them twice, getting my first set in 5th grade, and then again in 9th. I had a really bad mouth. But my brothers also had them, and so did my husband and his brother. Never occured to me that more kids are getting them these days.

Now I do agree with Shari's point of them wanting to put them on the kids earlier. I don't get it, and haven't let mine get them that early. We were in Japan until my oldest was 11 and we were fine with waiting for us to get back in the States and start him then. He's almost done now, 2.5 years later. My youngest is now 12 and we're waiting until we move this summer and get settled before we start him.

Marci, I sure hope your daughter is doing better now. It's strange having all that in your mouth, plus it's that age when they are so aware of looks, etc. I'm sure she'll get used to it though. Good luck!

[Disney4us2]

Thanks everyone Yesterday was a lot better. Although she bent down and hit her mouth on her desk.... Ice was applied and no problems to the braces. She does not really do well when it comes to pain, and will complain all day long. I keep telling her it will get better.

She has no problems with wearing braces, she wanted them. She is really excited to show them off to everyone. Most of her friends have them as well. She is also going a little obsessive on the teeth brushing/flossing which is great.

The office we went to had a lot of patients for Ortho, but he is only there on Thursdays. I think there were about 3 start up including Jessica that morning. They seemed older than her and Jessica is 12.

I got my braces around the age of 12/13 and had them for 5 to 6 years. We moved while I had my braces on and it took a couple of years for my mom to find an Ortho for me. In the meantime, the old braces just sat there. UGH. Boy have braces changed since I had them. No more metal bands on all the teeth. No more thin metal wires holding the wire going across the brackets in place. Love those color bands. The orthodontist also seems so young. I think I had my braces on before he was even born...lol.

Last night I put her chicken in the food chopper for a couple of seconds and she actually liked it and ate it up. It was so easy to chew. I will be using that for all her meats now.

Jessica tends to by shy and doesn't smile much. Yesterday on our bike/scooter ride she was smiling all the time. I think the braces are a great confidence booster for her knowing she is on her way to a great smile.
Thanks again for all the suggestions... keep them coming.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

Instead of Aleve - try Advil as she can take it more often. You can also alternate Advil and Tylenol. But the biggest thing - take it about 30 minutes BEFORE the appointment to help stave off the pain.

Soft foods, Ice Cream, Milkshakes. Take her out for a milkshake and fries after the appointments to take her mind off of everything.

I also had braces as a youth, and have had 3 of my 4 children in full braces with the youngest just having his pallet expanded in hopes of avoiding full braces. Of course hubby never had braces and has beautiful straight teeth. UGH!

[clausjo]

Both my kids are in braces. Actually, my son had all of the brackets removed and now has an appliance in his mouth to move his lower jaw forward. He's only 12. The Ortho thinks that he may have to have the brackets put back on for a short time after the appliance has done its job, but doesn't anticipate a "second phase" being needed for him.

Daughter is another story. She's only 9 and has already had a palate expander. She was a thumb sucker so her teeth are really bad. She just had the brackets put on a couple of months ago and the difference is amazing!

He anticipates she'll need the same appliance my son has eventually, but thinks that, if all goes well, she'll avoid a "second phase" also.

He explained that they put the braces on earlier now because the teeth move so much faster. If the kids wear their retainers like they're supposed to, they can avoid movement in the future. I'm hoping this is true!

[Hair_Razor]

My mom has worked at the dental school my whole life and says it's an Ortho scam for more money to put your kids in braces so young. Most DDS's agree that your mouth has not finished forming and growing that early. Most of the time corrections can be made at a later age in one phase. My son just turned 15 and will get his braces soon poor guy has some gnarly teeth. Took after his dad on that, who when I met him in high school had braces

[Mickey'sGirl]

Our eldest had braces put on at age 11, and they were removed about 2 years later when he was 13. He had to correct a severe overbite, and a huge gap in the front. He had both top and bottom braces put on ... but had to wear headgear at night for the first few months. He really hated the headgear.

He has a very high tolerance for pain, but had to take advil after each adjustment for the ache. Also, the wax really helped when the wires irritated the inside of his lips/mouth.

His food limitations were No long spaghetti (it got caught in the wires), no citrus fruit and no biting into harder fruit (he would cut up apples instead).

We took him to a children's orthodontist who had experience with Autistic patients, and his understanding of Harry's anxiety and any sensory issues was very helpful.

Harry 's favourite thing was when they were removed (except for the permanent retainer which is affixed to his lower teeth), and the office gave him a HUGE bag of sticky candy (which he was discouraged from eating while he was wired up).

Good thoughts and hope it gets easier for your daughter. It's great that she's into the hygiene ... that's a huge help!!

[Disney4us2]

Our eldest had braces put on at age 11, and they were removed about 2 years later when he was 13. He had to correct a severe overbite, and a huge gap in the front. He had both top and bottom braces put on ... but had to wear headgear at night for the first few months. He really hated the headgear.

He has a very high tolerance for pain, but had to take advil after each adjustment for the ache. Also, the wax really helped when the wires irritated the inside of his lips/mouth.

His food limitations were No long spaghetti (it got caught in the wires), no citrus fruit and no biting into harder fruit (he would cut up apples instead).

We took him to a children's orthodontist who had experience with Autistic patients, and his understanding of Harry's anxiety and any sensory issues was very helpful.

Harry 's favourite thing was when they were removed (except for the permanent retainer which is affixed to his lower teeth), and the office gave him a HUGE bag of sticky candy (which he was discouraged from eating while he was wired up).

Good thoughts and hope it gets easier for your daughter. It's great that she's into the hygiene ... that's a huge help!!

Thanks Jennifer
She has had them almost 2 weeks now and is doing fine. I think she just had some anxiety / panic attacks after the top's were put on. She was complaining of her throat hurting when she ate and had chest pain (her words)and shortness of breath. Once she was used to the braces all was fine with eating. No more pains or breathing problems. We go back on 2/2 for her next visit. I think she will get the bottoms on (hopefully)at this visit. I won't hear any complaints as she has Girl Scout camp the following 3 days. I will just send her with tylenol and wax. I am more worried about when they put the palate expander in.

I also had the head gear... hated that. Don't know anyone who really likes it. I remember the rubberbands too. Used to shoot them across the room for fun.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

My mom has worked at the dental school my whole life and says it's an Ortho scam for more money to put your kids in braces so young. Most DDS's agree that your mouth has not finished forming and growing that early. Most of the time corrections can be made at a later age in one phase. My son just turned 15 and will get his braces soon poor guy has some gnarly teeth. Took after his dad on that, who when I met him in high school had braces

Pallet expansions, and jaw corrections need to be done younger than standard straightening of teeth. Especially with underbites. If you don't work on correcting an underbite early, then it ends up with the jaw breaking and resetting. Pallet expansions have to happen before the pallets fuse together.

But standard straightening and the simpler overbite can be done later in a child's life.

[Hair_Razor]

Pallet expansions, and jaw corrections need to be done younger than standard straightening of teeth. Especially with underbites. If you don't work on correcting an underbite early, then it ends up with the jaw breaking and resetting. Pallet expansions have to happen before the pallets fuse together.

But standard straightening and the simpler overbite can be done later in a child's life.

Sure but we were talking braces, so the assumption I was writing under minus the one case aforementioned, my statement still applies.

[DisneyDog]

My son is 9 years old and got braces right before his 9th birthday. He had the pallette expander for a few months first. One of his top front teeth was way behind his bottom teeth. He was uncomfortable because of it. Once the braces were on, that tooth moved pretty quickly. The braces will be on in two phases. They will eventually come off for a while and thn go back on. I can't say enough great things about our orthodontist. She makes things fun for the kids. I had mine in the 80's and you would have thought I was going to scheduled torture sessions. Things have really changed in the world of orthodontia!