However, "invisaline" will not work on my teeth and the orthodontist doesn't recommend the ceramic pale version of the metal wires as they are awkward and stain. So it is metal braces, but that is not the only part, to move my bite into place they need to move my jaw and I have 3 options
a - Have teeth removed
b - have jaw surgery
c - get a herbst brace
So as you can imagine, I am still thinking, and may keep on thinking for some time to come,
I am actually scared shitless about the brace not really as concerned about the metal wires as I know they do hurt,
so metal braces for 2 years
a herbst appliance for 9 months
and a cost of $4500
I will continue to "think"
what do you think?? Would you do it!
1 comment:
Hi Katie,
I had braces back in the day and I'm sure the technology has changed substantially, but the basic mechanics of moving your jaw are probably the same. Here are my thoughts and experiences with this matter.
I wouldn't let the pain and inconvenience of the braces themselves stop you. Yes, your teeth will hurt like hell every time they tighten the wires. I was in 5th-7th grade when I had mine and I remember crying the first night after each such appointment because it hurt quite a bit. You won't be able to eat normal food easily that first night or 2 either, but if you stick with pasta and Jamba Juice, you'll be fine.
The sides of your cheeks will also get rubbed raw in some places, but they have wax that you smoosh into the braces in the offending area that helps a bit.
But, as I recall, it isn't really THAT bad. It's a pain in the butt, but there are only a few such days and straight teeth are nice.
However, I would caution you to think more about the jaw issue. I had a severe overbite (my bottom teeth hit the roof of my mouth); I had to wear a headgear for 6 months. I would have had to wear it for a year, but I bit the bullet and wore it for 24 hours a day and cut the time in half. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodontic_headgear
Again, this is a different appliance than a herbst brace, but the mechanics are likely the same and you should talk to the orthodontist about this.
I have had terrible TMJ problems since I got out of the headgear. For 10 years, I had bad headaches related to the TMJ and took Advil daily through high school. The headaches have gone away now (or I've gotten used to them), but my jaw still clicks with every bite. One doctor told me that my jaw was dislocating itself every time I opened and closed it. Pop in, pop out, and so on. I can never figure out what the correct position of my jaw should be, when is it in the socket and when is it out.
Going to the dentist and having to hold my mouth open for long periods of time is awful. I can barely eat the rest of the day.
Eating bagels and chewy bread can cause sharp pains in the jaw, as can opening too wide to bite down on a big sandwich. I have to yawn with great caution. On bad days, my jaw will lock and I have to manually rub the joint to relieve the tension. Again, it can be hard to eat on these days.
When I brought my new TMJ issues up to my orthodontist a year or so after I go my braces off, he insisted the headgear had nothing to do with it, because of course he would. A year or so later, I got a night guard that I have worn every night since (not the exact same one mind you) to relieve the tension in my jaw since I also grind my teeth. The doctor who made the initial night guard grudgingly admitted that a headgear could cause TMJ problems for people who were already pre-disposed to having the problems.
Perhaps this is true. All of my joints are pretty crappy. My doctor tells me I have loose ligaments. I also have a family history of arthritis and I worry what will happen if my abused jaw is ever afflicted. I joke with Steve about eating through a straw in my senior years.
When you think about the central idea of a headgear or, from what I can tell, a herbst brace, you are putting backward pressure on the upper palate to force it to align with the lower. The only place that pressure can go is into the jaw joint. If you have any trouble with your joints generally, I would bring this up to the orthodontist and see what s/he has to say.
There are certainly medical reasons to have braces other than for cosmetic straightening. As I said, my overbite was terrbile and they really did need to correct my bite. But if all you are worried about is your crooked teeth and they are talking about messing with your jaw, I would think more about it and get some other opinions.
Two years of wearing the braces is nothing to be afraid of. If you don't have other joint issues and your other fears are allayed, then go for it. Just be aware of the longer term possibilities that might be an issue with the jaw movement.
I hope this didn't scare you. I'm sure the technology has changed in 20 years and they may well have methods in place to minimize this kind of jaw injury. But I wanted you to know my experience so you would know what types of questions to ask beforehand.
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