# Get braces put back on age 19?



## alipaige (Jan 8, 2009)

I need some advice.

From age 14 to 16 I had braces. My sophomore year of high school I had my braces removed, and obvious the result..straight teeth and a perfect smile. After you get your braces taken off, any smart person would know that you're suppose to wear your retainer to avoid your teeth spacing out again. Like the irresponsible person I am, the retainer was uncomfortable and after a week of wearing it I never bothered with it again. Contrary to what my orthodontist told me, I was certain that after two years of braces, my gaps _weren't_ coming back. Yeah, I know... No snarky remarks.. don't remind me of my stupidity..

Maybe after about a year I noticed my two front teeth had started to move apart again. Nothing too bad though. As the months increased so did my gap, and it began to get larger. I knew it was too late to do anything about it, my retainer would no longer fit, so I ignored it..

Now after 3 years my gap in my two front teeth is still growing and has become noticeable, and I'm even starting to get another small gap I used to have before braces. All of this because I didn't wear my stinkin' retainer like I was suppose to.. :bah

I'm completely self conscious about my teeth. I don't show my teeth when I smile or in pictures. I know it's my own fault, but regardless, I'd like to get it fixed before it gets worse.

Solution? Should I get braces put back on at age 19? I feel like I'm too old to have braces, but I feel like the result would be worth it. I know it's expensive, How much do you think it would cost? Would dental insurance cover any of it? Help!

I want to go from this :troll to  !


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## Perfectionist (Mar 19, 2004)

Geez, this might as well have been my post. I'm in the exact same position, except I'm 21.

So far, I haven't gone back to the orthodontist. In fact, I've begun avoiding the dentist when she calls, because they share the same office and if she saw my teeth she'd flip out and tell my orthodontists who would also flip out.

If you can do the invisaline treatments then I say go for it, as you can't even see them. I had those on my top teeth for a while and it worked well. If its' regular braces, it's really up to you how comfortable you would be getting braces back on at this age, and how much you want perfect teeth. I doubt a lot of people would see it as a big deal, or cause you much grief about it. A large majority of people have had them, so know what it is like to go through the process and would probably sympathize.

The ony thing that is stopping me is the fear of getting freaked out at by my orthodontist. She's not very nice. And really scares me.


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## alipaige (Jan 8, 2009)

Perfectionist said:


> Geez, this might as well have been my post. I'm in the exact same position, except I'm 21.
> 
> So far, I haven't gone back to the orthodontist. In fact, I've begun avoiding the dentist when she calls, because they share the same office and if she saw my teeth she'd flip out and tell my orthodontists who would also flip out.
> 
> ...


Hahah! Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm glad there's someone else in my shoes.

And I know exactly how you feel. The number one reason I've been neglecting to go back to my orthodontist is I don't want to get scolded for waiting this long to get it fixed. It feels like all their hard work was done in vain (even though they obviously got paid a big wad of cash for it).

Even so, it's been three years now, and my teeth aren't going to fix themselves.

Maybe you should consider going to another orthodontist?


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## shyvr6 (Feb 18, 2008)

I've seen 30 year olds with braces on. I think they make some now where they aren't so visible like the old completely metal ones.


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## Perfectionist (Mar 19, 2004)

Yeah, orthodontists are a lot more willing to give you the clear ones the older you get. I think it does cost more though, if I remember from when I had mine.


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## Bredwh (Jan 24, 2009)

I didn't get braces until I was 20. My teeth were so bad I couldn't get Invisaline ones though so I had to have normal ones. They were white though so weren't that visible. I just got my top ones off a month ago after 27 months and still have my bottom ones on. I'll be getting them off soon.

I know of a lot of people at this age with braces, it's no big deal.


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## golden (Feb 17, 2009)

I would go to an orthodontist if you want it fixed an ask about the invisible braces things...like here http://www.invisalign.com/Pages/Home.aspx

i'm not sure the ones i linked are all that great (first google search that came up i linked), but they should be able to find something similar that works.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

I wore braces and they were a waste of money. I had a bad overbite on one of my bottom teeth. The braces fixed it, but it ended up coming back after my dentist up here took the retainer that was glued to the back of that tooth off. He said according the the x-ray the tissue had developed really well around this tooth and that it could be taken off. He wanted rid of it because it was hard for him to clean around it. Well a few months later the overbite came back. My mother has the same overbite. It must be a genetic thing. If I knew this was going to happen I wouldn't went through all the torture getting braces. They didn't have the invisible ones back then. They had the old fashioned metal ones. Getting braces was more my mothers idea then mine. I was 20 at the time. My mother thought this would keep me out of the military if I had braces on. This is when Saddam attacked Kuwait and Bush I was building up our forces over there to attack them. My mother was very sure this was going to turn into another Vietnam and they were going to start drafting again. I constantly argued with her regarding this, but she always got her way. To shut her up I had it done. My mother has Generalized Anxiety so she was worrying constantly about this. You had to see her when after Bush I attacked Iraq. She was running around the house yelling and screaming about it. I can see why my father worked overtime at the factory all of the time avoiding being home.


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## bezoomny (Feb 10, 2007)

Yeah, this happened to me too. When I was young, I had crooked teeth and an insane underbite, so I had a solid two or three years of braces and various apperati. Didn't wear the retainer and my teeth got crooked again. I only needed six months of plain brackets, nothing compared to the torture I was put through in middle school to non-surgically correct an underbite.


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## whiterabbit (Jan 20, 2006)

My teeth are a bit of a mess. If I had the money I would consider getting braces, and I'm 22.


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## coldmorning (Jul 4, 2007)

There are people in their 30s and 40s who get braces. 20 isn't too old at all to get them.


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## Pam Waterman (Mar 4, 2009)

*Adult braces - not too bad*

More than one million people over age 18 now wear braces, so you wouldn't be alone. I found that out when I was researching my specialty cookbook for adults in braces. You can also get lots of information including thoughts on costs at the public website of the American Association of Orthodontists, at www.braces.org. I had braces last year to close up a gap that had opened over the years, and I'm 53. It worked out great and I'm so happy with the results! Now I'm in a retainer most of the time time; by the summer I'll just wear it at night, but I think it's really worth it. Also, they can adjust the retainer if it doesn't feel good after a few days. Like the others have said, there's Invisalign, there are clear brackets, and there are even braces that go on the back of your teeth. You can get more information from people who've been there at www.ArchWired.com (a website for adults in braces), and at my website www.BracesCookbook.com and my blog, www.SilverSmileSurvival.blogspot.com. Best wishes.


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## random222 (Jun 21, 2007)

There's nothing to worry about. Even celebrities wear braces- see Tom Cruise http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38100000/jpg/_38100645_brace_pa_150.jpg .


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

shyvr6 said:


> I've seen 30 year olds with braces on. I think they make some now where they aren't so visible like the old completely metal ones.


The less visible ones cost more and don't work as well though from what I've read.

I never had braces and I expect to live out my life with imperfect teeth. I don't have any problem with gaps -- my teeth are crowded in too tight on the upper jaw. It seems the obvious solution to crowding would be to at the very least remove wisdom teeth (which only grew in on my upper jaw).

Given that I hate oral surgeons and the entire concept of tearing out teeth, I have entirely avoided the issue.


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## BeNice (Jan 2, 2004)

I had braces on my top and bottom teeth. I did wear my retainer, but maybe not enough. I got to the point where I didn't have to wear my top one anymore, but still the bottom. I think I stopped wearing the bottom only a few months before I was supposed to. Well, my top teeth got slightly out of place again and my bottom a lot worse. I don't care. If people are going to judge me by my teeth then they can go rot in Hell.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

I had braces from age 10-12. Before then I had a severe overbite, bad enough I had to wear an orthodontic headgear along with the braces but I'm glad I did it...I'm self concious enough about my appearance as it is and if I still had that to contend with I think I would wear a bag over my head in public. Beleive it or not at age 33 I still wear my retainers every night and I expect I'll be wearing them for the rest of my life. If I skip even one or two nights I notice an immediate feeling of tightness when I put them back in next time, so I know if I just stopped wearing them completely my teeth would almost surely shift back to the way they were before even though it's been over 20 years ago. Some people can stop wearing them after a few years, some need to wear them for life. I don't really mind wearing them, I just put them in at night before I go to bed and I hardly notice they are there. My teeth still look the same as they did the day I got my braces off.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Lonelyguy said:


> Beleive it or not at age 33 I still wear my retainers every night and I expect I'll be wearing them for the rest of my life.


I didn't know that was even possible. I thought that by the age of 20-something teeth were basically fixed in place as if set in stone, making adult braces much more difficult than moving around the teeth of a growing child. I had no idea that adult teeth could move so easily that one could need a retainer for a lifetime.


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## Tony99 (Jul 27, 2008)

alipaige said:


> I need some advice.
> 
> Solution? Should I get braces put back on at age 19? I feel like I'm too old to have braces, but I feel like the result would be worth it. I know it's expensive, How much do you think it would cost? Would dental insurance cover any of it? Help!
> 
> ...


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## milhouse (Jan 28, 2009)

ultra, i thought that too, orthidontist said they move the same at any age just easier on patients when you are younger because its more common.

i got braces at the age of 23 had, them on till almost 26, $6,500 covered by me an investment ive never regretted.asked the parents(back when i was 16), apparently no money. 

puts on retainer in fear lol, ive also got a mouthguard at night for grinding. use them both. and ya ortho said i would probably wear my retainer for the rest of my life


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## alipaige (Jan 8, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback everyone! :clap

I'll definitely take everyone's advice into consideration. As far as Invisalign goes, I read up on it, and because it's more expensive than braces and takes a lot more discipline and up-keep, i decided that's really not the path for me. Plus, I heard it takes a lot longer to see results.

I'm actually considering an alternate solution. Teeth bonding? Has anyone had any experiences with this? :um


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## alex999 (Oct 21, 2008)

i've never had braces and I'm 20...everyone else in my family did at one point or another. reading this thread makes me feel kind of blessed, haha. when i go to the dentist they are always really suprised I have never had braces before. well, they aren't absolutely perfect (still have a very small gap between my front two teeth, which closed in with age) but I'm not complaining. 

my brother got braces when he was about 27. for a while he had to look like an overgrown 12 year old, but the end result was great for him.


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## milhouse (Jan 28, 2009)

the only thing i know about bonding is, as long as your teeth arent too bad, they basically grind some of your teeth away, and replace them with labority enamel. my dad sometimes has to go back to the dentist to have them redune because hard foods can break the tooth material off.

although he has bad teeth, and doesnt take care of them so, it may be his fault


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## alipaige (Jan 8, 2009)

milhouse said:


> the only thing i know about bonding is, as long as your teeth arent too bad, they basically grind some of your teeth away, and replace them with labority enamel. my dad sometimes has to go back to the dentist to have them redune because hard foods can break the tooth material off.
> 
> although he has bad teeth, and doesnt take care of them so, it may be his fault


Yikes. Nevermind that then... I'd rather have braces than have my healthy teeth grind down to pegs. :no


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## Slow Polk (Feb 28, 2008)

<---- 27 with braces. 

I had to get them due to weight gain over the years then the loss of said weight. Combine that with the fact that I lost my retainer sometime around age 17, and my teeth ended up shifting all over the place.

I have never received a negative comment about them. Most people who notice them either A) talk about another adult they know with braces or B) mention that they could use some teeth straightening themselves. I say go for it. The older you get the more difficult it becomes to move teeth around.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

UltraShy said:


> I didn't know that was even possible. I thought that by the age of 20-something teeth were basically fixed in place as if set in stone, making adult braces much more difficult than moving around the teeth of a growing child. I had no idea that adult teeth could move so easily that one could need a retainer for a lifetime.


Not mine. I had a bad overbite on the bottom and it is starting to come back after that stupid dentist of mine took the retainer that was glued on the back of this tooth. He got sick of cleaning around it, and took it off.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Slow Polk said:


> I had to get them due to weight gain over the years then the loss of said weight.


How does weight gain & loss effect teeth and create a need for braces?:stu

Most of my adult life my weight have been around 240 with a max of around 285 and a low just over 170, so I've seen a fairly wide range. Currently, around 185. But I've never seen this impact my teeth. After all, my jaw has stayed the same regardless of weight.


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## Halcyon Daze (Dec 22, 2008)

Teeth have memory! The ortho made sure to stress that point. I had a severe gap in my top two front teeth which I always hated and made me feel so ugly. I'm so glad I got braces to fix it when in highschool. My teeth still move and I'm 24. 

I don't know why, but my ortho did not tell me to wear a retainer after a few months he said I could stop. They had already moved by that point so maybe he just wanted to get rid of me. The only things I have are a metal bond behind my top two front teeth to keep them together, and a metal bridge behind all six bottom front teeth. This has kept them together but has not kept them from shifting at odd and angles and slightly bunching.

I don't care though as long as the top two stay together and the gap doesn't appear elsewhere. I have a slight space developing on the side I have to watch though. 
It really is a lifelong thing this teeth saga.

My mom had braces a few years ago and she was happy with her result, but she just broke her retainer last month. by the time she got the new one made her two front teeth became crooked again. I feel bad for her cause she spent all that money for nothing really. She'll have to shell out more for invisalign or get the metal ones put on again to fix it. such a shame.


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## blueblu (Feb 25, 2009)

24 with braces here. Another year or so to go. I was scared about what other people would say but really shouldn't have. Like Slow Polk said, most didn't notice and if they did, they'd bring up their own or someone else's tooth issues.


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## Linus (Mar 1, 2009)

I need braces but I couldn't imagine the extra bullying from school past normal levels.


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## Jokerchick (Feb 9, 2009)

I'm almost 25 and I have braces, which will stay on until I'm 26. 
It honestly doesn't bother me at all. Plus now, depending on the kind you get, you can pick from tons of funky colours for the bands. I'm not sure if that would help how you feel lol! But it helped me a bit but hey, that's just me. You can also get braces that are less noticable though they do cost quite a bit more. Hope this helps you, just want you to know you should not feel embarassed in the least to have braces at you age. :boogie


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## rafaelapolinario (Mar 5, 2009)

bezoomny said:


> Yeah, this happened to me too. When I was young, I had crooked teeth and an insane underbite, so I had a solid two or three years of braces and various apperati. Didn't wear the retainer and my teeth got crooked again. I only needed six months of plain brackets, nothing compared to the torture I was put through in middle school to non-surgically correct an underbite.


Yeah, I get to suffer all of these, too. Suffered for almost a year to finally get it back to shape again.


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## Hoppipolla (Apr 11, 2007)

Go for it. My mother got braces at the age of 35. Although, I think teeth gaps are adorable.


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## TheRob (Dec 30, 2006)

My teeth are definitely sinking back into pre-brace formation. I have an obvious gap in the top front teeth. 

I had braces from ages 11-14, then a retainer from 14-16. The orthodonist told me I could phase the retainer out, which I did. I hated the retainer; it caused me to drool when I talked on some occasions. Of course the braces were painful. I'm not sure I want to experience that again.


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## smalltowngirl (Feb 17, 2006)

If you can stand to have braces on again, then I say go for it. Personally I never, ever want braces again. They were such a pain in more ways than one. I hated the whole experience and wish I had never bothered with it. 

I still wear my retainer at night sometimes. My orthodontist told me years ago that I could stop wearing it, but my dentist told me to keep wearing it. It's really not that difficult to stick it in a few nights a week, so that's what I do. My teeth look about the same as they did the day my braces were removed. Still the whole thing wasn't worth it in my opinion. Are you sure you want to go through that again, especially now that you know your gaps might come back?


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## J_111 (Jan 23, 2009)

I never wore my retainers after my braces got removed when i was 14. They were too uncomfortable but ive noticed over the years my teeth are spacing out a tiny bit and i have a mild overbite. I have booked an appointment for next week but they may recommend i wear braces again. If so ill go for the Invisalign ones, the only problem is they only offer them at certain orthodontists. If they dont offer them where im going then ill do without :blank or i will look for other methods


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## Micronian (Nov 11, 2004)

rafaelapolinario said:


> Yeah, I get to suffer all of these, too. Suffered for almost a year to finally get it back to shape again.


I went through nearly five years of orthodontic treatment (from 19 to 24 yrs old). starting with brackets to widen my mouth, then special elastics to move a tooth from the back of my mouth, then a special retainer, then the BRACES, then the retainer after the braces. And I still have a wire running through the back of my lower teeth. I don't mind though. It's better than having them crooked.

The worst part, was having to go through all of university with a bunch of oral contraptions. I could barely have a pizza during my freshman year.


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## ericj (Jun 20, 2007)

I got mine at 24, finally got them off after I turned 27. It was supposed to be 24 months, but I couldn't go for regular checkups for 5 months due to work, then I flew back-and-forth once or twice a month until they removed them in August or September of last year. My teeth were too bad for invisalign, so I got the transparent mounts with normal wires. Apparently those are even worse than metal ones in shredding your mouth up (and they were awful about that)... It was such torture that I only remove my retainers to eat, and I will probably do that for years, maybe for good. I get a checkup on them every two months now with a local orthodontist... I even paid the new one way more than the old one just to get a new retainer fast and avoid them moving when I broke my original one, since I really don't ever want braces again.

Nearly three years of torture is enough to teach me a lesson...


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