What's your take on braces?
 

Venting slightly here...so, bear with me.

I'm divorced (about 6 years now). In the divorce settlement, I agreed I'd pay for kids' braces (we have 3 kids). My thought process of the time was if the kids NEED braces, I'd pay for them. My ex apparently took it as a way to ensure to squeeze some more money out of me. Oldest kid (14) got braces about 2 years ago because the orthodontist told the ex she needed them. Duh, what ortho is going to tell you that your kid doesn't need braces? He wouldn't be in business very long...Whatever, I paid the 5k. Next daughter (12 next month) isn't very good about her dental hygiene, and I've told the ex I will not pay for braces if the kid can't do the basics (brush twice a day). Get a call today that she'd gone to the orthodontist, and lo and behold, she needs braces. Her teeth really don't look bad at all, and they don't cause headaches, toothaches, etc. so I don't see the "need" for braces. Her teeth are straight (it's my good genes :D ).

So, looks like I'm shelling out another 5k for braces next month. At least I only have 1 more kid to do this for...whose teeth also look perfectly normal :mad:

So, what's the consensus here? When do you feel kids "need" braces and when is it just a waste of money? Orthodontists in our midst...my apologies for painting you as money-grubbing whores in my rant, and please feel free to weigh in.

Make an appointment with YOUR Ortho and take daughter for a second opinion.

Simple.

Should be easy enough to get this straightened out.

DO NOT start too early! (of course most ortho's will NEVER EVER EVER EVER tell you that ... they have car payments to make too!)

At least you know that money is being spent on the kids, not somehow on the ex's new boyfriend/girlfriend!

Make sure the situation with their 'wisdom' teeth is sorted out at a young age too.

I feel your pain. Not only three kids but the wifey decided she wanted them too. Twenty g's out the door. Kids teeth look great though!

Get a second opinion and make sure it's not too early. For me it was and they had to pull teeth, wait 6 months, install hardware. 3 years later - straight teeth and a retainer plate with fake teeth. Very straight smile.

Unless of course, the boyfriend is the ortho.

I'd take em to your dentist for a look and second opinion. If he says got to the ortho then go to one of your choice. Ortho intervention when not needed is potentially harmful. My wife, now ex but not then, was convinced my son needed them after my daughter got them. He didn't and the ortho and xrays showed he was going to be fine.

In North America, 99% of braces is for cosmetic reasons only.

Just an observation:
Sometimes women randomly feel they need to assert themselves fully into the world to feel validated and powerful.
And if someone else is paying the bill and suffering the pain, even better.

Sorry I have no answer.

Wrong. Completely wrong. Esthetics is a primary driver but the long term benefit is balanced occlusal forces and proper airway, tmj and muscle function which results in lifelong fewer long term problems including sleep apnea, tooth fractures, periodontal instability and jaw joint and muscle problems.

Also in kids it's growth modification to guide growth and prevent dentofacial deformities and correct skeletal malocclusions to avoid jaw surgery in many cases.

Do people die from no braces? No. Is their ability to function and lifelong problems reduced? Yes. Added benefit is improved self confidence from esthetic benefits.

5k is too much for standard braces. 3k is the going rate around here.

It is absolutely worth it imho. A beautiful confident smile... You may not like your Ex but these are still your kids and giving them a healthy and good looking mouth full of teeth should be money well spent.

It warms my heart every time one of my kids smiles at me, I dont mind the expense. Some of them would have had "ok" teeth as well but the before / after is striking. Also note that facial features such as a light under- or overbite are also corrected with good braces, for a nice profile ...

I'm not an orthodontist. But an acquaintance is, and that's what he said. Now surely he was being a bit facetious...but just a bit.

A quick search of the American Dental Association shows 70% of braces are for aesthetic reasons only. And if that figure is coming from people who make their living doing that, I'd guess the number is higher than that still.

I have no doubt that some people really need braces. But a great number of them, (the majority per the ADA) do not.

Having had braces at 12, then having 4 wisdom teeth wreck the work done, I say it should be mandated for everyone to have to wait until their 20's to get braces.

Does your 12 year old have all her adult teeth?

I only ask because my son had his braces put on at 13. His teeth (back molars) have been a little slow to come in and that has added 6 months so far to the treatment. We just had his wisdom teeth removed last week because they were part of the molars issue. Now we just wait until we know the molars are in the right place and then he can have them taken off. Who knows how long that will be.

I would say that if she doesn't have her adult teeth wait just a few months for them to come in.

And the brushing: that is difficult for teens who do brush well. I would wait just for that. But in your case: it sounds like you don't have much choice.

Is your ex sleeping with the ortho? Conflict of interest? :)

Neither of my kids got braces, their teeth are fine.

So they are not mandatory for all kids.

No doubt asking some orthos if the kid needs braces is like asking a barber if you need a haircut.

No doubt, many are real professionals and will say no if that is accurate but many only see a boat payment or a nice cruise in their future.

Get a second opinion.

Braces are an indicator of one's socio-economic class. Mostly. Of course there is some medical benefit. It is just like showing up with a Porsche. It means you grew up in a certain level of affluence.

That is why my children have braces. To frame them into middle class or higher down the road.

Larry

Like Aigel said, 5K is too much no matter what...