[HeffyEnd]

I have no idea if this goes in this forum or the other one.

I went to the dentist the other day and he made me an appointment with an orthodontist. When he first brought up the notion to me, it was like he was talking in slow motion, this was something I'd been expecting and dreading since it was first brought up that I might need braces when I was about 12. I had friends who had braces when they were younger and it seemed painful and annoying. I only have one tooth in the front that's slightly crooked, so if I smile or talk, you can't really notice anything. But I have an overbite and some of my teeth towards the side/back don't line up right. So I don't really need anything done for aesthetic reasons but he thinks it'd be a good idea health-wise to get something done, as leaving my teeth the way they are now might cause problems in the future. I haven't even gone to the ortho yet so people think I'm overreacting, but like I said, this is something that's been brought up before and I expect I'll probably need something done.

I guess I should've gotten it done when I was 12. I'm gonna be a 19 year old with braces.

So I have t3h questions for youz who've had braces.

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
-How long did you wear them?
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?

I was mostly worried at first about being so old and wearing braces, but then I remembered Tom Cruise and Gwen Stefani sported braces in adulthood and I felt better. <3

[chifuni]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
30 minutes - a hour? Don't remember. It feels a little sore at first, but it didn't hurt for me.
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Once a month or so? I have no tolerance for pain.. and if I had to rate it on a scale, 10 being highest,
I'd say a 2 or 3.
-How long did you wear them?
2 1/2 years.
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
I know some that didn't, and some did. But I don't think it's mandatory.

[heartstation]

ohhh ~ you shouldn't worry !
my mom got her braces when she was 2O .
but she got great results so it's overall really worth it .
I still have mine in , but I think I'm still eligible to answer some questions

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
It didn't take long , & I don't know the exact time , but it didn't hurt at all.
all they're really doing is gluing the brackets on your teeth , putting in the wire , & then the bands .
the bands may give pressure , but it's not really painful & it's pretty much normal .

-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
I'm sure this goes for everyone else too I think , but I get them tightened once a month .
you may feel pressure on your teeth the first few days , or week or so , but you get so used to it .
so it isn't really much of a big deal

-How long did you wear them?
this july it has been a year , but I was told that I'm gonna have them for two years .

-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
I'm going to have to wear one for life , I was told .
& I think it's true , because my mom still wears hers .

there's nothing to worry about , you may feel the pressure from time to time but it gets really worth it at the end .
I had REALLY messed up teeth , & after the first year my bottom row is aligned , & the top is almost there ~!
I can't stop smiling now , so trust me , it's totally worth it

[heartdrops]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
I don't remember since I got it a long time ago.. but maybe like 30 min?
It hurt like HECKKKKK for me, but I think it's only because I have really sensitive teeth.
So yeah.. I was really grumpy the first week of braces because I could barely eat anything.

-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Once a month. Tightening is not so bad. Sometimes it would hurt the next day for me, but it's not bad at all.

-How long did you wear them?
I think I had them on for 2 years.

-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
I had to wear one after I got my braces off. I stopped wearing it ;x My dentist never told me if I can stop or I have to wear it lifetime.
Doododo.. maybe I should wear it again..

[laughable]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
I think around 45 minutes? It didn't seem too long, I don't think (or remember).
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Once every month. I think it depends for some people, because it barely hurt for me,
but my friends said it hurt a lot. Don't worry about the pain, though. Advil, or any other pain
medication helps. The pain doesn't last long anyways.
-How long did you wear them?
I had them on for two years. That's usually the right amount of years for a lot of people,
but it can get extended or shortened. It really matters on how your teeth are and how well
you're listening to the orthodontist about rubber bands, head braces, etc.
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
I'm not sure, but I'm guessing yes, because the retainers are used so that
it can stable your teeth while the braces are off. They aren't bad, trust me.


Don't worry about it, braces aren't that bad! Some people actually want them c(:

[diffa_is_a_genius]

Haha you and I are in the same boat. I'm 19 too and suddenly I decided to get braces. I just thought its better now than never. My teeth aren't horrible but they aren't perfect either. Just think about it, no pain no gain.

[night.star]

How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
30 minutes.

How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Every 2 month. It doesn't hurt that much, it only hurt for a day.
But it also depend on how much they tighten it.

How long did you wear them?
Almost three years, mine is going to be taken out in October the earliest.

Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
Don't know. I still have my braces.

[busagiboo]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
Around 30 minutes to an hour.

-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
I got them tightened every month.

-How long did you wear them?
I had them for about two years.

-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
I think so. I'm still wearing retainers, after getting my braces off about a year ago.

[Ashley]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
It took about 30-45 minnutes. It doesn't hurt at the time, but it starts to hurt a little bit a few hours later. The cement tastes like crap though. My orthodontist prescribed me some ibuprofen so it won't hurt to chew.

-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Normally, every month. Hurts for about a day or two, not that much, but enough that it's difficult to bit food with my front teeth. It also depends on how much theyr tighten it.

-How long did you wear them?
I need them for 2 years. I'm 17, and i just got them a few months ago. I think it's better to get them when you're older. You'd care for your teeth more. And, i know someone who got braces when she was 12ish (her teeth weren't "fully grown"), now that she's 27ish, her teeth shifted back and it looks like she never had braces.

-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
Yes, but you can get clear ones and it doesn't look like you're wearing anything.

[thaoyunho]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
30min. putting on didnt hurt but after awhile it hurted like hell~~ I couldnt eat for 4 days.. and later I was used too it.. now i dont feel any pain.
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
1month .. nah it wont hurt that much cause your used to it that its tight around your teeth
-How long did you wear them?
I need to wear them 2years still 23months left =p
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
I dont know

[chobit145]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt? I guess about an hour? It didn't really hurt at all for me. It was weird when I first got them and I had few cuts here and there but it really wasn't that bad. Just couldn't eat anything solid/hard for a day.
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt? I got them tightened every month. It didn't hurt at all for me.
-How long did you wear them? 2 years.
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...? I did, but I'm not sure about everyone else.

[KiLLAH!]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
-- like 15-20mins? and not at all.
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
-- every month and SO SO much.
-How long did you wear them?
-- march of 6th grade to june of 8th grade :x
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
-- yes. but i never wore mine D:

braces aren't that bad, so don't worry

[cupquakee.]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
Around 30 minutes to an hour. and it didn't hurt during but it hurt like the next day. i couldn't eat anythingg but like soup O_O
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Usually it's every six weeks but now i've been getting them every four weeks. it hurts a little, you won't be able to eat anything hard afterwards
-How long did you wear them?
I got them Summer of 06 and i'm getting them off this september! so around two years
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
...well everyone I know had to wear retainers afterwards

[ohchells]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
An hour? It was so long ago, I had braces since the start of 6th grade so it's been a while. It didn't hurt, just that there was a lot of pressure on my teeth. Sort of uncomfortable, but you get better in a few days.
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
I got them tightened every month. No it does not hurt. Why do people always think that getting braces hurt O.o they aren't drilling a hole in your teeth.
-How long did you wear them?
2 years
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
Yes you have to or else your teeth go OMG again. I did wear for a few months, then I got rebellious and wore 'em only at night for a year. After a year I stopped 'cause I lost them somewhere in my room.

[cassiopeia_5549]

don't worry, my cousin got braces last year and he's 25.

- How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
It took them about an hour and a half i think? for about 4 days it hurts, but then you start to see good results.

- How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
I got thwm tightened every once a month, It doesn't hurt that much only for 3 hours.

- How long did you wear them?
I got mine when i was 11, and i got them off when i was 14 ( I'm 16 now) so about 3 and a half years.

- Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
YES, you have to or else wat was the point of getting braces? they would just go back to the way they were. But you'd problebly have to wear it when you sleep at night, that what i do.

Oh yeah, i had an overbite too, i had to wear a headgear with my braces for about a year ONLY at night thank god lol. But it's totally worth it! my teeth look white and straight, and whenever i work people complement my teeth. Good thing i don't have buck teeth anymore lolXD

[Mandu]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?

Humm.. A little over an hour or so. Physically getting them on doesn't hurt, but it started to hurt that night for about a week (I couldn't eat anything solid. At all. It was all soup and bananas lmao. And like cassiopeia_5549 said, I already saw my teeth shifting a bit already the first few days.

-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?

I get them tightened once a month and they don't hurt at all for me.

-How long did you wear them?

I'm only finished with my first year wearing them but I reckon around 2-2 1/2 years would suffice for me.

-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?

Yes, unless you want your teeth to go back to the way they were before you got braces lol.

[yongwonhi]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
I was 11, so I don't remember it being that painful.

-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Mm, once a month? It's not that bad after you get used to it... you just can't really eat for a while lol.

-How long did you wear them?
AGHHH. 11 to 17. 6 years!? Yeah, I never wore my rubber bands... so I had my braces on for like an extra 3 years. LISTEN TO YOUR ORTHODONTIST! Wear the rubber bands!

-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
Yes, but how often/how long you wear your retainer depends on the person. When I got my retainer they were like, wear this 24 hours... but I only ended up wearing it at night and it was no problem for me. >>

[the_asian]

-How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt? uhh...idr how long it took for them to be put on. maybe an hour? it didn't hurt AT FIRST, but the day after they're really sore. SO POP THOSE PAIN KILLERS 8D;
-How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt? ehh i don't remember about this one. but it just feels tight after and it might feel sore a couple days after but then it feels normal
-How long did you wear them? 3 years
-Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...? not sure. most likely? cause everyone i know including myself had to get one but i never wear mine anymore :x

[suppaazn]

How long did it take for them to put them on, and how much did it hurt?
About 30 minutes? Don't really remember since I was in 4th grade. It didn't hurt that much.
How often do you have to get them tightened? How much does that hurt?
Every month about? Whenever I got them tighten, i experience no pain whatsoever.
I never really understand why people said that it hurts. =/
How long did you wear them?
6 months. hahaha
Does everyone have to wear a retainer afterwards...?
Yes. Or else your teeth will shift back.
But it wasn't that bad, for the first couple months i had to wear them all the time but after that,
I just wore them at night.

[x StaR]

^^ 6 months?? why so short? =O