I have a problem.
This year is the 40th anniversary of my birth {cough** cough** sputter*} and I am faced with the option of whether or not to get braces…again. *sigh*
I wasn’t like most teens.
I did not have braces when I was in middle school. My parents couldn’t afford them. They were both blue-collar workers who did not have dental insurance {or maybe they didn’t have orthodontic insurance because we always were at dentist twice a year}. Fortunately, I didn’t have any major bite issues…just crooked teeth…that I hated.
The Past
I think because I always wanted straight teeth, the first thing I noticed when I met people was their smile. After I got married, I decided I was going to straighten my teeth and have the smile I always dreamed of. At the ripe old age of 25, I got braces. Unfortunately, the military dental insurance didn’t pay a cent for my “cosmetic” dental appliances since I was a dependent and not the soldier. We ended up paying the $4000+ bill.
When I got my braces removed, the orthodontist expected a huge reaction to my new look, but I did not react accordingly. Instead, I looked at my newly straightened teeth and wondered why they didn’t look how I imagined them. I just brushed it off as being too vain and accepted them as they were.
The Present
Fast forward 14 years and one morning I realized my top retainer had broken. I wear them every so often since I tend to clench my teeth at night. I also have a night guard to help ward off headaches from the clenching.
I brought the broken retainer to my daughter’s orthodontist appointment. He took a look at them and then asked me a question that shocked me, “Do you like the way your teeth look?”
No one had ever asked me that after I had my braces removed. I honestly told him I did not. He then took a quick look at my teeth and said that he could replace the retainer, but the alignment of my teeth were off. It was a matter of whether or not I wanted to pay the money to replace the retainer or straighten out the alignment {and the bite} first and then get a new retainer.
The Decision
In the past when I have asked about the clenching and my horrible TMJ, I have been told that I would have to go into a full set of braces to fix that problem. To me, that meant a huge amount of money that I was not willing to pay again.
This orthodontist told me that I wouldn’t need a full set of braces and I would only need them for a short amount of time.
I looked into my insurance and was pleasantly surprised that they would pay a maximum of $2000 for orthodontic care. Woo Hoo!!! This is the first time we have had orthodontic coverage for adults!
Yesterday, I went in for a consult an discovered that my out-of-pocket cost would be about $83 a month for a year. I would only have braces for about 10-12 months. That is a small price to pay to alleviate the headaches and possibly fix the TMJ.
Do I fix the issues that the previous orthodontist left behind or do I leave it? Should I bite the bullet and get them now? Do I wait until after my birthday and get braces at 40?
What would you do if you had the option?
Anna….I follow your blog thru the Seelys. I am also a retired dental assistant (26 years). Get the braces!!!!! The older we get, the longer it takes for our facial structure to make changes. TMJ only gets worse. Fix it now!!
Twitter: mydebtfreeroad
on February 23, 2012 at 1:32 pm
That’s what I’m thinking! I’ve noticed my TMJ is just getting worse. Thanks for your professional opinion! I appreciate it!
Anna recently posted..Braces at 40?
hey Anna,
its been great to read you blog…so interesting as braces at later age people thinks this is embarrassing..but surely they would this a lot helpful.
I agree with Allen, It doesn’t matter how old are you as soon as your the one who can benefit with it. Putting braces in any age could give you more confident and award winning smile.
andersonsrodriquez recently posted..The Role of the Orthodontist in the Society