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Author Topic: Taking the plunge...  (Read 25166 times)

Offline MikeB

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #30 on: 15. July 2017, 02:35:21 AM »
Wow, excellent story, BraceFace2015! Thanks for sharing.

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I'm just hoping to make another friend or two.

I hear you. I've been spinning around the "brace-o-sphere" since the middle 1990s and have picked up a few pen pals, made a couple of Facebook friends, and met exactly one in meatworld. It's slow going, my friend!

Offline mrmajestic723

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #31 on: 15. July 2017, 04:01:04 AM »
Thanks for the responses so far guys and gals.

Offline bradhov

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #32 on: 15. July 2017, 18:58:13 PM »
just reading this thread - have you gotten the braces on yet or still doing consultations?

Offline mrmajestic723

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #33 on: 15. July 2017, 20:00:59 PM »
More consultations to go. My next is on Monday. I'll keep everyone posted.

Offline mrmajestic723

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #34 on: 17. July 2017, 20:29:21 PM »
I had an amazing appointment today! 

I made an appointment on a whim on Friday and they were able to take me this morning.
The office was in an unimpressive from the outside but wonderful inside. 

Once I was taken back, I met a friendly assistant who took free X-rays. (The first office charged me and the second office didn't take any).

They showed me to an office where they looked over my X-rays while I watched a video on various problems and techniques. I had to pretend to be somewhat ignorant.

The orthodontist I met first was a young Asian Dr. with some kind of clear retainer or invisilign on.  It was so hard not to stare. She looked over my X-rays and determined somethings that were not mentioned at either previous appointment. For instance, my top rear molars have no corresponding teeth on the bottom and will need to be removed at some point to avoid future problems. During her evaluation I met the orthodontist who's name was on the practice. She looked at my X-rays, my teeth and had me bite in a few different ways. She agreed with the younger ortho on wanting to save my remaining baby tooth and trying to close the empty space on the opposite side.

It would be 20-24 months of metal braces with elastics.

The price was just under $5,000. There is no down payment here and since the treatment is long enough it would be around $150 a month.

I was very happy and impressed. They scheduled me for aug. 4th to sign the papers and get my spacers. I need to discuss it with the wife, but I feel great about this place.

And the head ortho had lower metal braces as well as another ortho or tech walking around.

Questions? Thoughts?  Share away.

Offline MikeB

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #35 on: 17. July 2017, 21:01:03 PM »
Very nice! Sounds like you may have found "the One."

About half the techs at Carrie's ortho practice have braces, all metal from what I can tell. It makes her appointments even nicer!

Offline Thelog

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #36 on: 17. July 2017, 22:26:47 PM »
Sounds promising! Good luck!

Offline bradhov

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #37 on: 18. July 2017, 20:34:18 PM »
sounds like a good consultation.  For my wife, she went to 3 or 4 places until she felt comfortable with one.  I think it helped to see other staff in braces and invisalign and the ortho had braces as an adult as well.  keep us posted on what happens at your next appointment!

Offline mrmajestic723

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #38 on: 21. July 2017, 18:58:38 PM »
I'll be away for vacation next week but next Saturday and that Tuesday I have consulatations. I've decided to see them just to be sure. Unless the really impress me I'll be getting the signing the papers and getting my spacers with ortho number 3 on August 4th. Not much else to share.

I'm keeping it a secret from everyone except my wife. I want to see how long it will take for people to realize if I don't advertise that I'm getting them to friends and family either in conversation or via Facebook.

Offline MikeB

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #39 on: 21. July 2017, 20:31:26 PM »
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I'm keeping it a secret from everyone except my wife. I want to see how long it will take for people to realize if I don't advertise that I'm getting them to friends and family either in conversation or via Facebook.

Yeah, Carrie kept it pretty well under wraps before she got hers, too. Her sister and best friend knew, and my daughter and her husband, but that's about it. I don't think the rest of her (big Mormon) family knew until she posted a pic in their group text. Her sister-in-law just asked, "When did you get braces?" Carrie replied, "About a week ago. Fancy, huh?" And that was the end of the braces discussion in the group.

Carrie and I have a pretty broad social circle, so we run into lots of people who don't know she got braces, even now, a couple of months later. But frankly, after the initial "hey, you got braces" recognition, almost no one gives a damn. It's a WAY bigger deal to us here than it is to anyone outside the braces community.

All that said, neither Carrie nor I are enthusiastic users of social media. I seriously cannot remember the last time either of us posted on Facebook (I call it Boomerbook and only have an account because my job requires it), and she's literally never posted a pic on her Instagram account. Social media reactions might differ from face-to-face interactions. Will be interesting to see if your results differ.

Offline mrmajestic723

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #40 on: 21. July 2017, 21:49:08 PM »
I only joined Instagram to see other pictures initially. I posted a bit to seem like less of a creeper.


I only joined Facebook yesterday because I am changing jobs and will leave many friends behind. Now I am getting all sorts of friend requests. I'll be getting braces and joining Facebook in the same 2 weeks. I'm ready to me a middle schooler

Offline MikeB

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #41 on: 22. July 2017, 00:43:09 AM »
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I'm ready to be a middle schooler

It'll all be an adjustment (heh), that's for sure!  ;D

Online Braceface2015

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #42 on: 22. July 2017, 03:32:53 AM »
Here is some advice from a current braces wearer.

When you get them, enjoy them. You are getting them for yourself, what other people think about that is their business. Not everyone will understand why you did it.

When I go for my adjustments, I always get the powerchain colors changed to what I like. I have gone with colors from the start. I have had just about every color that my ortho offers. I also go with the colored elastics.

I have never gone with clear. I am not trying to hid that I have braces. You are spending lots on them, you might as well show them off. Smile all you want. Enjoy them.


Offline mrmajestic723

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #43 on: 23. July 2017, 00:01:34 AM »
I'll be on vacation this week in a Jersey shore town. I'm wondering what foods I should indulge in or binge before I come back and get braced?

On my list so far- salt water taffy, caramel popcorn, candy apples, corn on the cob. What else?

Offline mrmajestic723

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Re: Taking the plunge...
« Reply #44 on: 02. August 2017, 23:09:53 PM »
My spacer appointment is this Friday at 10:00 am. I'm curious how long between getting the spacers till the actual bonding process. The anticipation is killing me? What is the normal time in between?