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Braces: how long did you have them for...

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Due to falling off a computer chair and landing flat on my face I ended up with a dead tooth and slightly wonky front teeth. I didn't need braces before that, but then had to wear them for about 9 months.

However just 2 weeks ago or so I was supposed to get them off. He told me he would be just taking them off but after the appointment he's suddenly like "we've now fixed permanent braces BEHIND your teeth" o_O.

He could at least have told me! Apparently its some new practise they do to make sure the teeth don't move afterwards due to patients complaining....but I'm not looking forward to having these braces behind my teech for the rest of my life =/ . I don't think most orthodontists do that though..

Reply 21

General Ourumov

2 years and 6 months. Worth it though.

Reply 22

truthandtragedy

I was told 2 years, but I had them for 3. Now my teeth are squint again because I lost my retainer. Whoops.

Reply 23

Rheadrox

I go to Poland to get mines done (gran insisted -.-), and i've had them on for 2 and a half years, and i've no idea when i'm going back there...or even if i'll be getting them out when i do. =/

Reply 24

PauloG.

For three years, since then my self-esteem is doomed.

Reply 25

ste-ve

Was told about 18 months and then it took about 15 months, not too bad really. Mines would have been quicker if it wasn't for those bloody elastic bands snapping all the time :p:

Reply 26

mariangel

I have the now.. got them in february and im predicted to get them off in january.

Reply 27

Lolabunny18

going to be 2 years in september. another 8 months to go :frown:

hopefully...in the end it'll be worth it.
and also the longer you have them, the better you'll feel when you get them off!

Reply 28

M.A.H

they said 18months had them off in 9months

Reply 29

h-star

1 year but then again it didn't really matter, I was 11

Reply 30

username271381

I've been told to expect mine for about a year, but like the OP, I've only had them on for 6 weeks and mine are, aesthetically, a million times straighter already. Obviously I'm not saying I'll go for my next appointment and they'll say, "My! It's incredible! We must take these off at once!", but I'm hoping that they've overestimated.

Reply 31

Faith01

Had them for 6 months, my teeth weren't that bad.

Reply 32

Mangaartist

I had special space-making ones for 6 months and then normal ones for 1 and a half years. When we started the dentist didn't promise me any time frame because I was a "difficult" case.

Reply 33

MazalTov89

I had them for 18 months, although I was told that I'd need them for twice that long because of my supposedly crooked jaw: "You can't see or feel that it's crooked, but it actually is"

Reply 34

vander Beth

3 and a half years, was told they'd be on for 2. :colonhash:

Reply 35

XDaydreamer

I was told 2-3 years, it was only about 9 monthsish so it was pretty good, but difficult to tell because I never had any photos taken where they were visible, so I can't remember exactly when I had them. After that I had a retainer for 3 months (nightmare) and then I wore it at night for about a year. I had them when nearly my entire year at school seemed to have them though, and when I got them taken off loads of people said they hadn't realised I even had braces. So so worth it :biggrin:

Reply 36

loveisjustasong

I had them for about 3 years but my orthodontist hated my guts (I kept breaking my braces) and I know he took them off early because I still have 2 gaps between my back teeth! And I still have glue :sad:

Reply 37

FZka

2 years , but I have great smile now :biggrin:

Reply 38

creamegg

I had lower train tracks for around a year, then had them removed and used a plastic retainer.
Needless to say that didn't work and my teeth moved back. So I had the train tracks put back on for another year, once they were removed I had (and still have after 4 years) a metal thing glued to the back of my front lower teeth.
I don't notice it and I've perfect teeth now.

Reply 39

kashim91

R£SP£CT

Its a rough estimate. I guess it depends on the individual. Take me for instance, mine moved a lot quicker than expected. If yours start to move early then i think yours may come of early. In some cases, the teeth are right stubborn and some are in really awkward places, thus take a lot longer to be adjusted and straightened. Also sometimesif you feel your teeth are straight enough, say like after 7 months of treatment, you could ask your orthodontist to remove them. But in most cases they take almost a year.

Just be optimistic and patient. If you normally pay attention to the length of time it takes, its going to feel like you've worn them for ages. All in all, they were worth it! :smile: