braces — MomStart

I was listening to a webinar this morning for a better smile by the Damon® System, an orthodontic treatment that combines “tieless” braces with advanced memory wire. These advanced orthodontic treatment options offer fast, comfortable and virtually invisible braces for teens, children and adults of all ages.

I have a gap in my teeth, there isn’t enough room in my mouth for my tongue to sit so while I’m sleeping my tongue pushes out against my top teeth and it causes me to have a gap. I’ve talked to my dentist about fixing it and he said he would probably have to do jaw surgery to fix my teeth. Um, no thank you. He did say he could fix it, but because there isn’t enough room in my mouth for my tongue I would end up with another gap. So I’m wondering if the Damon System would be able to help.

This is what I learned:

Bethany Hamilton, the Soul Surfer who was attacked by a shark and is now completely recovered and back into competing and sharing her story had a terrible smile. A dentist was watching one of interviews and wanted to do something to help her, so he offered her his services. After some time passed Bethany’s family contacted them and he decided to use the Damon System to correct her teeth, and he knew if it didn’t work they might have to resort to jaw surgery, but guess what, it worked and she now has an amazing smile.

How it works:

Damon passive self-ligating braces that eliminate the need for elastic or metal "ties". With Damon tie-less braces you can experience treatment without tightening.
Light high-technology shape-memory wires that move teeth faster and require fewer adjustments.
A new clinically proven treatment approach that aligns your teeth and enhances your facial aesthetics—usually without extractions or rapid palatal expanders.

So in my particular case, The Damon System might or might not help me, I’ll have to ask my dentist. There are reasons why this system works well in children because they are still growing. The shape of their mouth is still changing and is much easier to manipulate. Bethany was a young teenager when they started the Damon System process which is one of the reasons it worked so well. The other reason it worked so well is because of it’s unique system, which is why it also works on adults. It’s a little different than traditional braces. They don’t use a ring. You have fewer treatments. The combination of the bands and the head gear provide more room for growth. So I’m pretty sure that my dentist’s original statement is true, my mouth is finished moving on it’s own. However, I might still bring it up at my next appointment and see what they say it wouldn’t hurt to ask. You should find out about your own case with your own dentist. Make sure you ask about the Damon System the next time you go in if you’re considering braces. Remember I’m no expert on any medical issue.

Teenagers go through enough embarrassment starting in middle school and into high school, they do not need to have more added to it with metal braces. I was lucky, I didn’t need them, my husband his family couldn’t afford them. My children, well, the dentist says it’s too early to tell. My daughter’s teeth are completely crooked but she has a lot of room in her mouth for her adult teeth to come in straight. So we shall see.

“Not everyone is born with a perfect smile. So for many teens, wearing braces is inevitable,” said Calif.-based Orthodontist, Mark A. Lowe, D.D.S. (www.drloweortho.com). “The good news is that today’s image-conscious teens now have a choice for straightening their teeth. There are proven alternatives such as clear, removable braces, like Invisalign Teen, that are comparable in cost to metal braces, but meet teens’ desire for aesthetic treatment and are a better fit for their busy lifestyles filled with sports, music and other activities.”

Today, with the internet and science we can see what our options are with the touch of our fingers. One company even contacted me and asked me to review their product, but as my kids are too young we don’t need it yet. However, they send me a media kit to look at and I am impressed.

Side by side view, I know you can get invisible spacers too but you can still tell that they are in the mouth. You can’t really tell by the picture that the one on the right has the invisible guard. They are made specially for each person.

“When you walk into a room with braces you feel like everyone is looking at you or when you’re talking to someone you feel like they’re looking at your braces,” admits 14-year-old high-school freshman Elizabeth C. “With Invisalign, it’s cool because your teeth are getting straighter, but people don’t even realize you have them. I don’t worry about wearing my aligners during cheerleading, winter guard or swim practice either. They are safe to wear and they don’t interfere with my life.”

The sample I was sent, I put it in my mouth. Of course it doesn’t fit because it wasn’t molded to my mouth. It even says this is not for use. However, I wanted to see if it had a funny taste or smell and you can’t really tell unless you take the plunge right. No taste, no smell. I am no expert on the topic. I just have a lot of information presented to me. And in 10-15 years when we’ll be looking into this option for our own children there could be even more advances in orthodontics. I mean, there will be of course, but if you need something now this is something you should look into.

About the company:

Invisalign Teen is part of the Invisalign product family developed by Align Technology, Inc. Invisalign Teen is a clear, plastic aligner therapy that was developed with leading orthodontists who understand the active lifestyles, unique treatment and compliance needs of teens. An effective alternative to metal braces, the new Invisalign Teen product combines the benefits of the proven Invisalign system with new features like blue Compliance Indicators that are designed to gradually fade as the aligner is worn, Eruption Tabs that accommodate the growth of secondary molars, and other features that address clinical needs common to teen patients. For more information on Invisalign Teen, please visit: www.invisalignteen.com.

Here are some survey results of how teenagers feel about appearance and braces and yes this information was taken from Invisalign:

Survey Findings at a Glance

A closer look at the data reveals other key insights:

§ In Search of a Smile. Only four percent of respondents would flash their pearly whites more often if wearing metal braces. The survey shows that a higher number of older teens would stop themselves from cracking a smile. Over half (55%) of those ages 15-17 would smile less, compared to 44 percent of 12-14 year-olds.

§ Gender Clash. Teen boys are more mindful of all the negative things that go along with wearing metal braces, while girls are a little more willing to see the brighter side. Over half (53%) of males ages 12-17 would smile less if they had metal braces, compared to less than one in two (46%) of their female counterparts. In addition, teen girls are more likely than boys to note some positive things about having metal braces, such as being able to customize them (43% vs. 24%) and the fact that braces can make you more conscientious about dental hygiene at a young age (37% vs. 30%).

§ Brace Yourselves. Though a majority (62%), feel that wearing metal braces as a teen is painful and uncomfortable, the effects go deeper than this. More than one in two (54%) teens believe wearing metal braces makes them self-conscious about smiling.

§ Why They’re Not Turning Their Frowns Upside-Down. Braces seem to exacerbate many common teenage issues. Over a third (35%) believe teens with metal braces get made fun of, and nearly a quarter (24%) think metal braces lower a teen’s self-esteem.

§ Not In This Together. Wearing metal braces apparently isn’t the best bonding experience, as just four percent of 12-17 year-olds believe they allow teens to fit in with their peers. And, contrary to popular belief, just 11 percent feel that having metal braces is a teen rite of passage.

§ West Coast: Image is everything. While some might argue about where trends are born, West Coast teens agree on one thing – braces are not for the image-conscious. Nearly two-thirds (60%), say braces make teens more self conscious about smiling, compared to 53% of teens living elsewhere. West Coast teens are also more likely than the rest of their peers to believe braces lower self-esteem (29% vs. 22%).

The Invisalign Teen survey sampled 510 U.S. respondents aged 12-17 with a 95% confidence level of +/- 4.3 percentage points.

With any treatment you do for yourself or your children. Do your own due diligence. Do research the costs, advantages and disadvantages. Talk to your dentist or orthodontist, gather opinions and don’t trust everything you read on the internet. Ask questions.

~~~ Louise ~~~