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Post by Amsmom on Apr 4, 2005 6:24:54 GMT -5
do any of your adhd'ers have braces on their teeth? my ds9's dentist has recommended that he see the orthodontist for ds's overbite. i am very concerned how my ds will handle the discomfort. he always exaggerates pain/discomfort, screaming for the tiniest little thing. yesterday as i was driving, i heard a huge scream from the back seat. when i checked, ds had some skin hanging off his finger that was sore. im sure it was sore, but not worthy of the bloody murder scream.
how in the heck will he handle the huge discomfort (so i've heard) of braces? any experience out there? i'm thinking of cancelling our appt for later this month.
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Post by AnneM on Apr 4, 2005 7:10:50 GMT -5
Amsmom  The first thing I would say is does he NEED them ? OR in other words can YOU actually SEE that his teeth needs straightening? The reason I ask is that in my experience very often dentists will refer children to orthodontists - they get braces - but the only person who can actually tell a difference at the end of the day is the ORTHODONTIST him/herself when looking in the mouth ... This nearly happened to Sam ... the dentist said his bite was "crooked" and referred him to an orthodontist who told us that cosmetically it would make NO difference to Sam although a "dentist" could tell he had had them braced ... and in view of his age at the time (15) and the discomfort and commitment required to wearing braces she really didn't recommend it. HOWEVER if cosmetically it is very clear that braces ARE required then this is of course a different thing altogether ...!! |
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sportsmom
Member Emeritus
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Posts: 1,171
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Post by sportsmom on Apr 4, 2005 7:29:23 GMT -5
My add'er son had a hard time just wearing the retainers. He wouldn't even try to let them get adjusted in his mouth. Yes they were a little sore but he wouldn't get thru that part. I paid 1500.00 for them and he only wore them (all in total) 1 month. I have free checkups and the ortho dr called last week and wants to see him again but I am afraid we will have to start over with new set of retainers (which is covered) and will he even wear them then?? He does need to wear them because his teeth stucture is like his dads and I am trying to save him problems as he gets older.
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Post by catseye on Apr 4, 2005 7:33:00 GMT -5
From experience I have had braces, and it was more of a tightness feeling then a discomfort feeling... Also my sd recently was referred to an orthodontist, for her it was because her top teeth were actually biting down on the inside of her bottom teeth... They called it a crossbite... Sd had an expander put in, on her top teeth... My husband has to "crank" (our word forgot what the orthodontist called it) it every night one turn... The first few nights sd put up a fight, I gave her motrin right before the turning... Seemed to help, I doubt it "really" helped though, I think it was more for her peace of mind...  With the expander (the thing is HUGE!!) sd has trouble eating and talking ;D , Cant really say I mind the talking problems, we have been laughing our behinds off listening to her... Luckily sd is joining in on the fun, at laughing at herself.... Anyway that is our experience thus far, and I can already see a HUGE difference in her teeth... I thought it was outrageous, to do this kind of work on baby teeth... So far so good though, oh and we still will have to have braces put on later for her....  Good luck with your decision... cat |
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mothercat
Member Emeritus
With a little luck and a lot of Gods help anything is possible!
Posts: 1,468
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Post by mothercat on Apr 4, 2005 8:12:57 GMT -5
If dental hygeine is an issue (like alot of our kids) and yours doesn't brush like he should ..the braces can actually rot the teeth..my niece that we raised was adhd (but not diagnosed) and by the time we got her as a young teen..her teeth were in bad shape under the braces..by the time she turned twenty she had false teeth because as a child her parents insisted that her dad get the braces but they couldn't get her to brush right..it rotted all the teeth badly. I would weigh the options and talk honestly to the orthodontist to see if maybe it could wait till he was older..(and more capable of handling the pain of adjustments and all the other responsibilities involved) It is hard enough to get Jared to wear his glasses and even his socks let alone braces and retainers and all that stuff. Actual need does play in..alot of times they do push for things that are unnecessary ..I mean we all aren't spose to look like perfect models are we? If so alot of us are in deep deep trouble. ;D ;D ;D
;D ;D Best to discuss the adhd with the orthodontic people in my opinion..good luck with what ever you do..
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Post by Amsmom on Apr 4, 2005 19:43:23 GMT -5
thanks for your input, guys. im pretty sure i will cancel the ortho appt. theres no way in h#ll right now that my ds will deal with having the braces tightened, turned, cranked, etc!!! he complains of every single itsy bitsy discomfort. its so hard for me to know when its real. ive told him "the boy who cried wolf" story many times, doesnt help  i dont have dental insurance so i cant even imagine paying all this money for braces AND hearing him complain every day, b/c he WILL complain, thats for sure. the toothbrushing is a huge effort, so that is sure not in our favor!!!i would think that it wouldnt matter if we wait a while. i do think he looks like he needs braces, but not for crooked teeth. anne, do they say "buck teeth" in the UK? it's where the front teeth protrude out. his are very minimal (they dont go out over his bottom lip or anything like that), but i dont want kids to make fun of him. |
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Post by geewiznit on Apr 5, 2005 0:16:30 GMT -5
First, I want to point out that braces are not just for cosmetic purposes, and there's no way a layman can evaluate a child's need for braces just by looking at him or her. Not resolving orthodontic issues can lead to life-long problems. That said, I do understand how daunting the idea of putting braces on an ADHD'er can be. My DD is also a big complainer, very sensitive to pain--every hangnail is a monumemtal event. For my older son (non-ADHD), we had used a very skilled orthodontist who had a very serious office and a somber demeanor. This was fine for my son, a real stoic, but I knew it would never work for DD. For her I found a good orthodontist whose office resembles Disneyworld. The waiting room is filled with stuffed animals and the walls are covered with the doc's valuable collection of cartoon art. Every month there's a contest to name a giant stuffed animal--the winner takes it home. There are four chairs in one huge treatment room (I think this makes the kids act braver since they are in front of their peers); the doc and assistants move from chair to chair. And each chair has a Gameboy to help pass the time. All the employees wear colorful matching shirts. Kids are offered colored brackets on their braces that they can change each visit to match holidays (orange and black in October, etc.) or their current favorite. Retainers can be made of clear plastic with a choice of metallic stickers embedded in them. One wall has Polaroids of smiling kids on the day their braces come off. This kid-friendly atmosphere helped my DD cope immensely. She wasn't thrilled, but it wasn't the ordeal it could have been. (A couple of Advil the minute we got home from an appointment was also key to minimizing the discomfort of the tightening process.) She's done now, her teeth look great, and miracle of miracles, she is absolutuely meticulous about wearing her retainer each night. (Son threw his away the second week after the braces were removed and his teeth have slipped considerably.) Bottom line, it pays to shop around for the right doc for our kids.
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Post by Amsmom on Apr 5, 2005 6:13:19 GMT -5
thanks geewiznit. wow, i really need to think more about this. i guess i can have a consultation visit and speak to the ortho before i make any decisions. this ortho was recommended by the dds who specializes in kids w/ behavior problems.
thanks all!
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Post by finnmom on Apr 5, 2005 10:10:52 GMT -5
Amsmom  I know this make´s you wonder a lot, but here´s my 2 cent´s; my ds has had 3 different kin´ds of brace´s so far and he has done GREAT with all of them. First he had this thing that looked like the theet-protecter that boxer´s use, then he has had 2 kind´s of thing´s that he has used at night´s. I was worried about this too, I wondered if he could cope with the uncomfort, but he did well. I think he just made his mind and used them  If you think he need´s those, then I think you should give it a chance. Good luck!! |
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Post by tridlette on Apr 5, 2005 10:47:38 GMT -5
Michael was told by the dentist that he should have braces. I set up the consult for all 3 boys together... I guess over 3 yrs. ago.
The ortho. told me Michael would benefit from them, but since he is ADHD and non-compliant to wait a few years (he was 11).
Then he looked at Patrick (then 9) and said, "Oh, yes, he needs braces... in another year or so."
He took a look a Shaun, then 7, and asked if he could start on him that very day... we always called Shaun Tornado Teeth... looked like the woods after a twister blew through!
Shaun went through the year of just a retainer, then the expander, and then had his brackets put on... 3 weeks later he was hit by a car and the braces were the only thing that SAVED his teeth! The accident took 8 months off his total time in braces though!
Patrick started out with the expander... poor kid had it inserted the morning I broke my arm, and had to have my heavy clunky cast resting on his forehead so I could get the wrench positioned (broke my left arm and I am left handed). He was a trooper.
Got his brackets off on Feb. 16 and hasn't taken his retainer out except to brush yet! Shaun forgets his rubber bands now, but with so many of us in the house with ADD, the random thought of "rubber band" reminds him about 6 times a day!
Patrick always requested mashed potatoes as his "special adjustment day food" because he could eat without any discomfort.
Except for the first two months, I never was asked for pain medication after an adjustment (well, they did give Shaun codeine for a month after his MEGA adjusment aka accident!)
Michael may still get braces, but not until he buys into the idea. I have to brush Shaun's teeth every day because he can't manipulate the brush... Michael refuses to pick up a brush. And every visit, the ortho comments on the "poor oral hygeine" of somebody. When Patrick got his brackets off, his teeth were actually not as bad as we all thought. I think some kids are not only poor brushers, but also have lousy luck. We are lucky, his teeth survived despite his inability to brush very well.
We also have an awesome pediatric dental group, with Asteroids and Ms. PacMan in the waiting room! So, I get to play while I wait for them!
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Post by Blue Oreo on Apr 5, 2005 11:13:06 GMT -5
My DD just got her braces off her teeth, she had them on 3 years. She is fine, but needed massive prompts to brush her teeth when she ate. I even went so far as to write  BRUSH YOUR TEETH all over her lunchbox for school, even days this didnt help. Now with her retainer, she lost it after only having it 4 weeks, so now a new one is being made for her at a cost of 1000.00 to me.. She has massive "child labor" to do after this little act. GOOD LUCK.. it does work |
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Post by camismom on Apr 5, 2005 11:17:59 GMT -5
Amsmom, IMPO nine is a bit too young for braces. I don't think it would hurt him to wait another year or two. But I agree with geewiznit that if the dentist and ortho are saying he needs them, then you should follow up when he is ready. They are indeed for more than cosmetic purposes. I needed them as a child but my mom couldn't afford them. I didn't get them until I was in my late twenties and had to wear them into my early thirties. My teeth were in terrible shape and you wouldn't believe the crap I had to do to prepare my teeth before I even got the braces on! Having wore them myself and only having had them off a few years, I can tell you they are not as bad as the rep they get. Yes there is some discomfort the day they are adjusted and for a few days after a feeling of tightness as they move your teeth, but nothing a ibuprofen can't handle.
Cami is in braces right now. She got them on about three weeks before her 12th birthday. To date she has had no problems and no big concerns. Again, she feels the "tightness" from time to time and is a little sore the day they are adjusted, but all she does is take an Ibuprofen or Aleve for it and is fine. She takes one beforehand on the days she has appointments, and we always plan a "chew friendly" supper the day of appointments.... like soup, sphagetti, etc. The only major problem I have with Cami is common to ADHD.... keeping her brushing!! BUT, the ortho we use actually gives each patient a postcard pic of a patient's mouth post braces that did not brush properly. The teeth actually have holes in them wear the plaque that was around the brackets ate into them. Soooo, whenever Cami gets lazy with the brushing I remind her of that pic. Listerine is also highly recommended for brace wearers. Also, getting him an electric toothbrush and/or water pic can make brushing a little more fun.
For both of us the worst part was this gunk they put in your mouth before you get the braces to make a mold of your teeth. They do it before they come on and after they come off. It is really sick, and can cause you to gag. I don't know if Cami could've handle it at nine.
Finally, again what Geewiznet said about the kind of office is true too. Cami's is like that and she loves it. They actually have Gameboys for the kids to play with while they wait! She is also into the colors and looks forward to changing them each time she goes. She has had orange and black for halloween, red and green for Christmas, red and black for Georgia Bulldogs, black and gold for her school's colors, etc. She is currently in pink and light green partly for Easter and partly because they are her fav colors. She is due to go back next week and is already trying to decide on her next colors.
For kids in middle school, braces are almost a fashion thing. It is "cool" to have them, and those that don't envy those that do. A friend of Cami's that needs them but can't afford them yet tells Cami all the time how she is jealous of her.
Anyway, sorry for being long winded. Hope this helps with the decision making.
Take care!
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Post by AnneM on Apr 5, 2005 12:44:25 GMT -5
YIKES !! I really didn't phrase myself very well !! .. YES of course braces can be needed for more than cosmetic purposes ... and my response was admittedly based on my own experience with my 16 year old Sam who had simply a "slightly crooked bite" which was basically (even in the words of our orthodontist) really not worthy of the 2-3 years commitment and discomfort that he would go through only to find that at the end the ONLY people who could tell he had had anything done was the dentist and orthodontist !! (i.e. No noticeable gain to HIM at all!) ...
I apologise for that ... I definitely didn't mean it to sound that way ... If your child's teeth are in definite need of orthodontal treatment (cosmetic or practically speaking where eating etc is a potential problem) then of course it is necessary and WELL worth the investment of time, commitment and money ...
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Post by camismom on Apr 5, 2005 13:21:05 GMT -5
and let's not forget the benefits it gives just to the self-confidence! I know it may seem shallow to some, but I was very self-conscience of my teeth as a child and teen. There is not one picture of me pre-braces that I am smiling in open-mouthed. Always a closed-mouth grin. Anyway, our kids have enough other things to worry about getting picked on for than their teeth.
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Post by kstquilter on Apr 5, 2005 14:40:06 GMT -5
i have to say that if your child really does need braces, it can make a huge difference in their confidence and self esteem. i wore braces and was teased because so few kids had them. however, today most kids where braces at some point in their lives.
i have to agree that if the bite is off, it can create problems their entire life.
my ds, non-adhder, is my bigger baby and he really didn't complain that much.
they normally go in every 3 weeks or so to have the braces tightened. it really is more of an uncomfortable feeling and i could relieve my problem with advil or whatever your child can take. i would even take it before leaving for the office so that it would already be in my system when the work was done. the appts only tend to last about 10-15 mins.
i would also make sure the kids had easy to chew stuff for a couple of days. so they got more jello or ice cream which might make the discomfort a little easier for your son to handle.
some retainers can be cemented in, dd has her lower one in semi-permanently. neither of my kids does a good job of wearing the retainers that come out. however by the time your young son is ready for a retainer, they will be older and possibly responsible enough to not lose it and to actually wear it! sometimes you only need to wear them at night depending on the problems.
when we went with both kids for their original consult, it was a few years before either of them actually got the braces on. we also went for a second opinion on dd because her potential problems were more serious. turns out we liked the second ortho better.
IMHO it can't hurt to go for a consult. they can explain everything that would need to be done and you can make an educated decision after that. we went back once a year to check their growth until they were ready to start.
the kids do need to brush their teeth good so they don't have discolored bands on their teeth when the braces come off. i've never heard of teeth rotting because braces were on but sounds like the that child's teeth might have rotted for not getting proper care before you got her.
i guess you hear of so many people who say a smile is one of the first things you notice about someone. both of my kids have gorgeous smiles now!
and it depends on what the problem is as to when they put the braces on and how long they are on. they had to wait to see how much dd grew so hers were on longer than ds's.
karen
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