Should I drag DS back to Orthodontist and just say 'take the damn things off'?

[coconut49]

DS 16, has had braces for 2 years now and has been quite good overall with brushing his teeth and not moaning about ulcers etc. However, he is absolutely useless at wearing the rubber bands which are meant to correct his bite (gaps have all closed now and he needs to wear bands constantly to correct bite). The trouble is that he will not do it. He seems to think it is enough to wear them at night, which it isn't, as we have just had another appointment and the orthodontist said the bite is still the same. DS is getting really fed up and I am getting fed up nagging him. He is happy with his teeth and bite and they look nice and straight now. DS wants the braces to be taken off and doesn't care about his bite (which was an overbite and is now an underbite!)

What should I do? Would the orthodontist take them off if I asked? (NHS). Or should I just persevere and continue to nag, but I feel nothing is going to happen unless he wears them constantly, which he just will not do. I don't want to waste the orthodontist time either just turning up for appointments when there is no change as he hasn't been wearing the bands enough.

Any advice is much appreciated!

[ajandjjmum]

Can sympathise. DS is 20 and still wearing a full-time retainer, although his orthodontic problems are pretty complicated. By 18 I sort of left him to it, and to be fair, he has stuck with it although I know it's been pretty annoying for him at times. Might be worth sticking with the nagging for a little while longer.

[MrsHoarder]

Speak to the orthodontist one more time maybe, about whether they would be enough if worn 4pm-8am.

[clam]

Would you be more inclined to push the issue if you'd had to pay the £3,000 we had to pay for ds's braces, rather than the NHS covering it?

[coconut49]

To be honest, i dont think it would make a difference whether I paid £3000 for them or not. It is impossible for me to actually make ds wear them ... All I can do is check every day and nag. Just not sure whether I can face doing this for the next few months. If he really doesn't want to wear them, I'm sure he will just take them off as soon as he leaves for school. I am wondering whether to just let him make the decision himself. Does anyone know the implications of having a slight underbite?

[clam]

I've been pleasantly surprised that both my two have been very disciplined (themselves) about wearing the night-time retainers ever since theirs were removed. Both of them take the view that, having suffered the wretched traintracks for a couple of years, they're blowed if they're going to undo all the work now.

[sleepingdogs]

Could you ask the orthodontist to have a chat with him on his own about the implications of not carrying on with the bands. He can then perhaps make an informed decision.

[ninah]

you've given it 2 years, finish the job properly if you want a stable result

[coconut49]

Thanks for the advice. Decided to resort to bribery. Ds now on board with wearing bands. Don't know why I didn't think of it before as its usually my default course of action

[RosieGirl]

I have EXACTLY the same problem with my 15 yo DD. Her orthodontist has threatened to put permanent brackets in or withdraw funding.

I just can't get her to wear them and no nagging, I even send her several texts a day, will make her put them in. I have been told that if they withdraw funding they will take off the braces and not provide her with retainers so over time her teeth will revert back to their old state. Which has wasted bloody years of running around. I too have threatened to take her and get them removed altogether as its driving me nuts, (along with schooling issues).

She is desperate to get them off for prom, but still won't do it aaaaaahhhhhh

[coconut49]

Rosie - That makes me feel better! Try monetary bribe to be awarded once teeth corrected and brace off - has worked so far with my ds but has only been a few days!

[MrsTwankey]

I had to have a brace when I was about 13. I hated it, didn't wear it and treatment was withdrawn. In my 20s the dentist asked if I wanted my teeth straightened; I said yes and paid privately which obviously cost a lot of money. Had a fixed brace (cemented on) for a couple of years. My teeth were straight but in those days they didn't give you retainers as after care and my teeth moved back towards their old position although not quite as bad. I am very self concious about my teeth (a lot of it's in my head) they're not that bad but not perfectly straight. I'm very self conscious about smiling.

DS2 had an overbite worse then Alien. Of all my 3 DC he was the worse one to have to wear a brace. I knew he would hate it. However, he's stuck with it and now has the most beautiful teeth. Braces off just has to wear a retainer at night which he often forgets and has to be reminded about.
If it was my DC because of my experience I would keep nagging. I think in years to come he will regret not wearing it but he will only have himself to blame. It's not an easy situation for you but I would persevere.
PS I did use to reward DS2 for wearing his brace.

[Feckbox]

Op what do you means by underbite?