hi, i went for my first orthodontic appointment today to quote for the price for Damon 3. The doctor charges 6.5k for a duration of 2-3 years. And i was told that i may need to extract 4 teeth (2 upper and 2 lower) and also one of my wisdom teeth. I'm quite skeptical as no one has mentioned about having to extract so many teeth. Btw, my case is not very serious, so i don't know if she's doing the right thing. Is the price a bit too high? Like white tulip said, hers was only 6.5 for In-ovation C. Please advise. Thanks.

[quote=NikkiDaTeddy,May 27 2009, 09:37 AM]
Mine was 6k for InOvation C from Dr. How. Since you have doubt for your current orthodontist, why not consult another doctor? I have to extract 4 teeth also even with InOvation C. Cos Dr says i have too many teeth for my small gum. So have to extract few to push everything in.


I know about Dr How and he's actually a relative. But I know that he has a full schedule, so i thought of looking for another place. Has anyone heard about Dr. Catherine from Pantai Hospital? 6k for Inovation C is a fair price indeed. What's stopping me is the duration that the doctor mentioned. I thought with Damon and Inovation technology, the duration is much shorter? And the brochure even mentioned that no extraction is necessary.

---

Added on May 28, 2009, 9:02 pm[quote=kentcp,May 27 2009, 05:26 PM]
Mine is Damon 3MX, cost me RM5.6k only at Bangsar How's Orthodontics & Dental Surgery.

6.5k can get transparent type (eg. InOvation C) like what Teddy using now. So, i feel like the Dr already over charge you. Why not consult other doctor to get more quote?

As per mentioned on my previous thread, you may consider below as guidance to install braces:

1) Are you looking for less pain, highest efficiency ? yes - Damon 3MX (~5.8k or less) / Damon Q (Latest, prices unknown)

2) Are you looking for less pain, high efficiency, with transparent ? yes - InOvation C (~6.5k)

3) If above Q1 and Q2 is no, then you are looking for transditional type which is painful, take more than 2.5 years & above to complete with average result. prices ~2k can get.

4) Is the orthodontist having high experience in this field ?

5) Is the orthodontist certified from the well known Uni, also certified by the product company?

Hope help.

[/quote]

That's so much cheaper than the orthodontist in Kepong that i went to. I'm still deciding whether to go for Damon or Inovation-C. As a matter of fact, I don't like the metal as much because it is pretty visible. Is Inovation-C much better in terms of aesthetics in comparison to damon? But i heard ceramic brackets tend to break easier and slightly more painful. Is that true? Kentcp, what is the duration for your braces? And did you need any teeth extraction?

This post has been edited by mrchildren: May 28 2009, 09:02 PM

I just made an appointment with Dr How for this week. The nurse said that i have to get 3 xray films on the first consultation. Is that true kentcp? How much do i need to pay?

Dear all

I've finally installed my braces today.. OMG..i went for my first consultation at dr how's, and he put on for me on the spot after the xrays. Quite shocking isnt it? Well, someone had cancelled his or her appointment after me, so he had enough time to do it for me..

Btw, i'm using the In-ovation C type. Nikki, i can join your gang now.. lol According to him, i don't need any extraction at all.. omg..the doctor in kepong said i have to remove 4 teeth! But he advised me to remove all my wisdom teeth, just to make sure that they don't give me any problem in the future. But he said it's optional as it won't affect the braces result even if i keep them.. i don't know.. i'm still afraid of extraction I don't know how to brush my teeth now.. can someone guide me along?

[quote=NikkiDaTeddy,Jun 4 2009, 10:32 AM]
Representing everyone here, we welcome you to join the bracesian group. Hehehe... So, how do u feel now?> Its not as bad as u think it would be right? I think the glue-ing and installation process takes about 1hr like that?

The nurse should have taught you how to brush. Well, if u're using the manual brush, just angle ur brush abit la. As in u brush left-right motion but angle ur brush. 45 degrees above brackets and 45 degrees below brackets. That's how the nurse taught me. I dunno why Leng_leng's method is different than mine. However, just by this method, it wont clean too well yet. You still need interdental brush to clean in between each teeth, gaps, wire, brackets... Did the nurse give you the interdental brush too? If no, pls refer post #950 for picture of interdental brush.

As for the your case with wisdom tooth, take good care of them. Dont let them rot or be infected. Cos they're life span is very short. If they rot or couldnt get out from your gum, u still have to extract them. Only whether is normal extraction or operation. IF they grow nicely out of the gum in good position, u can extract them normally without operation. But if they're stubborn and prefer to remain in your gum, then u hav to opt for operation. And bare in mind, operation is not cheap.

Thanks nikki! I still haven't gotten used to having hard parts in my mouth. It feels so mouthful, though it's only my upper jaw for now. I just can't imagine what will life be with more metals at the bottom.. But the funny part is that, the dr kept reminding me about the pain after installation, but i just can't feel anything. Yes, i have to say that i'm now much more lazy to talk (not that i've ever been talkative). I haven't actually popped any painkillers either.. is it just because i have a higher pain threshold?

The installation and glueing took about an hour, and there wasn't much pain (maybe because no extraction involved). Just that my jaw muscles were tired after stretching for too long.. lol

The nurse didn't really show me much about brushing. I'll have to learn from you all. But what's annoying me most is the bite stopper. I had been swallowing food since last night, had porridges 2 times a day. Well, i have to say that i'm fed up with it, cus i can see myself losing weight fast if i don't take 'NORMAL' food. Sigh.. I want to aim to swallow meat stuff next..just have to overcome my gag reflex. I wonder how long do i have to live with that stopper on my teeth..

Do you think protein shake is a good substitute for the lacking of nutrients in my current meals? I want to maintain my body weight. That's actually my biggest concern...

---

Added on June 4, 2009, 9:57 pm[quote=ysbabe,Jun 4 2009, 02:17 AM]
how long did it take for the whole process? does it hurt now? how much is it for inovation C?

[/quote]

The doctor said 18months for my case, and it costs me 6.5k for the ceramic braces. It's not THAT painful. The sensation is more like tight, and tired jaws..

This post has been edited by mrchildren: Jun 4 2009, 09:57 PM

Omg..why were you so ganas, nikki? Cant believe that you damaged the bite stopper! It's made of cement material! LOL My eating problem has sort of resolved.. I had porridges on my first day, and second day, I had to go to the gym during lunch (to counteract weight loss). I lost 1kg .After gym, i felt so hungry, and craved for malay food and ended up swallowing mee siam with beef rendang! LOL Omg.. it was a funny experience cus I ate as if i had no teeth at all (due to bite stopper)...It took me quite a while to finish my meal.

And the day after, I had a friend who came to visit me from Borneo, and i had to bring her around town for decent food. We ended up having spareribs yee mee, braised koey teow with asparagus as side dish.. My friend was totally stunned to see how well i managed my food on the 3rd day of braces..hehe So i went to the gym again today and guess what? I gained back my 1kg! Haha I'm doing quite good i think Kentcp, i'm sure you can maintain your weight too..

Anyway, enough about my story.. Dr How said that he will review my progress in my next appointment and if deemed appropriate, i can get my lower jaw braces fixed. But, i don't want to end up not able to close my mouth like nikki.. sigh.. Is that why you folks complaint about slobbering all over your pillow during sleep?

---

Added on June 8, 2009, 9:48 pmToday was my 6th day post-installation, and guess what? There's no pain at all.. Or is it just because i'm already used to the tight sensation? One thing for sure is that I've gained back my lost 1kg with the massive amount of food i consumed! LOL I'm a food lover, so i won't compromise my appetite and constant cravings with beauty.. haha

As for difficulty in eating, it's the bite stopper that caused the grief. They separate both my jaws from touching, so imagine you're biting air? Hence, I resolved to swallow all my food, including chicken or beef.. lol But learn to cut them into tiny pieces and you will be fine.

By the way, green vege is almost impossible to be consumed. So you'll have to take softer alternatives like aubergine, or thin-sliced zuccini, or else, make juice out from your greens. I'm also eating a lot of papaya and white dragonfruit as substitute to my daily fibre requirement.

Alas, with everyone of us here, and our seniors, I believe that we will overcome any obstacle together. That's what this bracesian support group all about. Good luck

This post has been edited by mrchildren: Jun 8 2009, 09:48 PM

Hey peeps

It's been a while since I last posted. Anyway, doctor had installed my lower jaw braces and it hurt more than the upper part. It was 2 weeks earlier than my scheduled appointment as I had problem with loose bracket. The last metal bracket was detached, hence the wires scratching and poking the flesh at the side, causing lots of pain. The doctor fixed the bracket and decided to install my lower braces at the same time (always unexpected outcomes during my visit).

When i reached home, one of the bracket of the newly installed braces was loose again. I was quite pissed off. So, went to see doctor again today.. Hmmph.. do you guys experience frequent bracket detachments or is it just me being too ganas when i brush my teeth?

Btw, nikki..for our inovation-c, do you still get metal brackets for the side of ur teeth? I have 2 metal ones on the upper left, 2 upper right, and 4 lower left and 4 lower right..Aren't we supposed to get all ceramic brackets? I think the metal ones could be damon.. or is it just for my case?

Oh i find it so much harder to brush my teeth with braces on both jaws. I just couldn't be bothered with the loose brackets again

Karyn, which doctor did you go to? I'm planning to get my wisdom teeth extracted also, all 4 of them if possible, even though doctor said it's optional. Just felt that it will provide more jaw space for my teeth. Rm 500 is a lot of money..

---

Added on July 23, 2009, 9:59 pmNikki, you mentioned that you could see results after 2 months? I can see a bit of results on my left side, but right side not so much. For our innovation c, is it normal that we could feel the tightness once a while, cus i haven't had any pain or sensation for a few weeks already, but suddenly this week, i could feel that my right side is getting tighter and upon touching the teeth, i could feel intense pain. Is it normal?

This post has been edited by mrchildren: Jul 23 2009, 09:59 PM

Yes, i'm Dr how's patient. He just installed separator during my appointment a few days ago. He said that i have 2 resistant teeth on my right side, so he has to place the separator to create space for them to align. Do you have any separator between your teeth?

I read up from some sites that separators are really painful after installation, but i don't feel any pain at all. Just a bit of tightness during the installation. I wonder if my nerves are dead? lol Or my teeth are too resistant to them? Oh well, as you said, your teeth align after 3 months. As for mine, i can see results, but not for the 2 resistant teeth on upper jaw right front. I'm getting very impatient.. lol

Gosh, it's been quite a while since my last post. I'm now in my 7th month of braces. Last month, the doctor asked whether or not I want to extract my teeth as it will give more space for other teeth to move in. He said that it's optional since i will still look ok even without any extraction. However, for today's appointment, he noticed that there's no movement at all from last month, meaning to say that I may need extraction now. Oh gosh, there goes my idea of keeping all my healthy teeth.

Can someone tell me how long does it take for the teeth to close the gap in between after extraction? And is the pain bearable? I had really bad experience in my childhood where the nurse pulled out one of my loose tooth without any anaesthetic. Plus, will the gaps from the missing teeth look obvious? I need to learn not to smile anymore to conceal that ugly holes. Oh well.. Enlighten me please.

as usual, 2 molar from upper jaw and another 2 from lower. I roughly know what kind of parts that would be put to close gaps from the seniors posts. However, i have to overcome the tooth extraction trauma first.

I just had all my 4 teeth extracted. I've been wearing inovation c braces since june last year. The doctor tried to salvage my teeth by putting on braces first and observed if they aligned properly, but unfortunately my jaw is still not spacious enough to accommodate all the teeth, therefore extraction took place. But as what kentcp said, since i'm already wearing braces, the gaps can close easier than without one. Moreover, i've been given some tiny rubberbands called the "parrot" to pull my teeth from the back to that next to the extracted space. The doc mentioned that the gaps will close quicker with the help of the elastic strings. Oh btw, is anyone of you using the parrot rubberband? How often do i need to change i wonder? it's hardgoing to put on at four sides though.. i hope i don't need powerchain at the moment.. or do i need them later?

hi peeps! it's been quite some time since my last post. Just a bit of update, I'll be removing my braces next month. In fact, today at the clinic the doc asked if I'm satisfied with the results so far, but i noticed that there's still a bit of gap on my lower jaw after the wisdom tooth extraction 2 weeks ago! Having said that, the doc decided to tighten it with power chain again and 4 weeks later, i'll see him to debrace. I'm kinda excited, but at the same time i feel things are uncertain again..

kentcp, i know that you're the best person to ask about the post-braces stage. So, after you debrace, are you given the transparent retainer? How long did you wear it for? I've always thought that you can choose to wear it at night only.. but apparently the nurse said that we have to wear 24 hours for consecutive 3 months, and then only nightly.. how was your case like?

I also thought of going for whitening, since the teeth might have discolouration or different colour tone due to the braces. What are the charges like for the whitening? Also do we have to pay again for another xray after the braces removal? Hear from you soon..

As for nikki, i'm not sure if you remember me as an inovation C patient like youself.. how's things for you?? It's my 24 month of braces now (since june 2009). I'm quite tired of it...really..

don't worry nikki, you'll soon debrace just like myself. I'm not sure if i'd prefer a retainer than braces, cus at least i'm kinda used to having braces and retainer make you feel more mouthful and can't really speak properly! if you stop counting the days, you'll find that the wait is shorter.. and at one point, ppl kept asking when am i gonna debrace? when i told them i want to further fine tune before debracing, they thought i'm mental case! lol

---

Added on June 12, 2011, 6:10 pmthanks for the info kentcp. Just out of curiousity, how much does it cost for another set of retainer? I like the idea of getting another spare just in case i'll need it when i'm away from home. I was wondering if you only wear it at night, do you find that your teeth start to move again? I'm quite worried about that cus imagine having to endure a few years of torture and pain, and the teeth go back to their original position! I'd see how it goes, whether or not it's too troublesome for me to wear during the day..

Oh they took xray again for you after you debraced. Meaning to say, we have to pay another 200 bucks for that? Wow..it's seriously about money and more money.. sigh..the same for whitening, if it costs so much to be beautiful for only 6 months, i don't think it's worthy. The cream sounds like a better alternative, is it the colgate whitening stuff you're talking about? The price to be beautiful is just so much!

This post has been edited by mrchildren: Jun 12 2011, 06:10 PM