Dental scam or not ?

[Barney R]

My girlfriend needs braces as she has a slight overbite . She comes back from the dentist and informs me that they need to be on for at least 3 years . I thought that was way to long and figured it was just another scam to get patients to return for adjustments that are not really necessary. She then informed me that she had several friends that have had braces for 6-7 years . Can anyone tell me what the the normal time frame is for braces ?

[Rooo]

Moved to health forum.

[h90]

She didn't ask at several dentists, or?

[phuketjock]

Depends on your girlfriends age, the older she is the longer it will take

for braces to move the offending teeth to where they need to be. My

missus who was in her late thirties when she started wearing hers had

them for about 5 years and she has been wearing light night only braces

for the last two years.

The dentist stopped charging when she went on to the night only braces

and she goes for regular minor adjustments about every six months, I keep

asking when she will finally be rid of them and answer is when the dentist

says so.

i was much the same as you in thinking that the length of time required was

related to the amount of money the dentist wished to make from her, but both

her sisters, who are much younger than her, both needed braces and both of

them only required them for about two years each. I think it also depends on

the amount of movement required on any one individuals teeth to bring them

into the required position. So to answer your question there is no normal time

frame for braces.

I am still a bit sceptical but I can't argue with the facts.

Good luck

Of course all of the above depends entirely on how honest the dentist is!!!!

Edited August 13, 2014 by phuketjock

[noahvail]

My younger kid had braces for 18 months, then a retainer for 6 or 7 months more. His adjustments came every six weeks. He got them when he was 15, and his teeth, which started out all around the place, had moved back into line by the end of the retainer. I reckon his dentist was a bit aggressive with the adjustments, because my kid would say they hurt for a week, but it all turned out right in the end. Just because your gf's friends have shown their grille for 6 or 7 years now -let me guess, they're blue, right?- doesn't mean she'll need them for a decade.

Edited August 13, 2014 by noahvail

[arkom]

I had braces when I was 18, and had them on for about 2 years and had to wear a retainer for another 6 months or so. Not sure if relevant or helpful but I hd mine done when I was in the US.

For comparison my girlfriend went to a couple dentists here to get a quote for braces and was told she needs to wear for about 4 years.

I think it comes down to age and how much work is needed.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Sheryl]

3 years is not at all unusual. It often takes even longer than that, though it depends on the patient's age and degree of malalignment.

for an adult with a small overbite, 3 yrs sounds

about right.

periodic adjustments eill be necessary.

[Barney R]

Thanks guys for the replies has been very helpfull

[chris2004]

I got scammed by this as well. When my girlfriend got her braces they said the time frame would be 2 years with a maximum fixed cost of 25,000 baht. Monthly adjustments were 1,000 baht. She eventually got them taken out after nearly 5 years, by which time the monthly adjustments had gone up to 2,000 baht. Total cost @ 50,000 baht.

Once you start the programme they have got you by the b***s. No other dentist will touch you, we tried.

[godden]

gf been told 3 to 4 yrs, but she is an old bird

[Johnnie99]

Usually a scam. Open your eyes and look around, if you don't agree.

Experience has shown that most younger Asians have excellent teeth. There is, more often than not, no need for this essentially cosmetic dentistry - except to furnish the dentist with his or her new Benz (or even a good car).

Of course there are clear examples where braces are required to correct dental problems, but they are very few and far between.

[smileplur]

Just a technicality, but orthodontists usually do alignment work, not dentists. I had braces. They were put on when I was 14. I had them for 3 years. I wore a retainer after that for 6 months or so. I adjusted a slight gap. The primary reason was my overbite.

[AyG]

Braces work by moving the tooth. The bone in front of the direction of movement effectively dissolves under pressure, allowing the tooth to move. The time taken will depend upon how hard the bone is and how far the tooth has to move. (New bone then forms behind the tooth.) Different techniques also put different amounts of pressure on the tooth. Any estimate can only be approximate.

Periodic adjustments are essential to make sure that the tooth remains under pressure after having moved a bit. No pressure = no bone dissolving = no movement.

[phuketjock]

Usually a scam. Open your eyes and look around, if you don't agree.

Experience has shown that most younger Asians have excellent teeth. There is, more often than not, no need for this essentially cosmetic dentistry - except to furnish the dentist with his or her new Benz (or even a good car).

Of course there are clear examples where braces are required to correct dental problems, but they are very few and far between.

I don't know what experience you have had Johnnie99 that shows you that most younger asians have excellent

teeth, but I have been in and around Malaysia,Thailand and China since 1980 and my experience has shown me

that in fact I could probably count on my hands the number of young Asians that did not require some kind of dental

rectification or braces, male or female.

The very number of dentists that manage to make a living in Asia is a testament to that, they are as numerous as

7/11s.

[Frank James]

Ladies in Thailand view braces as a vital fashion accessory. I'm not kidding. My wife, age 42, has naturally good teeth, all 32 of them, with a correct bite, but has a "Lauren Hutton" type gap between her her front teeth which she thinks is ugly. (Naakliat makk mak!) I tell her I think that is a sexy feature, which she scoffs at. I also tell her that ladies her age look silly wearing braces, and she will hate it. I refuse to pay for this. Take a look at the Thailand Ladies Volleyball Team. nearly every one of them wears braces, and they are featured in a commercial promoting a special toothbrush.

The beat goes on.

[LindsayBKK]

My girlfriend needs braces as she has a slight overbite . She comes back from the dentist and informs me that they need to be on for at least 3 years . I thought that was way to long and figured it was just another scam to get patients to return for adjustments that are not really necessary. She then informed me that she had several friends that have had braces for 6-7 years . Can anyone tell me what the the normal time frame is for braces ?

thaiortho.org

[belg]

there is no time limit for fashion

[thailand49]

3 years is not a long time, My son now is going through the process and just finished talking to the dentist. She basically told me 2-3 years and it really depends on each patients case? I had braces when I was young and after 3 years I had everything taken off and a small metal wired placed behind my lower front teeth to keep them in place for another 3 or 4 years. It never bother me I wanted to leave it on for life since I was told the older and you get braces you should leave them on longer because in older person teeth has a tendency to move quicker than with a child? I wore a retainer for the upper and still have it and wear it every few months for a night to keep everything straight.

I was pretty much told by my sons dentist the same thing that wearing a retainer is nearly for life if you want to keep them straight. But of course I told her that is textbook but how many people actually still have their retainer. They are not only correcting the overbite but the overall mouth to make sure the spacing is proper so that food does not get stuck in between and easier to floss which Thai don't know much about?

Not sure her age but I believe when she speaks of 6-7 years it is not with the braces but the retainers. They can only tighten so much! They gave me a price of 40,000 baht which I can pay 2,000 each month when he comes in to have them tighten and checked?

Edited August 14, 2014 by thailand49

[shanahan]

I am not a dentist, however from my understanding it is not just a matter of moving teeth into their correct position. It is necessary to hold them in their correct position for a sustained period of time to make the transition permanent. Failure to do this can see teeth move back somewhat.

[mrfaroukh]

It can take many years depending on how bad it is

[Estrada]

My daughter came home with braces and here teeth were perfect. The problem is that many Thai girls are wearing braces, usually with glitz, because they think it is fashion.

[louse1953]

Thais girls rekon its a fashion statement.

[Issangeorge]

Sometimes, a slight flaw in a persons smile just adds character and beauty, perfect teeth can be boring.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Issangeorge

[Greg Nixon]

My daughter started having her teeth adjusted when she was still very young - about 8. She completed her treatment in her late teens. her teeth are perfect but the cost was rather shocking at the time.

[Khunangkaro]

Disgusting.... (What?)

I don't like to see/feel braces....

Fashion fits culture, where most Thais don't like tongue kissing.

..

[djhotsox]

Usually a scam. Open your eyes and look around, if you don't agree.

Experience has shown that most younger Asians have excellent teeth. There is, more often than not, no need for this essentially cosmetic dentistry - except to furnish the dentist with his or her new Benz (or even a good car).

Of course there are clear examples where braces are required to correct dental problems, but they are very few and far between.

You must be British.

[lvr181]

My girlfriend needs braces as she has a slight overbite . She comes back from the dentist and informs me that they need to be on for at least 3 years . I thought that was way to long and figured it was just another scam to get patients to return for adjustments that are not really necessary. She then informed me that she had several friends that have had braces for 6-7 years . Can anyone tell me what the the normal time frame is for braces ?

thaiortho.org

That website currently hosts malware! They need to be advised to clean it off. The malware is:

JS:Clickjack-B [Trj]

[maxme]

3 years is possible if her teeth are very crooked or she is in her late twenties or older. 6 years though not normal. That could be a scam or that doctor is very incompetent.