• Braces Improve Your Smile
  It is hard to believe when you are going through it, but braces will improve your smile and make you look excellent. Your smile is the most striking part of your face. Look in the mirror. Do you like your smile now? Well, Dr. Byrne will make your smile fabulous. You will end up looking great. Think about how looking great will improve your social life.
• Braces Improve Your Health
  You will be able to chew your food better.
  Chewing is the first step in digestion. If your teeth are not straight, you will not be able to chew your food correctly so partially chewed food will go down to your stomach. That can give you an upset stomach.
  
  You will avoid dental problems.
  If you do not get orthodontic treatment when you need it you will have problems with your teeth for years to come; your teeth will be hard to clean. Your gums will hurt. Your teeth will wear in ways that they should not. The effects are significant enough that many adults are now going back to Dr. Byrne for braces.
  
  You may avoid developing a breathing problem.
  As you get older the roof of your mouth can sometimes partially block the air passages in your nose. That makes you snore loudly, and may contribute to a condition called “sleep apnea” If you get braces you can avoid this possibility.
    

Orthodontic problems are built into your genes. Back 10,000 years ago, in the days of the orthodontic cave men people had nearly perfect bites. No one needed braces. But then adult cave men were only four feet tall. Teenagers were two or three feet tall. In the last 10,000 years people got bigger. People’s mouths got a little bigger but people’s teeth got A LOT BIGGER. The result is that most people’s teeth no longer fit correctly in most people’s mouths. Dr. Byrne moves around your teeth and possibly stretches your mouth so everything fits correctly. Look how big your front teeth are now. Would those teeth fit in your mouth if you were only two or three feet tall?

We do not know. It has been said that if babies use a pacifier for too long, they can develop and incorrect bite. Orthodontic problems can also be caused by injuries to your mouth, or if you suck your thumb when you are older than two. Some orthodontists also say that fingernail biting, or lip biting can also cause orthodontic problems. There is also some information about breastfeeding increasing orthodontic problems if the breastfeeding is stopped suddenly. Still, most people need braces because their teeth grow faster than their mouth. That is a natural part of growing up, and there is nothing you can do about it.

About 70% of US teenagers need braces.

Orthodontic treatment can be found for under $3,ooo. On the other hand, the fee for orthodontic treatment could be $7,000 for a complex case. Our orthodontic office has a variety of financial options that can make braces affordable for anyone.

• You usually think about your jaw as being solid like a rock, but when you’re growing your jaw is really more like clay. If you apply pressure to your jaw, you can get your jaw to stretch. If you pull your jaw apart, your jaw will get wider. If you push your jaw back, your jaw will slowly move back. Your jaw does not actually stretch. Instead, when you pull on your jaw, your jaw grows in the direction you are pulling. Still, the important thing is that when your braces pull on your jaw, the braces change the shape of your jaw. In the same way, if you push on your teeth, your teeth will move around in your mouth.
• Dr. Byrne pushes your jaw to stretch your mouth so that all of your teeth fit. He then pushes on your teeth so they are all in the proper places. If your top jaw is too small, Dr Byrne can install a special gadget called a “palatal expander” to get your jaw to grow wider. If your teeth stick out, Dr Byrne can install another gadget called a “facebow” to push your teeth and expand your jaw so that all of your teeth fit correctly in your mouth.

• You can get orthodontic treatment at any age. Kids as young as 4 are sometimes advised to start orthodontics early to avoid a problem later on. People as old as 90 sometimes get orthodontic treatment to fix crooked teeth. Still, orthodontic treatment works best and is the least painful when you are 8 to 14 so we advise to start orthodontic treatment then.
• Your jaw is growing the quickest when you are 8 or 9 so it is usually best to expand your jaw to reshape your mouth when you are 8 or 9. This is called interceptive treatment. Then you should wait for most of your permanent teeth to come in. usually, your permanent teeth come in when you are 12 or 13 so that is the best time to start full orthodontic treatment when you are 12, 13 or 14.

You can get braces at any age so if you are too afraid; you can wait a couple of years. However, as you get older the treatment takes longer and hurts more. Your jaw is growing fast when you are 8, so your jaw is easy to stretch. If you wait until you are 12, Dr. Byrne needs to push a lot harder to expand your jaw so it hurts. By the time you are 20, you may need surgery to expand your jaw.

• Generally, teenagers do not find braces to be any big deal. Your mouth is usually sore for the first week after you get braces. Also your mouth will be sore when the braces are tightened. However, with modern braces, you should get so used to the braces that you should not notice the braces, except when the braces are being tightened or if you get hit in the mouth.
• If you start orthodontic treatment when you are 18 or older, it generally is more uncomfortable; your teeth feel like they are loose in your mouth. Still, the pain is worth the gain.

• It matters what kind of braces you use. Old-fashioned braces will hurt a lot of the time. However, if you get modern braces, they will not hurt except when they are first put in or when the braces are tightened.
• Orthodontic firms test their braces to try to find ways to make them hurt less. We have a number of designs for braces, which minimize the pain you will feel. We have not yet found a way to avoid the pain when the braces are first put on, or when the braces are being tightened. Also your mouth will hurt if your friends punch you. However, we are working on reducing the pain.
• Take a look around the next time you are in the mall. Do the people look like they are in pain?

Initially, when you first get braces, there may be some sores on your lips. If you rinse the sores in warm salt water, the sores will heal within a week or two. Thereafter, there will be an occasional sore when, for example if you get into a fight. However, the sores should heal rather quickly. If your lips get too sore during the first week, you can put wax on the braces to prevent the braces from rubbing and irritating the sore.

It varies a lot according to how much your jaw needs to stretch and how much your teeth have to move. If you start interceptive treatment when you are 8, it usually takes anywhere from 3 to 6 months to stretch your jaw. It takes longer if Dr. Byrne needs to reshape your jaw. If you get braces when you are 12 years old, it usually takes two to two and a half years to move around your teeth. It will take longer if you do not do what Dr. Byrne tells you to do or if there is something unusual about your bite.

Only you know your friends. Some friend’s laugh at anything. However, companies make stylish braces™, and most teenagers feel good about them. Most of your friends will be getting braces too.

Yes. Standard braces should not affect how you talk or the sound of your voice. You can talk, sing, yell, make fun of people, and act just as you do now. Braces will not stop you from having fun. Occasionally Dr. Byrne needs to put in a gadget which gets in the way of your tongue. If so, you may have trouble talking clearly for a day or two, but then you will be able to talk fine.

• Of course, you can still play football, baseball, basketball, soccer, etc. You can still go bowling. You can still do everything. Just wear a mouthguard, and try to not get hit in the mouth.
• We recommend that you avoid the sports where you will get hit in the face. Fighting, boxing, wrestling, karate, can be very painful when you have braces.

Be sure to mention your musical abilities to Dr. Byrne. Dr. Byrne will give you lip protectors for your braces. The protectors will make it possible for you to still play musical instruments.

Yes! You can eat most of the good things that you can eat now. The one big limitation is that your mouth will get sore after you first get braces, so we recommend that you only eat softer foods for the first week. However, after that you should be able to eat normally. We will probably give you a list of food that you might want to avoid, but they are minimal.

Gum is not recommended. The gum can get caught on the braces and pull the braces off. Also the sugar in gum can get trapped behind the braces and cause cavities.

You should probably not eat hard sticky, gooey or crunchy foods. Caramel, taffy, peanut brittle can stick to your braces and pull the braces off your teeth. You also need to be careful with crunchy foods like carrots and apples and hard rolls so that you do not knock your braces off your teeth.

Dr Byrne will attach them again. Usually it is no big deal, although if it happens lots of times, your orthodontic treatment will take longer.

Dr. Byrne needs to take off your braces at the end of the orthodontic treatment. If Dr. Byrne attaches your braces too firmly, the braces will not come off again at the end of your orthodontic treatment.

I know that you are concerned, but it is usually NOT a serious problem if you swallow parts of your braces. All braces are tested so they are completely safe. The parts just pass through your digestive system.

Braces come in lots of different sizes and colors. First there are old-fashioned braces. Old-fashioned braces are big and clunky. They can cut your lips and are generally uncomfortable. Then there are modern braces. Modern braces are smaller and more comfortable than old-fashioned braces. They have what is called a low profile design, which is less irritating to your lips. They also have special contours to make your orthodontic treatment go faster and be less painful.

• No. Modern braces are made with three different manufacturing processes, “machining”, “metal injection molding”, and “casting”. Cast brackets are the most comfortable.
• Then one has to consider the style of the braces. There are clear colored braces, which blend in so they barely can be seen, and metal braces as well as invisalign™.

There are two parts to orthodontic treatment, interceptive orthodontic treatment and regular orthodontic treatment.

• The objective of interceptive orthodontic treatment is to make your jaw wider and reshape your mouth so there is room for your permanent teeth. Dr Byrne will install a gadget called a “palatal expander” to make your mouth bigger. He may also use a facebow to try to start to correct overbites and underbites. If you start interceptive orthodontic treatment when you re 8, it usually only takes 3-6 months, and avoids painful treatment later on.
• Note: Interceptive treatment can take as long as 14 months if your bones grow slowly, or if you do not follow Dr. Byrnes’ directions.

A Little. The palatal expander is stretching your mouth.

Most kids finish interceptive orthodontic treatment by the time they are 9. Then they usually wait until they are 12 and ready for braces.

The objective of full orthodontic treatment is to continue to stretch the mouth, and move around your teeth so that your teeth are in the right places. First there are a series of appointments where Dr. Byrne examines your mouth and figures out what is needed. Next Dr. Byrne installs your braces. You usually keep your braces on for eighteen months to two years. During that time, Dr. Byrne’s assistants will “tighten” your braces every four to eight weeks. Then Dr. Byrne will remove your braces and give you a retainer.

Generally, full orthodontic treatment takes about eighteen months to two years for a typical case. It will take longer with a complicated case or if you do not follow Dr. Byrne’s instructions.

Generally, it takes a couple of visits to Dr. Byrne for you to start your treatment. Dr. Byrne will examine your mouth to see if everything is ok. Is your mouth big enough to hold all of your teeth? When you close your mouth are the top teeth aligned with your bottom teeth? Are any of your teeth crooked or not in the right place? Are there any missing teeth? Are there any other problems like a breathing problem, or a problem with the joint in your jaw?

The next step is called the “records appointment”. You will come in for half an hour and Dr. Byrne will take a number of measurements of your mouth. During this appointment Dr. Byrne’s assistant will take:

• Panoramic X-rays
  You stand or sit in a special chair with your head very still, while a special x-ray machine sweeps around your head. The x-ray machine produces an image of all of your teeth and your jaw and parts of your skull. This x-ray tells Dr. Byrne if the roots of your teeth are OK, whether your jaw is OK, whether the joint is OK and whether there are any other complications such as extra teeth.
• Cephalometric X-Rays
  You stand at another area of the x-ray machine and Dr. Byrne’s assistant takes an additional x-ray of your head. These x-rays tell Dr. Byrne if your bite is OK and if your mouth is growing normally. Dr. Byrne can also see cavities.
• Bite Registration
  You bite down on some special paper or wax, so Dr. Byrne can see if your top teeth line up with your bottom teeth. Dr. Byrne’s assistant will place a container containing something called “alginate” in your mouth and ask you to bite down. The alginate is like putty; it allows Dr. Byrne to build a model of both your top and bottom jaw. We use a mint flavored alginate.
• Pictures of your face and teeth
  The last stage of the records appointment is to take pictures of your face and mouth. Dr. Byrne uses the pictures to keep track of how your smile is changing. Dr. Byrne’s job is to make your mouth look excellent, and the photo’s help.

Once the records appointment is done, the Dr. Byrne will be able to figure out what he needs to fix your mouth. Dr. Byrne will then schedule a meeting with you and your parents called a conference to discuss what Dr. Byrne needs to do to make your smile perfect and how much it will cost. Some orthodontic offices offer records at your first appointment.

If you and your parents decide to accept the treatment plan, Dr. Byrne or his assistant will install “separators” between the teeth in the back of your mouth. The separators could either be little springs, or little plastic pieces to create space for band on your back teeth. You usually leave the separators on for a week or two, and then come back to our office to have your braces put on.

Generally, Dr. Byrne needs to attach bands and buccal tubes to your back teeth, brackets to the front and side, and then attaches the archwire.

• The first step is to get your teeth ready for the bands. Dr. Byrne’s assistant will remove the separators from your mouth and polish your teeth until your teeth are perfectly clean. It takes a few minutes, but Dr. Byrne’s assistant needs to do this carefully, so that you do not get any cavities under the bands.
• Once your teeth are clean, Dr. Byrne’s assistant will measure your teeth and try to determine what size bands you need. Bands, though, are like shoes. Even if the bands are the right size, the assistant needs to try them on to make sure they fit. It usually takes several tries before Dr. Byrne’s assistant finds a band that exactly fits your teeth.
• Next Dr. Byrne or his assistant will attach the bands to your teeth. First, your teeth must be dried completely. Dr. Byrne or Dr. Byrne’s assistant will place cotton rolls on both sides of your teeth. They will also put a tube in your mouth that looks like a straw. The tube is attached to a small wet-dry vacuum to suck up all of the liquid from your mouth.
• Next Dr. Byrne or Dr. Byrne’s assistant will put some special cement onto the band and push the band onto your tooth. Dr. Byrne will usually ask you to help him get the band on by you biting down on a special “bite stick” to help push the band on the tooth.
• Dr. Byrne or his assistant will repeat this process until they have installed bands on four of your teeth. Then you will be asked to bite down on cotton rolls for approximately 5 to 10 minutes to hold the bands in place until the cement hardens.
• After the cement hardens the orthodontic assistant will take a special tool called a scaler to remove the excess cement from around the band

The next part of the process is called “bonding”. In bonding Dr. Byrne attaches little “brackets” to your teeth. The brackets are used to hold wires onto your teeth.

• irst big plastic things called cheek retractors are used to draw back your lips. Then your teeth and dried and a tube like a straw is put in your mouth to remove all of the liquid from your mouth. Once your teeth are perfectly dry, a liquid called “etchant” is placed on the teeth for 30 to 60 seconds. The teeth are then rinsed and dried.
• Next Dr. Byrne uses a special glue to attach the brackets to your teeth. Most orthodontists use special glue called “light cure” which only hardens under ultraviolet light. It usually takes Dr. Byrne about an hour to attach all of the brackets to your teeth. The light cure hardens in about a minute, so it will not be sticky in your mouth.
• Do not be afraid of this part of the procedure. Your cheeks sometimes get a little uncomfortable from the cheek retractor, but the bonding process should not hurt.
• Next Dr. Byrne’s assistant still has to put on your archwire. Usually, the assistant sticks the wires through the buccal tubes on the bands at the back of your mouth.

Depending on the case, one and a half to two hours.

Not usually. Dr. Byrne is usually just attaching the braces to your teeth. The pain comes later, when the braces first begin to rub up against your teeth begin to move. Generally, your mouth will hurt the first night you get braces. Ask Dr. Byrne to give you some wax in case the braces begin to rub and be sure to ask your mom for some Aspirin or Tylenol if your mouth hurts. Aspirin or Tylenol really helps the pain. Putting salt or salt water on your gums can lessen the pain. (Advil works great on dental pain.)

Your mouth will hurt for your first week in braces. You should be careful about what you eat. You need to only eat softer foods and to be very careful with your mouth.

In the beginning part of orthodontic treatment, your teeth will move a lot. Sometimes the end of the wire will stick out past the end of the tube, and create a sharp edge. We recommend that if you notice a sharp wire you call to make an appointment so that we may trim the sharp edge before the wire cuts your cheeks.

Dr. Byrne will usually tell you to come back in 4-6 weeks after your initial visit, and every 4-8 weeks from then on.

Dr. Byrne looks at your mouth. Sometimes your braces are “tightened” and sometimes Dr. Byrne changes wires. Each time the braces are tightened your teeth are pushed a little closer to where your teeth need to be. Dr. Byrne may install rubber bands sometime during your treatment or ask you to wear a facebow. Rubber band and facebows are used to make your teeth in your lower jaw line up with your teeth in your upper jaw.

During orthodontic treatment, Dr. Byrne stretches your jaw and moves around your teeth so that everything fits. If Dr. Byrne would try to move your teeth all at once, it would hurt too much, and it might damage the roots of your teeth. Generally, Dr. Byrne moves your teeth slowly to avoid hurting you too badly. Still, Dr. Byrne does not have to move your teeth. Every time Dr. Byrne tightens your braces, Dr. Byrne moves your teeth a little bit. Then Dr. Byrne waits for your teeth, jaw and gums to shift, before Dr. Byrne tries moving your teeth again.

Unfortunately, tightening hurts but the pain does not last long.

Eventually Dr. Byrne will remove your braces, give you a retainer and tell you that you are done. You should wear your retainer every night while you are sleeping fir the first year, and then a few nights a week until you are 24. After that it is up to you. The teeth start to move again around 30, so you might keep your retainer until you are 35.

Do not worry; it should not hurt to remove your braces. The brackets are easy to remove. They just twist off. Sometimes removing the bands at the back of your mouth is painful. If so, please tell Dr. Byrne. He can cut the bands so it does not hurt.

Brushing and flossing is really important when you have braces because the food can get caught in the braces and cause cavities. Also you will have terribly bad breath so no one will want to talk to you. You should brush and floss your teeth after every meal and before you go to bed. You may want to brush with a special fluoride gel to make sure that you do not get any cavities.

Brushing might hurt the first week after you get braces but then everything might hurt your first week in braces. Fortunately, you can get through it. After the first week, brushing should be fine. Flossing is a little harder. However, a waterpic works great. There are also special brushes and floss designed to ckean around braces. Be sure to ask Dr. Byrne for some.

It is hard to say. If it is a normal cavity, your regular dentist will just fill it. If the cavity is underneath your braces, Dr. Byrne will have to remove your braces first.

The rubber bands are used to move teeth forward or back in your mouth. For example, they could be used to move your lower teeth forward or back, to move a tooth that is in the wrong place, or to close a gap between your teeth.

Most people get rubber bands.

Orthodontic rubber bands break after they have been chewed a few times. Usually, the rubber bands will snap suddenly when you open your mouth wide. The rubber bands will hurt your jaw. The only way to avoid pain is to change the rubber bands frequently. Put in new rubber bands after each meal.

Your braces will need to stay on for up to a year longer and your teeth will hurt more. Changing rubber bands is not hard, so there is no reason not to change them.

Nothing; the rubber band is safe unless you are allergic to it. The rubber band just passes through your digestive system, and comes out in your feces. Just do not swallow a whole pack of rubber bands. They will give you indigestion and you might have a bad allergic reaction.

The retainer keeps your teeth in perfect alignment after braces are removed so you can keep an excellent smile as your mouth grows.

Usually, when the braces are first removed, your teeth will all be in perfect alignment, and your smile is excellent. However, your gums, bones, etc will not have completely shifted into their new positions. The retainer holds your teeth in position until your gums, bones, etc settle in to their new positions. At the end of your orthodontic treatment, your smile will be wonderful and you will look excellent. Also, you are still growing after your braces are removed. Sometimes, your mouth will grow unevenly. If so a retainer can be used to make sure your teeth stay perfect as you grow.

Your gums and bones will not settle into their new positions so your teeth will move part way back to their old positions. Your fabulous smile will dwindle. You may even need to get your braces put on again. Don’t let that happen! Wear your retainer.

It should not. If your retainer hurts after the first week, it means that the retainer was fitted wrong. Please call us if there is any pain associated with your retainer.

You need to wear your retainer every night for at least a year after your braces are removed. Then continue to wear the retainer a few nights a week until you are 24 and stop growing.

Ask Dr. Byrne for a new one.

A well-made retainer should last for years. If your retainer breaks ask Dr. Byrne for a new one.

Fixed retainers are an alternative that is sometimes used when you keep “forgetting” to wear your retainer. Dr. Byrne cements a retainer in your mouth and you cannot take the retainer off for a year. If this happens be sure to clean the retainer every night or else your breath will smell awful.

The colored rings are called ligating modules. They hold the wires into the brackets. Ligating modules can be fun. You can get them in 24 colors! There are orange and black for Halloween, red and green for Christmas and red or pink for Valentines. Red, white and blue for the fourth of July. You can get ligating modules in your favorite colors, your school colors, your favorite team’s colors or even your mom’s least favorite colors. Ligating modules allow you to make your braces match your personality. Enjoy!

Lingual braces are an old technique where the braces are mounted behind a patient’s tooth. They were used years ago, before the advent of stylish braces. Now lingual braces are rarely used. Generally, lingual braces are much more uncomfortable that standard braces. Ortodontic treatment is much more painful, and the treatment takes twice as long as with standard braces. Also the patient often has trouble talking with lingual braces. Today, most orthodontists refuse to put on lingual braces. Lingual braces are not offered in our office.

A facebow is designed to push your teeth back so that there is space for the teeth in the front of your mouth.

If you do not wear your facebow, Dr. Byrne will not be able to stretch your mouth so all of your teeth fit. Usually, Dr. Byrne will try an alternative. We may wire in the facebow, so you cannot take it out! He may try a more painful appliance. You need to wear your facebow! Your braces will not work unless you wear them.

Generally, you should wear the facebow for about 12-14 hours a day. The facebow should be inserted into the two holes on the molar bands at the back of your mouth. The facebow should then be connected to the breakaways, and on to the neckpad or other headgear. A facebow should never be worn without a safety strap or breakaway.

Yes. Check your policy. Some insurance will cover up to half of the treatment cost
  

Absolutely, many people did not get braces when they were young. Either their parents could not afford braces, or they could not be straightened with the techniques of 40 or more years ago. Now they have problems with their teeth and gums, they get indigestion all the time or they just are unhappy with their smile. They can afford braces now, and want to do something for themselves so they get braces. Other people did have orthodontic treatment when they were young, but they did not wear their retainers until they stopped growing. The result is that their teeth are now a little bit crooked. Now they are unhappy with their smile so they get braces too. Presently as much as ¼ of the orthodontic treatment being done is being done on adult patients. It is quite a change from 20 years ago when orthodontists were only treating children.

It matters how much work Dr. Byrne has to do and where you live. If you live in a rural area, with low cost rents and few malpractice lawyers, standard orthodontic treatment can be obtained for under $3,000.00. It will cost you more if there are complications. If you live in an expensive city with many malpractice lawyers, the costs can be significantly higher.

No, there are no age limits! Orthodontic treatment goes slower when you are older, and it feels different. Still, people as old as 90 are getting braces. People who live to 90 know how important it is to take care of themselves, and orthodontic treatment is part of it.

Most adults get orthodontic treatment because they realize that taking care of your smile is part of taking care of yourself. Look at your smile. Your smile is the most important feature on your face. Look in the mirror. Are you happy with your smile now? Does your smile look as good as it did when you were younger? What do you think about someone who has a pleasing smile? Do you find them attractive? What do you think about someone who has an awful smile? Do they look old and haggard? Do you want to look old and haggard? Orthodontic treatment can keep your smile from looking old and haggard. At the end of orthodontic treatment, people’s smiles end up looking fabulous. Wouldn’t it be great if you looked fabulous?

Yes. When your teeth are crooked, they are harder to clean and will wear unevenly. Your gums can get inflamed and your teeth hurt. Eventually, you will lose your teeth. Orthodontic treatment can inhibit gum problems and prevent tooth loss. Also remember that chewing is the first part of indigestion. If you do not chew your food properly, the rest if your digestive system will have to work harder. The harder your digestive system works, the faster it ages. Orthodontic treatment can prevent premature aging of your digestive system.

It is basically the same, with a few minor differences.

• One difference is that the treatment takes longer. As you get older, you heal more slowly. As a result, Dr. Byrne needs to be gentler with his treatment. Dr. Byrne can still move your teeth, but Dr. Byrne needs to move your teeth more slowly to let your mouth heal between tightening appointments.
• The other difference is that it is harder to enlarge the mouth to get all of your teeth to fit . Once you stop growing your jaw hardens; it is difficult for an orthodontist to stretch your jaw. Some people elect to have their enlarged surgically. However, most adults decide to have their teeth straightened, but not their jaw enlarged.

Well, the beginning part of the treatment is harder for adult patients than for teenagers. However, after treatment gets started, things are the same whether you are a teenager or an adult. Most adults say that after they start orthodontic treatment they feel like their teeth have come loose. When a teenager gets braces, Dr. Byrne is usually moving teeth that have come in fairly recently. The result is that the teeth are easy to move. As you get older your teeth get anchored to your jaw with little filaments. Dr. Byrne needs to loosen those filaments before your teeth will move. As a result, your teeth feel loose. Still the loose feeling is nothing to worry about. The filaments will tighten again once your orthodontic treatment is done. Other than that, orthodontic treatment will feel the same whether you get treatment when you are in your teens, or whether you get treatment when you are an adult. Your mouth will be tender for a week after your braces are first put on, and there will be some pain when your braces are tightened. However, the pain is manageable; and the results will make you look fantastic.

Definitely not. Braces have changed a lot in the last 20 years and you do not have to get a metal mouth when you get braces. You now have the option of clear braces that are hardly noticeable.