Braces?

[Carno]

I've heard different things with regards to teeth braces.. Are officers not allowed to have braces? I've heard that they must be off before reporting to TBS, and I've also heard that they must be off before commisioning..

Anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

I did a search, but nothing came up.

 

[TheFurr7198]

They must be off before getting commissioned. Also you can not go through OCS with them. I know this because my orthodontist called the medical doctor there. Im going to have to get my braces taken off and have clear retainers put in for seniors. Then they have to be off before I commission. I dont know why that is a rule but apparently it is. I hope that helps you out.

 

[froghead1]

If you are talking about getting them once you're in, you can't have them if you are in a deployable status.

 

[phrogdriver]

If you are talking about getting them once you're in, you can't have them if you are in a deployable status.

"Deployable billet" might be a better description--the Navy doesn't bring orthodontists to the field for us to maintain braces. I'm in a deployable status right now--healthy, not incarcerated, etc. My current billet is non-deploying, though, so I could get braces if I wanted to.

I know of one guy who was in my unit who recently had them (a senior major, no less) and I remember my TBS Co XO had them, which seemed so shocking at the time for some reason. I guess the moral is to do your fleet tour, get that staff job and unscrew your chicklets then.

 

[AllAmerican75]

I know this is probably a stupid question, but why are braces not allowed? What kind of problems do they create, besides aesthetically of course? It seems that the new clear plastic ones are that bad an idea.

 

[A4sForever]

.....why are braces not allowed? What kind of problems do they create, besides aesthetically of course? .......

I dunno ..... I'm not a Marine and I never went to TBS .... but some things are eternal truths ..... universal ... constants, if you will.

I think you might have a credibility problem with the troops if you attempted to bark orders with this :

 

[scotty008]

post duplicated... damn the Rolling Rock.

 

[scotty008]

For some reason, I'm stuck with the image of a pugil stick striking the brunt of some Lt's wire-laden mouth. We had injuries enough with broken bones and stress factures and torn miniscus'. Face mask aside, it seems like an unnecessary risk... Maybe the wart guy can elaborate more...

A4s... your photo made my already uneventful evening even better... The laugh factor would rise exponentially at OCS/TBS/whatever.

 

[zab1001]

I know this is probably a stupid question, but why are braces not allowed? What kind of problems do they create, besides aesthetically of course? It seems that the new clear plastic ones are that bad an idea.

Scotty has it right as far as the training environment, issues with getting smacked in the lip.

As far as "why can't I have them in a deployable billet" (thanks phrog), it's a 'maintenance' issue, and i don't mean airframes and power plants.

I came pretty close to getting braces at the end of my Sea Tour, but I was slated to go back to the sandbox for my Shore Tour and it got nixed by the LT doing the work in Dental. She explained that missing an adjustment due to ops would jack up my teeth and who knows when or if an orthordontist would be available.

Worked out anyway, she authorized porcellein veneers instead. Earning me the nickname "Affleck" for quite a while...

 

[Schnugg]

Was on shore duty for 3 years and had ortho work done by the Navy. Happened to have an ortho guy available and had the time and met the criteria (in my case a misaligned bite).

Got a nice smile now...I would hate to have had those things as a single male in the dating game...

So yes, at certain times, it can work out.

r/
G

 

[Carno]

Hmmm yeah I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I need to get braces, but I don't know if I can. I graduate in December so that only leaves me a year if I have to get them off before commissioning. I have heard about those clear plastic things that are al alternative to braces, but I'm not sure if those are allowed when I get commissioned.

Thanks fore the replies everyone.

 

[Brett327]

Why aren't people getting braces when you're supposed to - when you're 12. That way you can get all the awkward puberty stuff out of the way at the same time, yes?

Brett

 

[Carno]

I couldn't afford them when I was twelve.

 

[Physicx]

What about invisiline?

 

[zab1001]

I had 2 AWs who were flying and had invisalign. Keep in mind, this was in the Fleet, and they paid for it themselves (not cheap).