Totally agree about the water flosser—mine's still going strong years later, and honestly, it's saved me from a few lectures at the dentist, haha. For me, the hidden cost was mostly extra wax because I kept poking myself with wires (clumsy much?), but even that wasn't too pricey. Budgeting-wise, monthly payments were easier for me to handle, but upfront does usually save you a bit. Guess it depends on how disciplined you are with saving beforehand...which wasn't exactly my strength.
Yeah, monthly payments were the way to go for me too. I mean, I get the logic behind paying upfront and saving a bit overall, but I knew I'd feel less stressed spreading it out. Funny you mention the wax—I went through a ton at first because I kept getting these annoying sores from the brackets. Eventually, I found silicone covers online, and those were a lifesaver. Bit pricier than wax, but reusable and way more comfortable...definitely worth it in my book.
"Eventually, I found silicone covers online, and those were a lifesaver."
Wait, silicone covers? Hadn't even heard of those...now I'm wondering if I should've stocked up on wax or gone straight for these covers. Did they stay put pretty well overnight? I'm only a week in and already feeling the bracket pain—glad to hear it gets easier though. And yeah, monthly payments felt safer for me too; upfront savings sound nice but less anxiety is priceless at this point. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Silicone covers can definitely be helpful, but from what I've seen, they're a bit hit-or-miss overnight. I tried them myself when I had braces, and while they stayed put better than wax during the day, I found they sometimes shifted around while sleeping. Wax was easier to mold exactly where I needed it, but silicone felt smoother and less bulky. Honestly, it's worth trying both to see what works best for you...bracket pain is no joke, especially in those first few weeks. Hang in there—it really does improve over time.
"Wax was easier to mold exactly where I needed it, but silicone felt smoother and less bulky."
Totally relate to this. When I first got braces, I tried silicone because everyone said it was the "upgrade," but honestly, wax ended up being my go-to. Silicone covers would slide off at night and I'd wake up with them stuck somewhere random in my mouth...not fun. Wax might feel a bit chunkier at first, but you can really shape it exactly how you need. Definitely experiment though—everyone's mouth is different. Hang in there, those first weeks are rough but it does get easier.
