A candid interview with Vince Carter, a 7-time NBA All-star and member of the New Jersey Nets, on wearing braces in the NBA.

MJ: Vince, when did you first notice you needed braces?

VC: Back in high school, I noticed that my teeth weren’t exactly perfect but I did have a pretty nice smile.  Wearing braces at that time wasn’t so popular.  I was very busy with sports, and believe it or not, the school band; I played the alto sax.  Now that I look back, I should have listened to my mom and gotten braces then, but it just wasn’t a priority for me; huge mistake on my part.

MJ: Did you have an opportunity to get braces in college?

VC: Yes, the dental school at the UNC-Chapel Hill is considered one of the best in the country.  In fact, I even scheduled an appointment at the dental school.  Unfortunately, it didn’t work out due to my hectic schedule with basketball and everyday life as a college student.  It just didn’t happen.

MJ: What made you decide now was the time?

VC: Once I started playing in the NBA, I found myself talking to the media quite a bit off the court and of course, many televised games throughout the seasons.  It’s funny to see yourself on T.V., especially SPORTS CENTER (ESPN), interviews and commercials, but you definitely get used to it.  The more and more you see yourself, the more you want to improve your game and your overall appearance. As you know, you’re your biggest critic.

MJ: How did you and Dr. Cooper hook up?

VC: Although I’ve known him for quite some time, we happened to be at a weekend function together in Charlotte (NC).  I talked to him about getting braces and he said I shouldn’t fly out on Sunday, but come to his Rock Hill office on Monday for a consult.  I was in Rock Hill that Monday.

MJ: How long were you told you would need to wear braces?

VC: My first consult for braces was in Toronto, Canada (while playing for the Toronto Raptors).  This orthodontist was very nice, but said I would be in braces for about 2 years and we may have to take out some teeth.  I wasn’t that excited about that.  Dr. Cooper assured me that we could treat my case without taking teeth out and finish in 12-18 months.

MJ: From your initial consult date, how long did it take you to get your braces on?

VC: I had to get my teeth cleaned first and in less than 2 weeks, I had a full set of braces on.

MJ: What were your orthodontic problems and what type of braces did you decide to go with?

VC: My teeth were crooked.  I had more crowding on the bottom than the top, but my two upper front teeth overlapped; I didn’t like that.  We talked about all my options and I chose the clear braces primary for esthetics reasons.  I didn’t mind wearing braces, I just didn’t want them to be so obvious.

MJ: How knowledgeable did you find Dr. Cooper and his staff?

VC: Very knowledgeable.  He listened to my concerns and expectations and came up with a game plan that suited me perfectly.  His staff is also quite knowledgeable and they work well together as a team.  I was very impressed.

MJ: Did many people know you wore braces during the 2004 NBA season?

VC: Not really, and if so, they didn’t bring it to my attention.  I would often hear, “Vince, there’s something new about you”, but they couldn’t quite pin point what it was.  Depending on who it was, I would give a big smile and point to my braces.  They all were surprised and everyone said how cool it looked.

MJ: What did you think about your clear braces?

VC: Well… I got clear braces and tooth colored wires!  From a distance it was even very difficult for me to see them.  You had to be pretty close and looking mighty hard to notice.  Definitely a good product.

MJ: Did you have any problems with the braces while playing basketball?

VC: Only a few times.  I think once it finally got around the NBA that I was wearing braces, it seemed like more elbows were coming my way when driving to the basket. Yes, I did have a few broken brackets, but that was expected.

MJ: What did you do about your broken brackets?

VC: Well, first of all, I didn’t have that many broken brackets.  I only had a few broken brackets.  I would tell the trainer and he would give me some wax from Dr. Cooper’s office to stabilize it.  The next day, I would call Ford (Dr. Cooper’s first name) and set up a time I could fly in, have my bracket fixed and squeeze in another adjustment appointment.  It really wasn’t all that bad.

MJ: Did you wear a mouth guard while playing basketball?

VC: Definitely.  Ford found the perfect mouth guard for me.  It was very flexible, it fit over the braces with ease and was very snug and comfortable.  The best thing is that it protected my mouth from those flying elbows.

MJ: Did you have to fly into Charlotte and go to the Rock Hill office for all of your appointments?  If so, I bet that was hard.

VC: Not for every appointment.  Ford actually got a good taste of the NBA life.  He would fly in to the cities where I was playing, go to the games and later tighten my braces up.  It was nice having my doctor make house calls.

MJ: Where would he work on you?

VC: Believe it or not, in hotel rooms, locker rooms and of course both of his offices.  Once in Atlanta, we actually went to one of his classmate’s office to fix a broken bracket.  But, even with my hectic schedule, I never missed an appointment.

MJ: Was there anything you didn’t like about wearing braces?

VC: Yeah…rubber bands.

MJ: Were rubber bands really all that bad?

VC: Honestly no, but I did as I was instructed.  I noticed that the more I wore my rubber bands, the better my bite got.  Wearing my rubber bands 24/7 was definitely the key to finishing my treatment on time.

MJ: It sounds like you were treated quite well.  Did you have any complaints?

VC: Not at all.  In fact, my teeth moved fast and my treatment went much smoother than I expected!

MJ: How does your finished product look?  Also, have you had any problems maintaining it?

VC: I think my bite is solid and my smile looks great.  I get compliments all the time.  After Ford took my braces off and I had my teeth cleaned, we bleached my teeth with his Britesmile machine.  Not only were my teeth perfectly straight, but they were also very white.  A great combination. I’ve had no problems maintaining my result because I wear my retainers.                       

MJ: How accurate was Dr. Cooper on his estimated treatment time and did you get your braces off in time for your “special event”?

VC: Doc kept his word.  We finished on time (12-18 months) and I couldn’t wait to get my braces off.

MJ: What kind of retainers are you wearing?

VC: We talked about all the different types of retainers; pros and cons.  For my lifestyle, I went with the custom made clear retainers (essix) during the day and I use regular retainers (hawley) at night.  He also sends me a “half a dozen”clear retainers before each season to use during my games.

MJ: Vince, would you do it again?

VC: Uhh…no doubt! But next time, tell Dr. Cooper let’s do it with those invisible braces.

MJ: Are you talking about Invisalign?

VC: Yes, that’s it…………………Invisalign!

MJ: Vince, thank you so very much for your time and sharing your orthodontic experience with Dr. Cooper to all of us.

VC: My pleasure…. and thank you for my great smile.

If you were wondering who was doing this interview, “MJ” is Mary Jane.  She is a certified orthodontic assistant that worked very hard with Dr. Cooper and Vince Carter to achieve his fantastic NBA smile.