Braces while at USAFA

What are the rules of having braces during your years at USAFA? I know you can't have them during Basic Cadet Training, but can you have them during the school year? And are the Invisalign braces available?

usafacademy4 said:

What are the rules of having braces during your years at USAFA? I know you can't have them during Basic Cadet Training, but can you have them during the school year? And are the Invisalign braces available?

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I believe the rules are that you are not allowed to have them during basic, but after the academic years starts you are allowed to have them until you are on active duty. Once at USAFA your dentist may prescribe braces, but that is up to them. A recent USAFA grad posted on your original post (29th March 2011) that he had his orthodontist put braces on while he was on break. The only problem is that the USAFA dentist/orthodontist is not responsible for maintenance of the braces. Larry Mullen, Deputy Director of DoDMERB, quoted the restrictions for active duty as follows:

"d. Current orthodontic appliances (mounted or removable; i.e., Invisalign®) for continued active treatment (V53.4). Permanent or removable retainers are permissible. Individuals undergoing active orthodontic care are acceptable for accession (including DEP) only if a civilian or military orthodontist provides documentation that active orthodontic treatment shall be completed prior to being sworn into active duty. Entrance to active duty will not occur until all orthodontic treatment is documented to be completed."

It might be worth your while to reread the thread you started back in March. There is a lot of info that was added after you left the thread. Here is the link:

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=16416

Good Luck.

thank you so much for the information!! very helpful! i do remember posting about this, I just didn't know where i could find it. Thanks again!