Adults With Braces

[diz_girl]

Hi there!

I just got braces yesterday. It's my second time with them, with the first time being back in the early 80's.

When I had them WAY back then - they were put on two years before EPCOT opened - it was because I had too many teeth in my mouth. So they pulled all four bicuspids, which is something that they rarely do anymore.

Now, I have crowded and crooked teeth on the bottom and TMJ, because - you guessed it - I have a small mouth. At least this time they'll put in a permanent retainer on the bottom and I'll have a retainer on top at night for the rest of my life. Which is OK because they end result will be worth it. I also have an undersize tooth on top, right next to the front tooth, so I'll have a porcealin veneer put on it after the braces come off.

So now that I've had these on for all of a day, here are my thoughts -

Positive - the molds are SO much easier than they were back then. No goopy, drippy feeling in the back of your throat for 15 minutes anymore. They were a breeze.

Negative - All that I have to say is, OW! I don't remember my teeth hurting like this. OW! I took advil, but I think that I should just go on a liquid diet. OW!

Positive - I'm not eating much solid food right now, so I expect to lose some weight.

Negative - The inside of my mouth is getting cut up. Using some wax. Also, did I mention that my teeth hurt?

Positive - I look younger. Some of the crowding was making my lower teeth lean back into my mouth, making my lower lip recede. The braces are now taking up the space where my lower teeth will eventually sit, and my lower lip is fuller and I look younger. Sweet!

Negative - My husband ate my ice cream, so I couldn't have any ice cream last night. Did I tell you that my teeth hurt?

Please share your stories with braces. Good or bad. Thanks.

[Itchy]

First question, do your teeth hurt, and second did your husband survive the beating after you found out he ate all of the ice cream?

The bottom line it sounds like you will be a happier person when it is all over. It sound like it would have been nice if the dentist would have done the job right in the first place so you would not have had to go through this again.

Hope you get to feeling better soon..

[cer]

So uncool about the ice cream...

[disneymom15]

First question, do your teeth hurt, and second did your husband survive the beating after you found out he ate all of the ice cream?

Hope your mouth feels better soon.

[SBETigg]

I didn't have braces as an adult, but I did have some major dental work including a palate extender and a mouthpiece with a spring to push one tooth forward to align with the others. It could be grueling, but worth it in the end. Take painkillers, rinse your mouth, do whatever soothes. The pain lessens and you do get a bit more used to it. Just try to think of the positives, which you have outlined nicely.

[Janmac]

Interesting post. Relevant, too. 'Cause I have a tooth way out of place on the bottom (lots of crowding). Had thought that it could just be pulled and my dentist thought so, too, but sent me to an oral surgeon for another tooth problem and consult on the out of place tooth. The oral surgeon said braces would be better and gave me contact info for two orthodontists.

Parenthetically, today my great granddaughter is visiting - she is only 6 months old - but it seems odd to be talking braces now.

Anyway, while figuring what is the cost vs life expectancy I'm thinking theres's the cost vs quality of life. The main reason I was wondering about having the tooth pulled is that maybe two or three times a year I really bite my lip severely with that out of place tooth.

I'm wondering how that couple of times a year instant scrape-me-off-the-ceiling pain compares to the agony of braces, which is temporary but I remember my niece, some 18 years ago, and the pain she had. (She took tylenol about 30 minutes before every office visit, btw.)

After reading your post diz-girl (here's wishing you plenty of ice cream and fast moving teeth!) I'm thinking I can easily live with a couple of holes in my lip a year. Got enough aches and pains with the arthritis.

Jan

[MNNHFLTX]

I had braces as a kid and am considering having some work done on my bottom teeth again. Nowadays they don't recommend taking out the bottom retainer because those teeth have a tendency to shift (my son still has his in place). But back when I had braces they took everything off at the end of treatment and two teeth have shifted, crowding one of my front lower teeth. I've had a consult done and it should take a max of 6 months, maybe sooner, to correct the problem. But cost is a factor--apparently our dental insurance only offers coverage for people 19 or younger.

[diz_girl]

Thanks for the well-wishes and sorry I didn't post sooner. It's just been very busy around here.

Just an update. DH did get me more ice cream, as he said that the expression on my face looked like he had run over my cat.

Also, my teeth only really hurt the first two or three days. Now, it's just the occasional ache and some general sensitivity because my teeth are moving right now. Sometimes when I wake up I don't feel any discomfort at all.

My orthodontist called me after a few days to see how I was doing and she said that it hurts so much now because the teeth haven't moved in a long time, and because of that adults can have more initial discomfort than kids. She said that in-between visits, half of the time (the first few weeks) my teeth will be moving and the latter part of the time my teeth will be stabilizing, because you can't move teeth too fast, or else they'll fall out.

I know that is the best thing for me because my bite will be better and my teeth will look better. Maybe you guys will be able to see my choppers at ICOT20, because I fully intend to be there (and let's hope nothing happens to mess up those plans).