Freaked Out...

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#1 Post by **Katiari** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:39 pm

I...am...freaked...out...about...braces... ARGH!

Everything I read makes me think they are going to be super painful...

The little quote I found on archwired that goes, "The first day won't hurt but after that you will feel like you got hit in the teeth with a baseball" just keeps going through my head over and over!

As it gets closer to Friday, when I get them, I am freaking out more and more and more. I mean, the spacers are hurting like crazy still and I can only imagine what braces with bands are going to feel like... Because of my severly busy schedule I had to have my spacers put in *10* days ago and I have four of them on my bottom teeth and have lost like 5-6 pounds because I still can't eat a whole lot of food.

Please, someone tell me that it isn't all going to be like this! I am not sure exactly what I am going to get but I have pretty bad crowding (only 27 teeth after extractions) and some of my molars are out of place. Is it going to be as painful as that one quote keeps making me feel like it's going to be? Sorry if I ramble...

Kelly

#2 Post by **OneTime** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:50 pm

Remain calm, spacer are the worst part. When spacers are out and the brackets come on its not as bad.

Website · #3 Post by **susieq182** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:53 pm

I haven't felt alot of pain with my braces. Nothing a few advil wouldnt cure. Mostly its pressure that i feel when i get adjustments and my last adjustment I didnt feel pressure even. Each and every one of us feels pain differently and what may be unbarable to one person is just uncomfortable for another. I can think of lots of things that hurt far worse then braces. Getting hit with a ball in the face for sure hurts way worse then braces. My ortho didnt put spacers in before i was braced but I did have them on my lower arch for like the first 10 weeks and they hurt so bad. Spacers were about the worst part of braces so far.

Good luck

it only gets better w/ time and seeing your teeth move and improve makes it still easier to deal with

#4 Post by **eaglesoaring** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:39 pm

Kelly,

Hi! Listen...I understand exactly what you might be going through. In fact, if you look back to my first posts, I think my heading was "Freaking out!" It's not that bad. Honost. I've had my braces for 6 weeks, and the day I went in to get them, I was a mess! I was so nervous. However, after I got them, and drove home...I realized that it's not bad at all. Yes, it takes some getting used to...and I'm still not quite 'used' to all the metal in my mouth...but, for me, it has NOT been painful. In fact, I've had NO pain. Tenderness, yes, but certainly not like being hit in the teeth with a baseball! Not even close to that. So get that out of your head!!

I've read many posts on here about people that have not had any pain...and I've also read that spacers were worse than braces. I didn't need spacers, so I can't help there, but I can say that this is one of the best things I've done for myself. I really, really wish I'd done it sooner. I haven't even needed Tylenol or Advil. Honostly, it's not that bad. I've had stitches that hurt a lot worse than this.

Try your best to be positive, and try not to get too worked up, okay? I know and understand that this is a big step....but remember, it's a big, positive step toward healthy teeth/gums...and an improved smile!

Hug to you. We're all here for ya'!
eagle

#5 Post by **jennandtonic** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:59 pm

Relax, it's not as bad as you're working yourself up to be!

Yeah, there is pain but it's more pressure than anything else. Definitely curable by taking a simple over the counter pain med like advil. It won't take anything away from your day-to-day activities other than food choices, and you may lose some more weight. But sooner than you think you won't notice the braces as much, I promise!

#6 Post by **ingyandbert** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:51 pm

Forget whoever made that comment about the baseball bat; that is just a ridiculous comment. You will have pain from time to time, but it won't be your whole mouth at once. You will experience some soreness in individual teeth as they move (not all of them, just some) and you will get mouth cuts sometimes (mine are usually caused by the bracket hooks used for elastics; I had the ortho bend them back a bit and that took care of most of it). If you're dealing with spacers, you're probably going through the worst of it right now. Try to relax, it's not that bad.

#7 Post by **Dramagyrl** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:40 pm

Hey,
It's been a week for me and I am still suffering from a bit of the "cut pain." In my case, the braces actually hurt more than some people on here are saying. I felt pretty rotten for a couple days just because of the pressure, so I stuck to soft food, advil liquigels and ice packs. But as much as it hurt, I just reminded myself why I am doing this and how totally worth it this will be. In all reality, I think the four extractions the week before were worse pain for a couple days, and I bet the braces will be the same. It seems everyone I talk to have said they don't remember it hurting much. Maybe it's one of those situations where it does hurt the first few days and then people adjust so quickly, they forget all about it and realize it wasn't so bad.
My suggestion is not to freak out. It's a very interesting process and ultimately worth anything you go through. If you are preparing yourself for the worst, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised. If there is some pain, at least it was a choice you made and for some great reasons. It's all worth it and far from something to fret over!

#8 Post by **Kittysopretty** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:48 pm

It's not that bad (the pain part). I hate how they cut my inner lips, cheeks and how they feel and look. But I'm old, lol

#9 Post by **Gennel** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 8:52 pm

I have 26 teeth after extractions. I also have severe crowding. I was terrified on my first day. Let me just tell you IT'S NOT THAT BAD. I really mean that. The fear is worse than any discomfort you might ever feel. I told that to my ortho and dentist! They both totally could relate and agreed that fear makes things so much worse . My estimated treatment is 2.5 yrs .

Gennek

#10 Post by **Bridget** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 2:03 am

Hi there!!!

Please DO NOT WORRY! This is my second time in braces and what I heard was that it would hurt much worse as an adult (I had braces as a kid and I still remember that it always hurt after an adjustment).

So I got my braces last Thursday and was expecting some kind of pain - and....NOTHING happened! I ONLY took one Advil because of a headache right afterwards, but my teeth have been fine since then.

Okay, my gums are a little tender right now and I cannot bite into a crispy roll etc but I can chew a little....I prefer soft food for the time being but I definitely do not have to eat only mashes or soups or only drink my meals!

It is really not that bad! Just be positive about the whole thing and just think: okay - my teeth are moving already - that's why I can feel them right now! This will help a lot - at least it does for me!

Really, do not get too worried about this!!! You'll be fine!!!!!!

Good luck to you and keep us in the loop on your progress!!!

sunny greetings from Germany

#11 Post by **lionfish** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:17 am

Don't worry about it kelly. The fear is worse than the reality. I was like you 6 months ago, speculating about all sorts of dreadful things that would happen to me. It's been pretty easy so far.

And who says 34 is old? 94 is old!!

#12 Post by **babymetalmouth** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:21 am

You have gone through the worst!!!!! Spacers are the worst, make sure you have some wax, just incase of rubbing and rince with salt water, as KK told me when i first got them, now my mouth is invinceable!!!!!

And you are not OLD untill you want to be OLD, My dad is 42 years old and he acts like hes 18, to me, hes not old!!

Braces are NOT painful, maybe slightly uncomfortable, but not painful, its just pressure, you just feel like there is a slight pull on your teeth, and you only really notice it if you try to notice it.

Dont worry and good luck!!!!

#13 Post by **Lisa65** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:39 am

It's only been 5 days since I got my bottom brace. For about 3 days it felt "tight" and I needed a few ibuprofen now and again, and eating hurt. But now after just 5 days the tightness has eased off and I just have one tooth that feels a bit tender.

The spacers were FAR worse than the brace feels. If you've had spacers for 10 days then braces will be a picnic in comparison.

Arm yourself with some mild painkillers, eat a soft diet til your teeth feel comfortable, do the salt rinses, use the wax if you need it (don't soldier on with sore cheeks and lips).

It's really not that bad! I have to admit I was absolutely petrified about getting the braces but now I wonder what I was so worried about!

#14 Post by **bbsadmin** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 6:44 am

That was me, and I didn't say baseball BAT, I just said baseball.

For me, in my own experience, the first few days of braces felt like I had been hit on the mouth with a baseball. Like if you're playing with friends and the ball accidently hit you on your lips and made your teeth hurt.

That was just my own personal analogy. I certainly didn't mean to scare anybody with it. Everybody is different. Your experience may not feel that way. I was just trying to be realistic in my description of how it felt to me.

#15 Post by **Katiari** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 10:23 pm

Thanks, everybody! I'm trying to stay calm and I really hope there won't be any pain at all. I have a pretty low threshold so I was just getting worked up. Your words are kind and greatly appreciated!

31-1/2 hours until braced...

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