I hate these stupid braces!

Message

#1 Post by **Braces2.0** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 12:24 pm

Warning--whining ahead!

Pretty bad when your first post to a forum is a big ol' whine, isn't it? I had braces put on 9 days ago, on August 16. Pretty much not a day has passed since then when I didn't wish I could rip these stupid things off my face and throw them in the trash! I can't believe I willingly did this to myself.

I had braces for the first time when I was 10. I wore brackets only on the four front teeth, top and bottom. I wore them for a year, then I had retainers, of a sort, for another year. (they were cemented in via a band around my four back teeth, and the wire ran along the inside of my teeth) We weren't really told that my teeth would move a lot in the future as I wasn't done growing yet, and now as a 30-something who has had two kids and four wisdom teeth pulled since then, my teeth are a mess again. Well, the top ones aren't too bad, but the bottom ones are super crowded. So after my oldest child got her two top front teeth bracketed and is wearing twin blocks, I decided to go ahead and get braced again. UGH!

The most annoying thing is the fact that my molars no longer touch in the back. Because of the positioning of my teeth and the brackets on my teeth, when I bite down, I touch brackets, and that prevents my molars from meeting. I can chew, but it has to be soft/tender things that I can also mash against the roof of my mouth with my tongue.

I'm pretty sure it won't be this way forever, but the waiting is killing me.

I am really looking forward to having pretty teeth. I hope I don't go completely crazy before then, though.

#2 Post by **Hallanole** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 12:39 pm

First off, welcome to the board.

I too wanted to rip mine off. I've only had them on for just about 4 weeks. I still have touch and go with eatting. Mostly because my teeth are already shifting greatly.

I had to do 2 week of living off pudding and ice cream, let me tell you, it gets old quick. Plus I'm a very fussy eatter. lol

But just keep thinking, this annoying part will be over, soon as you adjust to it and your teeth get more in alignment. And 2, the end results!

If you need someone to whine to, feel free to pm me. I've been there, done that. lol!

*special thanks to Fred who endured my whinniness*

#3 Post by **katmc_tx** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 12:51 pm

Braces 2.0, feel free to whine as much as you want cause trust me when I say at one time or another we all have done just that on this board. I'm not sure how long you will be in braces but its been seven months for me and its actually gone by somewhat fast.

Don't get me wrong, I still can't wait to get these suckers off but as time goes by it gets more tolerable, not easier just sucks a little less.

Before you know it you will be eating most of the things you want to and with minimal problems. Good luck with your treatment and welcome!!

#4 Post by **MS1** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:23 pm

I ask myself that same question quite frequently. Feel free to vent. I've had my top braces on for 3 months now and I'm still not used to having all of this metal in my mouth. I wake up each morning thinking I need to take these out! I just keep thinking about the end result and how much I will love having beautiful straight teeth. Hang in there!

#5 Post by **lionfish** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:36 pm

The first few weeks are the most difficult. It does get easier and time does fly. I can't believe that I've been doing this now for close to 7 months.

I had a period where only two opposing molars were touching, so you can imagine that eating was a bit of an interesting affair for me. Fortunately, that phase has passed and now I can see real progress.

It will all be worth it in the end.

#6 Post by **CLAmom** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 2:32 pm

I feel this way myself, so don't be afraid to whine! I went through this thoroughly annoying part of the process where my canines were hitting end to end and I thought I was going to scream. It lasted a couple months. Now things are far from perfect but I have a more normal bite & some of my molars are actually touching each other when I chew. This is a long, long process and it's really hard to have patience with it. All you can do is try to focus on other things in your life. After awhile it gets a little easier and you get a little more comfortable with all this gear in your mouth. I've been braced about 6 months and like other people say it just doesn't seem that long. Hang in there and whine away!!!

#7 Post by **Braces2.0** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 2:45 pm

Thanks everybody! I keep looking at post-braces pictures here on the site and I want my teeth to look that way!

BTW forgot to mention that I've got the ceramic ones on the top and bottom this time around. I was interested in the Invisalign but they would have cost about $1K more and I already felt guilty enough about spending the money as it is.

They seem to match my teeth color exactly, which I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

So, here is a grody pic from today. It's kind of gross to be all close up on my teeth, but you can see how crowded the bottom ones are.

The two front ones on the bottom are so smooshed together that when they put the cement on to attach the brackets, they basically ended up cementing the teeth together! *snort* I'm assuming as things get a little more evened out they will take care of that.

Oh, the other thing I forgot to mention in my whine is that the ortho said it should only take about 18 months, and I don't need any extractions. *whew*

#8 Post by **hippyhippo** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:51 pm

Completely understand! I've had braces all of 3.5 days, and I'm questioning if I'm be able to handle this for 18+ months. I never used to feel self concious about my smile, but now I am constantly worried about where my lips are, do I look like I'm trying to hide my braces, do I have something in my teeth, etc. I also have a terrible lisp and excessive saliva production, which is driving me nuts! And then there is the pain factor...

Everyone tells me that it will get better, so I'm crossing my fingers!

Good luck, and feel free to vent here any time. I plan on doing it

#9 Post by **August** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:18 pm

I feel the same way! I had my braces put on yesterday, and the biggest pain for me is not being able to chew with my molars. Talking is a challenge too. I just read my daughters an ABC bedtime story, and I couldn't say "Fat firefly flying fast" without whistling. I guess I will have to practice that one.

I also have crowded lowers, should have my braces for about 18 months, and the plan is to do this without any extractions.

Please feel free to whine to me anytime, like the saying goes "misery loves company."

#10 Post by **vivie** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:22 pm

I think everyone has different experiences. I had mine put in a week ago and to be frank I can eat everything I ate before having the braces put in. It doesn't feel like I have braces! hang in there it will get better (atleast thats what I tell myself

#11 Post by **Kimber** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 10:21 pm

We all have to whine about this and there's no better place than here. I wonder how many marriages this site has saved? lol

It does get better, really. I've had the tops on for two months and just got the bottoms put on this week. I'm barely aware that the tops are there. Now the bottoms, that's a different story, but I'm hoping that in two months time I'll feel the same about the bottoms and I'll wake up and these things in my mouth won't be the first thing I'm aware of!

hang in there

#12 Post by **bckydgardnr** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 4:32 am

It does get better! It seemed to me after about 2-3 weeks you just kind of accept them in your mouth. After 19 months it is almost hard to remember what it is like without them....almost! Once your teeth at the bottom straighten out it will be motivation to get through it. And, you will be surprised how quickly they will straighten. I really look forward to my adjustments knowing that something is going to change and I am 6 weeks closer to the end result.

Gardnr

#13 Post by **Jillianleab** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:41 pm

You're not alone - I'm complained so much the first week, my mom told me to stop b****ing or go have them taken off! I broke down in tears to my hubby, and thought there was no way in hell I was ever going to get used to them. Now, three months in, I've accepted them. Can't wait for them to be gone, but I no longer want to take pliers to my own mouth!

So rant on! That's what we are here for! Take pictures to track your progress, it's very encouraging!

#14 Post by **lionfish** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 4:55 pm

Braces2.0 wrote:
The two front ones on the bottom are so smooshed together that when they put the cement on to attach the brackets, they basically ended up cementing the teeth together! *snort* I'm assuming as things get a little more evened out they will take care of that.

Erk! That brings back memories of when I had my uppers placed. Cement got between a couple of front teeth and I remember my ortho saying, "we've got to get that off or your teeth aren't going anywhere". Without wishing to put the wind up you, what followed was a fair bit of drilling away between said teeth to remove the excess cement. Not nice at all.

#15 Post by **Gennel** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:09 pm

Oh girl, I feel your pain and feelings. It feels awful at first. I wish I had a choice. I wish that my teeth were at least "OK" but they are not . So I will be in braces for about 2.5-3 yrs. My top and bottom do NOT meet at all and I can't even chew at all. I can't close my mouth and I have been freaking out lately too. I am taking this one day at a time and it's the best advice I can offer you. This will be a distant memory one day. I know I will have a huge smile when it's all over.

You can whine all you want. We can all relate to how this feels.I love this forum for that reason. You can share the good,the bad and the ugly parts of having braces.

Gennel