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I'm new here but have been lurking off and on for a while. I have finally gotten started on my braces journey. I got spacers last week. So, since I figure I will be reading here a bit that I'd say hello!
My name is Tammy and I'm 40 years old. (soon to be 41 but who's counting that???) I have had an overbite for my entire life and remember as a kid being teased for my "buck" teeth. Turns out that my bottom front teeth are longer than the back teeth and therefore it hits the roof of my mouth causing my front top teeth to splay out.
Anyway, my sister talked me into getting braced so I'm on my way. Still reeling from the idea and wondering what I'm getting into. Spacers have been a challenge... hard to chew things and basically annoying. I get them off in a little over a week from now (2 weeks total) and at that point they will be banding the teeth and fitting me for a Nance and Bite Plate. Oh joy.
Anyway, I just wanted to say hello to y'all and say that I'm very glad this forum exists otherwise I'd be even more skiddish about braces than I already am!
Good luck.
Most people on the list will tell you that the first few days with the spacers are the worst. For some, spacers are a near death experience, for others a simple annoyance. Right now I have them on my bottoms getting ready to have that arch wired (yes the pun is intentional). I keep on checking to be sure they're still there. The important thing is this is a procedure (most people on this forum refer to it as a journey) that hopefully will make a positive improvement for the rest of your life.
As for wisdom (thanks to KK), this is what she was told from her ortho on the day she got her braces:
Don't let braces change your daily life ...
Let this be a positive experience ...
Braces don't stop you from doing things, you do that ...
Attitude is everything ...
Finally take pictures before the braces, and pictures in the first two days with braces. When you get disgusted with the process, look at the progress shown in those pictures. Even after a couple of weeks, they’ll give you great encouragement.
Welcome to the board.
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
Thanks for the welcomes and the advice! I appreciate it.
Quick question for Karen... The next step for me will be putting bands around the teeth they are spacing. Then a few weeks after that I get my nance and bite plate. It will be a few more weeks before I'm actually braced. So, the question is, should I start the salt water rinses at this point or should I wait until after the nance and bite plate or what??? (actually I guess anyone can answer this).
Now, if I can find my battery charger for my camera, I can get some pics before! Thanks for reminding me Mike!
I can answer for Karen. Start the salt water rinses know. Anything you can do to toughen up your gums will aid the process. Plus you may find the molar bands cause a bit of irritation. I find it easy to scrape my tongue on mine.
Okay while writing my reply KK beats me to it.
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
Hey Tammy, I am happy to see your post! ((hugs)) Sorry that the spacers are bothering you- they can be terrible! You will definitely feel relief when they remove them and place your molar bands- they are much more comfortable.
BTW, Tammy is my sister! We live in different states but we are going to go through this together! I am VERY excited for her to start this process!
Welcome tamms!!! So good to have you join us here and you won't regret finding this wonderful site. I'm very pleased for you about starting the process to sort out your smile - I'm sure that whatever the journey throws at you, from spacers and beyond, you will prove up to the challenge and keep thinking of that final result!
I've been doing the old salt water rinses for a week now so that will make it 10 days before brace-day - I was told this would help my extraction sites heal but I also know (courtesy of kk and others here - thanks guys) that it should pay off in a tougher mouth once I get the hardware in. Heck, it can't hurt!
Best of luck - look forward to following your progress
Thank you all for all the encouragement. I will definitely begin the salt water rinses! Today has been especially hard since I had no choice of what was served for lunch (I was at a conference) and there were many hard and chewy things. I left part of my lunch as my teeth were starting to hurt too much. So, salt water and I are going to become friends starting today!
Hi Kim! Glad to hear the bands are not as bad as the spacers cause these are driving me nuts. Hopefully I will have a better time with the bands anyway.
Thanks for reminding me Mike! 
