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#16 Post by **jozie** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 5:33 pm

Hi, KK! You make a good point. I'll call my ortho on Thursday and ask if it would be okay to do the whitening. I am leaving to visit my family on Saturday and I won't be back until a few days before my braces go on. I am already wondering how people floss with those things on their teeth. I am hit and miss about flossing now but I know I have to be consistent when I get the braces. Hmmm.

Happy 4th to all!

#17 Post by **Samantha19** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:42 am

KK and Meryaten, I called the ortho's office and I have decided that I made a good decision to get my braces done there. They use the Clarity ceramics and not one of their patients has had any staining of the brackets. But, they tell everyone that there is a "very very slight possibility" that even ceramics might stain. She told me thay choose to be on the conservative side in what they tell people even though the manufacturer states they are stainless and no patients have had staining. Again, she told me that the majority of their adult patients are choosing the metal.

Anyway, I am sticking with my decision to get the metal. I looked at pictures on AW last night and on other sites and oddly enough, I don't like the bulky look of the clear.

My regular dentist had made me molds or trays to whiten my teeth. He did that years ago and I rarely used them. I am going to do some whitening in the next month while I am visiting my family. I could kick myself though--those trays cost over $200 years ago I didn't use the trays all these years and now, I won't be able to use the upper mold after the braces. But, I could tell that there was a change in my upper teeth because I had to work at making the upper stick on the way it originally did.

I want you all to know that I appreciate your support and your replies. I am so glad I decided to join this board. Just reading about others (as well as the way you have treated me) truly has been an upper and inspiring and motivating.

Well Jozie I think it is true about many people getting the metal ones (except the few who are self-conscious like me) because having braces isn't a big deal anymore.

Many different people of many different ages have them.

Good luck with your braces journey

#18 Post by **jozie** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:11 am

KK, thanks for the video link. I was told that on the day I have the braces put on, I will be given a kit and I will not leave the office until I know how to do whatever it is I have to do. Hopefully, flossing will be one of those things. Between the money and the time investment in all of this, sometimes I find myself asking myself--what have you gotten yourself into?

Samantha, I think people of all ages are "cute" in both the ceramic and metal braces. I was very surprised when I was told that most of their adult patients are choosing the metal. I am kind of curious as to why that is. One person I worked with was in her 40's when she got braces and she had the ceramic.

What is funny, is that I was looking at the food I have in my freezer--food I won't have time to eat before I leave on Saturday and food I won't have time to eat when I get back (two days before braces). I have a lot of corn on the cob and snickers ice cream bars. I have popcorn every night and I know I won't be eating that anymore--I have to pick it out of my teeth now and no way will I eat that with braces. I am also a gum chewer. I almost always have gum in my mouth and oddly enough, that will be the biggest change.

This has to be one of the most interesting boards I have ever seen. Another thing I have noticed is that posters aren't bashing each other. I have lurked on some other message boards and the things people say to each other nearly made me drop my drawers!

Take care.

#19 Post by **jozie** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:20 pm

KK, I am having second thoughts! Okay, I am only having braces on six teeth. Just six teeth. And, as I read on all of the boards, I wonder what I am getting myself into! At the same time, I do realize I don't have the problems that would absolutely require braces--I could go on like this without braces. Although I did fall, it is the wide gap in my two front teeth that bother me. It seems wider. Anyway, I am wondering if I am a nutbag for putting myself through this. Ok, maybe what I am really worried about is the aftermath. The retainer part. I don't want to wear a retainer for the rest of my life. I am not sure I would want a bonded one, either. I know, I am getting way ahead of myself.

Am I normal?