Brace Face At 48.....Am I crazy or what??

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#16 Post by **BraceFaceAt48** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:03 pm

OK, here's the scoop brace fans......

After dreaming & tossing & turning all night , my big day arrived as was expected. While lying supine under the bright light, I was still in disbelief that this was really happening to me. The dear assistant kept telling me that "It'll be alright" and was patting me on the cheek. (She was so cute.)

After less than 1 hour, it was official and legit. I am now officially Brace Face(d) at 48 with Clarity brackets and "glow in the dark" ligtures which are really clear and are not suppose to stain. (I'll let you know how that goes.)

I left with my instructions and my over-stuffed bag of goodies with what felt like legos on my upper teeth. I was told to chew sugarless gum to ward off soreness & take ibuprofen as necessary. (I started taking ibuprofen yesterday to be sure it was in my system as suggested by an oral surgeon before my son's wisdom teeth extractions.) I've done both and so far I am without pain and discomfort. I've even globbed on wax at the first sign of a minor irritation.

I can only hope that my luck continues and my wax doesn't get lost. Oh yeah, get this....the dental assistant told me I looked "cute" on my way out. The staff all said to call if I had any questions or problems and I told them if anything came up that I'd just ask the kid next door.

Anyway.....I plan to dine now, (and wine later Jethro.....just to "keep the edge off!")

Thanks for being there guys....teammates, gang, family!!

I'll check back for updates & keep you posted. Bye now.

#17 Post by **switchblades** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 6:20 pm

Congrats! It's good you're not sore so far, hopefully you stay as pain-free as possible!

I definitely ate as soon as I got home from getting my braces on, and ater each adjustment, as my appointments are always in the morning and I never get up in time for breakfast (I've always been the "5 more minutes!!!" type of moring person!). My braces took about an hour for uppers, and 25 minutes for lowers, but I think the lowers took less time because he put the molar bands on a week prior. Although, I don't have upper bands, so who knows haha.

Either way, good luck over the next few days, you know where to find us if you have questions!

#18 Post by **EmptyNester** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:56 am

I support your decision to get the braces! I was wired in July 2008 at age 46. People commented "why do you think you need braces?" This was my least favorite comment in the beginning! But like my ortho commented, no one knows what is going on inside your mouth. People don't always see an uneven bite such as a crossbite and wearing of teeth (which I have in addition to crowding especially on the bottom front teeth).

It is surprising how fast the time passes and I'm so glad I took the hardest step---getting started! People in our 40's are not too old. When I'm finished I'll be 48. In the 2-year time span I still would have turned 48, only now I'll have straight teeth and a good bite.

Hopefully you'll have a good ortho as I do. I always ask a lot of questions---adults do that I'm told!

Good luck!

#19 Post by **classII** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:01 am

There's a 73 year old gentleman being treated where I go and we're surrounded by 10-16 year olds. It's never to late to get braces.

#20 Post by **BraceFaceAt48** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:54 pm

73 years young! Doesn't sound as old as it once did!!

Thanks for all of the encouragement. It's a done deal now...I'm in.

Even though it still feels like I've got legos in my mouth,

I haven't had any tooth pain. My problem is that the insides of my jaws feel pretty raw.

Nothing in particular is poking me, it's the constant rubbing of skin against brackets that's doing the damage. I have been doing the gargle thing with peroxide which temporarily seems to help. I've also been using lots of wax. My guess is that my gums will toughen up. Any other suggestions out there? Also, how long does this generally last?

THX

#21 Post by **MC Squared** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:45 pm

Your journey will be well worth it. I'm 41 and getting ready to be debanded in 4 days and I couldn't be happier! I had some of the same issues you discussed, and went through about 6 months of debating if I should get braces. At times, it seemed to me to be somewhat vain to be so concerned about my teeth. But in the end I realized I wanted to keep my teeth as long as possible-and with my deep bite, clenching and wearing the enamel down, that wasn't likely to be very long. I work in the PR field, and have to admit the first time I saw myself on TV with braces, I was a bit taken a back. BUT NO ONE ELSE SEEMED TO BE! I was originally given a 24-30 month estimate, and will end up having them on for 32 months and 2 days. I had days when I wanted to pull them off myself, but I have to say that I am so thankful that I went through with it. You will be, too---hang in there!!

#22 Post by **OzzysMom** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:08 pm

Hi and congrats on your new additions! I am 48 too and have had my braces since August 2006 and had jaw surgery last October.

My braces irritated my cheeks probably more than most people because my bite was being expanded from a v-shape to a u-shape. It seemed like I had sores all the time and it drove me nuts! Aside from wax and salt water rinses, I used something called "canker covers" which was a patch to put on the inner cheek and it slowly turns into a gel. They last for several hours and I would put one on where it was sore about an hour before bedtime and by morning it felt better. I bought them at Walgreens.

I would love to see a pic of your glow in the dark ligs!

Good luck!

#23 Post by **LCARA** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:39 pm

I think it took me weeks, if not a month or two before the brackets stopped schaffing against my gums.

If you feel no pain yet either in your teeth wait until your first tightening

#24 Post by **switchblades** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:50 pm

Every time I get an adjustment some degree of irritation comes back, because of things moving and wires poking a bit, though usually my ortho is good at clipping them short enough. I slept on my face last night so I'm all cut up inside my mouth, but it comes and goes and it's nothing a little wax won't fix!

#25 Post by **BraceFaceAt48** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:48 pm

Went to church today & only made my new brace face known to a couple of people. It's very apparent to me that I am speaking with my upper lip a little lower than normal but no one made any comment to me or asked if I had braces. I am the one that is self conscious with these lego teeth. Will they ever feel like they belong in my mouth? I must also remember to set aside a few extra minutes to do the tooth cleaning operation, especially now since I practically cover them all with wax!

The insides of my jaws are still a bit raw today. I have added a salt water swish to my sporadic swishing exercises today along with mega blocks of wax.

Switchblades, I didn't realize how much I would have to change my sleeping habits. I am definitely a face sleeper! Why didn't I think of this before? And Lcara, what type of brackets do you have? Are they the lego variety - Clarity? I sure wasn't looking forward for this jaw irritation to continue for weeks!!!

I'm sure my braces... encounter...

... will all be out in the open before long. My kids love to share the news: "Hey guys, look at my mom, she's got braces! hahahahaha!"

. It's not a secret, it's just not a subject that I've discussed with everyone......except you, a few thousand strangers on the world wide web

tee hee!

#26 Post by **switchblades** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:31 pm

Sometimes it's easier to talk to a few thousand strangers than people you know!

#27 Post by **theKurp** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:18 am

Well, I'm 50 and a little over 2 months into braces. In about a year I'll have lower jaw surgery to correct an overjet/overbite followed by another 8 months or so in braces. Realistically speaking, I'll be at or very near 53 when all is said and done.

Too old for braces? While it may have been a fleeting thought, my goal in life is to reach 100+ years - so I'm doing this at the half-way point in life. My other mantra is to live life back-wards - so getting braces fall in line with that philosophy.

What counts is YOUR attitude, not what anyone else thinks.

#28 Post by **BraceFaceAt48** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:51 am

I am totally taken with your philosophy theKurp! I sure don't feel like I am beyond middle age and I would like to think that I will be around for a long time.

This is my 6th day with braces. The skin on the inside of my jaws is very tender. Wax doesn't seem to be doing the trick. I'm not exactly sure of the definition of a canker sore, but I believe I may have one on the inside of each cheek. Still using salt water swishes and peroxide swishes plus some topical med that my son used. Any other suggestions?? Would love to cut back on the wax but it doesn't look like that's gonna happen any time soon.

Any suggestions? I need help!

THX!

#29 Post by **theKurp** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:21 am

I can't help with any tips on dealing with the sores other than to offer up my reasoning to do nothing.

If you've ever played guitar you know that the tips of your fingers will be sore until callouses develop. The only way to develop those callouses is to continue to expose your figer tips to the strings of the guitar. I.e, practice = contact; contact = callouses.

If I applied something to the ends of my fingers to create a barrier then yes, it would help with the pain but it will delay the development of callouses.

I find that by doing nothing the sores in my mouth heal in about 3 days time. At first the sores developed from a combination of the braces and biting myself while chewing - and sometimes even while sleeping (clenching my teeth). Now the sores are mostly the result of still occasionally biting myself and from tooth movement. In any event, I have a good amount of callous development and things are far better now than they were during the first month of braces.

And that's my reason for not using wax...

#30 Post by **Jenn S** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:22 pm

Crazy ... not to get braced.

3 months ago I too had NO idea I needed braces and now I am past the one month mark and could not be happier. I think the fact it all happened so quickly (I did not have time to chicken out!) was a big factor getting braced.
I am actually at the point now, where I smile at everyone- like hey- look at my mouth of metal! I am saying "I plan to live a long time and plan to keep my own teeth for as long as I can" and to myself, I am saying, I have worked hard to be in the best physical health since my teens and darn it, I want a healthy mouth to match!

Once you get past the first week... or two, it is actually a really fun and positive place to be.
But at week one, I was in so much discomfort, pain and anxiety:
The strange way my mouth felt. What is all this stuff??
Concern of how my friends and family would react.
My career- peers, public speaking.
Comparing (and taking!) OTC Pain Meds. A lot.
Pleading with my Ortho for stronger meds only to get denied! Denied!
The unattactiveness... at 47 a career as a supermodel is not likely but a little vanity is heathy I think. That first look in the mirror almost brought me to tears! Actually the first 40 looks.

The discomfort, not real serious pain just so darn ackward.
Learning how on sleep on my back.
CHAPPED LIPS!
All the new gadgets that take up my counter space at home...My nickname used to be Zen Jenn. Ha!
Locating the lowest sodium soup available. (turns out it is home made...)
All the new gadgets I need to keep at the office.
All the "gunk that gets stuck in my trunk" following meal time.
Did I say CHAPPED LIPS!?
Praying the public restroom will be clean.
Learning the swoosh technique.

But yes it is so worth it and you are not crazy. Hang in there.

In the meantime these things saved me that first week:

WaterPik, Water, Wax, Chapstick (Burt's Bees), Saltwater Rinses, Aleve, DentalPics, and the very worst night, some Brandy. I swirled as long as I could tolerate, than swallowed.

Repeat. And then if course Brush!

And most importantly, reading all the stories of the fellow braced on this site. Especially the de-braced stories. Their stories are so inspiring and will carry you a long way. And the support of all the other folks on here is so heartwarming.

You are so brave to brace.