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Hi! I don't post often but I'm so glad I found this site. I don't feel so alone (being a 27-yr-old adult...ugh...getting braces!)
Well, I took the first big leap. Two days ago, I got one tooth pulled in preparation for my braces. I was so nervous that I thought I was going to flat line in the chair.
I tried to reassure myself by saying that this will all be worth it. Please tell me it will be!! I have to keep pushing negative thoughts out of my head & reminding myself that people get braces on every day and my ortho is great.
My upper braces will be put on soon - Aug 3. Someone recommended taking some ibuprofen beforehand. Do you recommend this or have any other words of advice? I'm planning on driving and going in myself - this should be okay, right?
Thanks
Braces (uppers & lowers) on: 8/3/09
Sentence: 2 years
if you get no molar band, getting braces is painless
one advice is to reassure yourself before hand; i was braced three days ago and the feeling freaked me at first but three days after it is already much more manageable. So reassure yourself: things changes and soon, you will be used to braces
My braces are scheduled to go on just 10 days after yours. I'm 28 and I'll have them for 2 years so at least we'll be going through this together!
Did you have a lot of pain after your extraction? I am tentatively scheduled to have 4 first bicuspids pulled Sept 24 and I'm freaking out.
I will definitely be taking Ibuprofen or Tylenol right before I get my braces on then every few hours after that because I'm a wuss when it comes to pain. My ortho says its ok to drive home on brace day so I'm going to give it a shot.
Mist - what are molar bands? I haven't heard my ortho mention these so perhaps that is a good thing?
Lori - I'm up for 2 years too. I figure time will go by fast though (or so that's what I keep telling myself.) With my wisdom teeth removal and this recent tooth removal - I can't really say that I've experienced pain. I thought it would be really painful and I'd be all swollen but that just hasn't been the case. When I had my 4 wisdom teeth pulled, my ortho gave me this headband type of thing which held 2 ice pouches - that probably helped a lot. So - use ice if needed and keep up on the pain meds. (I didn't need ice with this last tooth though.) In hindsight, it was so easy! I was back to my normal self in 3 days (I was eating a ham sandwich 3 days after wisdom teeth removal.) I was super cautious - only ate liquid type things for the first 2 days like Jello-O, soup, lots of ice cream...avoided anything sticky or really hard for a while...always swished out my holes after eating...no popcorn or peanuts...all the directions that they'll give you.
I'll definitely keep you posted. After having this tooth removed, I'm anxious to get the braces on and this process started!! The ortho assistant asked me if I was excited to get the braces on. I said no - I'm excited to get them OFF...so if I have to go through 2 yrs with them on sobeit!
Braces (uppers & lowers) on: 8/3/09
Sentence: 2 years
Mist - I'm curious as to what molar bands are, too.
Bluegirl - You really lucked out with the wisdom teeth. Mine were impacted and laying sideways. The extractions did not go well at all. I was significantly bruised and swollen for 2 weeks. I'm hoping my bicuspids won't be as problematic. I will look into getting that ice headband. Thanks!
bluegirl, I've got my top braces 2 weeks ago, I don't have brackets on my molars, so putting the braces was pain free. It did hurt a little the first 3 days (closing my mouth), but I didn't take nothing for pains. As for reassurance, I know many 27yo with braces (I'm 23), and it's really no big deal.
Molar bands are just metal bands that go around your molars. They have brackets on them and are usually used if you have large fillings - that way the bracket isn't adhered directly to the tooth/filling. The bands themselves are painless, but they will usually put spacers between your teeth before the bands go on and those are what drive people crazy.
You should be able to drive yourself in and out - getting the braces on isn't bad, but it will hurt more the next day so keep the ibuprofen on hand.
On Monday of last week I had my spacers put in 8 total 4 on top & 4 at the bottom, wasn't too bad, although I like to floss alot so that feeling like something was in my teeth drove me nuts.
Well its early morning and I'm getting my braces on today, I don't feel nervous yet, but I'm sure anxiety will hit me later.
Well I've been waiting 31yrs for this, so I can't wait to get it over with
Lori wrote:Mist - I'm curious as to what molar bands are, too.
Bluegirl - You really lucked out with the wisdom teeth. Mine were impacted and laying sideways. The extractions did not go well at all. I was significantly bruised and swollen for 2 weeks. I'm hoping my bicuspids won't be as problematic. I will look into getting that ice headband. Thanks!
I was exactly the same with my wisdom teeth. Could barely eat for the best part of those two weeks as well :-/
Good luck on your brace day! It is all worth it! Getting the actual braces on didn't hurt (although the feeling of having them on is weird) at first, but my teeth were definitely sore in the following days. The first several days I was very self conscious about it all and felt a bit ridiculous, but that feeling gets less and less as the days go on. Time moves pretty slowly those first few days and weeks, but as you get used to them life will resume as normal. Mine have almost been on 7 weeks now and I can't even believe it's been that long already.
Brace days:
uppers - June 11, 2009
lowers - August 27, 2009
You will be fine to drive yourself. And you'll be okay through the whole process, too!
With mine (Damon's) I felt pressure, but not pain. Ibuprofen beforehand is a good idea. Even if you don't need it, it's something you can do to feel like you are prepped and ready.
My favorite piece of advice that I got from this board so far was what I repeated to myself again and again while getting used to my sweet new metal mouth: When you get them on don't think "what have I done?!", but rather think about the great thing you have done! (I don't remember who said that- and they said it better- but Thank you!)
I also try to focus on the fact that I'm lucky to be getting my teeth straightened, and that there are a lot of people out there who probably wish they had the same dental care.
Anyhow, congrats on starting the process! You'll be just fine!
Upper: Damon3mx on 6/1/2009
Lower: 7/27/09
4 extractions done in May
Canine exposure eventually
GO out for a big, yummy, chewy, crunchy dinner before you get them on! Read the list of foods that are not so good in braces and eat all of the things you like before it becomes a challenge!!
Go nuts! Many of us have found we lost weight when we got braces on anyway as they are such a snack deterrent!
The first couple of weeks are tough but pretty soon you will see your teeth starting to move and that is exciting.
* Be proud - go in proud of yourself, come out proud and stay proud - you have every right to be proud - getting braces is a great thing that you are doing for yourself. If you are happy about it, others will be happy for you. Go ahead and tell others how happy and proud you are! Show them your braces and how cool they are!
* Plan to eat soft foods for a few days after. Stock up on supplies to make smoothies too - a great way to get nutrients. Give yourself a bit of time to recover from getting them on - it's a change that takes a bit of time for your body to adjust.
* Have a great meal of things that you may not be able to eat for a while - I went out for a steak dinner the night before and had some toffee and popcorn as well : ) I do however now eat steak with my braces.
* Have a supply of advil or tylanol and go ahead and use for the first few days.
I've had braces for almost two years now. I was terrified to get them and can honestly say that it was nowhere near as bad as I had envisioned. It has actually been a good experience thoughout. At times my teeth were sensitive, but no biggie - there was lots of movement so it was understandable. Don't worry about a thing, you'll be just fine.
I figure time will go by fast though (or so that's what I keep telling myself.) With my wisdom teeth removal and this recent tooth removal - I can't really say that I've experienced pain. I thought it would be really painful and I'd be all swollen but that just hasn't been the case. When I had my 4 wisdom teeth pulled, my ortho gave me this headband type of thing which held 2 ice pouches - that probably helped a lot. So - use ice if needed and keep up on the pain meds. (I didn't need ice with this last tooth though.) In hindsight, it was so easy! I was back to my normal self in 3 days (I was eating a ham sandwich 3 days after wisdom teeth removal.) I was super cautious - only ate liquid type things for the first 2 days like Jello-O, soup, lots of ice cream...avoided anything sticky or really hard for a while...always swished out my holes after eating...no popcorn or peanuts...all the directions that they'll give you. 
I'm hoping my bicuspids won't be as problematic. I will look into getting that ice headband. Thanks!
, Goodnight!!
