New braces

[neednewsmile]

I am so happy I found this website, I cannot tell you! I was talking to my husband tonight, whining about all this sharp, uncomfortable metal in my mouth, I'm hungry and tired of applesauce and yogurt and just feeling like I'm going to waste away from lack of food! I got my braces on last Monday, Nov 7, so not quite a week, but no one told me that my old mouth was going to change big time and I would think I had someone else's teeth in my mouth. What a shock when I couldn't chew anything! I didn't expect that. So tonight I decided to search for some websites and I found you guys!! And after reading your posts on how you deal with the eating issue, and sharing what you're going through....I am so happy! My orthodontist isn't trying to kill me by starvation! Thank you for posting suggestions for soft foods, and explaining what to expect, I am feeling so much better....still hungry....but there's hope! I am 62 years old and wondering if I can cope with this, now I think I can! My braces aren't just for crooked teeth, that I guess can happen with age, but for a terrible bite. I have to have a tooth pulled this week, then back to the orthodontist to get everything connected. Don't know what to expect there. Today I am thankful I found this website!

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

I am only 20 years old but I know EXACTLY what you are doing through. My braces are by no means for straight teeth, its to fix my overbite that I've had a problem with since I was 7 years old. It's bothered me ever since, in speaking and being able to eat with my mouth closed But I feel like I can now the braces creathing as little chnage as it has thus far. I still ate everything I would even though my teeth were killing me, I cried nad screamed the entire way through a meal though, . But I can honestly say that even today after two months of having the braces Im still crying like a baby probably because my braces are self ligating nad yes I was soooooooo glad when I found this website, they help me a lot with my questions and concerns, if you have any questions or want to talk you can always privagte message me I'm always on the computer.

[SueAsh5]

Welcome and glad you found the site! It is a lifeline for many of us. You are going to be amazed how soon you get used to having braces. Last night I had pizza and a softshell taco for lunch. I need to cut things into smaller bites but I can eat fairly normally now after only a month. The first couple weeks were somewhat overwhelming to me too but now I don´t even think about my braces that much. And I do love having a much cleaner mouth since I brush and floss so often. I read here about brushing/flossing through the pain during those first days which is exactly what I did and I think it paid off.

People don´t seem to notice my hardware and I´m actually proud that I´m getting this done. There are lots of others who need braces too! I´ll be 55 next month. Have fun looking at all the info on the site and ask questions! And be looking for movement. I also had an extraction, front lower incisor and started noticing movement after only six days!

[kbp22]

Hi new smile,

I went through the same first week of being seriously concerned I was not going to get enough nutrition! I can relate! I was eyeing various protein shakes in the supermarket, etc. Things got better after about a week, once the pain subsided a bit and once I got used to the feeling of having all this hardware in my mouth. As SueAsh said you will be amazed by how soon you'll get used to the braces. I find now that for the most part I just cut my food into bite sized pieces like a child....and that some days/weeks it's easier to eat than it is on other days/weeks. The day before yesterday I actually bit into a piece of pizza, with my incisors! So don't give up hope!!

This site is wonderful as a source of information and it's so reassuring to read the experiences of other people going through this as adults. I'm 43 and got my braces like you, not for straightening my teeth so much, but to fix my open bite and bring my hee-haw buck teeth back in where they belong. However, about two 1/2 weeks in, I looked in the mirror and said "holy #$%* ! My teeth are straight in the front!" It really happened that fast. Now I am excited to have a corrected, functional bite AND nice straight teeth. :)

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

I agree don't be self conscious at all be 'proud' that you are getting this done. I am proud just think, when peple see you in braces they are happy for you that you are getting your teeth fixed instead of walking around with unpleasantly crooked teeth or messed up bite.

[neednewsmile]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're making me feel better about this. Amazingly, today was the first day I didn't have to put wax all over my teeth. I kept waiting for the pain to come back and so far, so good. Eating is still a chore. I made a meatloaf tonight, and mashed potatoes. Managed to eat a whole slice of the meatloaf....progress. But it seems exhausting! Mashed potatoes just go down so much easier. My husband asked if I was chewing a little better, and I said "shut up". Hopefully being snippy will go away as things get better. :) Because of all of your nice comments I'm feeling better about having all this metal in my mouth, I actually smiled in public today. Caught myself and clammed up! I find it's the younger generation that looks at my mouth, like the checkers at the grocery store. And the little 3 year old next door who looked shocked, okay, that was funny.
Hearing your stories is really giving me a better attitude, especially when you tell me you can see movement really early in the process. I'm still concerned about nutrition, but I guess a week or two of eating strange won't hurt me. I just hope I can chew better soon.

Did anyone of you have a blue sealant put on any of your teeth to build them up? They put it on two of mine, each side upper, because my overbite was going to bite down on the lower braces. That's the thing that's keeping me from chewing, it's hard to use my molars when they don't touch.

So, here I go into week two, and a week from tomorrow I'll have everything completely hooked up, after the extraction on Friday. Here's hoping for a better week!

Thanks again!

[kbenz]

I just had mine put on Thursday, eating has been a chore for me also. I had to have the bite plates put on my bottom molars to build it up and keep me from biting down on the lowers. I am hoping it gets better soon!

[reynolk]

I am two weeks into my braces, and believe me when I tell you that it will get better. It took me an entire week before i would even attempt to eat solid foods, but as i sit here today, i am virtually pain free.

[neednewsmile]

To kbenz......it does get better. Not alot better at first, but better. I'm starting my second week today and I think my mouth must be building up a tolerance to the pokey things on the braces because it's not quite as bad. Eating is not painful now, just not really pleasant yet. I ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast this morning and that went okay. Chewing is still not good. I'm not sure what "bite plates" are, but it sounds similar to what I have. They built up two of my upper teeth with what they called a sealant. For the same reason, so I don't bite down on my lower braces. But it's also keeping me from chewing comfortably. I go back next Monday, I'm hoping they can do something so I can eat better. But from what I read everyone has the same problem the first few weeks so guess we need to hang in there!

To reynolk.....you give me hope!! Last night was the first night I didn't use wax on some of the more annoying brackets and my mouth had some sore spots this morning, but not as bad as it had been. Especially with the uppers. I've been using the Colgate Peroxide rinse and it really helps the sore places, and then I put a little Anbesol on the sores and it numbs those spots and seems to clear them up too.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Hew Newsmile glad you're adapting yes it definatly gets better. I found it does the first adjustment may hurt a bit, but after a few of them you'd be used to that really fast. You'll get soo cused to having braces sooooo fast that you would forget you even have them on. Sometimes I forget

[neednewsmile]

Okay, I just typed a reply and hit some button on my keyboard that seems to erase everything!

I was just catching you all up on the past week. Was finally getting sort of used to these braces, then last Friday (18th) I had to have the tooth pulled so my top teeth could be completely wired. That was an experience that left my mouth sore all over again, not so much by the extraction but the numbing shots, they are still sore. Then this past Monday, which marked my first 2 weeks of braces, I went back to the orthodontist to have all the wiring completed. They removed all the top wiring and put in new, different size wire, connected all the way back. Then somehow adjusted the bottom wires. Now my teeth are sore all over and the brackets are rubbing in new spots. Not a good week. The beginning of the week I was eating soft food again, but yesterday I was able to chew regular food. And the area behind my lips has been very dry, is that a normal thing with braces? I drink lots of water, no soda or anything so I don't understand it. I know it will get better, probably about the time I'll have to go in for another adjustment! My teeth just feel kind of funny, like I want to bite down really hard, are they moving?

Well, tomorrow will be something different too, we're invited to the neighbors for Thanksgiving dinner! I think I will be eating light....like potatoes, I still chew kind of funny. Then I will make an exit to the bathroom to clean my teeth before I smile! Shocks me what I find in there after I eat!

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are able to enjoy the food! :)

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Hey yeah braces are quite painful in the beginning sorry to hear that they are hurting and close to Thanksgiving too. I cannot wait for thanksgiving I hope yours is awesome too. I hope you can eat tomorrow.