Hi everybody!

[Siralos]

(Hi Doctor Nick! ...say all Simpsons fans everywhere)

I wanted to post a quick intro and also so my account doesn't get deleted. :)

But first, I wanted to say how helpful this forum and the site overall has been for me in researching and understanding all the things I needed to know to make a decision. It's wonderful. I felt very prepared to have a conversation with my ortho, mainly armed with information from all of you. So sincerely, thank you all very much.

But now enough about you and more about me!

I've always had very crowded teeth, a fairly narrow arch and impacted wisdom teeth. My family couldn't afford to do anything about it, but now I'm in a place in my mid 30s where I have both the means and the willpower to make a change.

My timeline:
Sept 2013 - 4 impacted wisdom teeth sawed out
March 31, 2014 - Spacers
April 1, 2014 - 2 upper bicuspids, 1 lower incisor removed
April 7, 2014 - Braced! Upper ceramic, lower metal, self-ligating
April 14, 2014 - TPA gets installed (mildly freaking out about this)

Sentence- 24-30 months

Honestly, the brackets and wires part has been fine so far. No wax (knock on wood). But these molar build ups are a KILLER! They put them on my upper bicuspids and they are huge because I have a very deep bite. I'm sure I'll get used to them, but right now if I can't blend it, I can't eat it.

So that's my story. Thanks again to everyone for providing me with such great insight while I was lurking around these last few months. :)

[DaisySmith]

Well, good luck with your journey. Mind you after having four impacted wisdom teeth 'sawed out' I expect you'll find braces a breeze

[Siralos]

Thanks!

One question I had. My ortho said that they put o-rings on my brackets even though they were self-ligating to try and put more pressure to a thin wire, but that eventually they wouldn't need to do that. Does that make sense? Part of the reason I went for self-ligating is to minimize the staining. I'm a big fan of curry.

[Matilda]

Welcome and best of luck on your journey!

[Wheeles498]

Hi. I have the self ligating with upper clear and bottom medal also. My brackets were custom made which is suppose to shorten time in them. I'm hopping for less than 18 months but will know better after my first adjustment on May 29. I also have the molar build ups and after 5 weeks still don't like them. I am learning, slowly, to eat a little more than my liquid diet. But it is not easy. They have been by far the most annoying part of my braces experience. Good luck.