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This is a wonderful website! I hope no one minds that I'm not an adult but I really liked this message board. I just got my spacers in Friday and am not liking it. They had to put 12 in and I'll have them until I get my braces Friday. My teeth are very sore and a few feel loose. Earlier my step-father gave me a Hershey's Kiss but I didn't know it had almonds in it and thought I had broken a tooth. It hurts to chew everything but avacadoes, and I can't live off those. Reminds me of when I got my wisdom teeth out over Christmas break. I'm nervous about getting my braces. For one, I'm allergic to metal and am afraid of scary reactions. I'm defiantly going to be here a lot for advise.
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own. - Adam Lindsay Gordon
Hi welcome to the board. Everyone here is great
11 spacers is a lot!! I am one of the lucky ones who never had spacers.
What are you getting treated for? How long? What kind of braces?
The process of getting the braces on will be really easy. Not painful at all. Expect the first 3 days or so to be the worse but then again, everyone is different.
Good luck and let us know how it goes in 4 days!
~~~~~~
Ceramic top braces: January 9th, 2006
Metal bottom braces: May 1st, 2006
I am getting treated for a severe overbite. My teeth are very, very crowded because I have a really little mouth. They treat little kids at my office and they still couldn't find a mold small enough. Every mouth procedure I've had has stretched my lips. My bottom teeth are competely covered by my upper teeth and my bottom teeth touch the roof of my mouth. My teeth look like baby teeth (all jagged and rough at the top) beacuse they have never touched. Thanks for the info!
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own. - Adam Lindsay Gordon
Since you said you are not an "adult" (sometimes I wonder if those of us over 18 really are!), I trust a parent/guardian is involved in your treatment. Can you check with them about the allergy issue? If they don't know, they can call the ortho office or maybe you all can have a meeting with the ortho.
Probably the most helpful thing in getting braces is information. If you have ANY questions, ask them now. Don't put yourself though the agony or worry of some aspect of what will happen when it might be an answerable question. It might not be, but please ask. I imagine you could call the ortho yourself, but I don't know how old you are and/or family rules.
Most everyone says spacers are worse than braces, so hopefully the worst will be over soon. The usual advice for when you get them on...1) be sure to go to the bathroom right before you get seated so in case you feel the need to pee you'll know its nerves, 2) lip balm, 3) many people will bring a SPAM/CD player and just tune out.
So you won't feel alone, I am in my mid-40s, and because of problems with jaw arthritis, I cannot open my mouth particularly wide. When I went to the oral surgeon to have a tooth pulled, they put one of those "rubber blocks" in between my upper and lower jaws to keep my mouth propped open. Unfortunately, the blocks were all too big for my mouth, because I cannot open my mouth wide. In the end, the assistant left the room, came back and said, "look, this is the pediatric block, it's the smallest one we have". She made it fit but it wasn't fun. Same problem with impressions, they have to find the absolute smallest trays.
However, and I don't know if this will be of help to you, after my extraction I have large gap between two teeth and it is difficult to chew on that side of my mouth. However, I have found peanut butter sanwiches (smooth!) made on really soft bread to be quite edible. Make sure they aren't too sticky for the spacers. Also works with spreadable cheese.
Just to let you guys know, I'm not twelve. They had to put twelve spacers in, but I'm almost sixteen. I made sure he knew that I'm allergic to metal and he told me that he's had other people with metal allergies and they've had no reaction. I've heard of people that have though so that makes me a little nervous. He will put metal spacers in and if I have a bad reaction he will put in ceramics. Thanks for all the advice!
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own. - Adam Lindsay Gordon
That's okay, I just wanted to clarify. He told me that he hasn't had a reaction but I could be the one that has a horrible reaction. That was comforting! But my dental hygenist was telling me about patients that were allergic to metal whose gums would bleed and recede and etc... Let's just hope I do okay.
He will put metal spacers in and if I have a bad reaction he will put in ceramics.
Oops! I meant to say braces. Oh well. Thanks.
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own. - Adam Lindsay Gordon
Congratulations on beginning your orthodontic treatment. Be sure to post whatever questions/concerns you may have. Most people on this board are so nice and helpful.
Since you had mentioned you have a very small mouth, KK, she is the person that always has kind words for all and has great advice to share, indicated in one of her prior posts, that it is best to use chapstick prior to your bracket placement appt and keep
well-hydrated prior to the appt. - I think this is because when they place the cheek retractor (this appliance keeps your lips away from your teeth) in when placing the brackets, it stretches your lips and tends to be easier/more comfortable, if you have used chapstick. I know I will keep these things in mind when I get my braces placed in a few months. She also said to be sure to use the restroom prior to the appt. - sometimes the appt. to place the brackets can be long.
Thanks. I will defiantly wear chapstick and hydrate myself. When they did the molds you could tell that my lips had stretched, but when my wisdom teeth were taken out I woke up with marks at the corners where they had stretched. I used a lot of chapstick then. My lips are chapped anyway.
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own. - Adam Lindsay Gordon
I have a question for you guys. What questions should I ask the ortho before he puts them on Friday? I plan on asking him about Dentakit (my dad's making me, I just want it no matter what.) and what my overbite is.
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own. - Adam Lindsay Gordon
My teeth aren't yellow I just hadn't brushed yet and was too lazy to redo the pics.
Rawr.
Sorry about the pic being up my nose.
The bottom teeth.
My wonderful fake smile!
KK: Yeah, my father is making me ask the ortho before we get a dentakit. I really want one. I'll make sure to ask all those questions. Thanks for all the help you've given me. And I haven't even gotten the braces yet!
Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own. - Adam Lindsay Gordon
Most orthos give you some type of "goodie bag" when you get braced. The content varies widely - from a Sonicare toothbrush on down. Unfortunately, you probably won't know what's in the "goodie bag" until you get it.
If you want some ideas on what you might get, then try searching on "goodie". There are a bunch of posts that will show up that way.
They had to put 12 in and I'll have them until I get my braces Friday. My teeth are very sore and a few feel loose. Earlier my step-father gave me a Hershey's Kiss but I didn't know it had almonds in it and thought I had broken a tooth. It hurts to chew everything but avacadoes, and I can't live off those. 
Reminds me of when I got my wisdom teeth out over Christmas break. I'm nervous about getting my braces. For one, I'm allergic to metal and am afraid of scary reactions. I'm defiantly going to be here a lot for advise.
But my dental hygenist was telling me about patients that were allergic to metal whose gums would bleed and recede and etc... Let's just hope I do okay. 
Oh well. Thanks.
My teeth aren't yellow I just hadn't brushed yet and was too lazy to redo the pics.
Rawr.
Sorry about the pic being up my nose.
The bottom teeth.
My wonderful fake smile!