New to the club - Braced 05/02/06!
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:26 pm
Greetings All,
First let me start by saying I have been lurking around here for the last few weeks, and the information and support provided is incredible. I can honestly say that when my bracing day arrived on May 2nd, I felt as ready and prepared as I possibly could. I was still a bit nervous, but that was to be expected.
So here is my story so far, and of course I have a few questions.
I am 35 years old and have always had gaps between my front teeth. Like many others, it was not financially possible for me to have braces as a teen. I inquired about veneers with my dentist in March at my last cleaning, and he advised me that with teeth and gums as healthy as mine I should really consider braces rather than grinding my teeth down and adding foreign material to them. I took his recommendation and had two different consults with two different ortho's. Both had similar conclusions so it was a matter of preference from there. I went in last Tuesday and was fitted with 3M Clarity ceramic upper and lower brackets. I also received some spacers in the back for upper molar bands to go on at my next visit (5 weeks). I have had the typical discomfort and eating difficulties as I expected to have from reading the forums here. Although the first night I had them I was stuck at my office and broke them in on pizza, which was entertaining to say the least. I also popped a bracket on Thursday night while eating dinner. I think my top tooth hit it while chewing (2nd to last back bracket). My ortho's office said it was up to me if I wanted to come in and get it fixed right away or wait until my next visit. I was going to wait, but have noticed it gets lodged between my back teeth and tends to irritate my gums. So, I hope to get in sometime this week to get it fixed.
My biggest concern is that I do not have any ligs??? Is this normal in the beginning or is it because of the type of braces I have? I will be asking the doc next time I see him, but thought others here might shed some light on the issue.
The only other issue I have had is the dryness between my brackets and my cheeks. Sometimes it makes talking a little challenging. I hope that this feeling goes away soon. I also have had problems biting down since the braces went on. It seems my bite changes almost daily. This of course causes me to bite my lip on a daily basis. Other than these minor issues all has been as expected.
Again, I attribute my expectations to this forum, and look forward to sharing my experiences throughout my treatment. My doc estimates I will be captive for 18-24 months.
First let me start by saying I have been lurking around here for the last few weeks, and the information and support provided is incredible. I can honestly say that when my bracing day arrived on May 2nd, I felt as ready and prepared as I possibly could. I was still a bit nervous, but that was to be expected.
So here is my story so far, and of course I have a few questions.
I am 35 years old and have always had gaps between my front teeth. Like many others, it was not financially possible for me to have braces as a teen. I inquired about veneers with my dentist in March at my last cleaning, and he advised me that with teeth and gums as healthy as mine I should really consider braces rather than grinding my teeth down and adding foreign material to them. I took his recommendation and had two different consults with two different ortho's. Both had similar conclusions so it was a matter of preference from there. I went in last Tuesday and was fitted with 3M Clarity ceramic upper and lower brackets. I also received some spacers in the back for upper molar bands to go on at my next visit (5 weeks). I have had the typical discomfort and eating difficulties as I expected to have from reading the forums here. Although the first night I had them I was stuck at my office and broke them in on pizza, which was entertaining to say the least. I also popped a bracket on Thursday night while eating dinner. I think my top tooth hit it while chewing (2nd to last back bracket). My ortho's office said it was up to me if I wanted to come in and get it fixed right away or wait until my next visit. I was going to wait, but have noticed it gets lodged between my back teeth and tends to irritate my gums. So, I hope to get in sometime this week to get it fixed.
My biggest concern is that I do not have any ligs??? Is this normal in the beginning or is it because of the type of braces I have? I will be asking the doc next time I see him, but thought others here might shed some light on the issue.
The only other issue I have had is the dryness between my brackets and my cheeks. Sometimes it makes talking a little challenging. I hope that this feeling goes away soon. I also have had problems biting down since the braces went on. It seems my bite changes almost daily. This of course causes me to bite my lip on a daily basis. Other than these minor issues all has been as expected.
Again, I attribute my expectations to this forum, and look forward to sharing my experiences throughout my treatment. My doc estimates I will be captive for 18-24 months.
.