Metal Mouth Message Board

I've been in braces for 4 months, and have yet to see a single other adult in London with them! See plenty of kids and have some nice moments of solidarity with them because they're always interested in seeing someone in her mid-20s all wired up.
Am I the only one in my area with braces - or are Londoners just very good at hiding theirs!

Nah im from Sheffield which is really far away from london!

Im up north in newcastle, and ive seen a few adults in braces. I guess im classed as one, although i look about 13.

I recently went to my ortho and saw a few uni students there and a colleague of mine has braces.

I'm in London so that's at least two of us - in fact three, because a receptionist at the foreign office, where I was the other week, also had them. We're everywhere, we're slowly taking over the world..............

I'm on the sunny south coast, but when I visit London, I'll be another one! I don't think braces are always noticeable, so there's probably more about than we think.

Good Luck.

Julie

Hi Dark_angel, im in newcastle as well (well i live in consett and work near metro centre), do you go to the RVI Dental? small world isnt it?

(sorry everyone, dont mean to hijack this post)

Yeah pagey i do. Who do you see there? When are you next there?

I am from North London and to my knowledge I always have been.

I am a 25 year old english male and i have good old braces, upper and lower, ive had them now for nearly one year and will soon be having an operation to correct a severe overbite which isnt good when you want to smile.

Anyhow add me to your list, my persoanl view on braces? Well it does make me overly self-concious but the way i see it 18 months of metal against a lifetime of perfect teeth? lol theres no choice.


Thanks.
Lee.

I was sent to Sunderland Dental Hospital but it is horrendous to drive and park there so i wrote a very nice note to my Ortho thanking him for all he has done but asked to be transfered to Newcastle, luckly he didnt take offence and transfed me no probs. Bonus is their waiting list seems smaller maybe because newcastle is a teaching hospital and i guess they like people to practice on or that could have jsut happened because they i have been making a right pest of myself on the phone every couple of weeks! im with Miss Sargeson, she seems nice and Mr Greenwood is going to do my jaw surgery eventually.

i know the newcastle area much better that sunderland and can pop over there from work and park at Newcastle United where my husband works.

i have my braces app. 10th and 17th August, any idea what happens at these 2 apps? do they glue the "whatsits" on one week and then put the wires on the next or do they do top one week and bottom the next? i should have asked really but i was just so releaved to get my app. though.

I am in Guildford, so not too far from London. Have seen two more adults at my ortho office and another few around town. Yup, it is becoming fashion in Guildford !

Nice avatar Pagey!
I had my "whatsits" glued on and the wires in on the same day, top and bottom. I guess it may be different at other orthos, why don't you give them a call and ask what is happening when.
Also, friendly advice, get paramol from Boots, you may need it the first night or two.
Good luck!

Not in London, but just about in the UK up here in West Yorkshire!

Don't let the lack of adult brace wearers get you down. You can see from the activity on this board that there are plenty of us scattered around the country. I do admit that I have had some funny looks from people at the gym, because when you're exerting yourself, you tend to grimace more, which puts the braces on full show!

However I still have to admit that in my local hospital, whenever I have been sat in the waiting room for an appointment, I've generally been the oldest person by about 10 years or more.

Whoops, sorry for the double-post.

I've just read the bit about your two appointments Pagey, so I thought I'd offer my view on what will probably happen.

Like littleshaddies my brackets, wires and bands were all fitted in the same day. It took about an hour to do all the lot because the brackets had a habit of breaking off my teeth when my OD started tightening the archwire. Don't worry though - it sounds a bit brutal but it didn't hurt a bit!

Anyway your first appointment is likely to be for the fitting of 'spacers'. You've probably read about these on here, but they are like tiny rubber o-rings that your OD will insert in the gaps between your teeth at the back. The spacers gently open up the gap in between your teeth over the course of 1 week, so that the OD has some space to fit bands around your back teeth.

If you've never had braces before, they can be a little uncomfortable at first until you get used to them, but some Ibuprofen or general paracetamol will deal with that.

Good luck and keep us posted!

thanks for that, i think i will just wait till my app. in august to see what happens and let them supprise me!! painkillers at the ready though! its my birthday in 2 weeks and im going to ask for one of those waterpik thingies from Boots as a prez!

anyone know if NHS will offer me white ones?

i'm really looking forward to being braced and i remember feeling quite jelouse seeing adults with them although the only person i think i've seen with braces Nichola from Emmerdale on tv!!!

my avatar is my little francis (frankie), never saw myself with a pet but i took him in when his owner moved away, a few weeks later frankie brought a big stray mean looking tom home with him who has now decided to move in as well, frankie must have told him i was a soft touch! we've called him oliver, he was in a bit of a state but the vet sorted him out, he may not be the best looking cat but he is very loving! i should really have pic of both of them on.

anyone know if NHS will offer me white ones?

Unfortunately not I'm afraid. White or tooth-coloured braces are only available if you have your treatment done privately as they cost considerably more than their silver counterparts.

Still the silver ones aren't too bad. They do show up more than the white ones, but in some respects I see that as a benefit rather than a detriment!