Metal Mouth Message Board

Got my braces Aug 9th - going this Thursday for my first adjustment. I am 36 and have never had braces before. Been lurking for a few weeks now and decided to join in I was born missing 2 permanent teeth - one on top right, the other on bottom left. Lost the bottom baby tooth in 7th grade and nothing was done to maintain the space so over the years my teeth have shifted to fill in the gap. I still have the baby tooth at the top but it is very loose and fragile and I had to decide what to do with my teeth. I didn't want to just pull the top tooth and get an implant and still have the missing bottom tooth. Over the years, I have gotten to where I hate my teeth in pictures, etc. So, this was my best option I think. I'll stay in the braces for around 2 years, hopefully get enough space back at the bottom to have an implant and then remove the top baby tooth and get another implant and end up w/ a great smile at the end.

Overall though my teeth aren't really that bad, it's just that certain ones have turned and shifted in the last few years and I had to do something due to the missing teeth.

I was not happy the first few weeks in the braces but have adjusted pretty well now

Well, enough for now....I'll post more later. Had a few questions too

Howdy, Cece, and welcome.

I have a very similar problem to yours - two baby teeth that did not get replaced by permanent teeth. Mine were both lowers, though - second bicuspids. I had the baby tooth on the right side pulled when I was 12 (about the same age as you) but I kept the other until last year. I still had a baby tooth at age 53! But, it wasn't in very good shape. The x-rays were really fascinating. The roots on baby teeth are much shallower than on the permanent teeth.

Like you, my teeth started shifting around to fill in the gap on the right side and the smaller tooth on the left side. I've had braces for about a year now, and things are looking so much better. They really worked to straighten out my front teeth, which had started to overlap.

I'm also getting implants, on both sides, at the end of my braces.

Congrats Cece. I am new too and will be braced next week. The initial stage is rather a drag I suppose. Am sure it gets better with time... Overall I am simply glad to have found this great support group. It sure helps with this journey... All the best and keep posting us with updates.

Cheers

Thanks for the welcome! Glad to meet up with people with similar cases, LOL!!!

I didn't realize my bite was so "off" either...I had lots of clicking and popping, jaw strain/ache and headaches. Most of the popping is in my right jaw hinge but I have already noticed a HUGE difference. Should've done this years ago