Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi!

I'm new here, trying to prepare myself for braces. At age 25, and working in a field where I am face to face with clients and staff on a daily basis, I'm pretty stressed about it.

I was hoping for invisalign braces, but with my bite issues and the fact that my doc thinks my teeth are too "anchored", it's looking like traditional braces would give me the best results.

My doc is great, except that he rushes and doesn't give me much of a chance to ask questions. I'm making my appointment tomorrow to go in and get ortho records done. I'll probably be here with a million questions.

Any advice you guys have for getting ready for braces, and surviving the adjustment period, would be much appreciated!

Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen. Unless you have stomach issues, this is a must. It really takes the edge off of adjustments. I try to take two before I go in, then two later in the day. The brackets will be irritating for the first week, but after that you won't really notice them. They will give you wax. I suggest letting the brackets tear away for a day or two before putting the wax on to let your cheeks heal up. This way they will get used to it. It sounds awful, but it's not that bad.

Hmmm, as far as speaking to people and being self conscious, just act like you usually would. If you don't make a big deal out of it, no one else will. Keep your braces clean. Keep your appointments, and do what your ortho tells you to do to keep your treatment on track. You'll be fine.

Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely be stocking up in Ibuprofen.