Newbie! Advice please :)

[MissBraces]

Hi :)

I'm due to get braces next week and I will also be having lower jaw surgery further down the line (scared!!!). My braces are being fitted at my local hospital and right now I am completely freaking out as I feel I have been left in the dark a bit. Have anyone had braces fitted at the hospital?(on the nhs) I have had a couple of meeting with different orthodontist so far to have x-rays and moulds done but I still do not know who will be my orthodontist? Is this normal? How long should the braces take to fit? (i'm just having my upper teeth done first)

Also can anyone recommend any products that will make my life a little easier after having the braces fitted? Wax? is there a type of floss I should be using?

Thank you :)

[djspeece]

I can't really advise as I am in the US, but there are many Brits on this forum who have gone down similar paths, so you might want to do a search here on "nhs" and see what pops up. Best of luck to you!

[kitkat1]

hi,

I'm a NHS patient as well. Just had my braces fitted 6 weeks ago, and will have lower jaw surgery in future. I have been assigned to an orthodontist, the same one that I saw when I went for the initial consultation.

I had both upper and lower braces fitted at the same time, and the whole appointment was just under an hour. She said it would be around 30 minutes for 1 set if I didn't want to do both on the same day.

Was given a little box of wax, and had one from a previous appointment when I had my molar bands fitted.
I bought some Super-floss because I thought it would make it easier to floss, but I'm back to using my normal tape floss now, I find it just as easy to get past the wire.

Good luck next week, i'm sure it will go fine. I was really scared before I went and nothing was as bad as I thought it would be.

[MissBraces]

Hi Dan, thanks :) ill try that!

Hi Kitkat, how are things going with the braes? Have you seen much movement? much pain? Do you know roughly when your surgery will be?

I think I will feel a little more comfortable when I know who my orthodontist Is, unfortunately every time I went I had been passed around because of sickness /retirement, but hey these things cant be helped!

I have heard about super floss but its quite hard to find so i will probably end up sticking with normal floss. Did you find that the braces affected your speech at all? I work in a office and often talk on the phone to clients so its something im really concered about that the moment.

Im pleased the fitting should only take half an hour, I was worried it was going to be a lot longer!

Thank you, fingers crossed it will! :)

[kitkat1]

It's going very well so far, i'm completely used to them now. It has been painful and uncomfortable, mainly the first few days, then just a few teeth at the time, but pain has meant movement and it's not that bad really.
I have had a lot of movement already. It's really exciting to see and makes it all worth it.

I was told surgery will be around 18 months in.

The first few days after the braces were fitted I did have a very slight lisp (don't think anyone else noticed), but now they do not affect my speech at all.

My orthodontist wasn't actually there on the day my braces were fitted, so someone else did it. I'm hoping she is back for my first adjustment which is in 5 weeks time.

Yes, I didn't believe them when they said how long it would take to put the braces on, but before I knew it she was all done! and it didn't hurt at all.

[MissBraces]

Well I've had my braces on for nearly 2 weeks now! :) Getting them put on was nothing like I had expected, it took about 20mins and no pain at all, just some pressure when the wire was attached.

The first 4 days there was some pain when eating but other than that it has been fine - which has got me wondering if they are actually working?! I'm sure they are but for some reason I have this 'no pain, no gain' theory going on in my head! Also I haven't seen any movement yet, and I've read that a lot of people had at least some movement in the first 2 weeks!

[NeilH]

Well I've had my braces on for nearly 2 weeks now! Getting them put on was nothing like I had expected, it took about 20mins and no pain at all, just some pressure when the wire was attached.

The first 4 days there was some pain when eating but other than that it has been fine - which has got me wondering if they are actually working?! I'm sure they are but for some reason I have this 'no pain, no gain' theory going on in my head! Also I haven't seen any movement yet, and I've read that a lot of people had at least some movement in the first 2 weeks!

Hi, I'm sure you will see lots of progress soon. The first wires are really light so you probably won't think they will achieve much but if you compare your day 1 and day 30 photos you will be amazed at the progress. I didn't have much discomfort or pain during the first year so I hope you get off lightly too. Good luck.

[MissBraces]

Hi NeilH :)

Thanks for the reply - that's what im hoping for! im taking pictures every week so looking forward to comparing them! How long have you had braces? Hope your getting on well with them. Im hoping the time will fly for my next appointment which is 8 weeks - this also seems along time! I think 5/6 weeks would be better to get a thicker wire on but I guess he knows what he's doing! (I hope!)

[NeilH]

Hi, I have had them since May 2013 and I have approx another 7 months to go (although I'm expecting slightly longer as everything is taking so long to move...). My first three appointments were 3 months apart which seemed forever but when I looked back at photos, it's surprising how much movement went on. The different wires have different functions so your Ortho will move to stiffer wires or rectangular ones once your teeth have moved where he wants them.

[AlexO890]

Hi Miss Braces. I hope your new braces are feeling fine.

[MissBraces]

Hi Alex0890 :)

I've had my braces 4 weeks today and honestly feel its the best thing I've done!! ive only had a small amount of movement but can already see how much better my teeth and smile are going to be!

Do you have braces? If so which kind / how long?

[AlexO890]

Hi Alex0890

I've had my braces 4 weeks today and honestly feel its the best thing I've done!! ive only had a small amount of movement but can already see how much better my teeth and smile are going to be!

Do you have braces? If so which kind / how long?

I'm getting braces soon. Not sure what kind yet.

[pjade1]

MissBraces, I am glad to hear you are liking them now and know that it is going to correct your smile. Maybe you are just one of the lucky people that don't feel the pain. How long do you have to go before your first adjustment? I am getting my braces on next week.

[SpottedPickle]

MissBraces, I am halfway through my 3rd week of braces, so far only uppers, and I am happy with them for now. No real issues, lots of adjustments, but considering I only had 3 bad days so far I am thankful! My first adjustment is August 19th. I have Self-Ligating Metal American Orthodontics Empower Dual Activation System brackets and Therma-Ti Heat-activated NiTi 0.14 Arch Forms. I get uppers in Sept/Oct tentatively. I will be braced 14-16 months.

[MissBraces]

MissBraces, I am glad to hear you are liking them now and know that it is going to correct your smile. Maybe you are just one of the lucky people that don't feel the pain. How long do you have to go before your first adjustment? I am getting my braces on next week.

Hi Pjade1

That would be nice!! my first adjustment is week beginning 4th Aug, which will be my 7th week. Not really sure what to expect, maybe just a wire change? I have yet to have braces put on my lower teeth so going to ask when that will be. What kind of braces are you getting?

MissBraces, I am halfway through my 3rd week of braces, so far only uppers, and I am happy with them for now. No real issues, lots of adjustments, but considering I only had 3 bad days so far I am thankful! My first adjustment is August 19th. I have Self-Ligating Metal American Orthodontics Empower Dual Activation System brackets and Therma-Ti Heat-activated NiTi 0.14 Arch Forms. I get uppers in Sept/Oct tentatively. I will be braced 14-16 months.

Hi SpottedPickle Love the name btw!

This is now my 4th week with braces so we are close I also only have uppers at the moment. Glad you haven't had any problems with them! Wow that sounds like a mouthful! how are you finding the self ligating brackets? Does the wire push its self through the brackets and then the brackets clamp back together? Sorry if that makes no sense! I have just the normal standard metal brackets as thankfully I am getting them for free, clear ones would of set me back about £5,000! I will be braced for about 18 months and will also need lower jaw surgery (i am having second thoughts on this now)