Metal Mouth Message Board

I reached my one year mark yesterday. Now I've been in treatment for 18 months. So I figured I'd make a short post on my thoughts and hopefully encourage newbies.

1. Braces type does not matter.
Seriously no one notices my braces. And I have metal braces. The only time friends mention them is if I do or if they see me for the first time. And even then they just say, "you have braces," then move on. Seriously it is not a big deal at all. We, as newbie braces wearers, think its such a big deal to people and its not.

2. Pain tolerances vary.
For example, I have never taken any pain meds after an adjustment and I eat normally after 1 or 2 days. Others cannot.

3. Estimated treatment times can be off.
Sometimes people get their braces off sooner, sometimes later. Don't get your hopes too high about an estimated time, because you have to remember it is just that an estimate.

4. Things will get worse before they are better.
I see this worry all the time. Lol. Your teeth are constantly going to be shifting, and things have to get worse before teeth can move into place. And yes, you'll get gaps and have an off bite. It's part of the process.

And the most important one: 5. It is completely worth it!!!!!!!

Seriously. If you're on the fence, but you have the opportunity to get braces, just get them!! You'll be sooooooo happy with the results! Honestly my biggest regret is that I couldn't have done this sooner. (Though to be fair, if I had gotten braces as a child, I probably wouldn't have appreciated it as much).

Anyways those are 5 major things off the top of my head.
Also here's some pictures throughout my journey (nothing's new lol, but I thought it might be encouraging for people to see the changes that can happen).

Fantastic results! Congratulations on the progress. And ... your teeth are so white!

I loved reading your post. Your thoughts are 100% accurate.

Great progress!

twentyseven wrote:Fantastic results! Congratulations on the progress. And ... your teeth are so white!

Haha thanks. Unfortunately they are not as white in person. My phone just makes them look bright, which is fine by me.

Bracesat57 wrote:I loved reading your post. Your thoughts are 100% accurate.

Great progress!

Thank you! I thought I'd have more thoughts I'd post but I couldn't think of anything major. Haha.


I guess my last tip that I forgot to mention would be to "have patience." After a year in braces (plus 6 months previously with an expander), I'm anxious for the lucky day when my ortho tells me we are good to go. but I just have to learn to be patient until then. Lol

Excellent post. I would add the following "pearls:"
1. Maintain your sense of humor. (e.g., needed when you try to brush your teeth with the elastics in; watching gobs of food debris wash from your mouth with a waterpik; the occasional person who stares at your mouth, as they are ignorant and are about to walk into a wall)
2. Women love men in braces. (I have personal knowledge.)
3. Men love women in braces. (I also have personal knowledge.)
4. And every permutation in between. (Ah, no personal knowledge)
5. Some days are bad. Embrace them like you would a mortal enemy and crush them with your awesomeness.
6. Elastics are evil. Change them out frequently so they don't get too comfortable in there. When removing them, I find it helpful to throw them onto the ground and call them obscene names and ask them how they like it now, and so forth.) Yeah, so I'm immature.

djspeece wrote: 6. Elastics are evil. Change them out frequently so they don't get too comfortable in there. When removing them, I find it helpful to throw them onto the ground and call them obscene names and ask them how they like it now, and so forth.) Yeah, so I'm immature.

Hahah. This one was my favorite. I haven't had the opportunity to experience the absolute joy of elastics... yet. but I'm positive I will feel exactly the same. Haha.

Great additions to my list and all SO true!

[quote="Featheryy1221"]
4. Things will get worse before they are better.
I see this worry all the time. Lol. Your teeth are constantly going to be shifting, and things have to get worse before teeth can move into place. And yes, you'll get gaps and have an off bite. It's part of the process.

[/quote]

Thanks for this. I got TAD installed and extracted baby tooth today. The pain is describable :(

Great post Feathery and congrats on one year! I didn't realize how close our treatment times are. You got your RPE a few months before me and braces one month before.

I agree with all your observations (and djspeece's). I'll also add this nugget:

The time goes by very quickly!

I started getting consultations in 2013 and when I heard it'd probably be 2016 before I was all done, I felt so upset and defeated. But look, it's already a quarter into 2015!

Yumitan89 you're welcome. Good luck with your treatment!

jaime wrote:Great post Feathery and congrats on one year! I didn't realize how close our treatment times are. You got your RPE a few months before me and braces one month before.

I agree with all your observations (and djspeece's). I'll also add this nugget:

The time goes by very quickly!

I started getting consultations in 2013 and when I heard it'd probably be 2016 before I was all done, I felt so upset and defeated. But look, it's already a quarter into 2015!

Thanks jaime! I didn't realize how close our dates were either. That's so awesome!

The time thing is so true as well, I started getting consults in may of 2013, which is almost two years ago now (crazy!) yet it doesn't feel like it's been that long at all. Except minus the time I had my expander. Lol. That 6 months felt like an eternity. Lol.

I thought of another one to add for newbies:

You should be consulting with an ortho to see what your options are!
While this site is great and supportive, there are only a few orthodontists that answer questions on here. And even they cannot say for sure what your treatment options are because orthodontists have to see you in person.

Hopefully no one takes this harshly. I've just been on this site for almost 2 years and I constantly see people be like "what should my treatment be?" or "what do you think I need done?" Majority of us on here are not orthodontists. We may have some knowledge, but you need to go to a professional.

Same with deciding which ortho or plan to go with; it's really a personal decision. What works for one person, might not work for another person.

Just something newbies need to keep in mind...

I agree with that ^^^ 100%. That is definitely my least favourite part about this site. I've thought about asking Lynn to address it, but wasn't sure if I was just getting my knickers in a knot over nothing. It really bothers me to see people ask, "Do I need surgery?" "My doctor told me [this] but what do you think?" It drives me crazy.

Congrats! Sounds like your treatment is going well so far!

jaime wrote:I agree with that ^^^ 100%. That is definitely my least favourite part about this site. I've thought about asking Lynn to address it, but wasn't sure if I was just getting my knickers in a knot over nothing. It really bothers me to see people ask, "Do I need surgery?" "My doctor told me [this] but what do you think?" It drives me crazy.

Agreed. It's something I started realizing at the end of last year and now that I've noticed it more its gotten so repetitive. I used to answer these questions, but now I just don't. I know they want help, but we can't give them a treatment plan, nor know what theirs will be.

I think really I've just been on this site for too long. Lol.

border wrote:Congrats! Sounds like your treatment is going well so far!

Thanks! It is, sort of. I have one bottom tooth that is stubborn and hasn't moved enough. I've had a coil spring on it since before September. It's getting pretty annoying. Haha. I just want everything to be straight now so I can move on to the next thing.

Preach on sista or brudah!

What scared me the most wasn't the thought of having a metal mouth or even the pain that I would have to endure for a year and half but the financing of it! On my first day of getting braced, I have had people approach me and tell me...I wish I had the money to get braces or I had adult braces too. People really don't care if you're a metal mouth...and I really don't care what others think of my metal mouth. What matters to me is that I am doing something positive for myself and for the long run.