Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello! I am a 32 year old female getting braces for the first time. Going with Clear on top metal on bottom and will also have a TPA. I FINALLY have a date of Feb 2 to have everything set. The process has been painfully long (I am not a patient person and judging by other posts that I have read this will be a terrible quality for the duration of treatment) I originally decided on treatment with invisalign which my general dentist does but after going through the process of having molds made at the beginning of October. I was told that I was not a candidate. (That was $300 just GONE) My dentist recommended a local orthodontist. I had my consultation on November 2, 2016 and was given a treatment time estimate of 20-24 months, was told that I would need extractions, and given a price for treatment. Appts were scheduled to do molds and xrays and put brackets on on November 14 and 17 respectively after which I would need to have the extractions which were scheduled for Nov 30. I was also referred to a periodontist as I have severe overcrowding on the bottom and needed an exam to make sure there was no bone loss to be cleared for orthodontic treatment. First periodontal appt was November 9, 2016 where I was told I needed to have surgery to correct a wisdom tooth extraction that did not heal correctly leaving a pocket, and a periodontal cleaning, and a filling before being cleared for orthodontics. I was very discouraged and irritated that all of my appts were going to be pushed back. Surgery and cleaning were scheduled for December 15. Appt for molds and xrays was rescheduled for December 21 and brackets January 2 and extractions January 3. I kept the November 30 appt for the filling.

So December 15 finally rolls around. Filling is done. Surgery goes well (hurts much more than I remember the wisdom teeth extraction hurting. That was done in May 2016) Cleaning goes well, except I need another filling. Sigh. Periodontist does clear me to go ahead and have molds made. Yay! I contact my dentist to let him know she will be sending over an xray for him to confirm that another filling is needed. Jump to December 21. I go in for my molds and xrays to find that the periodontist never sent the letter clearing me for orthodontic treatment. I also find that she sent my pano xray taken by the orthodontist to my general dentist. They go ahead and complete my molds and take a second pano. I go home feeling super excited that the process is FINALLY moving forward. Or not.

I contact my dentist to check on the filling as it will need to be completed before the brackets are on. Periodontist never sent the xray. I brush it off an d think to myself if she was really concerned about it she would have sent it as she knows my timeline for treatment and upcoming appts. Jump to January 2. BRACKETS DAY! My orthodontist has two offices, one that is about 15 mins from my where I went for consultation and will be going for adjustments and one about an hour from my house where I will go to have the braces put on and taken off. I call to confirm that they have received the letter from the periodontist clearing me for treatment before driving the hour to the office. They tell me they are rescheduling my appt for Wednesday, January 4, at the office closer to my house as the orthodontist was planning on just talking to me that day. My world shattered. I just knew he was going to tell me that I couldn't get the braces. I've wanted them for twenty years and now someone else is going to tell me I can't have them. I cried for hours. My fiance told me I was overreacting. I cried some more.

I cancelled the appt for my extractions on Jan 3 and waited, very impatiently, for my appt on the 4th. I go to this appt expecting to leave being told no braces. It wasn't a no. It was a "you need a jaw surgery that will cost you 20-40k dollars for an issue that should have been corrected when you were a teenager" Cue instant anger at my parents, grandparents, and any other person I can think of that neglected to get the treatment I needed as a teen. There's no way I can have the surgery. Not only do I not have the funds needed I can't take the weeks off work I would need for initial recovery and my job requires that I'm on the phone the majority of my work day. I'm told I can still have the braces but treatment with braces alone will not completely correct all of the issues. (100% deep bite, 4 mm overjet) I'm ok with that.

Appt is scheduled for my extractions on January 10 and spacers are put in for a TPA (had no clue what this was had to google it and I have to say I'm not excited about it. AT. ALL.) and appt scheduled to fit bands and take molds for the TPA on January 18. Although I have had all 4 wisdom teeth out and 3 other molars removed due to wisdom teeth complications I will need 3 more extractions to make room to correct the crowding and what can be corrected of my deep bite and overjet with braces alone. How I had 32 teeth in my mouth and needed 10!!!!! removed to make room absolutely blows my mind. Jump to extraction day. Extractions go relatively smoothly. One was a little stubborn. And SUPRISE periodontist finally sent over xrays and yep, I need another filling before the brackets go on. Appt scheduled for January 17. Filling is done and I am finished with the dentist side of the process!

January 18, yesterday, I was fitted for bands and molds taken for my TPA. Appt scheduled to put brackets, wires, and TPA in scheduled for February 2, 2017. I am very hopeful that it will actually happen this time. I've done everything they have asked and put my mouth through absolute torture over the last 3 months to finally get here. If you've made it this far thanks for reading! I know it's kinda choppy and a little all over the place! Here's to having braces as an adult!! I've never been more excited!!

That is quite a saga! Best of luck to you. You'll do great. Except for the patience thing .

Wow that has been a long and complicated journey so far! I hope things go more smoothly once you finally get braced and you can start to feel that you are finally making progress.

I don't think anyone had ever suggested that patience was a quality which I possessed. But it is certainly a quality you need going through the orthodontic process. And because you have no choice ( apart from getting your braces removed), you will have to develop it and you will. So you may come out of this process with personal improvement beyond just your teeth.

Good luck with your treatment.

Jem

Thanks everyone! I think the biggest thing for me was expectation. I had no idea that it was a possibility to need so many other things addressed before actually having the braces put on. I just imagined it would be go to the consultation get an appt have them put on and get started. I've done a lot more research during the last few months which I probably should have done prior to but at least I have a better understanding of what to expect now!

Good luck with the start of your treatment! Your patience will pay off in the end.
Regarding the TPA, don't worry too much about it. Of course it feels quite unusual when you first get it, but your mouth will adjust quickly. I now use mine as a tongue scrubber and a "toy" for my tongue to keep it from resting against the front teeth.

Braces are on! It has been quite an adjustment from only having spacers to full top and bottom with the TPA. Not too much pain, of course there is pressure. So happy to finally be getting started. Let the movement begin!

Sr798c wrote:Braces are on! It has been quite an adjustment from only having spacers to full top and bottom with the TPA. Not too much pain, of course there is pressure. So happy to finally be getting started. Let the movement begin!

I had mine out on Feb 1 and my treatment time is an estimated 24 months so we will be on our journey pretty much together! Good luck! Mine didn't hurt the first day and they still aren't hurting, but they are sore. I have been eating kinda normal foods. I can't take soups and yogurt all of the time! Keep us updated on your journey!

Flowerpower, I'm looking at 24 months too! Mine were VERY sore the first day more so than I expected but haven't been too bad since. The worst for me has been flossing at night. They always hurt after. Haven't had any trouble with the brackets causing soreness. I can't really eat anything at this point I've lost 3 pounds already! But that is due to a bottom tooth that is turned toward the inside of my mouth so when I try to put my teeth together they sit on the bracket on that tooth which prevents me from chewing anything at this point. Yogurt and mashed potatoes have been my best friends lol but I know that will get better in time. Hoping to see some movement quickly! I look forward to keeping up with your journey as well. Good luck!

I also just got mine on yesterday (Feb 06) with estimated 24 months and also have a tpa.

I hate it already I can't eat anything. :(

My TPA has been quite annoying but doesn't really cause a problem for me with eating. Made me feel like I was gagging constantly for the first few days but that's gone now. I read about it before I had mine put in and was afraid it was going to make my tongue hurt but no problems so far. Hopefully you will get used to yours quickly too, Mz!

Thanks. One week in and it's better. Tounge doesn't kill anymor but I hate eating Oatmeal it's gets all up in there lol