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I'm getting braces this Tuesday and I am actually kind of excited! My journey is about to begin and, while it will be tough at times....I will have some nice teeth to look forward to! I have two questions/comments for you guys before I get braced...
1. Ok so everyone at school knows I'm getting my braces (teachers especially since I need to find time to make up tests and quizzes that day that I will be absent) and they all tell me, "WHY?!? YOU HAVE SUCH PERFECT TEETH!?!" For starters, I have a major overbite, plus my teeth are very crowded on the bottom and on the top in the back as well. Now I know I'm not supposed to care about what anyone says but...it hurts me a tad! I'm going to be going through 2 years of treatment...and argh...I knwo they are trying to be supportive but it's like...but I really do need them! Has this happened to anyone else? Did it bother you a tad too? Just wondering....
2. As you all know by now I am getting ceramic on the top and I was just wondering if someone could write me a brief list of foods that stain them and what to avoid. I tried searching posts for this but I was unlucky.
Sorry this post is WAY too long. Props to anyone who finishes reading it
One suggestion: If you have a couple of days EAT - EAT - EAT! Eat everything hard, crunchy, gooey or anything you know you want be able to eat with braces.
Now about the comments. I had people tell me all the time that my teeth weren't that bad and I shouldn't be worried about getting braces. I'm 26 and they would say things like. "You've been married 5 years, why worry about straight teeth now?" I try to tell them that I'm doing this for me and not for anyone else. I've always been very self-conscious about my teeth and I just kept putting off getting braces. My teeth may not look that bad to them, and truthfully they really don't from a distance. But I notice them. That's the first thing I see when I'm looking at a picture of myself, and it makes me cringe! Don't let anybody get you down. Just keep telling yourself that this is your decision and it's for you only. You're the one that will benefit from this. You'll have a beautiful smile! That's all that matters.
As far as the ceramics go, I can't comment on that. I have metal on upper and lower. I chose that because I love to eat and I knew I would have a tough time keeping them from staining. But many people on here have ceramics and I haven't heard much complaining from them about staining, so maybe someone in that category can help. Hope this helps and doesn't sound like a bunch of rambling!!
TEETH IN THE BEGINNING (OCT. '05)
TEETH NOW (Oct. 28, 2007)
Braced (uppers & lowers): 2 Years
Retainer Check: 1-18-08
First off...congrats on starting your braces journey I've had mine for 11 days now. I have ceramic ones on top and metal on the bottom. My ortho advised me to stay away from curry, black coffee, lots of tea, mustard or anything really dark you think may stain. But I was also told only the ligs stain not the brackets themselves which is a relief lol. You can get your ligs changed at all your appts. I might get colour next time because mine kinda turned yellow from chicken noodle soup and tho no one else has noticed, I sure have! You should be okay if you brush rightaway. And as for the other people's comments towards you: I had the same thing happen to me. I've hated my teeth since they grew in and I always try to hide my smile and eveyone tells me I shouldn't have gotten braces, that it's a waste of money and such..yeah it does kinda bother me too because they're my teeth and I have to live with them and no one else does, so why not do something for yourself to make you happy! Plus I have a bigtime overbite too and need jaw surgery to fix that I try to just brush it off though...who cares right? In 2 years I can flash my perfect smile in their face haha!! Good luck with your journey
(hehe sorry for the long post...I can really ramble...)
aww you guys are so great. You're right...once I get my new smile all of this will be a thing of the past and as long as I want it then that's all that matters
K, no coffee, curry, mustard, tea...I'm getting this all down. Maybe I'll go for colored ligs myself....I've always wanted bright pink and bright green alternating...
I have ceramics as well and haven't had too many problems with staining, however pop (especially orange crush and coke/pepsi), popsicles, and soups (tomato based and some chicken noodle soups) do tend to stain the ligs. I use a whitening toothpaste every time I brush and the staining tends to go away really quickly.
Basically any coloured food, or food that contains artificial or natural colourings (anything from E102 which is evil anyway, to tumeric/saffron/paprika) is going to be a stain risk.
I would recommend coloured ligs, then you never have to worry. Also in some of the pictures I've seen, certain (stronger) colours seem to make people's teeth look whiter and brighter in contrast.
Thanks again you guys! You are ALWAYS looking out for me and I appreciate it SO much! Tomorrow's the big day and I will let you know what happens. I guess I'll just ask for colored ligs....hopefully he will let me ask for them before he puts them on I hope I remember!
Thanks for your support! You got me through all the crazy weeks before my big day...WHICH IS TOMORROW!
I've had mine for 11 days now. I have ceramic ones on top and metal on the bottom. My ortho advised me to stay away from curry, black coffee, lots of tea, mustard or anything really dark you think may stain. But I was also told only the ligs stain not the brackets themselves which is a relief lol. You can get your ligs changed at all your appts. I might get colour next time because mine kinda turned yellow from chicken noodle soup and tho no one else has noticed, I sure have! You should be okay if you brush rightaway. And as for the other people's comments towards you: I had the same thing happen to me. I've hated my teeth since they grew in and I always try to hide my smile and eveyone tells me I shouldn't have gotten braces, that it's a waste of money and such..yeah it does kinda bother me too because they're my teeth and I have to live with them and no one else does, so why not do something for yourself to make you happy! Plus I have a bigtime overbite too and need jaw surgery to fix that 
I try to just brush it off though...who cares right? In 2 years I can flash my perfect smile in their face haha!! Good luck with your journey 
I hope I remember!