Metal Mouth Message Board

ARRGGGGHHHH!!! I'm really apprehensive about starting this journey after reading some of the posts in this forum. I've had 8 spacers in since last week and my teeth have hurt a little more each day. Eating was very painful today. I just wonder if this is what I have to look forward to for the next 2.5 years....or maybe longer......

Oh well, I better buck up for this. I really need to do it to correct my bite and keep my teeth, plus having a smile that I don't hide as I have done for the past 53 years would be nice.....

I think I'll be spending a lot of time in this forum.

First, congratulations!!! How exciting for you!!! Although the braces may cause a little pain at first, it'll go away and before you know it, you might even forget that they're on. At least there won't be any pieces of elastic between your teeth anymore. Good luck!!! Tell us how it went!

Hmmm....not sure if 'exciting' captures how I feel, more like scared stiff! but THANKS HollyDontSpend, I appreciate the encouragement and good wishes. It helps!

BTW, congratulations to you, I see you just had yours removed. It must be GREAT.

KK - its' not that I'm scared about the actual banding procedure, it's the aftermath....the pain, the eating problems, the cleaning problems, the upcoming extractions, you know, the many hassles that everyone goes through. Then you read threads about how a lot of folks are unhappy with their results and wish they never got braces. Overall it sounds kind of depressing to know you have to deal with this for a couple or several years. I guess I'm just not looking forward to it but I do realize that many people have this same trepidation. Plus I'm being pretty whiny here....I'll get over it. Time to take the plunge.....

Good luck Walks on getting braced! I agree with KK that honestly in the end this will all be worth the annoyances and pain! Your teeth are sore after getting braces and getting them adjusted but not for too long. The cleaning part is really just starting and keeping a consistent routine. It does take more time but its worth it.
I had 6 teeth pulled at once and it wasn't really too bad. It was really hard to eat anything afterwards because I didn't have very many teeth to chew with . but most of those teeth were baby teeth so they've grown in now making life much easier!
Good luck with everything and keep us posted!

-Hannah

I agree. I have had my braces on now for 6 days - It was painful at first but unlike spacers everyday you get a little more comfortable with them and the pain eases. You get used to the weird new feeling in your mouth trust me. You get faster at the cleaning as you practise a little and things start to smooth out after a while . Not only that I am already seeing some minor improvements (after just 6 days) - go me!

You can do it! Keep looking at the big picture!

~ serendipity

Walks: I had those spacers and they were terrible. You will feel worlds better when the spacers come out and your teeth are secured to the archwire. At least then you will know they can't fall out.

Thanks 2XRound, Meryaten, serendipity, hannah164, and KK for your great responses and thoughtful support!

Well, it's over, or rather its just begun! Had some difficulty with getting the lower bands on, seems even with the spacers my teeth were still pretty tight. Wow, I'm not sure what I was expecting but I'm surprised how 'rough' all of that hardware feels in the mouth. Its like my mouth is now under alien control... I even had to work at taking a drink from a water bottle when I got back to my job. Eating tonight was not as painful as with the spacers but it sure is a totally different experience!!! I've got a whole toolkit of 'toys' from the ortho and I can tell I'm going to need some of them right now...I can feel the underside of my tounge getting rubbed raw by that bracket that was so difficult to place.

Well, the journey is just starting.....I'll try not to complain too much , thanks again for the wonderful support, it's a huge help.