Newbie - braces on Jan. 31st! One question...

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#1 Post by **Pixie** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 9:33 pm

Hey everybody!

I know this is a forum for adults, but I checked out everything and it seems okay for teens to post too. Besides, I've been looking around for a forum, and all of the ones I found for kids & teens were populated by "omg, lollzzz" people... and I was hoping to find conversation that's a little bit more intelligent!

I'm fifteen, and I'm getting my spacers in tomorrow (Jan 17th). All of my friends who have already had braces have not been kind in their encouragement-- and I'm a little freaked out, honestly! You'd think good friends could offer some loving encouragement.

I don't think I have any specific questions, except this-- I still haven't decided whether or not I'm getting metal or ceramics. I want ceramics, because... hmm. I'll be honest, like most teenage girls, I'm vain.

I'm very careful with personal hygiene and only drink soda/coffee/tea once in a blue moon (so I could easily cut them out of my diet) so I'm thinking that staining wouldn't be a huge problem. Any other things I should know before deciding on using them?

I have a feeling I'll be posting here a lot, heh. I'm not too thrilled about the whole braces experience ahead of me, especially since my teeth aren't too bad (almost no overbite, minor rotations) and yet I still need braces for 2 years. Yeesh. The things we women do in the pursuit of beauty.

Hahaha!

#2 Post by **Danny** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 4:32 am

Hi, and welcome to the site. You will find a ton of good info here as well as the nicest peeps.-- (sorry a little teen terminology!)

The only things that I can tell you to consider about ceramics is that they are a little larger than metal, thus creating a little more discomfort at first, they are more abrasive to the teeth, and I understand that they are a little harder to remove than the metal. I decided on the metal brackets, but I don't care what anyone says or even if they notice the braces, and I am 33 and use colored ligatures! Most people I encounter never say a word about them.

There are many people here who have the ceramics and love them, maybe they will jump in here and give their opinion. There have been alot of topics in the metal mouth forum about metal vs. ceramic, so you might want to search back a few weeks or post a new topic in that forum.

Good luck with everthing, and don't get too frustrated about the spacers. They are the worst part of it all, once you get through that, the rest is a breeze. Stay positive and look ahead to the end result.

Buh-Bye!

#3 Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 6:44 am

Hi Pixie and welcome. I have Damon 3's which are self-legating, so you don't need ligatures (the little elastics which hold the arch wire to the bracket). They are small and part metal, part clear. One nice thing about these is that they are easy to clean around when brushing your teeth, or flossing. But, as with Danny, I am a bit older (well, a lot older - 51)

and don't care what people think about my teeth - I just want my bite and TMJ fixed.

Good luck with whatever you decide - and good luck with the spacers....

#4 Post by **Chris** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 11:44 am

Welcome Pixie!

First off, in deciding on metal or ceramic...ask to see real photos of people with both or check out the waiting rooms of some orthos offices and ask to see both in person! Either way, you'll get use to, and so will everyone else, whatever choice you make. Remember, they are only temporary not for life.

#5 Post by **Leslie** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:12 am

Hi Pixie,

Chris wrote:First off, in deciding on metal or ceramic...ask to see real photos of people with both or check out the waiting rooms of some orthos offices and ask to see both in person! Either way, you'll get use to, and so will everyone else, whatever choice you make. Remember, they are only temporary not for life.

Great advice from Chris

.

I have ceramic uppers and tie wires on them because I wanted them to be descreet when I talk. My bottom teeth are all metal and that's where I like to have fun with the colored lig's (right now they're pastel pink).. this works great for me and I'm 37.

If your otho's not charging additional $$ to get ceramics, I'd go for them on the top teeth. Yes, they are bigger but I have not had any problems and very little soreness from any rubbing on the inside of my mouth. I have used wax maybe once, when I first got braces.

Good Luck and keep us informed!

#6 Post by **Pixie** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 2:38 pm

Thanks guys.

I ended up choosing ceramic uppers and metal on the bottom. This makes my mom happier (she wasn't thrilled at the thought of all that metal in my mouth-- some health reason, I forget) and I'm happy too, because maybe this way braces won't be such a huge blow to my vanity.

Haha... just playin'. I hope they work out and don't become stained or mess up my teeth.

My spacers have finally stopped hurting (and are now falling out whenever I chew! I'm surprised I haven't lost any yet!) and I go in for my braces tomorrow.

Here's hoping all goes well!

#7 Post by **Dodger(UK)** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:24 pm

Good luck for tomorrow, Pixie. Hope all goes well. Remember, it will be tough at the start, but, will get better after the first 2/3 weeks.

#8 Post by **alexeim** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 5:18 pm

here is a word of encouragment - my braces are not at all as bad as I expected (after reading this and many other sites)

. When your friends recall their bad experience w/braces they think of the most memorable (unpleasant) things. Good luck tomorrow. Take some ibuprofen

#9 Post by **Nanski** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 5:27 pm

Pixie

Good Luck!! You'll do just fine. When my spacers fell out it meant that there was enough space for the bands to go on and it wasn't so bad. If you survived the spacers the braces are a cake walk.

#10 Post by **kelly12300** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:38 am

Don't worry, braces aren't too bad. You're friends are probably making a big deal out of it when it probably wasn't as bad as they said. I think if you want to go with ceramics then you should

I advise taking some paracetamol before you to get your braces on. Good luck, it'll all be OK.

#11 Post by **Pixie** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 4:59 pm

Thanks again! I got them on today.

Um, they're okay.

I'm not too thrilled. But I don't think they're as bad as I thought they would be.

They don't hurt, but I'm sure tomorrow I'll be singing a different tune.

#12 Post by **lil princess** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 1:20 am

Hey! I'm 15 too! I got my braces on in Nov 2004, and it wasn't all dat bad! I've heard horror stories from my friends too! >< For me, it hurted at first, and my mouth felt sort of raw and scratched, but once u get used to it, you'll love your braces! Rite now, I'm really thankful for my braces, cuz I've seen MAJOR improvement in my teeth. I look foward to every ortho visit, because I know my teeth are just gonna get better! ^^;; I don't know if I am just weird or not, but all I'm trying to say is...braces are gonna give you dat million-dollar smile! =D So don't get freaked out with all those stories!

Don't worry, after u put on ur braces, it just gets better and better each time! ^^