Midlife Crisis w/ Braces

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#1 Post by **SouthernCharm** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:45 pm

Hello, everyone! I was delighted to find this site and learn that plenty of other adults are getting braced. This is my first time in braces. Unfortunately, I had a quack dentist as a child. Aside from an aversion to local anesthetic, he told my parents that the gap between my front teeth would close when my wisdom teeth erupted. Boy, did they! It closed and then some, giving me a severe overjet, crossbite, and crowding.

I lived with it, telling myself that it couldn't be TOO bad since my wisdom teeth all successfully erupted. That's good, right? Most people have impacted wisdom teeth which never erupt. However, I came to realize that I'm just not happy with my smile. Yes, my favorite sin is vanity...

So, I had my wisdom teeth yanked last December. It took some time for me to decide that I really needed braces even after some nudging from my dentist, and I was braced on July 9th. I've had these things for a week. My estimated treatment time is 24 months. I have mostly metal brackets, but I do have ceramics on my front six teeth. I still feel like I'm in junior high, though.

The upside is that people are mistaking me for someone far younger than I actually am.

At any rate, I'm looking forward to picking up great tips for dealing with the discomforts of braces and sharing results of the treatment. Moral support and all that jazz, right?

#2 Post by **MissDiana** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:13 am

Congratulations and welcome!

#3 Post by **rhonda30** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:57 am

Welcome to our select club. Not only are you creating a beautiful smile but being mistaken for younger is a good thing.

I hope your journey is a pleasant one and your teeth move faster than anticipated.

#4 Post by **cwatt1** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:27 pm

Welcome SC!

We're starting treatment at about the same time, so I'll be following your progress! My estimated time in 21 months. It will be interesting to see how close we both come to the estimates!

Anyway, hopefully you're feeling somewhat normal by this time.

I'm jealous about the age thing -- I'm 56, and unfortunately nobody's commented about my braces making me look any younger!

#5 Post by **SouthernCharm** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:02 pm

We're starting treatment at about the same time, so I'll be following your progress! My estimated time in 21 months. It will be interesting to see how close we both come to the estimates!

Anyway, hopefully you're feeling somewhat normal by this time.

Thanks! I'm feeling some of the soreness subside, but eating is still a PITA. I'm contemplating spending the next 2 years on a liquid diet. The fabulous Braces Diet(tm) - get beautiful teeth and lose 20 lbs. at the same time! It's not necessarily because it hurts but because it's irritating to have food everywhere. I imagine I must look like an animal who just pulled her head from the food trough.

(I know it's not that bad, but boy, does it make you feel self-conscious when eating.)

I'm jealous about the age thing -- I'm 56, and unfortunately nobody's commented about my braces making me look any younger!

Try going to a restaurant and ordering a glass of wine. I was carded this evening.

I gleefully handed the waiter my ID and grinned like an idiot!