Introduction: Chris in Raleigh, NC

[becky1]

I have went with the colors and it seems to not really be that noticeable as from what I thought it would be. My kids even pick out colors for me to try. The plus thing about braces for me is one my teeth are looking good but also the weight lose has given me alot more confidence.

[raleighsmile]

You mentioned your metal bands...can you tell me what those look like? My dentist called my orthodontist and told him to put bands on a couple of teeth I had root canals on, so I'm wondering what they will look like.

Also, I know this may sound crazy, but the pictures you have posted, did you take those yourself or do they take them when you go to the orthodontist?

MsTiaLia-

My metal bands are just silver metal that go completely around a tooth. I saw the bands before they put them in and they just looked like wide metal bands of silver. The width is about the height of my tooth. When they went to put them on, they had different size bands and they kept sliding them on until they found the size they wanted to use. Once they found the size they wanted to use, they put some type of bonding material inside the band and then put it over my tooth. I have six of them. It is hard to photograph because they are on the back molars.

That is probably why you have spacers. I've heard that they only do spacers if they are going to use metal bands. That is because they needed to create space so that the bands will slide over your tooth. I do not have crowns, but I have heard that they sometimes use bands to protect the crown.

As for photos, I took them myself. I did "shop" around for orthodontist and one of the orthodontist offices I checked out did take several photos. I didn't go with that orthodontist though.

My biggest concern was that I am 26 yrs. old and didn't now what others would think. Hope everything goes well for you. How long is your expected treatment? And did you go with colored ligs?

Becky and MsTiaLia-

I would give anything if I had done this at 26. I really wish I had. I'm 36 now. I kept worrying about what people would think about me doing it now. Over Christmas, I went and visited my father and the first thing he said was, "Why at your age would you want to do something like braces?"

Overall though, the response has been fine. Most people haven't even noticed. The only thing I was worried about was dating. I had (note, HAD is the keyword here) a boyfriend when I started this whole process. We had been together a year, so I felt comfortable he would be OK with me getting braces. He says he didn't really notice them, but he did act a little strange after I got them. Then, we broke up right after Christmas. It was mutual and there were some issues we had been dealing with prior to me getting braces. But I can't help but wonder what part, if any braces had to do with our relationship going under.

I have kissed one other guy since then and he did not even notice I had braces until after I told him (and this was after we kissed)....so maybe there is life with braces after all. I really worried about being single and having braces on. I kept thinking.....does having braces now mean I'm going to be single for the next two years! Guys can be so hung up on looks and gay guys are even worse.

As for treatment time, my orthodontist is telling me two years. I have not tried colored ligs yet, but I am thinking about it. I have an appointment tomorrow and I may get colored ligs. I have ceramic brackets on the top and metal on the bottom. They used clear ligs this first time. That worked OK. They did start to turn a dingy color though. I think it was from eating a hamburger that had mustard on it. If you get clear, I would stay away from yellow mustard.

I'm really torn on what color ligs to get. Like I said earlier, most people have not even noticed I have braces on. Which could be an argument to stick with the clear ligs. However, I'm thinking about maybe having fun with this and getting a color. I will let everyone know tomorrow after my appointment. I'll probably take some more pictures and post.

MsTiaLia - Good luck with your braces going on Wednesday!

And Becky, let me know what colors you have tried. Which color did you like the best?

[altinure]

Hey, sorry to hear about the breakup with your boyfriend. I broke up with my boyfriend of two years a few weeks before Christmas. It was rough, but we remained friends.

i haven't had too much of an issue with guys not liking me due to braces. i still get some guys interested in me. i mainly feel self concious around gay guys my own age since most are really superficial and shallow. older men still seem to love me, haha. i don't know if that's a good thing.

[MsTiaLia]

Have you REALLY lost weight??? I have been wondering about that! I'm normally a huge fan of all things sweet, but even the spacers have curbed that. After all the effort it takes to chew real food, I'm too tired to waste more energy on junk food. I hope that lasts with the braces. Weight loss would definitely be an added benefit

[becky1]

The first time I went with teal all on top and bottom. And then the 2nd time I went with coral all top and bottom. Then now I went with light blue dark blue every other one. So far my fav would be the coral because of the pinkisk/orangish color. I say go for the gusto and make a fashion statement it can't hurt.....
And as far ad the weight thing I have lost 24 lbs since November 2. But I also stopped drinking pop and quit smoking and of course not eating the junk food I use to eat also helps.

[MsTiaLia]

I have been thinking about going with pink on top and red on the bottom. Pink is my favorite color and I think the combination will be cute for Valentine's Day!

WOW! 24 lbs??? Do you know what I would give to lose 24 lbs in two months??? I don't smoke and I don't drink sodas very often, but I think I eat enough sweets to more than make up for it I think I will weigh myself tomorrow morning before I go to the ortho and let you know what happens a few months from now...keep your fingers crossed!

[raleighsmile]

I had my first adjustment appointment today. And guess what?!? I didn't get to pick out a color after all for my lig elastics. They used metal wires instead!

As soon as I got there, the orthodontist said, "we are going to do something different today" and I thought...."oh, no....what am I in for."

He said that to make a couple of the rotations that need to happen, that we needed to use wire ties for the next couple of months. So, instead of elastics, they used metal wire on each of my brackets - top and bottom. It took them a while to do all of them. I had two wire ties the last time on the top, but now all of them are that way.

He also said that this was going to be much tighter than the last time, so I probably will feel something and maybe some slight discomfort for the next three days. I could feel a little bit of pain as they were being put on. It didn't hurt bad, but just felt "tight" - like someone holding or pulling at my teeth.

It has been a couple of hours now and I feel OK, but this time I have a squeezing type feeling to my teeth and jaw. I can live with it though. The assistant there today said I will probably notice a big change between now and my appointment in four weeks.

Other than that, everything was OK today. I will take pictures soon and post.

[becky1]

I know how you feel about the wire ties I have them on the bottom and then they also put the ligs on top of the wire ties to move things alot faster and believe me they do move. I hope everything goes well for you.....

[MsTiaLia]

The plus thing about braces for me is one my teeth are looking good but also the weight lose has given me alot more confidence.

Okay, so now I understand how people lose weight with braces. It is not that you can't eat whatever you want, but that food looks less appealing when you have to think about all the work you have to do 1) to actually get it to a state that you can consume it and 2)to clean your mouth when you're done! I even stayed in bed longer b/c I knew that when I got up I would have to brush my teeth! Then my stomach started growling and I realized that if I ate, that meant I would have to brush my teeth TWICE before I even left home!!! So I brushed the 1st time, ate applesauce for breakfast and rinsed well!!! Who needs Weight Watchers???