27 and braced again, and they are off!!!!!
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:18 pm
Hi everyone,
I have been reading this message boards for a few months now ever since I started on my orthodontic journey and seen as today was B-day I felt it was time I posted. But first I have to say that this site is amazing the information and support really does help.
When I was 14 i had oral surgery to expose an eye tooth that was growing the wrong way and I had metal upper braces to bring the tooth down and correct a slight over bite. Everything went well and I had the perfect set of teeth, but as the years have gone on the teeth have all shifted around (I was never told that I had to wear the retainer for life) and I noticed mild crowding on the top and bottom of my teeth. So my dentist referred me to the orthodontist and I had my consultation and investigation.
He told me that the problems I have would prob get worse as the years went on (mild crowding on the upper and lower arch resulting in their malalignment and an incorrect bite. Some protrusion of the upper front teeth and an open bit associated with a forward tongue thrust) and when he said that I knew deep down that it had to be sorted. If I had gone on with my life not knowing this I prob would never have thought twice about it all, but when my ortho showed me all my xrays and stuff it made me realise how extensive the probs could get. And I dont want to get to my 30s and 40s and my bite and crowding has got worse and wished that I had taken just 18 months+ out of my life to get it corrected.
Last Tuesday I had my spacers put in and that was not a very nice experience, I was all for giving up, I think the worse thing was not being able to eat anything solid, and I am not afraid to say that it got me really down. I questioned what the hell I was letting myself in for. I think what made it worse was I was thinking what are people going to say about me having braces at 25. I mean I am not the most confident person in the world and I wasn't sure if I was strong enough to do this. Which then made me feel guilty as it is not like I am sick, I am choosing to do this for myself and the health of my teeth, and there are a lot worse things in life and i need to put that in perspective (though that is sometimes easier said that done!).
This site has been amazing as there is so much support here, people i know try to say nice things but if they have never been through it they can't really comment. Plus as my teeth are that noticable and from the outside they look fine and people dont really understand why i am putting myself through it all.
Anyway today I had my spacers removed - and ceramic upper and lowers put on. at first I was terrified that my top lip was sticking out (then again people pay thousands for collegan implants, I can just say that i have had that done!). but when i look in the mirror it isn;t that bad. Even when I speak they aren't that noticable either, though i do feel that i have a slight lisp, but i am sure i can over come that!
At the mo I am just worried about staining my ligs and am a bit wary of what I am eating etc, i think i am going to find the slight changes in my diet the hardest, i am sooooo gonna miss mcdonalds bbq sauce.
As you can see I am just a bit of a drama queen and I got myself into such a state over all of this (there have been tears at many inapproriate moments) but when reality hits it made me realise that it isn;t as bad as I first thought - though me being a pessimist means that i always think the worse in any situation!
Sorry for rambling, but I just had to get it all out, i think my mates and family are fed up of me going on about it all the time!
Lau xx
I have been reading this message boards for a few months now ever since I started on my orthodontic journey and seen as today was B-day I felt it was time I posted. But first I have to say that this site is amazing the information and support really does help.
When I was 14 i had oral surgery to expose an eye tooth that was growing the wrong way and I had metal upper braces to bring the tooth down and correct a slight over bite. Everything went well and I had the perfect set of teeth, but as the years have gone on the teeth have all shifted around (I was never told that I had to wear the retainer for life) and I noticed mild crowding on the top and bottom of my teeth. So my dentist referred me to the orthodontist and I had my consultation and investigation.
He told me that the problems I have would prob get worse as the years went on (mild crowding on the upper and lower arch resulting in their malalignment and an incorrect bite. Some protrusion of the upper front teeth and an open bit associated with a forward tongue thrust) and when he said that I knew deep down that it had to be sorted. If I had gone on with my life not knowing this I prob would never have thought twice about it all, but when my ortho showed me all my xrays and stuff it made me realise how extensive the probs could get. And I dont want to get to my 30s and 40s and my bite and crowding has got worse and wished that I had taken just 18 months+ out of my life to get it corrected.
Last Tuesday I had my spacers put in and that was not a very nice experience, I was all for giving up, I think the worse thing was not being able to eat anything solid, and I am not afraid to say that it got me really down. I questioned what the hell I was letting myself in for. I think what made it worse was I was thinking what are people going to say about me having braces at 25. I mean I am not the most confident person in the world and I wasn't sure if I was strong enough to do this. Which then made me feel guilty as it is not like I am sick, I am choosing to do this for myself and the health of my teeth, and there are a lot worse things in life and i need to put that in perspective (though that is sometimes easier said that done!).
This site has been amazing as there is so much support here, people i know try to say nice things but if they have never been through it they can't really comment. Plus as my teeth are that noticable and from the outside they look fine and people dont really understand why i am putting myself through it all.
Anyway today I had my spacers removed - and ceramic upper and lowers put on. at first I was terrified that my top lip was sticking out (then again people pay thousands for collegan implants, I can just say that i have had that done!). but when i look in the mirror it isn;t that bad. Even when I speak they aren't that noticable either, though i do feel that i have a slight lisp, but i am sure i can over come that!
At the mo I am just worried about staining my ligs and am a bit wary of what I am eating etc, i think i am going to find the slight changes in my diet the hardest, i am sooooo gonna miss mcdonalds bbq sauce.
As you can see I am just a bit of a drama queen and I got myself into such a state over all of this (there have been tears at many inapproriate moments) but when reality hits it made me realise that it isn;t as bad as I first thought - though me being a pessimist means that i always think the worse in any situation!
Sorry for rambling, but I just had to get it all out, i think my mates and family are fed up of me going on about it all the time!
Lau xx