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whoo-hoo I am finally getting braces at 36!!!

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:50 pm
by juliejewels
I am so encouraged by this site! I am finally able to afford braces at the age of 36 and couldn't be more excited. I set the date with my ortho today- Jan 3rd. ( sooner if I can get an appt with my general dentist). Thanks to everyone who wrote and posted things to help me in my decision.

I was hoping for invisaline, but my doc said that he could only guarantee a B+ upon completion. With ceramic on top and metal on bottom, he said he could guarantee me an A+ , so the choice was easy. (Can you tell by his analogies he deals with kids all day?)

I have been browsing the bracket board and looking at the colors, my biggest issue is having something that will allow me to drink my Starbucks each morning. I cannot imagine swearing off that stuff for my whole treatment time.

I am really encouraged to see so many with ceramic on top and metal on bottom. I really wish I could do ceramic on both, but I am up for whatever the doc says.

After braces I will be getting my old silver fillings replaced. Wow- this is so exciting. Nice teeth after all these years. My boyfriend had braces in 2000- I did not know him then, but thankfully he will be sympathetic and still think I am beautiful.

I look forward to visiting this board often...

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:23 am
by browneyedgrl
Hi Julie,

Welcome!!! I love your attitude, I'm in a similiar boat as your being a 30 something closer to 40, but going in for my second round of braces.

I'm a Dunkin Donuts coffer drinker and a Starbucks passion tea drinker so I'm worried about lig staining as well. I don't think that I'll be daring with color since I meet with customers all day long, I want to try and be discret as possible. Who knows, maybe my attitude will change... I'm doing ceramics on top, and metal on the bottom, my ortho doesn't use ceramics on the bottom, so it wasn't an option.

Good luck with your b-day and pain free journey!

Me too!

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:35 pm
by KateinCO
Hi Julie --

I am also a 36 year old woman, getting braces for the first time. Been checking out all the postings to try and maintain my courage, so it is great to see someone else taking the plunge! I had a retainer as a kid, but as I have aged, my bite and crowding issues have gotten worse. Most people cannot understand why I am getting braces since cosmetically, these issues are not that noticeable, but in the long run, I think it will be good for my dental health ... maybe I can keep my teeth a little longer! :o

Just got my braces on a couple days ago ... at first, I was terrified and wondered what the heck I was thinking! Now, I can already (!) feel my teeth shifting a bit ... some places are almost impossible to floss because the contacts have gotten so tight. So I keep focusing on what I am doing for my health, and that helps alleviate the doubts.

Best of luck, and keep that chin up!! The nice smile and healthier mouth are at the end of the road!

Cheers,
Kate

Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 1:48 am
by LateStarter
Hi Julie,

It's great to see you so enthusiastic! I'm really looking forward to getting my braces as well.

I was initially going to get clear brackets on my upper teeth, but I think I've decided to go all metal instead. I may regret that decision, but for me I think it's the right one.

All the best with your treatment, and I look forward to reading about your progress!

LS

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:43 am
by NiceSmile
Hi Julie

I'm in a similar situation as you. 36 just got clear on top yesterday and will get metal in 6 mos. I also had a silver filling replaced about 3 weeks ago.

Good luck with your adventure :)

Starbucks - Use a straw

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:45 am
by Chloe1
Hey ladies!!! I don't have ligs but I have ceramics on top. My ortho's office told me coffee, soda, and red wine could stain them but they said to use a straw. I've steered clear of the red wine (too risky) but I drink coffee and soda every day and I've used a straw probably 95% of the time. No staining problem after 2 1/2 months. Figure any issues can be taken care of when I have my teeth cleaned in March.

Hopefully using a straw will help your ligs not stain?????

Good luck!!!

Ah-ha!

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:37 pm
by KateinCO
Now I know why I got metal brackets! So I can drink red wine! Drinking red wine through a straw would not really be an option for me (although, having said that, I have purchased those single serving bottles of champagne, and they actually come with a straw, so maybe I need to get over my paradigm about wine drinking!!!).

I raise my straw to the fab 36 year olds! :D

Good luck, ladies!!
Kate

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:04 pm
by Miss Smiley
I have had clear brackets with clear ligs and yet no staining from drinking red wine. Eating tons of red pasta sauces, pizza, curries, mustard, and red spices has turned my ligs a lovely shade of orange or dingy yellow. I drink most of my drinks through a straw except my occaissional tea or mocha. I've noticed that most of the staining comes from the colorful foods I love so dearly!

Congrats Julie!

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:16 pm
by mary.
I'm excited for you. I'm just a couple of years ahead of you, but I feel the same way about my braces - I'm so happy to have them. They've been on for two months now, and all is going just great. I've seen alot of changes already.

I have ceramic on top and will be getting metal on the bottom. My ortho told me that the metal is better on the bottom, I think he said something about the ceramic being a little too much for the bottom and can actually break the teeth. Maybe it's just my case that works out that way. My orthodentist is just excellent so I just went with what he suggested having complete confidence in him.

I haven't noticed any staining yet. I drink several coffee each day and occasional wine : ) I do however have wire instead of elastic and they told me that they don't stain.

Enjoy the process. Take a day or so to get used to them initially, then start enjoying them. You'll be used to them before you know it!

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:00 pm
by BracedUpG8rGrrl
Hi Julie,

I'm new here too. I've had my braces for about 3 months, I'm <gulp> 2 weeks away from turning 41. Like you, I have a daily Starbucks habit (believe me, Central Florida does NOT want me on their roadways without that damn cup in my hand, LOL).

I started out with the tooth colored ligs, and even with fastdious brushing, I found that they looked dingy after about 3-4 weeks. When I went for my first adjustment, my ortho's asst showed me how she had hers so that they looked as invisible as possible: they were all tied down with wire and then had the clear ligs over the wire. It looked good, so I tried that.

So far it looks a little better than the tooth colored ligs, but again I'm starting to notice that dingy look. A few folks have recommended having silver or smoke colored ligs to hide the staining, so I am going to try that at next week's appt for my 2nd adjustment.

At first, I was worried that no one would take me seriously at work with braces on, and it would be even worse if I had colored ligs. Now that everyone is used to seeing me with braces, I may have a little fun with colors during March Madness! :D

Anyway, welcome! It has been said that the 30's and 40's are some of the best years of a woman's life and we are all making our best years even prettier!

Christy

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:05 am
by FITeach
I'm 32 and WAS SO EXCITEd to get my braces too!
I guess at this age we've suffered long enough with
a "not-so-perfect" smile. I'm so happy for ya'!