Braces at 33? Newbie needing advice/opinions!

[bibliogirl]

Hello, everyone. I just discovered this message board and wanted to join because getting braces is something I've always thought about doing. I'm a 33 year old teacher and part-time mature student, living with my boyfriend who is also going back to school at the age of 37. Since we're both at a crossroads in our lives, obviously cash flow is the main barrier right now to getting braces. Still, I am thinking about it for the future.

My teeth have a lot of crowding on top (the two on either side of my upper front teeth jut out from my gums and are rotated inwards). I am also congenitally missing two teeth on my lowers. My oh-so-tactful dentist once told me, "A lot of people whose teeth are much better than yours get braces." Since my parents could never afford to get me braces when I was in high school, I basically learned to accept my teeth...despite the self-consciousness I still feel when I go to a job interview or meet new people for the first time. Some of my friends have actually told me that they think my teeth are "cute" and a cool part of my smile, I shouldn't change a thing.

I have always looked young for my age, possibly because I'm short. A lot of people envy this and see it as a good thing, but I am worried that with braces I'll be mistaken for a teenager, and as an adult educator, this could be a big disadvantage in not being taken seriously. The cost is a lot to bear, around $8000 according to the estimate I got from an orthodontist. Another issue - going to the dentist and having molds of my teeth scares the hell out of me because of my gag reflex (I have a terrible fear of vomiting).

I guess I sound pretty neurotic (lol) but I'm actually a pretty well-balanced person.

Just wondering if anyone has any insight or wisdom to offer on this.

[ladyksilver]

Bibliogirl,

We're the same age and we have the same fear (vomiting)! I too was scared of the molds process, but am happy to report that I got through it without gagging at all! It was painless and very short! I was even able to choose a flavor (cherry) to put in the mold mix. One of the tricks I learned and read here on this site is to breath through your nose while the molds are in your mouth. Also make sure to open your mouth real big and wide. After I had my molds done and my ortho looked in my mouth he asked for another set of molds to be done on my bottom teeth, I was like WHATTT lol! But again, it was just fine! My main orthodontic issue is crowding also, but on my bottom teeth. I will be getting braces May 8 after an extraction on April 26! While I'm not looking forward to that I know it will all be worth it when I acheive a confident smile ! BTW, I'm short and I'm often mistaken for a teenager. My 16-year old daughter hates that people think we're sisters!

Good luck on your brace journey!

[kookoo80]

Hi,

I'm a similar age and had my first consultation today-discussing Invisalign, Inman and 6 month smile. I've kinda ruled out Invisalign as a lot of people on here have had decay because of it, I've also ruled out Inman because it can effect your speech a lot and I think I'd cheat and not wear my appliance to work- I work in an Emergency department and need to be understood! So I'm going to go with 6 month smile which is shorter and cheaper. The dentist advised this as I have some overcrowing, but the main problem is twisting of 4 teeht-apparently a fixed appliance is best for this! Still scary though!! I really don't want fixed appliances as an adult, but at the same time-I just want tp get the job done! I had braces as a teenager and I don't remember the moulding part-so I guess it can't be too bad! Good luck everyone! Can't wait to ear everyone's progress!

[stepher7]

It sounds to me like it's something that you've thought about for a long time, which probably means you'd be a lot happier and more confident with your smile if you got the braces. I understand the money issue...I work part-time and I was also concerned about the financial aspect. I'm not sure where you live, that could make a difference in how you pay, but I live in Ontario and my orthodontist has me set up on a payment plan. Your orthodontist would probably be able to set something up for you so that you could pay what you can afford in monthly istallments. I think that having a beautiful, healthy smile for the rest of your life will probably be worth it in the long run!

[noveldevice]

I'm 35 and started the consult process about two months before my 35th birthday. My braces went on in December, and I haven't had any problems with people taking me less seriously (I teach college).

I had always been incredibly self-conscious of my teeth--crowded, terrible overbite, etc. I should have had braces as a teen (probably with a palate expander) but my parents are pieces of crap. I didn't see a dentist after my adult teeth came in because they didn't want to be on record as having refused an orthodontic consult. My mother told me that braces cost 40,000 so I wouldn't ask to see an orthodontist.

I went in and did the consult, had three teeth extracted (but they let me keep all my wisdom teeth!), and had brackets etc put on starting December 9th. The process went in stages until early January, because my molars were super crowded and it took two rounds of spacers to make enough room for molar bands. I had a few moments of cold feet right before they did my bonded brackets, mostly because that first day was when I had to give them the cheque (I'm a student, and my orthodontia cost about $9500), but as I'd already had perfectly healthy teeth pulled for it I figured I kind of had to go forward.

Best thing I've ever done. Seriously. I've had them on for four months now and my smile is unrecognizable. In a good way. I have always been very confident in my personal interactions and very comfortable speaking in front of large groups (well, you teach, so you know what I mean--I do particularly well in huge lecture courses), but the changes that have happened in my teeth just over the last six weeks have given me a lot of confidence. I smile a LOT more now, and you have no idea how good that feels! To be honest, most people aren't going to respond to you any differently once your teeth are fixed, I think--I know people who are obsessed with other people's teeth, but I think that's usually their problem, not mine. However, people will seem to respond differently because you will feel different about this thing that you've always been self-conscious about, so you'll be happier and smile a lot more and stuff.

Fair warning: the expense isn't actually the worst part--braces are freaking PAINFUL. I haven't been able to eat properly since they went on, and if my cable had a pr0n channel of people biting into sandwiches I would watch it 24/7, no lie.

But I can promise you that you will never, ever, ever regret it if you do it.