braces at 37

[braceface74]

Hi Folks,

Don't really know what has taken me to take the plunge at 37 to get my teeth straightened but i took the bull by the horns and am getting tops done on monday then the bottoms a couple of weeks later! They are mildly overcrowded and therefore crooked.

My teeth have bothered me for a long time but i never really thought about having them straighted due to the number of fillings i have had in them since i was very young (never looked after them properly and too many fizzy drinks!). Always thought they were a state anyways and thought ppl would wonder why bother having teeth in their condition straightened. However since coming into my mid 20s i could count on one hand the number of treatments i have required so think they must be fairly strong and therefore worth the cost and embarassment of braces.

I'm not too worried about how they will look (damon clears on top and metals on bottom) and i'm not too worried about the pain/discomfort either! My main concern is that what if my teeth all fall out... a bit irrational i guess but i'd rather have crooked teeth than no teeth . I assume no one here has ever heard of teeth falling out because of being braced?

I thought about having them cosmetically straightened i.e veneers/crowns whatever but have decded to keep the good of what i have and if i'm not happy after they are straightened then see what else can be done. I'm not looking for a perfect hollywood smile but want good healthy looking teeth ( I so regret not looking after them when i was younger).

So, the treatment time is an estimated 18months... i'm looking forward to getting started and getting them straightened out!

Thanks for reading

[gramma2xander]

Hi braceface47, I have not heard of anyones teeth falling out from braces,but I thought it funny that you said that.Since being braced I have had so many dreams of my teeth either falling out or breaking off.Then I wake up and the first thing I do is check my teeth! Congrats on getting started.

[braceface74]

thanks gramma2xander, I haven't had any dreams about my teeth since i first seen about getting my teeth fixed.. before that though often had dreams about stuff being stuck to my back teeth.. stuff a bit like the impression moulding stuff!

Anyway, thanks for the reassuring reply x

[lau]

BF74: i had the same fear of one of my teeth (the one next to the left front tooth) that has a big filling of breaking. But the ortho keeps saying that it is good and nothing will happen to it, specially on the adjustments where they tighen it and put a lot of pressure on it - but the fear it is getting better with time. My hubby says its probably cuz I am obsessed with teeth and it is true, now I check everyones teeth out and criticize celebrities smiles on TV

[braceface74]

Hi Lau, yes it is a worry about them breaking but i'm assuming that the ortho knows what she is doing! She only pointed out one back tooth she was worried about breaking a bit off. She said if that happens it would need filled so i wasn't worried about that.

With being pregnant though, i hope she doesn't break any front teeth as i'm not sure what treatment i could have without anaesthesia!

I know what you mean about checking out everyone elses teeth. I always thought everyone else had straight teeth but since starting this journey i've noticed loads of ppl don't have the perfect teeth i always thought they had and that includes lots of celebrities too. Sometimes makes me wonder why i am bothering but it's not stopping me.

good luck in your journies too

[buttercreme]

You are worthy of a nice straight smile, irrespective of your age. I'm part of the 1974 club.... I got my braces in September and nevermind the vanity part of it, healthy teeth may possibly prevent other health ailments in the future. I don't know about you, but I've become very concerned with taking preventive measures as I'm getting older and better...and besides I have a mouth fetish, can't expect what I wasn't bringing to the table and that's a Million Dollar Smile...

[braceface74]

thanks buttercreme... this is part one of my yummy mummy makeover lol, i've not long now before b-day .