Metal Mouth Message Board

This website has been wonderful for me over the last month. I was braced 12/28/11 at 41 years old. I have wanted to close the gap between my front teeth since I was a teenager but have been told so many times that I would need teeth pulled. I am very lucky in that I have never had a cavity or any issues with my teeth so having teeth pulled was not something I wanted to do, I would just live with my gap. When I went to the dentist in Nov 2011, I had a different dentist then normal and when I mentioned to him that I would love to close the gap but did not want to have anything pulled...well - he was about to change my world by informing me that more than likely I would NOT need any teeth pulled......so that began the braces journey. I have my first adjustment coming up this coming Tuesday and am looking forward to getting colored ligs (thanks to this site for giving the boost to try it). I am still very self conscious about peoeple noticing my braces - I only have ceramic on top for now but will be getting bottom braced sometime in the next few months. I am excited but scared all rolled in to one. This is something that my daughter will need to also do in the future (she has a gap also, possibly genetic) and I need to be an example to her so she will be more comfortable when the time comes for her to be braced (if she wants to). I am not very good yet with all the verbage or what I have exactly or need to do - but I am learning with every step and this site is aiding in my learning. So - welcome to my journey that will be ongoing for the next 2 years. Have a great day everyone!!

well done on taking this step. i am also new to braces. had my lowers (radiance ceramics) fitted 3 weeks ago. my uppers to be fitted sometime in march. i will have the radiance ceramics on both arches. at 32 years old, this was a major step for me. my aim is to straighten and close gaps. yes, i have multiple gaps. ideally i would have liked to keep a small gap between my 2 front teeth as it is a part of me and also genetic however, the ortho hinted that he will be fitting permanent retainers at the end of my treatment so leaving a small gap between my front teeth would not be a good idea as the retainer would be visible between the gap.

looking forward to hearing more about your experience. we can be brace buddies

Congratulations to both of you for taking this step! I am 53 years old - and after lots of deliberation - I just recently got braces on Jan 18, 2012. I have all metal - upper and lower - to correct an overjet and lower crowding. Even though I have always wanted my teeth straightened - I, too, found it to be a hard decision and major step to take! The last 10 days have proved to be more than I bargained for but very exciting also!

I am looking forward to hearing about your journey's over the next couple of years

This may sound awful - but its nice to have others in the same boat as me. I will also need permanent retainers on both top and lowers - I am actually excited to get the lowers now. I am amazed at the amount of movement or how my teeth are not in the same spots anymore. Its a very odd feeling. Do you have an overbite? How does that work with the lower braces - that is the part of the next steps that scares me - hitting the upper teeth on the lower braces in the front.

It is nice to know that you are not alone in this journey - and to know that others can relate to what you are going through. Before I found this board I thought that I was the only one my age that ever got braces. I was so amazed that there were so many "adults" on here.
I had all my brackets (upper and lower) but on Jan 18th but only a wire on top. Then on Jan 23rd I went in and had a lower front incisor extracted and two hours later had my bottom wire put in.

I do not have an overbite - where the top teeth come down to far over the lower teeth - I have a 5mm overjet - my top teeth stick out to far from my lower teeth/jaw. I have lots of crowding on the lower - hence the extraction. Once my teeth are all in place - I will have some interdental reduction (tooth stripping) on the uppers so that they can be brought in a little bit (2-3 mm).

Isn't it crazy how fast there are little changes in your mouth - and how such a small change is noticeable. I swear my teeth have moved just in the 10 days. I can already get floss between some teeth where it was impossible before. I am not sure how it works with the lower braces and an overbite. From what I have read - I think sometimes they put little "bumpers" on your back molars to keep the top teeth from biting down on the lower brackets. I am sure this is different for everyone based on their situation.

tfischer wrote:This may sound awful - but its nice to have others in the same boat as me. I will also need permanent retainers on both top and lowers - I am actually excited to get the lowers now. I am amazed at the amount of movement or how my teeth are not in the same spots anymore. Its a very odd feeling. Do you have an overbite? How does that work with the lower braces - that is the part of the next steps that scares me - hitting the upper teeth on the lower braces in the front.

i have an overjet.