Braces at 39 !!

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#1 Post by **tamsteve** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:34 pm

hello, everyone, I would like to share my experience with my teeth. I was scared of the dentist when i was younger...alot of picking about how big the needle was and stuff..lol. I went as a teenager but, after i was on my own i pretty much stopped. When i was about 20 i went to the cheapest dentist i could find to get my wisdom teeth pulled...all four!! That wasn't a very good experience i almost passed out and it hurt really bad. Well, he wasn't a very good dentist, i guess you get what you pay for. All was good until i had another toothache this time i went to my sister's dentist and he is such an amazing dentist!! He has done so much work on my teeth since then. I have had 5 root canals done, i had a bottom tooth removed, i have 6 crowns. He also did alot of free work for me. So, he told me about a year ago i needed braces but, just think about it....well, it was never really mentioned again until this last dentist visit...i went for a regular cleaning and my bottom teeth are pretty crowded and he told me i really should look into braces because if i didn't do something i would pay alot of money eventually because these bottom teeth are hard to clean, not only for me but, the dentist. So, i said why not it's a free consultation anyways..so, i made my appointment and went and the ortho talked to me about braces....he said i would need top and bottom and i got the price we were looking at to get them. It was 4000.00 but, my insurance did cover some so, that was good. I talked it over with my husband and he told me to do it. My kids, which are 14 & 15 were like that's for young people not you!! Ha...so I made the appointment to get the xrays, mold of my teeth and the pictures...i had two spacers put in and had to wait 3 wks until the braces. I got the braces Thursday!! Just the top in right now. boy what a weird feeling!! I have alot of sensitivity in my front teeth for some reason. I have been eating alot of soft foods. Last night i actually ate some grilled chicken and baked potatoe!! It took me forever to eat cause everything has to be pretty tiny for me to chew..i have two canker sores also. But, i've had the worse luck at flossing!! i think i finally got it though. i also use a waterpik to so, this gets alot of food out!! I was surprised that i only got my top braces i thought he was gonna do it all that day but, he said he has to get the top to move a little first. So, i get the bottom in 6 weeks. I have before pictures i will post on here, i need to take some pics of my braces so, i can tell if anything has moved. It's not so bad. I just can't bite down on things yet. when i came home from the ortho my son said you look like a teenager!!! i still feel funny when i go to the store like people are looking at me thinking..why get braces my age. I love this website it's so awesome and it helps me out so much!! I will post my before pics and my braces pics......

#2 Post by **tamsteve** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:03 pm

Hello how do u add pictures to the reply's? thanks[/url]

Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:38 am

Congrat!!! On beginning your journey.

I am also fairly new to the whole braced thing. Iam 33 (well 34 soon) I still feel weird when we go out and people notice my braces. Its the older people that seem to notice. But then again they maybe thinking its not to late. The younger/teens seem to think its cool.

I look forward to following your story.

Best Wishes,
1st time Braced at 33

#4 Post by **tamsteve** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:40 am

KK wrote:Great to read your story Tamsteve!

Read the How To forum for information about things like posting photos. Here's the link to the photo thread ...
viewtopic.php?t=11741
If you follow those instructions it should work out well, if you have any problems, please ask!

Great that you've got such a positive attitude and are looking forward to the advantages of getting your teeth fixed. My kids are 22 and 24 and very supportive of my decision, as is my husband. My daughter had braces while she was at high school and shared quite a few 'funny' stories with me about her experiences. Things I never knew about before ... so I think this experience has brought us even closer!

Good luck with your discomfort disappearing and this journey being a smooth one!

When you put a picture through image, do you pick upload file or http? and when it uploads how do u get it on here? thanks

#5 Post by **tamsteve** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:02 pm

this is a picture of my front teeth before the braces. He had to shave the two front teeth because they were to long he says, they are not filed down in this picture. He also said my front teeth are tilted forward,,,,,never would have known that without xrays. i haven't got my bottom braces on yet...six more weeks for that!!

#6 Post by **tamsteve** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:12 pm

my bottom teeth are really crowded!! I am anxious to see the change in them. six more weeks until the bottom!!! i will be posting pictures of my braces on top.

#7 Post by **tamsteve** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:38 pm

#8 Post by **tamsteve** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:43 pm

okay i pressed submit so, my picture is above this message..lol i'm learning...this picture is not the best the lighting is yellow...no i don't have yellow teeth i promise..LOL

If you look at the before braces picture can you tell any changes? it's only been a week so, i'm not expecting to much but, i do see a change in my two front teeth...it may be cause he shaved them down too..but, let me know if you can tell anything...wishful thinking

and i don't know if you can tell in this pic but, i have turquise tabs on some teeth, i have silver rubberbands, so, i was wondering if anyone had these too? my hubby said they are probually so the ortho can tell which ones need to move the most? I don't know...i guess i should have looked better but, you know the shock of seeing metal in your mouth the first time!! thanks

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Braces at 39 !!

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