Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello everyone!!!

I'm a 26 year old female, and I have been wanting braces for a loooong time. Other people always tell me, "Your teeth are fine!" or "You have a beautiful smile!" but I do not feel that way when I look in the mirror or at myself in pictures. 1. I have an overbite 2. I have a crooked canine tooth on the top that sticks out, and I notice it in every picture...I hate it!!! 3. I have a crossbite on the left side 4. My bite is off center. 5. I have slight crowding of the lower front teeth. All of my top teeth are pretty straight (other than the 1 canine tooth, which drives me crazy) and I only smile showing those, which is probably the reason people don't notice the "other" problems in my mouth.

Anyway, I went for a consultation about 3 weeks ago. I was really excited going into the consultation. I was thinking, "Yes, I'm finally going to do it!" When I arrived, I sat in the chair and the orthodontist looked into my mouth and told me that my upper arch was really narrow, and that I would need a Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE) to widen it. She showed me this appliance, and the first thing I thought was, "That thing must be extremely uncomfortable!" She told me I would need to turn this little "key" thing once every day or two, and it would gradually widen my upper arch. OUCH! She told me once I stopped turning it, they could put the braces on, but I would still need to leave this appliance in for at least 6 months. Ughh!!! I left feeling discouraged, sad, nervous, and scared.

Well, since that consultation, I have thought about it A LOT, and have gone through a roller coaster of emotions. But, after much consideration I have decided to go through with it. YIKES! But, I have to say it's weird because now I'm actually excited and anxious to get started, where as, after that consulation I was quite discouraged. Anyway, I have opted to go for ceramic braces on the top and the bottom for aesthetic purposes.

I have an appointment on September 14th to get xrays, pictures, records, a model, and to have separaters put between my back teeth. I'm excited to get this whole process started, but nervous about any pain I'm going to experience. I just hope I can handle it!

Hey there!

Of course you can handle it

Once you have your spacers put in you'll feel like your treatment is really getting started!

Good luck and I hope you get on very well!

Anni

Hi! Congrats on deciding to take the plunge! I know exactly what you've been through when you say 'rollercoaster of emotions'. I'm 29 so have been waiting even longer than you (!), and I've put it off soo many times. I went for my x-rays & moulds about 10 days ago, and I see the orthodontist for the 'official' treatment plan on thursday this week Quite nervous about what she'll say, but so eager at the same time to get started. I think it's one of those things where you put it off for so long (for various reasons), and you reach a point where you psyche yourself up so much to go for it that you just have to do it, and you wish you hadn't done it sooner.

Keep us posted on the latest - it sounds like we might be in braces around the same time!

Thanks Flesh-was-sweet and Swiss1! I know I can handle it, I'm just a worrier sometimes and I hate pain! I always make things out to be worse hoping that when it actually comes time to experience it, it won't be as bad as I had anticipated

Swiss1 - Yes, that's exactly how it is!!! For so long I just contemplated it, but never had the courage to do it. I guess I always just hated the thought of having braces on and of what I would look like. But, after being told time and time again when I went to the dentist that I needed braces, and looking in pictures of myself just HATING that "snaggle" tooth (that upper canine) I think I just came to the decision to actually DO something about it. ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH!

I am doing this because I don't want to hate my smile for the rest of my life. I would rather hate my smile for 2 more years wearing braces, then for the rest of my life (until I lose my teeth of course ). When it's all over, I know I will be happy and it will all be worth it!

Thanks for your replies!

Boy can I relate to not wanting to hate my smile for the rest of my life! The funny thing is, now that the process has begun I don't mind it nearly as much. Occasionally, I actually LIKE looking at my teeth now; probably because I know that I am now doing something to fix the problem and I can see a little progress from time to time.

Good luck and welcome to the group!

Hey, gunter8888...thanks for your response! I see you have a Palatal Expander...how was your experience with that?

Another Virginian!!! Welcome!

Good for you and congrats on deciding to get braces. I'm about your age (25) and also always hated my smile. I think everyone here can relate to that, as well as the rollercoaster of emotions you go through to get started. Believe me when I say you CAN handle it, and the hype you have going on in your head in much worse than the reality! I've resigned myself to never liking my braces, but keeping my eye on the prize for the end result!

Make sure you take photos from the beginning so you can track your progress, it will prove to be very encouraging. Oh, and spacers are probably the worst part of braces, so don't let that get to you!

Good luck!

Hi Kisses14

I have an appointment on September 14th to get xrays, pictures, records, a model

I'm having the same things done on Sept 14 but not spacers.

Hope it all goes well for you.

Regards
Joney

Thanks everyone for your motivation and support! I'm really nervous about it all, but I guess we'll see what happens! I will update my progress after I see the ortho on Thursday! Thanks again!

Hi all...tomorrow I go for my xrays, impressions and probably spacers! I'm nervous about these spacers because of all the horror stories I've heard!

I might try to take some pictures of my teeth this weekend, so I can post them on here before I get my braces put on. Thanks for listening

I am currently 21 and my parents and I were told that I needed extractions and braces when I was 14 parents didn't have the money back then so now 7 years later I took the plung myself and am getting ortho treatment done by myself all is good I've had little to no pain or discomfort but I'm sure things will change on Oct 10th when I go for first adjustment and spacers to put on molar bands.

Well Goodluck with it all and looking forward to hearing your story!

SDFD TSchott
Code 4

xrays...check
impressions...check
pictures....check
spacers....check.

Well, the spacers are in. I have only had them in for 2 hours though...so no pain YET...plus I took 3 advil. We'll see how I feel tonight and tomorrow I guess. As far as being uncomfortable...I don't feel too bad either. It's just a little weird b/c I can feel them when I bite down. But, I can eat normal foods right now.

SDFD TSchott, I'm glad you haven't experienced much pain of discomfort yet. I guess everyone is different. So, you have braces on but they haven't put your spacers in yet? How does that work? I always thought you had to have spacers in first.

Hey, 3 advils is A LOT! Be careful!
Anyways good luck and post us some pics soon! We luv pics


Joanna

I don't have a digital camera so I'm going to have my boyfriend take pics this weekend...hopefully I can have them posted early next week My next appointment is on September 25th. They are supposed to measure my mouth for my Palatal Expander. This is supposed to take like 1.5 hours!!! I probably won't have braces on until November sometime I'm getting anxious and just wanna get these darn things on!

Hi, glad you've got the first step out of the way! Once the x-rays, moulds and pics are done, it feels like you've commited (or I felt that anyway). I can't believe it but I missed my 'follow-up appointment' to discuss the precise treatment plan and fix a date for extractions & b-day. I was soooo sure it was yesterday, but it was on tuesday this week.....darn it! I was all psyched up and looking forward so much to discussing the x-rays, but I now have to wait til Oct 11 for the appointment as nothing was free sooner. I feel just like you...just want to get started. The longer I wait, the more I'm afraid I'll chicken out!

Keep us updated!