Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi everyone

I thought I would take the plunge and start my own braces story after reading and being inspired by all your tales!

I finally got braced on 11.9.2009 - four days ago. I'm 36 years old, live in the UK and it's taken me 20 years to get to this point. As a teenager I saw an ortho who told me my only course of treatment would involve major jaw surgery, headgear and three years of braces. Of course, at the time I said ' you've got to be kidding' - as did my parents! No way were they going to put me through all that. The upshot was, however, that I've spent the entirety of my adult life loathing my teeth, feeling horribly self-conscious and dreaming of a mouth that no-one ever comments on. I also developed a phobia of the dentist, visiting only once between the ages of 18 and...ummm... well, 3 months ago Luckily, I have basically healthy teeth, even if they're in all the wrong places (and boy, did they need a good scrape!)

The turning point for me was when one of the mums at my son's school got braces. She is just a couple of years younger than me, and had - like me - dreamed for years of having straight teeth. She encouraged me to see first her dentist and then her ortho, telling me that I didn't have to commit to anything, to just see what they could do for me and take it one step at a time. So, on 22.6.2009 I visited the dentist for the first time in, literally, decades. He referred me to my friend's ortho - I saw him on 7.8.2009 and on 11.9.2009, I got braced

My problems were as follows:
massive overbite/overjet? of 10mm (normal being 2-4mm) which technically would need surgery to correct. However, my ortho is very positive that he can get a great result without needing surgery, contrary to what I was told 20 years ago - things have moved on a little since then, I guess! I trust my ortho implicitly and am thrilled that he is so positive about the results we'll achieve without resorting to surgery.

I also have big crowding problems on my lower teeth, my right canine has never come down properly and I have overcrowding on the top. Basically, they're a mess, as you'll see from the photos!

I've not needed any extractions so far, but there is a possibility that I may need some later. We are waiting for the first adjustment to see how things go. I don't want extractions, obviously! - but I also feel that now I've taken the plunge I'm just going to get with the program and do whatever it takes to improve my smile!

I don't need perfection - I just want teeth that don't provoke comment! I ahve lived my whole life with teasing about my teeth, and I just feel so proud of myself that I've finally sone something about it. We reckon I will be braced for minimum 18 months, and probably more like 2 years. I think it's going to be worth every minute!


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I apologise for the colour of my teeth here - they do look whiter IRL, honest!

bottom arch

top arch

my two right canines, totally out of place!

horrible full-frontal - note overbite



Looking at these, I can't believe I have walked around with teeth like this for so many years...

Congratulations on being braces. I live in Scotland and my braces are the same as yours. I'm 24 and as a school teacher I was very nervous about getting braces on. I'm on the supply list this year so I decided it would be easier to get braces this year than it would be if I had a permenant job and had to go to parents evenings, etc. Now that I have been braced for 5 weeks i'm starting to wonder what I was worried about. Most people either haven't noticed of have been too polite to mention them. I hope your happy with your decision- I have already seen movement. First adjustment on Wednesday!

Thank you! I'm really happy with them - surprisngly! I think it's partly because I feel proud of myself for finally taking action about something that's bugged me for so many years - and overcoming my fear of dentists too!

And you know, you're right - I spent ten minutes today talking to a friend who didn't even notice them! She asked me why I'd posted something on Facebook on Friday about loving codeine and she couldn't understand why - until I gave her a big grin and she was amazed - she hadn't noticed until that point...

(God, I can't stop looking those pictures though. My midline is so off, it's just horrible...)

Good luck with your braces, by the way. I can't wait to see movement in mine. I work as a midwife so I have lots of face-to-face contact with people but I'm just going to grin and get on with it!

I think thats half of it, just grinning and getting on with it. I found at first that I tried to keep my top lip over my teeth when I spoke (I only have upper braces) but it actually draws more attention to my mouth!

Hi

I've just read your blog and wanted to say you've given me inspiration! I'm in the UK too and thought I was going to be the only adult wearing braces...but having found the archwired website have found there are many 'others' out there...and in the UK too! I will have my braces fitted on 1st October 2009 - there are so many people I haven't told as I'm not very thick skinned. The last person I told was a guy I work with who said 'braces? - at your age?!' I guess like with everyone its a very personal choice and we all know why we're doing it and probably all wonder why we didn't do it sooner!

Hope you continue your blog.

Congratulation radiolarian, you have definitely made the right decision. I was braced last month can’t believe I didn’t take the plunge earlier.

Back in primary school I was told that my only option was surgery, however two decades later it seems as if braces will work after all.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks asabea and yorky - will definitely keep you posted!

I'm sitting here tonight with a plate of cheesy mashed potato and a cup of tea - still can't chew too well, though it's better than it was yesterday. Still, at least it stops me snacking during the day! My teeth feel pretty wobbly today, which is weird but rather encouraging, as I hope that means they're starting to move. Don't expect I'll see any difference for a good while yet though...

I can't really believe that my teeth will ever be any different; even though I've spent ages today looking though people's blogs and marvelling at the changes, I can't help worrying that I will be the exception to the rule and they won't move a millimetre! I can't see how on earth there is even room for the tiniest of movements in my overcrowded mouth, but I guess we'll see.

Back to work tomorrow - I do a lot of talking in my job so it'll be interesting to see how it goes - I still feel a bit lispy! Wonder if anyone will notice?

Congratulations on being one of the brave ones to have braces as an adult! I was also told I would need surgery originally, but my ortho did agree that he could make enough of a change with braces alone that I could opt out. I know right now you are looking at those photos and cringing, but I'll bet within about three to six months you'll start to see that archwire straighten out. You'll be amazed! Good luck!