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Spacers are a PAIN!

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:40 am
by Mr. Brace Face
Howdy everyone!!!

My name is Lawrence and I must say that I love, love, love this website and not because I'm addicted to braces or have a fetish for them - even though some people do look really good in them, but that's besides the point. I love the fact that there is a place for adults to commune about their experiences about getting braces and the process they go through.

I'm 28 years old and have some crooked bottom teeth along with a Class II overbite and as of yesterday decided to take the plunge and get braces! I had my consultation appointment yesterday and due to a busy schedule decided right there and then to go with it - so they did my "records" on the same day as my consult. When I decide to do something I waste no time :D

I must say, this feeling of meat being caught between my teeth (and not just tiny pieces) I'm talkin like HUGE CHUNKS, is driving me UP the wall. I got them in yesterday and next Tuesday I will have my top set of classic chrome braces installed. I know for a fact that when they remove these spacers I'm gonna tell the Doc to hold up for at least one minute while I enjoy that feeling before I'm HOT WIRED!

I only pray that what everyone has told me is correct - and that the worst part is the spacers!


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!!UPDATE!!

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:53 am
by Mr. Brace Face
Thanks for the words of encouragement - I truly appreciate it!

As far as the length of treatment - we are looking at 18 months (if I don't deviate from the plan and wear my "rubbers" like I'm supposed to).

The total cost including everything plus two years after - came to about $5800 - OUCH and my insurance company does not pay after age 19. Let me tell you how pissed I was about that, but there is ALWAYS a golden cloud when you look close enough! My partner at one time put me on his insurance and never took me off and come to find out they cover $1500 of it and ON TOP I get an additional $1500 off because of the type of insurance it is. So we are only looking at $2800 out of pocket expense to paid over the 18 months.

The spacers are becoming tolerable, but I swear last night I almost gave up and pulled one of them out!

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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 9:00 am
by joey
hi ya good luck with your journey ive just hit my 6 month target 12 months to go for me whooppeee! honest it gets better try and put up with spacers i pulled one of mine off too early and ive got to go back and have one on again which is delaying my bottom braces going on by 2 weeks but hey 2 weeks less in braces would have been better! so try hard and keep them in also when my ortho found out that id pulled one out she wasnt best pleased and i got told off felt about 10 so stick with it :D

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 11:35 am
by Mr. Brace Face
Yeah - I don't think I will be pulling mine out. I've only got 5 days left of these spacers and then the metal brackets go in. If I can't put up with spacers for a measly 7 days - how on earth would I be able to put up with braces for 18 months!?!

I tried eating a peanut M&M last night at work and almost fell to the floor in the tears! I never felt so much pain in my life. Even when I had my wisdom teeth taken out it never hurt this bad, but I ate the WHOLE BAG like a trooper - not sure when I'll be able to enjoy M&M's again!

I'm trying to look at this experience as BENEFICIAL. Not just to my smile, but also to my over all dental health. When I was a kid I never brushed my teeth on a regular basis (as most kids don't) and then 6 cavities later I finally wised up, yet still consumed enough sugar to put a diabetic into a coma 100x over! :wink:

So like everyone else I'm keeping my chin up and poppin the advil like they are skittles...ohhh skittles (drools at the mouth)!

PS - Pics are soon to come, both before and after!

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:39 am
by joey
honest the spacers hurt more than the braces the metals are a doddle honest you'll be fine!!! worst par form me was the spacers i regretted the whole thing while the spacers were on i was thinking that i coulnt put up with this for 18 months but braces are easy peesy good luck huni xx

INSURANCE

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 3:48 pm
by ToothofTruth
You are very lucky to have insurance that covers. I'm pay $4200 over 8 months :shock: I can not really afford to do it. However, I'm doing it anyway. It just means that there is one less outfit that I can buy each month. But that's okay, my smile will last forever.

So, good luck with the braces. Your teeth will be VERY sore once they are put on but the SPACERS ARE THE WORST! :( So hang in there. I took one of mines out and had to have my tooth drilled down and filed down and everything else to get the bracket in. She pressed the bracket down so hard to get it in. It felt like my gums were going to bleed! :? So whatever you do, do not take out the spacers.

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 5:00 pm
by nahky
I can relate to the spacers. I have had braces for seven months and they have recently put 4 spacers between my molars again. They did this to be able to bracket my last molars.

The first time i ahd spacers, they were a real big pain. My teeth were sore and sensitive and that chunky feeling, its so icky, its like you need to floss real bad. The second time aorund, it aint so bad. and trust me, the braces, after the intial month or two, will feel like a breeze compared, especially when your teeth are straightened up.

I got my second bout of spacers on tuesday, for a week they were scehduled in. But last night i reliased one fell out. Im not sure when it happened but its annoying that i notice it on a friday because they cannot do anything on the weekends for they are closed. I will be bracketed on tuesday so its gunna be a tight painful fit. annoying!

So keep an eye on them. Its ok if they fall out a day before. Congrats on starting your bracial journey.

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 5:18 pm
by Guppie51
Wow, Im soo glad I found this site, makes you feel "not alone" hehehe. I also get my braces on the 20th! The spacers do suck, after I eat, I go to a mirror (even at work) and make sure the food is not in my teeth that its just the spacers. Ive learned to ignore them (they were put in the 14th). I have to pay for my braces all alone :( they had to have $1500.00 down and the rest can be paid over 12 months TOOTHOFTRUTH, I cannot really afford it either!. Im soo excited though ive always had teeth that were all spaced out, and they will be corrected now... my treatment will take two years.

Less than 24 hours!

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:03 am
by Mr. Brace Face
Thanks for the reply -
Less than 24 hours for me! I'm so excited and so scared at all the same time.

I'm afraid that I won't be able to eat, talk, or smile without having extreme pain - but after viewing this website - I know that no matter what I'm going to be OK!

Thanks for the support guys!