Metal Mouth Message Board

I'm 34 years old and just started with braced yesterday. I've needed braces forever and had even started seeing an Army orthodontist when I was a kid but just before I was about to take the plunge, the base where we were stations stopped doing all but basic dental care for dependents and since the military's version of insurance didn't cover braces....

Fast forward 25 years. My insurance through work just started paying for adult orthodontics three years ago, so I'd started debating whether I wanted to go through the time and hassle. At my last regular checkup with my dentist, he suggested I bite the bullet and pursue braces. Aside from severe crowding of my bottom teeth, my overbite has gotten worse over the years and my dentist is growing concerned that my teeth are chipping.

After gather information and the initial consult, I decided this wouldn't be so bad, even if it meant three years out of my life (2 in braces, 1 in retainers). After waiting a couple of months while I had a tissue graft on my lower gums (through no fault of my dental hygiene, my gumline had receeded to the point that the root on one tooth was exposed), I finally had spacers put on 6 March and the upper brackets put on 13 March. Lower brackets will go on at either the first (in 7 weeks) or second adjustment.

congrats on finally taking the plunge! I hope everything goes well- and remember to keep us updated!
if you have any questions, let us know! usually we have the answers

Once you start seeing progress, you'll know you made the right decision! Good luck!!!

[quote="linda21"]Congrats on getting braced TracyJean and welcome to the board! Thanks for posting your pic - correct me if I'm wrong but are you in In-ovation self-ligating braces?

Thank you and you're correct about the brace type. Although there's a part of me (despite being an adult) that was hoping to get creative with the ligatures, I am glad, on the other hand, that I don't have to mess with them.

My only problem so far (aside from a not-too-bad ache in my front teeth - nothing I can't handle) is that my molars don't meet, so my cheeks keep getting caught between them when I close my mouth. When I'm awake, I have to consciously make the effort to keep my cheeks out of the way when biting down, but since I can't do that when I'm asleep, I wake up with bite marks on the inside of my cheek. Sooner or later, I'm going to bite through them and draw blood (haven't quite yet).

Congrats Tracy Jean from a fellow Dallasite.
I live south of Dallas and work in Arlington. Welcome to the board and if you have questions there is always someone here that can help.

Thanks, texasangel. I used to live in Arlington (until my apartment was broken into a couple of years ago). I now live in Duncanville, which is much closer to my work in South Dallas.

TracyJean,

Well, I live farther south in Midlothian. We moved there 4-1/2 years ago from Arlington. We wanted some acreage and we love it.
Hopefully your braces will not cause you much agony. You will get use to them being in your mouth in a couple of weeks. Just be sure and use wax on the brackets that are rubbing your cheeks so you won't get sores.

Good luck !

It's not so much that the brackets are rubbing against my cheek, but that my cheeks are getting caught between my teeth when I bite down (I've got the bite marks about 2 inchs long on each cheek to show for it). I tried some wax on the lower molar bands (which haven't been bothering me at all) to try to create some space between my teeth and my cheeks, but I woke up this morning having bitten my left check last night.

My first adjustment is less than three weeks away, but I've already noticed a straightening of the arch wire (and have felt it poking out the end of the side that's straightened the most - hoping to in to get that clipped Monday).

This picture was taken back on 14 March, the day after my braces were put on....



And this one was taken this evening....the arch wire has straightened on the left side of my mouth. I'm not sure, but that one tooth sticking out on the right side doesn't seem to be sticking out so much (although it's hard to judge accurately due to the angle of the pictures).



Although I do have to say, in the last week, it's gotten harder to chew with my front teeth. After the first couple of days of pain passed after I was braced, I was able to chew with any part of my mouth, as long as the food wasn't too hard. But it's downright painful right now to chew with my front teeth. I was expecting that once I got past the initial pain, I would be okay until my first adjustment.

I had my first adjustment today - or rather, I didn't have my first adjustment. I discussed with the ortho the options for brackets on my bottom teeth (speed bumps and the lower brackets go on 17 May, plus the Dr. wants to rebond one of the brackets on my upper teeth), he looked at my teeth and that was it. Is it unusual to go in for an adjustment and not have anything done?

How are your teeth looking now Tracyjean?