Just Braced - EXTREMELY UNHAPPY. HEEEELP!!!!

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#46 Post by **Kat** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:45 pm

You look normal. I think that you have a bad out look at you doctor. Is he a ortho or a dentist? Unless you've been around a lot of people with braces and have really looked inside their mouths these thing are way different than we think they are going tobe once placed.
look at the lig color thread and you will see a huge amount of pics that show peoples teeth. You have the clears on the bottoms which at first you see, after a little bit you won't even notice them. People don't see them like you think. My friend has clear tops and bottoms and really I see hers much less than the metals like I have on the bottoms. When looking at hers I almost wish I had the clears on the bottoms as well but hey, I'm ok with what I have.
Your pics look normal, wait till your teeth rotate to where they shouls be you won't see them like you do now.
QUIT worring, they'll be ok!!!

#47 Post by **Jennine** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:38 pm

Ok, honestly here. I can actually see that yes they do stick out farther than mine or muaaaa 's do (because hers look like my kind) however, the colour of yours seems to be more clear where ours seems to be like a very light whitish tinted clear. Your are probably less noticeable from a distance is my guess, and maybe why the DR choose those ones?

But, no your not imagining it... they are more protruded, but again,,, they are also more see through.

My dr warned me against the ones that i have because he said they stain very easy and dont come out, however I wanted them anyway because they were small and ceraminc

#48 Post by **Jennine** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 8:31 pm

I havnt noticed any staining at all to be honest. Maybe he just said that to me because he wanted me to get them all in metal?... He was really pushing for that but I was really opposing it.

I dont really know any braces terminology, but mine are clearish white, small, with what looks like white wires wrapped around each brace or something with a very thin silver flexible main wire going through.

I'm pretty sure they are ceramic, I wish i knew the brand and i could post it here.

#49 Post by **MsViola** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 10:04 pm

Elle: I can tell you wrote this post in the hopes of getting support from fellow wearers. I hope to do just that. Altnough we were able to get "used " to and even like our brackets I respect the fact that it may not happen for you. However, I hope you will give it a little time. I am glad I did. Either mine got better or men started thinking a well-educated "Bucky the Beaver" was the next hot item

. Anyway, I usually still feel cute and I hope you will too before long (((((((Elle)))))))))

#50 Post by **Clo** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:36 am

@ Meryaten : I admit it is difficult to see details in the pics. But having a great
screen (Apple of course

), I think I could see what I described in my post.

@ Elle15 : is it possible to make and place a more close up pic ?

#51 Post by **Clo** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:39 am

Oops, double post.

#52 Post by **Elle15** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:33 am

Hey everyone,

I thought I'd give you a quick update.

I went to see another ortho (recommended by my dentist) and when he saw the brackets he laughed and said to his assistant "Remember these from 1970s?". He said they are the old style plastic brackets which will discolor over time. My ortho said they have a plastic backing, but that the top is porcelain. Maybe this is true, but the backing is the largest part on these brackets, so if that ever discolored I'd be extremely upset

(yes, even more than I am now). The new ortho couldn't believe he was charging me additional $1200 for those brackets. He said that he's making almost a 100% profit on those, as they cost him next to nothing. BTW, ortho #2 doesn't charge extra for the clear brackets. He offered to take mine off at no charge and get me started on In-Ovation Cs. He seems to thing pretty highly of them. He didn't think I need to pay any additional payments to my ortho due to inferior quality materials and unsanitary tools/enviroment. Another thing he mentioned is that he thinks my ortho has the brackets positioned incorrectly. He said he couldn't understand what he was trying to do the way he had them arranged.

After reading Acehigh's experience with In-Ovation Cs, I'm a bit reluctant to try them. I'm worried they'll give me the same monkey mouth (my top lip protrudes and always gets stuck with my current braces). Unfortunately, ortho #2 didn't have In-Ovation Cs to show me on model teeth, but I saw some with regular metal brackets. They look tiny. Are they really that low profile? They look a lot smaller thatn ceramics.

Meryaten, thank you for those flossing pics. I actually completely ignored the ortho assistant's advice and continued flossing. The only area I find almost impossible to reach is under the molar bands (the edges facing the gum). They actually go below my gumline.

#53 Post by **artmomz** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 4:03 am

Most excellent Elle...I hope the second go around will have you fitted in style.

#54 Post by **MsViola** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 8:05 am

Good for you Elle! I am sorry to hear your first Ortho turned out to be a real "Dud". If you think you will be unhappy with the ceramics he offers go for all metal (unless he strongly suggest you don't). Most people won't care or notice and after a short period of time you won't care either. Have you inquired about "clear brackets"? Due to my overbite my Ortho thought I would be unhappy with all metal uppers. I am not sure what brand my clear brackets are but they are small (smaller than ceramic, not much bigger than the self-ligatating metals on the bottom) and fit close to my teeth. I have been happy with them and have had no problems.

Kiwi: I agree that it seems to me that it is in very "poor" taste for one collegue to "dump" on another in such a way. Hopefully that is his only blemish.

Good luck!

#55 Post by **SnowSara** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 12:33 pm

I agree with Karen, don't worry so much about the brackets being used but the treatment you are getting. If you feel better about this new ortho, then go for it, you will have more peace of mind. I know that my ortho didn't "click" with one woman in my office that recently got braces so she went somewhere else where she felt more comfortable. I like my ortho and his staff a lot, but I guess he's not for everyone. It really sounds as though you are having to talk yourself into braces and it's as if you see them as torture devices - by looking at photos of crystal clear perfect teeth on models you are convincing yourself that you will be OK with braces as long as they look like that. Try and remember that all braces are visible, and that most people you meet really do not care what is on your teeth. I have to put bright teal power chains on my metal braces just to get a comment out of people, and even then it's to say how cute they are! I can't help it, I love my braces and am just enjoying the limited amount of time I have in them. I know the braces experience is different for everyone, and my hope for you is that you can at least get to the point where you're comfortable and used to them. Best of luck with the new ortho and the rest of your treatment!

#56 Post by **SnowSara** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 12:52 pm

Oh, and I didn't see it asked, but did you consider or are you a candidate for invisalign? I'm assuming you already went this route if you're trying to get all clear brackets.
I got asked why I didn't get invisalign a lot for the first week, like people assume because I am an adult that I wouldn't want braces. I didn't really care, I did ask my ortho though, and he wanted to put me in traditional braces so I would be happier with the end result and I agree with him.

#57 Post by **smile2006** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 6:53 am

I hope you get things sorted out. You said something early in this thread that was curious to me. You indicated that on canine teeth the brackets were really square and sticking out because the brackets themselves are square and the teeth are rounded. I have cermaic ICE brackets and they are shaped for the general shape of individual teeth. They fit naturally on all teeth (i.e., certain brackes are designed for certain teeth).

#58 Post by **csblackburn** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 8:46 am

The first few weeks with braces are the worst when it comes to comfort. It took me 3 or 4 weeks before my cheeks and lips toughened up enough where I wasn't getting any cuts or abrasions. Even now when the orthodontist changes brackets positions I end up having cuts all over again. I can't speak to how big ceramics feel as I have metal brackets. But even metal brackets feel like they are huge.

In regards to eating, it took me about a month to get used to eating with the braces. At first, I didn't think I would ever get used to it. I'm sure everyone here went through the same thing I did and will agree that it just takes time to get used to them.

#59 Post by **Jennine** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:01 am

Just wanted to let you know that Im going to call my dentist now and ask what brand mine are

I do have 8 metal ones in the back and they are really small, My clear ones that I have closer to the front /sides are the the same size as the metal ( small) and the ones on my 4 bottem teeth and super small, even smaller than the rest.

So, Im going to call now and ask. I have a feeling the clear ones are the same brand as my metal ones because they look the exact same, but i have a feeling these are what you wanted in the first place..

ok calling now brb

#60 Post by **Dimples** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:04 am

I hope your second run with braces goes better for you.

Good luck!

sounds like the first ortho was a dud. I must admit, i've never seen brackets like those(porcelain brackets on top of a plastic plate)
ortho's aren't perfect, and if a mistake is being made, it should be corrected before further damage is done. Braces are too costly for mistakes!

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Just Braced - EXTREMELY UNHAPPY. HEEEELP!!!!

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