How about braces in late 50s?

[HHB]

I am doing well. Thanks for asking. I've decided that my braces have to become my newest and most time-consuming hobby. Learning to keep them clean, keeping wax on sore spots, etc. is all new to me. This website, and the nice people who have responded to my messages like you, have been a real source of support for me. I'm able to chew now, but taking bites with my front teeth is still ouchy. I work in a school, so my braces have been a big topic of conversation for the kids.

[Jill52]

Hello HHB - I've just joined this site and am still finding my way round. I might not find you again so I wanted to say how much I laughed at your comment about your new hobby. I know exactly what you mean. Apart from all the time cleaning, I find myself spending time in front of the mirror pulling faces and watching for changes. It's a great journey isn't it! I'm 52 and have had braces for 6 weeks now. I'm happy to find other over 50s out there to talk to. I'm a teacher and I think all the talking adds to the soreness. I've been getting through the wax recently. Anyway, all the best with your continuing journey. Jill

[HHB]

Hi Jill52! Yes, I found that all the talking to children that I do in my job really does aggrevates the rubbing of braces on my tender cheeks! I work in an elementary school primarily, and my first day after braces I had several classes of first graders. Boy was I hurting after that! However, I've since learned from great contributors to this board that drinking lots of water, and salt water rinses really do help! I've gone through the wax, too, and was happy to receive a shipment of ten packs through DentaKit yesterday!
Have you seen differences in your teeth after 6 weeks in braces? (I do a lot of faces in the mirror, too, and think I see small changes already). Thanks for writing! It's nice to hear from another person in education!

[Jill52]

Hi HHB, thanks for the other note too. Yes, I see a lot of changes already. I've been amazed. I'm not sure all the the movement is in the right direction - one lower tooth is now forward of the upper teeth, giving me a crossbite I didn't have before. And one upper tooth that was straight now looks very crooked. I've pretty much given up on the idea of biting anything for the next 12 months. I'm trusting the orthodontist knows what he's doing! Of course I could be imagining things too. I've read about people losing weight while wearing braces, but it doesn't look that way for me - bananas, avocadoes, pasta, pasta, pasta!! Glad to hear you got your wax shipment. I hope it keeps your cheeks painfree. My orthodontist was very generous with wax and other freebies. All the best - Jill

[Jill52]

Hello Athy and Ken, you're braver than me getting coloured ligs. I'm going for my third adjustment in a few days and I'll be sticking to clear or pearl. Maybe I'll get braver as time goes on. I've been travelling for a month, so unable to eat my own food and I've noticed some staining. It's hard to avoid coffee and red wine in France, or tea and curry in England. If you've got any suggestions for stain-resistant colors, I'd be glad. I got some teasing from the younger members of my family in England - why would someone your age bother with braces?! They even brought their friends round to laugh too! So it's good to be back in California where I meet lots of older people with braces.

Keep well,

Jill

[HHB]

Hi Athy, Ken and Jill!
It's been a while, hasn't it? Just a note after Athy said she uses a whitening mouthwash-- I was warned not to use whitening products while in braces, since they could whiten most of each tooth and leave a darker spot where the bracket was glued. Just a thought. My progress is good, and I see a lot of movement of my bottom (formerly) crooked teeth.
Glad you are back home safely from your trip, Jill. Ken, I spent the 4th of July in Ohio, where I am originally from.

[LongInTheT]

Hi, everyone,
and how nice to find a group of over 50s on the site (took me so long to work out how to make a 'story', upload and download photos etc., that I didn't think to look back at the Bracket Club section till today..).
I was 55 when I got braces on April 8th, but have had my birthday since.. I have Clarity SL on the top and metal sl at the bottom, so sadly no chance for coloured ligs.
Athena and HHB:
I haven't been warned about whitening products, although I haven't been using them just in case. My hygienist, though, warned me about permanently staining my teeth under the brackets with coffee, tea and red wine. She said I should drink a glass of water after every cup. I was quite scared and followed her advice, plus cut down on tea/coffee and went over to white wine. Has anyone else had this type of advice?
Jill52: Interested to read about your experiences in the UK (click on www to read about mine) and that there are plenty of brace faces in California. .
Ken: You are lucky to get colours - at first I'd have thought 'oh no!' but now I'd think it was fun...

I'm going to New York next week and am really intrigued whether I'll see any adults in braces. I haven't seen any at all in the UK, but over the weeks and months have got to feel totally comfortable in braces. I've got some big silvery double hoop earrings to go with the braces, really to draw attention to myself and my big happy braces smile (so different from how I felt at first!)

Click on www to read my story.

[LongInTheT]

Hi, Athy.
Yea, I will flash NYC my big braces smile (I never used to smile for photos, but now that's what I always do - spect you do too..). It would be amazing to see even one adult brace face in NYC - can't wait..
I envy you being able to keep off/not needing coffee and tea, but I do need my caffeine!! I've cut down to 2 cups coffee and 1 tea a day and given up all nice herbal teas on the basis that all tea cld stain and the non-caffeine effects of herbal teas are easily replaced with water.
I have an oral B electric brush, too. They are really good. I now have 3 heads for it: ortho, soft and the normal one that changes colour. So far I've kept the normal one for the backs of my teeth, but think might risk it on the braces once I'm back from my hols.
The colours sound fun - I reckon you should go for them.

All the best, Long.

[LongInTheT]

Any of you other 'older' folks find it awkward cleaning teeth in public? I'm fine when there are only a few people around, but when there is only 1 spare basin..
On my recent visit to the States I had this idea of writing a metalmouth guide to tooth cleaning (no good at puns, but sort of a Lonely Teeth guide to..). There was this diner near the Flatiron building that was particularly hopeless as there was only one loo and basin in the restroom for the whole place, and MOMA was so crowded that I just gave up on the idea.. But somewhere near the Woolworth Building and Ground Zero there was a huge Barnes and Noble bookstore and THAT had a self-contained toilet with a basin! Perfect!
Think travelling and tooth cleaning is easier in the countryside as can just clean in the car (least that's what I did in my 2nd week of hols in Vermont).

So, any ideas on cleaning in public?
Oh, I have 1 more. Despite my age I have fairly long hair, so ithis is my idea: there is a real press of people drape hair around face, mouth and brush.. no, better - just get on with it.... much better idea..

[LongInTheT]

Hi, Meryaten.
Your reply was very useful (like all your stuff, going way back).
I like the idea of cleaning out the basin to obviate other ideas.. nice... You are right that good dental hygiene is nothing to be ashamed of, and that is generally what I go for, and when I chicken out know I shouldn't!

Your comment about not worrying about staining was very helpful, and I think I've become more worried than need be. I do think it is important to be aware of potential problems, but not to let them rule our lives as they certainly may never happen!

[Jill52]

Hi Athena, Christmas will be here in no time! That must be a fantastic feeling to have an end in sight. I'm just 6 months in to the journey so my ortho hasn't mentioned "the end" yet. I suspect it's a long time away - I still can't chew as none of my back teeth meet. It doesn't feel like fall yet here - it's still 90 degrees in the day. I'm looking forward to cooler weather.

LongInTheT - your comments about cleaning teeth in public were amusing. I love loos with a sink inside, don't you. But when they're not available, I'm not brave enough to clean in public so I lurk in the loo with my pocket mirror, interdental brush and bottle of water.

Keep well

Jill

[DaMurph]

I feel like a kid again, only because I am crying about it. Well, I feel a little perhaps, since I am not the oldest person in history to get braces. I am still a long way off. Just had a pallet expander installed today.

I wonder if I will ever have a straight smile, since I never, ever had one in my life.

[LN]

Its great that you are all so happy to be wearing braces in your 50"s. I just turned 55 and got braces for the second time. I was clearly unhappy with the way my teeth had moved over the years especially my lower teeth so I took the plunge and been in braces since March. Well..let me tell you..I RATHER HAVE BEEN EATEN BY A LION THAN WEAR BRACES!! I don't mean to sound miserable, but I am. There is no turning back, I am in it for minimum 18 months. It has changed my lower face, have that sunken look and I always have something going on in my mouth,i.e. sores, broken archwire,...I am hoping and praying I will look okay when this is all over.

LN

[LongInTheT]

Hi everyone, haven't checked in here for a while as have been horribly busy with work but have been thinking of you all...

Athy:
It is so good that you are getting your braces off soon! It will seem strange at first with no wires I expect.... Not long to go now it is already November...

Jill 52:
I'm never so sure that it is clean enough in the loos here in the uk to get bottles etc., out, so I'm just getting braver about the basins. One of my adult students saw me cleaning my teeth the other day - that WAS a bit embarrassing, but I guess she knew why I was doing it!
DaMurph: Hope all is going well for you now. Wonder if you have your braces yet?

LN: I'm really sorry that you are not happy in your braces. It must be a real pain that you get a lot of sores and bits keep breaking off. Just keep looking to the future and to how great you will feel and look when the treatment is done!
My experience with the sunken face look, for what it is worth, is: keep smiling, especially in photos, that gets rid of the long face, sunken look. If you can get to smile for photos you'll probably see that the braces hardly show, that you look as nice as always and even that you can be proud to be a brace face.
All the best, LITT

[Jill52]

Hello all.

Athy
Sorry to hear about your back. I hope it's getting better. And congratulations on approaching your debanding day. I admire your confidence about braces. Even after 8 months, I still feel self-conscious and wish the end was in sight. I've hit a slow patch where nothing seems to be moving.

LN
I hope you are feeling less despondent about things now. We got braced around the same time and have a similar sentence. I'm not sure I'm regrettting it, but it is beginning to feel like a long time.

By the way, my ortho has me on a three week cycle for adjustments at the moment. Has anyone else had that? Does it speed things along? I hope so.

All the best - Jill