Just at the beginning

[Davep]

Hi, I am a 50 year old who is now undertaking the step that had I known I would have willingly taken 25 years ago. Living in Ireland this type of surgery is very new. I thought I'd just post to see if there are any others my age out there. I have a class 111 underbite. I will be getting the brace work started in early June, about 4 weeks away.
cant say I'm looking forward to it but I hope that it will all work out in the end

[Pablo]

Dave , how's it goin??I'm 27. My jaw surgery is next year some time. Lower for an over bite. Jaw surgery is extremely common here from what I've heard.. I'm in braces two months now. Still not mad about the idea so we shall see.... Good luck anyway ...

[Denakb]

Hi Dave

I think there's quite a few of us out here. I'm 42 and having orthognathic (upper and lower .. possibly genio) surgery sometime this year.... maybe early next year. I have an overbite and so far, I've been in braces for appr 1 1/2 years.

Good luck to you on getting your braces

[chrisk]

Hi Dave

I'm 40 and due to have my surgery sometime this year. I'm just (impatiently) waiting for a date from my ortho as my surgery was supposed to be in April but was postponed. My ortho said that the more work we do before means less work after. I'll be having upper and lower jaw surgery and a genioplasty. I've been in braces since June 30th last year and my supposedly will be in braces 18 months all up.

Good luck with your braces/surgery journey.

Chrisk

[nvcarissa]

I'm 48 (nearly 49) and I should have done this 20+ years ago myself. Got scared off by the surgery aspect, but in the meantime have had open heart surgery so that takes some of the fear away. I am about a year away from surgery and am still in the process of just getting used to the braces and the associated mouth and teeth tenderness. They say the tenderness is more pronounced with adults since our mouths aren't as soft as a kid's.

[Davep]

Just returned from my final dental visit prior to getting fitted on June 13th. I am a teacher so the big bonus is that I will have the summer to get used to them. I told some of the kids but to my surprise they did not think anything of it at all. I suppose it is so normal to them as so many of them have braces nowadays

[DIANE]

Hello, I'm a 47 year-old who is just beginning my Orthognathic Surgery journey - I have an Underbite. I went for my OD Consult on Thursday afternoon and was told that my jet measures 5 mm and that my OMS will need to set back my mandible 7 mm. I go back to the OD on Tuesday for xrays, molds and pictures. He will then develop a treatment plan for me, which will include a twelve-month pre-surgery ortho treatment and a six-month post-surgery ortho treatment, which he will discuss with me in a few weeks. I requested ceramic brackets. I will then go to my OMS for my Orthognathic Surgery Consult in late June. My OD says he will put the braces on in early-to-mid July. My surgery will probably be done next summer, hopefully in August. My OMS extracted an obscessed tooth earlier this month and I knew HE was the right Surgeon for the job! He told me three weeks ago on the day of my extraction that he would definitely need to do the BSSO (Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy) or Set Back procedure, and I might also need a LeFort I Osteotomy as well (that's the Maxillary procedure), but he wouldn't know for sure until a few months before the surgery. My functions of mastication and speech have been changing for the worse in the past few years, so it's time I did all this. So, that's my story - thank you for letting me share it.////Diane

[Davep]

Well today was the day. I have just returned home from my dentist, who fixed my "brackets" ( that what he called them!?)
Boy!!!! they feel really weird but far less obvious than I thought they would. Its early days yet, but I know that I can last the course now. My dentist said that I have a lot of tongue movement, and that he was not altogether happy about this???? Has anyone been told this before and what are the implications..if any.
My feeling now are a mixture of relief and delight that the process has at last really started. As I am going to France on the 5th of July till 5th of August , he made the next appointment for 8th August. I have had to put the little wax moulds onto the ends of the wire as my mouth was getting a little raw. Does your mouth harden up as time goes on?
My speech felt strange but I can manage perfectly. My 15 year old son, needless to say , made fun of me!! I'm happy that I can take it and do not really feel self conscious.
Sorry for rambling on but its nice to get this written. very therapeutic.
Any advice???? for the first few days
Thanks for reading this
Dave

[DIANE]

Congratulations, Dave, on getting your braces put on and surviving the procedure. I hope to be in my braces by August - my appointment with my OMS for my 1st Orthognathic Surgery consult is scheduled on July 18th, and then I go back a few weeks later to hear his surgical plans for my underbite. I'm impatient to begin all this - the waiting is the hardest part. The appointment with my OD is next Tuesday morning; at that time he will discuss the ortho treatment plan for me, so I'll be bringing my list of questions. Again, Congratulations - you're on your way and one step closer to your surgery!! ~~~~ Diane

[Davep]

Tonight is my first week in braces. It really has been an odd week. When they went on first I felt very odd. I thought that is was obvious to everyone that I was wearing them. Its nice to know however that most people really did not react at all...except my 15 year old son, who now calles me metal mouth. Its good to get both sides!!!!
The first few days I found that I produced a lot of saliva but after about 4 days it was back to normal. Eating has been different as I found hard food of any kind was not really easy to eat as my teeth were sore to touch. I found a bananna for breakfast was great as was shreaded salad with minced beef for lunch.
I also needed to use dental wax as the ends of the arch wire had been cut and this dug into my cheeks. It was really sore, and I was sorry that I had not used the dental wax until the second day. To do it again I would put some on after a few hours.
As I have a tooth missing I have a gap on the bottom between the very back tooth and the next one. This meant that I had a wire strung across the gap. it became loose as I ventured to bite on a small piece of meat. Went back to the OD today and he set it back again and tightned all my brace again. I was amazed that after only one week he could adjust the brace, I do not know if this is because the teeth have moved already or the wire gets loose?
Anyway, no more posts for a while. Just thought that my first weeks observations might be of use to others in their first week
All the best
Dave

[Davep]

Nearly three months in now and I have just returned from my Ortho visit. I have seen huge movement in my bottom teeth. I actually thought that I was not getting that much movement. I had a pronounced inverted V shape in the 2 central bottom teeth. they both were at 45 angle. When i got the braces on first , my ortho was only able to fit one bracket to one of the teeth. Today he fitted the other as room has been made for the other one. Needed some pain killers when I got home as they were really hurting.
I still am not sure how long I will be in braces but think that I might be able to judge better in 2-3 months.
I have found that by rolling out a long piece of wax, about 2 inches long and smoothing it along the top brace really helps with a slight "hissing" when I speak. It is also quite comfortable. How are others using wax?
For those of you still awaiting the getting of the braces, I can honestly say that time really rockets and peoples impression of you with braces on is very supportive. The kids in my school pay minimal interest and just take it for granted. I have found one advantage, kids that have just got braces and are a bit embarrased have responded to me very well when I show them that I've been there too! They really apreciate the interest I take.
Next visit on the 10th October...till then
bye
Dave

[Davep]

Just thought I'd update my process. I am now almost 6 months with the braces. I have a severe class 3 undebite and my teeth both top and bottom had to be aligned. The bottom had to be moved forward as well as to the side as I had lots of overcrowding. My ortho has told me that my top teeth are almost in position. I had thought that my bottom teeth were not moving but its amazing now to really see that they are week by week moving. He was concerned that due to my age that the teeth might show stress cracks but everything seems OK with that.
I have found that I still rely on dental wax a lot, as my top lip was catching on the brackets. I discovered that a "roll" of wax about 1 inch long spanning the top 4 brackets provided a ramp for my lip and gives good comfort.
I have seen lots of talk on the boards about cost and just to let you know that my Ortho work , should it last 2 years in total(hope not) will cost £1400 sterling. in Northern Ireland. I can off set a percentage against my tax so its not too bad. I have been told my operation will be about £4000.
For anyone like myself thinking about the proceedure, I say go for it....the time is moving so fast. Its just 1 year since I first saw my Ortho and set the whole process in motion.
Just to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a great New Year. A big thank you for the support that I personally have gained from the board
Dave

[Davep]

Its nearly 8 months since I got the braces on. My top teeth are in place and where they should be. My bottom are however the problem. At my last Ortho session , two weeks ago, he put in what appears to be a "spring" connecting the wire at each side. I am not sure about this but think it must be to allow the arch wire on each side to go their own way. I have the middle bottom tooth at an angle of about 45 degrees from the rest. He has put a bracket on this one but has not connected it to the arch wire yet. It is behind the "spring" so I presume that when there is enough space to allow the tooth to turn, he will attach it to a full normal arch wire. My Ortho is not very talkative and at best I only get a couple of sentences out of him. I have no date as yet for the operation but hope that it will be clearer in May or so.
I am so looking forward to having the operation as it will herald the beginning of the end for the braces, which I now find a bit of a pain. I use a lot of wax as I find it the only way I can loose the speech "hiss".
well thats all for now

[nvcarissa]

Yes, that spring is to push your teeth apart and make room to pull the other tooth in line. I had one for a couple of months. It sounds like you have some stubborn lower teeth. Me too! I am getting close to my surgery date, and maybe at my next ortho visit (2/21) I will be given a date. I have told my oral surgeon that if at all possible, I would like to get the surgery done in May. Fingers crossed. Do you have any idea how far you are from surgery?

[Davep]

I am not sure as yet. I have another ortho date in 3 weeks. It makes 5 weeks in all as my ortho is examining students in my 4th week. I noticed this morning that the gap has already appeared and I hope he might have some news for me next visit. as the tooth is at 45o I think that he might only attach the arch wire to the outer of the two guides on the bracket. If that happens then it will be at least another month and that would take me to May, I will see
thanks for the reply. in the mean time I have to arrange to get out one wisdom tooth
All the best
Dave