angieevans3 aged 45!!

[angieevans3]

Hiya, well I'm just being my journey into braceland! I'm a real adult, 45, so my teeth are probably immovable. Having said that, my front teeth are moving back into my mouth, and I'm scared they won't stop.

I can't afford a brace, having been quoted nearly £4000! As an adult in the UK, I'm not entitled to free orthodontics, even though my teeth aren't great. Luckily, after a lot of research, I discovered that Guys Hospital in London will sort you out for free, as their students practise on you. What a blessing!

I had spacers fitted on Friday (2.7.10). The young student lady struggled as my teeth are so close together. She put in blue spacers, and one metal one cos she couldn't get the plastic one between two of my teeth. I have eight in place (had actually, I ate the metal one, so need to get it replaced!). The discomfort and pain has not been good. Very uncomfortable. Today is Sunday and it has settled down some. Constantly aware of them, and eating is a pain, literally.

I need two teeth out (ouch!), and I'm not really sure what they are going to do. I looked up all sorts of scarey stuff on the internet, about palatal expanders etc. I don't know if I need that, but the spacers must have been put in for some reason. I should have asked more questions, but you're kind of in awe of the whole process. My next appointment is 14.6.10. I will write again when I know what's what!

[angieevans3]

Thank you Ken! So nice of you to reply. When the spacers were being put in, I asked what was next. The young lady mentioned something about my dentist putting something in and maybe allowing me to get used to it. Unfortunately, I really wasn't taking it in, so have no idea what that means. It was such a struggle for her to put my spacers in, whacking my teeth with the tools etc, I was glad to be free. You'd think an adult would listen more!

[ninath1]

Hi angie

I'm British too but have been really really fortunate to get an NHS orthodontist to do my brace, having patiently waited over 5 years!

I'm just at the beginning of the process like yourself too, I have actually been braced for three weeks now. I didn't have spacers (thank god) but I did have three extractions (pre-molars) before the brackets and wire went on.

So far, so good as in I'm not suffering badly with pain etc; but for this reason I am now worried that the wire isn't doing it's job and my teeth aren't actually moving! Maybe I'm just lucky and have a high pain threshold I don't know but my next adjustment isn't for 3 weeks so I will just have to be patient.

Good luck with your journey, hope you are all fixed up soon - next time you go you will probably absorb more information as you may not be so anxious as you now know the drill!

ninath x

[angieevans3]

Oh Ninath, don't mention drill lol!

You are so lucky to find an NHS orthodontist. You don't say how old you are. Well one of my spacers fell out, so I went back to have it put back in, and asked a few more questions. I am having bands put in, and a nance arch wire fitted, to keep my back teeth in position when I have 4th tooth from the front removed. Still going to be a while before I actually have a brace though, and many more miles travelled, but I am happy to be getting to my destination - eventually!

[ninath1]

I'm 38 years young! I don't know what a nance wire is??? I'm not really up to speed on all the terminology - although I think I have a 014 wire?? I had to have the extractions done one at a time and then the brackets on and then the final stage of the wire fixed so it's all taken a while with me too. You just have to be patient I suppose which I struggled with a bit, but you'll find it soon comes round! I found it all a bit nerve wracking though, but I would imagine it's the same for everyone. This moving of teeth business takes time and can't be rushed - I keep telling myself this every time I examine my mouth in the magnified mirror!

[angieevans3]

Well I'm not good when it comes to patience, but I'm so pleased to be getting it for free, I can't complain. And I'm helping dental students along their way! Got an appointment Monday to discuss removing two teeth - yuk!

[ninath1]

Oh god the extractions!! Have you had any out yet? I honestly found the thought far, far worse than the reality. I thought the first extraction was the worst - I didn't know what to expect and then later when I looked at the gap left behind I did have a little cry but it was just the shock of it I think. The second and third extractions were fine, I wasn't upset, I just told myself it had to be done. Good luck Angie, once this bit's over your on your way!

[angieevans3]

Well I had my spacers removed, and four metal bands placed on the back teeth. I left the office unhappy with the positioning of one of them, but because I didn't know what to expect, I left it. Trying to eat was a nightmare, as the protruding bits on the bands were clashing and my teeth didn't meet at the back. Returned today to have one band repositioned. Happier now, but still not 100%. Got two more appointments booked. One is to put on the nance button and bottom braces. The next is after I have my two teeth removed, when I will have the top brace put on.

Since my teeth are moving backwards into my mouth, won't they clash with the braces on my bottom teeth? More misery when it comes to eating!

[ninath1]

You've had quite a time of it! You seem to be getting the big jobs done all together which must be something of a relief as only two visits means less fretting??

I'm not sure about your teeth "clashing." It's bound to feel different and just wrong for a while - I noticed straight away that I couldn't evenly clench my teeth anymore as they don't meet properly. It just becomes less noticeable as each day passes. In particular, a bracket on my lower incisor would bang against my upper insicor every time I spoke, but I've just gotten used to it now!

Happy days!

[angieevans3]

Well, I've worked out that by the time I have a full set of braces in, I'll have been to London 11 times! But I'm not complaining, nearly there now. So looking forward to smiling at people with my braces in! Probably should be hiding them, but I won't care! Not sure whether trying to find a boyfriend will be enhanced, or if it will frighten them off lol

[angieevans3]

Hi all

Well the bands are really rubbing the inside of my cheeks, especially since they have these huge protrusions. Also, I bit my cheek, and once I'd done this once, I kept doing it. It looks sore! When I eat now, I'm very slow, and trying not to catch it again. And everytime I smile, my cheeks are dragged over the protrusions. Not a lot I can do I guess.

I was wondering if there is anything you can put on the inside of your mouth whilst eating, like flexible plastic, to stop my teeth chomping on my inner cheek?

[angieevans3]

Hi all
Well I returned to Guy's today, and had my nance button and bottom braces fitted. What I didn't take into consideration was that where my front teeth go back into my mouth, they clash with my bottom braces. So they have had to build up my back molars at the bottom. Bit of a nightmare eating. I have to take it real slow, and I can't see me eating meat or harder things until my front teeth are actually moved forward so my back teeth meet.

The reason for delaying putting in the top braces is that I need two teeth out at the top. I am getting those done next Tuesday. Then the top brace will be fitted 19th Aug.

My bottom teeth do ache, but the worse thing is I just want to eat something proper, but the build up (not sure what you call them) is not great.

[angieevans3]

Hi, I had two upper 4th teeth out on Wed. The experience of having them pulled wasn't too bad. It's the mess after that isn't pleasant. First the dentist told me he would only pull one. I said, I'm having an upper brace fitted next week, I need them both out. After pulling the first, he admited he hates pulling teeth! Thanks lol. I hate having it done! He did them both, and sent me to sit in the waiting room with two huge pieces of gauze in my mouth. I looked terrible. Not a good advert for a dentist. My mouth couldn't close because of my molar build ups. I drove home after ten minutes, then started rinsing my mouth. Not pleasant. In general the pain hasn't really been painful, more discomfort. Which I think is amazing considering what was done. But it certainly isn't pleasant!

So next chapter, my top brace. I now have a huge gap to fill, and bands and a nance to prevent my top back teeth from moving forward. So how the heck is the gap going to completely close?

[angieevans3]

So, finally yesterday I had the top train track fitted. My teeth are very tender, especially when brushing. I can't bite even a sandwich, and I'm still on easily chewed food like cake lol, and mashed potato. Will need to leave the molar build ups in for a good few months, until my front teeth move forward enough that they don't clash with the bottom train track.

My biggest problem at the moment is the bracket that has a 'little' hook on it (two brackets) on my fang teeth. They rub something chronic! The ones on the bottom don't rub at all. My upper lip is totally distorted now, and my mouth is a different shape. Not attractive really.

Oh well, another one and a half years or so to go!

[Rizzie]

Hi Angie,

I can sympathize with much of what you are going through. I am 58, and going through braces for the second time. My lower teeth were crowded, and my uppers were tilting inward as well. When my brackets were put on, some of them banged together, too. My ortho used a grinder and took off some metal to give me a little more clearance, then said just be careful!

Also, he was able to bend in some of the hooks that aren't being used right now. I think with teeth that tip inward, the hooks tend to flare out more than they would with a straight up and down tooth. Bending in the hooks helped a lot. (I think asking for a bazillion packs of wax got my point across).