Thumbsucker Tries Again

Message

#1 Post by **khublei** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:37 pm

Hello Everyone,

I've been reading this website for years and it's so good to finally be starting my own thread! I'm very excited, meant to be getting my braces on Wednesday. Right now I have elastic bands between some teeth at the back making space for the metal.

Little history; I'm 25, female and was a longtime thumbsucker. Had braces in my teens and for a very short amount of time had perfect teeth. Then I fell on hard times and started thumbsucking again. I'm not doing that again!!

Thing is, I can't afford braces in my home country (Ireland) as they cost €5 - 6,000 (so even higher number in USD). Here where I live now they're €1600. I'm only in this country for another 8 months, so we'll just have to see how much can be achieved in that time. And have to hope my wisdom teeth stay away for another while.

Now, the photos look terrible. But, I've actually become so good at hiding this issue (not smiling does wonders) that people have been constantly saying to me recently that they can't see anything wrong with my teeth. Usually you can only see my top teeth, which don't have too bad a shape.

Most of the time I genuinely think no one notices. But when I can't use my teeth to open some soup I notice!! Also I can't talk in loud places because I can't articulate myself properly. And when I hate smiling something really has to be done!

So here goes:

This next one's a bit exaggerated because my head is up. Usually I make an effort to move my lower jaw forward to close the gap a bit.

Good luck to everyone else out there in search of a smile to be proud of.

#2 Post by **sadpanda** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 5:04 pm

Hi - I'm so glad you want to fix your teeth, and most of us on the board can understand problems with the high cost of braces. Unfortunately, it might be really hard for you to have braces in one country for 8 months and then continuing with treatment somewhere else, where they might charge you a lot of money because you'd be in the middle of treatment. And I'm not sure how much 8 months will change your bite and significant overjet. I'm so sorry to be so negative. That's not my intention. I'm just worried that things like geography might interfere with your plan. Good luck though!

#3 Post by **khublei** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:54 am

Thanks sadpanda. I understand it's nowhere near long enough. The last time I had braces I had them for 18 months. I'm prepared to fly back here if need be to finish the treatment. I've been putting this off for so long that I'm finally just grabbing the opportunity and seeing where it takes me.

#4 Post by **Clare** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:17 am

This thread just answered my question to you on my thread.

Regarding the cost of braces in good ole Eire, yes it is buggering expensive! I live in Louth and the cost of braces here was about 4000euro! 20 mins up the road in Newry it's £2500, which is about 3000euro! When you do get back to Ireland and if you are anywhere near the North, you should think about going up there. You can still claim your tax back and it's worth it on the savings!

#5 Post by **catgyrl** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:53 am

khublei-

I'm crossing my fingers for you that you're able to get your braces. Yep, you were definitely a thumbsucker, because your teeth look just like mine did before I started this. At first, my ortho didn't even bother measuring my overjet - just told me it was "big!" (Funny guy, huh? NOT!) It was only after I made him measure it, he told me it was aboug 6mm. I think it's now down to about 4mm. There IS hope!

Good luck to you!
-Cathy

#6 Post by **khublei** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 3:06 am

Clare wrote:This thread just answered my question to you on my thread.

Regarding the cost of braces in good ole Eire, yes it is buggering expensive! I live in Louth and the cost of braces here was about 4000euro! 20 mins up the road in Newry it's £2500, which is about 3000euro! When you do get back to Ireland and if you are anywhere near the North, you should think about going up there. You can still claim your tax back and it's worth it on the savings!

That's not too bad! I got quoted 5,500 Euro in Cork! I'm going to stay here until they're fixed I'd say. Doesn't matter how long it takes.

6 hours to braces....

Still haven't told my boss. How did people tell bosses? OR did you just turn up with the mouth bling? It's an office job so other than the odd meeting I don't have to talk much, but there's a good bit of meeting people. Tomorrow is an official day off anyway so I can chill out and get used to them. I might take Friday off depending on how I feel. Ekk!!

#7 Post by **nightowl** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 3:11 am

Hi

Good luck on getting your braces today ! I have four hours to go until i'm sitting having mine fitted haha i'm rather excited indeeed :p

#8 Post by **revelvia** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:28 am

I commented your other post too but yes, ours look exactly the same. And I'm also the same as you in that my top teeth are fine so I have just perfected smiling with them, makes me wonder if I should just leave it

#9 Post by **khublei** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:35 am

It's great to see I've the same brace day as someone else nightowl!

I know what you mean revelvia. Sometimes I think I'm fooling myself that it wasn't noticeable, but then someone says something like, 'Ah yea, your front teeth are so much further forward'. But just now another person has asked why I need braces. You can see in the first photo what really annoys me though; if I do make a mistake a do an 'open mouthed' smile, there's a big shadow on my bottom teeth that looks crazy. So my big aim is no more shadow.

T minus 3.5 hours. Just had my last meal. Spoke to my boss about it, she's supportive, ortho said to turn up full (as may not be able to eat later), so going to have to eat again soon! Argh!! Very nervous but as this is second time around for me I suppose I know what to expect.

#10 Post by **nightowl** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 6:19 am

Aww i know, it's made me feel good that today someone is going through the same thing and also has the same kinda overjet as me haha. I have half an hour until i leave to go to the ortho, getting nervous for some reason haha

#11 Post by **khublei** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 6:40 am

Some people must think I'm mad to say that I can sometimes hide this issue.
So I'm posting a photo of my smile! This is the best photo I can find, even though my head is leaning a bit - you get the idea!

Best of luck nightowl!! I'll be leaving in around 2 hours. Are you getting both jaws done at once? I am! I'll be back on later to report on how I'm doing!
Good luck fellow 8th of September people!

#12 Post by **TrolleyDolly** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:03 am

Good luck!!

I was braced top and bottom on Monday and so far it really isn't that bad - I've managed to eat soft things such as porridge, soup and bread and some fish pie! and the only pain killers I've taken so far was before my appt.

Look forward to following your journey

#13 Post by **khublei** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:18 am

Thanks TrolleyDolley. I might do what you did and take something beforehand as well. Maybe I'll wait an hour so then I'll take it half hour before. Getting excited. I've wanted this for SO long!

#14 Post by **catgyrl** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:26 am

khublei-

I can see exactly how you can hide your overjet so that others don't notice it. From the front, it really isn't that noticeable, and I've been told by all my friends and family that they never saw mine. However, from the side (or, from the odd underneath angle) it's definitely there. You're making the right choice!

Good luck today!!!!

-Cathy

#15 Post by **khublei** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:36 am

Thanks catgyrl!!

I really hate my original photos up there. I would edit them out but I guess they'll be a good reminder of how things used be.

So anyway, I got braced!! Took 1.5 hours and didn't hurt at all.

I haven't a proper photo yet, just excitedly took a few quick one with my laptop.

My new smile:

Side shots:

They feel strange, but don't feel tight at all. I sort of wish she'd pulled them a bit tighter so it'd work faster! Also, the wire across my bottom teeth is straight, but the teeth aren't straight. I thought the point was that the wire started as crooked as the teeth and they all became straight together. Ah well, I'll just trust the ortho for now.

Hope the other people getting braced today.