53 and in braces!

[Green~Tara]

I can't believe I've finally done it! I always put so many things ahead of fixing these darn teeth - my family, striving to get my AS while working two jobs, you all know the story. And maybe a little bit of just plain being a chicken. But as the years went on my crowding began affecting my gum health and despite taking very good care of my teeth and having healthy gums, where the teeth are very bad the gums have no choice but to recede. I'm also losing enamel in the front and have discolorations but that will be the subject of another blog once my braces are off.

Another big impediment has been my journey into the land of Rheumatoid Arthritis and having my primary med stop working. Again, a story for another blog, but suffice it to say when you're in full body pain and can barely function, braces are the last thing on your mind.

What got me going? I'm 53 and starting to notice age creeping up. I consulted a dermatologist about all these magical laser treatments and injections and came home crying because: (a) she made me feel like an old bag and (b), I can't justify spending that much of my limited income on vanity. As I looked in the mirror at the shriveled, sagging, pruney (I'm exaggerating but that's how I felt) face looking back, it dawned on me - what possible sense is there in investing in facial treatments when every time I smile these ugly teeth are the first thing anyone will see?

So at my next cleaning, my dentist referred me to an awesome orthodontic specialist. I subjected myself to the x-rays and all of the photos inside and out. As I sat with the ortho and his assistant, I was mortified to see the interior of my mouth displayed on a giant computer screen. I chose track metal braces with porcelain upper front brackets over Invisalign because I want the fastest and surest road to Day Off.

[Green~Tara]

June 13, 2011 - the Big Day. I know how my RA reacts to trauma so even though no needles or surgery was involved, a little voice in my head told me to take one Atavan (which I have for emergency situations) prior to getting braced. It was a wise decision because I was calm but alert through the proceeding. That mouth separator thing was awful because of my small mouth, when the assistant was bracketing my upper right molars it really hurt because of that darn Clockwork Orange device. I also took extra Prednisone which is an order from my rheumatologist before having any kind of dental work.

My orthodontist put on the porcelain brackets and then supervised the wiring. Rachel showed me how to use the floss threader and gave me a little goodie bag with the wax, floss threaders, a lip balm (thank you!) and interdental brushes, a travel toothbrush and a little round brush with a spikey thing at the end for eating in restaurants. I wish I could show my starting out pix, maybe I need to have a few more posts first? Yes I cropped them - joining this board is the first I've heard of brace fetishists. Good God!

I made it through the day somewhat fine, definitely needed the wax right away. By 5:00 my teeth were starting to itch and I had a wicked headache coming on; by 8:00 I was really hurting. The next morning I can to call out from work - it felt like I'd been punched in the face by Mike Tyson. Despite the extra Prednisone on bracing day, my face was swollen and red and I had joint pain, too. If you don't have RA, don't let that scare you please! And if you have RA, be forewarned - talk to your RD before any kind of dental work.

It was a completely miserable day - I couldn't even eat a banana. I was able to mash some baked beans against the roof of my mouth, drank a lot of water, drank some chicken broth out of a cup which dribbled all over me. Next day I made it to work taking lots of Advil and with wax on almost every bracket.

[Green~Tara]

June 16, 2011 - big improvement over yesterday! For breakfast I put a Weight Watchers Smoothie mix in the blender with almond milk, a big banana and frozen blueberries to try to fill my empty gullet. The night before I tried to choke down some rice pilaf - I can't chew well, my orthodontist put on "turbos" or what I believe people here are calling "bite blockers." As a result everything I attempt to eat gives me heartburn from all the big chunks in my stomach. I got some rice and tapioca puddings at the store yesterday and lots of soup, so I'm better equipped for today.

I even need less wax - only on the farthest rear molar brackets, top and bottom. Ooh I see extra posting possibilities at the bottom now, I'll try uploading my Day 1 photo!

[klobird]

Hi Tara,

Welcome to the world of the newly braced older crowd!! I'm 55 and got my braces 7 weeks ago tomorrow...for some of the same gum health reasons as you...

Your braces look great--you can hardly seem them at all!! I have all metal Damon Q, so ya, mine are right out there.
Also, your teeth are marvelous and so white!! I can see the crowding on the bottom, but what is so great about that is being able to see change and post the new pics when it happens. It seems to be happening so fast for everyone! (My teeth, I think, are just stubborn...) And your top teeth are fantastic!!!

OK, so the very best advice I can give you, from my experience, is to get a waterpik. Your cleaning ritual will be sooooo much easier. I am so glad that so many people put that in their blogs--I got one a few days after bracing and it has been my teeth cleaning best friend....

So, welcome and here we go!!!

[Green~Tara]

Thank you for the welcome, Klobird! And the compliments on my teeth - LOL funny how what we see in the mirror, we criticize so much more than others.

I'm hoping the Waterpik arrives today. I did get the Sonicare toothbrush YIKES that is taking some getting used to. My bathroom mirror has never been cleaned so often. The flossing is a nightmare, I can handle interdental brushes OK but flossing the rear teeth is a nightmare with the RA.

[klobird]

Hahahahaha---you think your mirror is clean now??? Just wait til you 1st use the waterpik!! The walls got cleaned, my clothes got cleaned, of course the mirror got cleaned!!.....Find the off button before you turn it on!!!

[Crazy4Snow]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!! 44 here and proud of my tracks!

[Green~Tara]

Hi Klobird and Crazy4Snow!

Waterpik worked out great, I must have "Waterpik memory" from my childhood failed attempt at braces - it was like getting back on a bicycle. I even did better with the Sonicare, much less spackling of the bathroom.

I want to figure out one of those ticker lines now ...

[Nettie]

Hi Green-Tara!!

Welcome aboard. Looking forward to following your progress!

Nettie



My Story (progress photos included): viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39453

[Green~Tara]

Thanks, Nettie!

Well it's officially been a week! I did a little research - before this website, I always thought "braces were braces" but I'm reading about so many different types. I thought I had Insignia braces, but it turns out Insignia is the software my ortho used to plot my future smile. So I must have the Damon brackets, since that is what Insignia uses. It is cool software, they show a graphic of your teeth before bracing, then do a sort of fast forward progression and you see how the teeth are going to align. My future teeth looked gorgeous in the graphic!

I'm having MUCH less pain, thank God. I'm even eating a little better, though it's still a chore. My son saw my braces over the weekend and gave me the :ThumbsUp: and declared them to be "Cool." I'm noticing on the front side teeth brackets these extra large hooks and am thinking that is where the rubber bands are going to go. We'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

On Sunday I finally got the floss threader technique down. Fortunately my wires aren't hooked to the very rear molars yet so the hardest to reach are still available easily, that's going to be some hurdle. But I should have lots of experience with the floss threader by then.

PS - I'm sure I'm imagining this - but I think there is a very slight improvement already!

[Green~Tara]

Well, last week was certainly a challenge. I've been studying to get some certifications relating to my job, and had to fly out west to take the tests last week. It was my first time:

(a) studying in braces;
(b) flying in braces;
(c) attending a conference, meeting new people and eating in front of strangers in braces.

They really made this trip a challenge. First of all, my mouth has been so dry since getting braced, and flying made it really bad. I felt like a prune face by the end of each flight. The snack choices were cookies or cheese nips, neither of them good eats for a metal mouth! And I was late the morning of the test because my floss threader and floss got tangled in a bracket. You should have seen me panicking in my room with the floss and threader dangling from my mouth and me with no scissors! But somehow I managed to detangle and run like a mad woman to the test.

The tests were very hard and I was constantly aware of the braces digging into my inner cheeks and lips despite the wax. But worst of all were the snacks and meals prepared for us. At one meet and greet it was tortilla chips and guac. At the next night's reception it was raw veggie platter and pork, which I don't eat. I ended up getting slightly tipsy, having three margaritas and no food, so I returned to my room early. But the worst was the first day's lunch - wraps and big fat sandwiches, and apples. I had to gross out everyone at my table by unwrapping my wrap and eating the oily, grilled veggies inside with my fingers because no plastic ware was provided.

Other than that, I am making progress. I only notice the braces now, they are not causing pain. While flossing last night I noticed something odd, my gums are not gripping my teeth like they used to, and they look a little white at the edges. Huh?

[klobird]

I am so laughing from reading your story!!! What a menu, huh??!!! My first day back to work after braces, the sales reps brought us food and we had a lunch meeting...First of all, my contacts, which I have had forever, got something in them. It hurt like hell in the left contact. So, I'm eating at this table with everyone, with this raging left eye pain, realizing that even fish and chips (I thought they would be easier than the sandwiches and other stuff people had ordered) are painful to eat at the beginning of braces. I end up tearing the fish up with my fingers like a starving lunatic (plastic silverware no where to be found)...totally aware that EVERYONE was taking a peek at me and my twitching left eye and greasy, desperate fingers. Well, at least I got to eat something........!!

I havent tried the flossing thing out in public...don't think I will....

[Green~Tara]

Oh my! We certainly do have our own challenges on the path to a beautiful smile. And I'm only two weeks in! 102 weeks left to go ....

[Green~Tara]

Time is marching on ... slowly but deliberately. Last week I had to go in and get a wire clipped. It was gouging my cheek so bad and no amount of wax could stop it. I swallowed more balls of wax that week than I want to ever swallow again! I wondered if I was going to poop out a dang candle!

The good news was that there is already visible alignment. She pulled up my pix on the computer and showed me how on the bottom left side, the molars are coming into alignment beautifully. On my start day they jutted inward like a > sign. I am noticing the upper front tooth is less pushed back, too.

[Green~Tara]

Well I haven't been here in awhile, I guess the braces haven't even been on my mind much! Although I can definitely feel my teeth moving. Our mouths and tongue are so sensitive, it makes us aware of just how much progress is going on each day. My front teeth are getting more and more aligned and moving forward nicely! And my crowded bottom teeth are slowly but surely lining up. They have a long way to go but it's satisfying to feel progress.

I had an issue last week - flossing my teeth one night and I realized the bracket on my gold tooth had fallen off! Um .... where did it go? It was one of the big ones with the hooks for my imminent rubber bands, too, on the rear molar. That one was not yet wired. I looked under my pillow, under the bed, could it be stuck in a toothbrush? I was afraid they'd charge me $500 more for being a dunce that swallows her own bracket. No biggie, I called the ortho and the lady told me "Oh it happens, especially when the rear molars are not wired yet. Don't worry about it, I'll just put a note for your tech to glue another one on at your scheduled visit." Whew!

It is great to be out of pain - in fact my teeth actually feel kind of numb. And I can eat almost anything now, except of course for biting into apples, corn, etc. Time is ticking!