About to be braced

[llama]

Hi everyone, I recently discovered this website and thought it might be a good way to consider documenting my journey.

I'm 19, and was only really told recently that I was in need of braces. I have always had perfectly straight teeth, with massive gaps. However, I still possessed two baby teeth, and later discovered that my two adult canines were stuck in the roof of my mouth.

My orthodontist sent me to a surgeon, and I had my two baby teeth pulled, my two adult canines exposed and my four wisdom teeth (he thought he'd do it all in one go) extracted about five days ago.

I am having my braces put on mid-January, and have been told that I'll have them on between eighteen months and three years, so that the exposed canines can be moved into place. I only need braces on my top teeth, because my bottom are perfectly straight (thankfully).

I was initially really annoyed about having to have braces during university, but I've grown to appreciate how much better it'll be once this is all over (well, it had better be better because that surgery was painful).

I'm quite interested to see if there's anyone on this site who has shared a similar experience to what I'm currently undertaking. It seems like a fair feat to move these canines over such a big distance. It'd also be amazing if anyone had advice on what to do with these exposed teeth over the next month. I am currently speaking with a lisp, and unfortunately, my job incorporates a large amount of speaking and interacting with other people.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Hey I had a semi different experience with the canines growing up. But first I might say good for you. I was 19 when I found I was getting braces on butjust turned 20 when I actually go them installed. I am a second year in university.

When I was 7 years old I was told to get braces by what seemed like every dentist and his mother. I used to do alot of research on braces and I came across a common thing where there canine teeth would grow up front and look like vampire teeth. When I was a kid I had baby teeth still in there and my adult canines were growing up like that: http://www.beaconorthodontics.com/graph ... _pic11.jpg
So I remember my mom got really mad at me because before my baby teeth were fully ready to fall out on their own (just a bit wiggly), I was destined to pull thedm out before I fully ended up like the kid in that picture. I know it sounds weird but boy am I glad I did pull those baby teeth out in time to save my canines now the only thing wrong with them in that hthey're rotated from growing in wrong.

I had all four wisdom teeth extracted (while I was awake), and it was aswesome knowing that it wouldn't cause anymore pain.

[llama]

I'm relieved my wisdom teeth are gone before they caused me too much pain. The looked nasty in my x-rays.

My baby canines never became loose, so the surgeon pulled them out the other day as well. I've never had any indication that my adult canine teeth were going to come through, and I think they've accepted that there was no way they were going to do it on their own now, haha. Hopefully now they're exposed, it won't take too long to fix them all up .

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Hey yeah it was weird only two of my wisdom teeth were causing problems so much so to thepoint my jaw joints were soo swollen I couldnt even open or close my jaw. I had fully erupted top wisdom teeth that messed up the eruption of my second moalrs so he decided to take them all out. So glad he did. And that's awesome you got them out before braces because now you don't have to worry anoout them messing with yoiur prefectly aligned smile when your braces come off.

yeah it shoudl come out in no time at all. It might hurt a bit but in the end its deifnatly worth it. I mean there were dsome days I would literally cry. I would tell myself "Jenn in the end it is definatly worth it" But then again I never took any pain medicine.

[llama]

You're brave! I had one day where I was determined to go without pain medication, but that failed miserably after I started crying because it hurt so much. Now I'm fine, which is a relief because I have my follow up appointment with my surgeon tomorrow.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Awwwh Glad things are better. Yeah my mom and everyone keeps telling me to take something but am determined not to.

[Gabrielito]

i dont take anything 4 pain also.

dentist encouraged me not to, because meds stop in certain way bone reconstruction, only in case of real bad pain,
so far i could handle it, im just 9 days off braces installed .

[Bec There]

I'm also about to be braced early next year (Feb, if all goes well!!)

My case is similar in the fact that my bottom teeth are near perfect (2 little spaces, but totally not noticeable. Unsure yet if they'll even need to be braced) and my top teeth are pretty straight but very spacey! Argh.

I'd be interested to see how fast your spaces close, and if they start closing them up straight away? That's the part I'm most nervous about, I kinda just want the spaces gone NOW.

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

They would probably fully brace you. I got fully braced and was going to in all three treatment options.

[BBQ Grill]

Woot woot.... It's nice to see there's other people in the suck it up club.... I swear to u.... If u let your own body get use to the pain.... The months ahead will be a piece of cake.... Our body really does has the power to adapt to things to make us feel better... Just let it do it

[metalsmile]

I didn't think I'd need top and bottom braces initially. I was wrong...LOL. My upper teeth were OK, but there had to be anchoring points for elastics and such.

[nessness]

I had the ol wisdom teeth and premolars out, also along with a baby tooth. My canine was also impacted. Once they start to actually bring it down, I don't think it takes long at all, the only reason why mine took longer was because my canine was rotated. In terms of the canine reaching the arch I would say mine took a few months. The rotating I guess took about 4/5 months
Was a little sore when they attatched it. It was about 6 or so months into my treatment they began moving it down (had quite a few problems that needed aligning first) but once the first few days of soreness go away as with the rest of the braces you won't feel it pulling the canine down. Just be a little careful what you eat in that area.

I also had my braces put in during University but noone really noticed after a little while