Nervous/anxious

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olsonkd
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:56 pm

Nervous/anxious

#1 Post by olsonkd »

I get my spacers in 2 days and top braces in one week. I am only nervous about the spacers. Everyone on here has eased my mind about the braces but have only read everywhere how bad the spacers are. I will suck it up tho since I really don't have a choice because my teeth are soooo close together the Ortho would not be able to get the bands on that will be necessary for the rubber bands!!
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supppchrista
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:33 pm

Re: Nervous/anxious

#2 Post by supppchrista »

Honestly, my best advice to you would be take tylenol before you go in to get the spacers. Don't eat anything hard. Stick to mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, meat loaf, and grilled chicken. Right when you start getting used to them, they're being taken out! They're really not that bad though :)
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sirwired
Posts: 2104
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:05 am

Re: Nervous/anxious

#3 Post by sirwired »

For me, the problem with the spacers was that one slid upwards on one side and jammed into my gums. Felt like I had a popcorn bit jammed up there for two days. The actual tooth discomfort wasn't too bad.

My advice: don't floss anywhere near those things! It's easy to lose track of which teeth they are between, and they are too easy to remove or mess up that way. A few days without flossing a few teeth won't kill you...
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ArchWired28
Posts: 636
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:44 am
Location: Tampa, FL, USA

Re: Nervous/anxious

#4 Post by ArchWired28 »

For me, spacers hurt like hell. But the good news is that they are only there for a week at most. As others mentioned, take painkillers (did not help me though), eat very soft foods and of course no flossing right by the spacers. They will be off in no time at all!
Had full mouth metal braces for 21 months. Debonded April 2013. Now wearing clear plastic retainers every other night.

I have no formal dental or orthodontic education. Hence, all opinions expressed by me on this forum are those of an "informed consumer" and by no means intended as an expert advice.
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dojo
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 2:54 pm
Location: New York
Contact:
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Re: Nervous/anxious

#5 Post by dojo »

I didn't need spacers, but my first week in Damon was horrible. Brace yourself so to say and know this will take just a little. Make sure you eat soft foods and also take some painkillers, if really needed. IT WILL BE OVER SOON.

Best of luck and keep us posted. Can't wait to read about your journey :)
Orthodontics patient from 2007 to 2010.
Orthodontic Braces
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poohbear
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:16 pm
Contact:
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Re: Nervous/anxious

#6 Post by poohbear »

Hey olsonkd,

There really is no initial pain when you get your spacers on. There's just pressure and it'll feel like you have meat stick in your teeth all the time. I had both plastic and metal spacers on for about 3 weeks. The next day is probably when the pain will get to you. Your teeth will become very sensitive so I advise to stick to a soft foods/soup diet for a few days. After then, the pain will go away and you'll get use to it.

Good luck!
BLOG: http://justanothermetalmouth.blogspot.com/

Diagnosis: Class III (Underbite)

Treatment: Rapid palatal expander for 5 months; extraction of bottom first pre-molars; ceramic braces for ~1.5 years
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cheerrabbit
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:08 pm

Re: Nervous/anxious

#7 Post by cheerrabbit »

poohbear wrote:Hey olsonkd,

There really is no initial pain when you get your spacers on. There's just pressure and it'll feel like you have meat stick in your teeth all the time. I had both plastic and metal spacers on for about 3 weeks. The next day is probably when the pain will get to you. Your teeth will become very sensitive so I advise to stick to a soft foods/soup diet for a few days. After then, the pain will go away and you'll get use to it.

Good luck!
This is how it felt for me. I remember some pain, but more of pressure than sharp. But the feeling that something is stuck that I can't get out drove me crazy.
Good luck!
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olsonkd
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:56 pm

Re: Nervous/anxious

#8 Post by olsonkd »

Thanx everyone for your words of encouragement. What a surprise I thought I was getting just spacers but they put the top braces on! Those are nothing compared to the spacers. It took 2 people, several spacers because they broke a few and broken floss before they got them in. I guess my teeth are pretty tight. My jaw is very sore from the tugging and a couple of slips from the pliers (ouch). AND they decided to keep the spacers for 2 weeks before putting the metal bands on-ugh! Next week they will replace the spacers to assure there is enough room for the bands. Sooooo my journey has begun!!
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workingmomma
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: South Mississippi

Re: Nervous/anxious

#9 Post by workingmomma »

Congrats! on your new braces. Hope your jaw feels better soon!
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I'm already counting down the days until I get these off.
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kennyandrew85
Posts: 365
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:51 am

Re: Nervous/anxious

#10 Post by kennyandrew85 »

A few weeks pain for many, many years of happiness! Don't worry it will all be worth it!
Brace Date: 14th April 2011
Estimated Debrace Date: 14th April 2013
Real Debrace Date 18th June 2013

4 extractions, upper ceramic brackets and lower metal to fix overjet and overcrowding.
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Moxie
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 8:16 am

Re: Nervous/anxious

#11 Post by Moxie »

I had much the same experience with the spacers on my lower teeth, where supposed to be in for a week before the bands went on but as my teeth were so tight it was almost three weeks before they moved enough for the ortho to place the bands. I was worried that this was an indication of how the whole process was going to go and that my teeth were very "set in their ways"! But I was pleasantly surprised to see how much my lower teeth moved in just the first three months.
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