The Time Has Come

[GillyWeed]

Congratulations on taking the plunge! Best wishes xo

[plugnickel69]

Thanks GillyWeed. I'm getting really stoked. I emailed my doc this afternoon concerning my upcoming installation appointment, and believe it or not, he replied almost immediately...and it is Sunday! That sure makes me feel like I made the right decision.

[Ellebraced]

Hi PLUGNICKEL69

I have not talked to you FOREVER!!! CONGRATS on starting your journey!!! It is a big decision and one you will be very happy with.

You were right when you said that people will wish they had the courage to get braces. I have met many people that wish they could get braces too. I am 411 days in and LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my results. Hoping for only a couple hundred more days to go.

Can't wait to follow your journey!

Oh do you know the details of the Health Spending Account (Canada) account changes, I saw an email saying it was changing with my husbands company but didn't understand the details, just that I needed to have these babies paid off this year so I upped my payments to pay before 2013.

Elle

[plugnickel69]

Hi PLUGNICKEL69

I have not talked to you FOREVER!!! CONGRATS on starting your journey!!! It is a big decision and one you will be very happy with.

You were right when you said that people will wish they had the courage to get braces. I have met many people that wish they could get braces too. I am 411 days in and LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my results. Hoping for only a couple hundred more days to go.

Can't wait to follow your journey!

Oh do you know the details of the Health Spending Account (Canada) account changes, I saw an email saying it was changing with my husbands company but didn't understand the details, just that I needed to have these babies paid off this year so I upped my payments to pay before 2013.

Elle

Hi Ellebraced! Just so you know, I've been following your posts and your teeth are looking pretty fine. You've got to be very happy with how they're moving along.

It does take courage, let alone some major financial resources, to take the leap into braces. We'll never know how most others really feel when they encounter us with braces for the first time. However, seeing how many people obviously could use some orthodontic assistance, and some who have minor problems that could be corrected so very easily, we probably do make an impression on many even if they make no comment. How many think "if she can do it" or "if he can do it," then I should be able to. We'll probably never know when we've helped others make a positive choice for themselves unless they confide in us. The fact that people don't say anything doesn't mean that they don't take notice. And of course, probably for most, they couldn't care less.

I'll see what I can find out about the Health Spending Accounts in Canada. I have some connections there.

My best to you!

[plugnickel69]

Ninetine hours to go to installation time, but who's counting? It's interesting that I'm so calm about it now, not at all feeling anxious as I was just a week ago. Wonder how I'll sleep and how I'll feel in the car on the drive to the appointment? ...and how about on the drive to work afterward???

[bbbards]

Hi plugnickel69

Good luck with your fitting. Don't forget to take photos to track your progress - you'll be surprised how quickly you'll see movement. I'm three months in and can already see changes. But its tough. Keep you head up and keep smiling!

[Ellebraced]

LOL, I had to tell myself to BREATH, BREATH, BREATH on the way to the "install" and when I got the brackets but not the wire I was like OMFG BUT you are a VERY VERY VERY smart women and I know that you know its temporary discomfort and the results will be worth it. Good luck tomorrow, I know you will be fine!!

[kennyandrew85]

You'll be surprised, the actual process of putting the braces on is painless.

It's about 24 hours later you feel like someone punched you, but keep taking some decent painkillers and you'll ease yourself into it.

[braceface74]

I havent found the experience painful at all really, sure it's a little uncomfortable to begin with but nothing that has warranted painkillers. Like you say it will all be worth it in the end

[plugnickel69]

Officially braced!!! Piece of cake!!! Ceramics top and bottom. I admit I did have some trouble sleeping last night, but didn't feel nervous and actually didn't think that much about before I got there. I wasn't worried about the installation, pain, bad tastes, etc. No pain, minimum bad taste at one point (I've had worse food.), no discomfort.

The actual work took approximately a half hour. The assistant did all the prep work, the ortho placed the brackets. Am lucky in that I had no spacers and have no molar bands so far. There are a few more molars to be bracketed on the lowers and there are some crowns there, but at this point, from the discussion it doesn't seem they will be putting bands around them. I guess we'll see.

Now here's the surprise. When I finally got to look in the mirror, I was shocked because they looked so good! Not really visible except for the wire and they actually look pretty cool. Kind of like jewelry. I'm fortunate in that my wire on top is totally straight and there's only minor bending on the bottom, so it doesn't look like anything's out of wack. I had a concern that the metal in the slots would show and look somewhat strange, but it's barely visible even though I have a realtively light wire of the twisted variety.

My only concern will be chewing. I thought I had a problem before I started as I was wearing away my teeth when I chewed. At this point the only contact is my lower brackets on my upper lateral incisors. No molar contact. Not even close. I won't be able to chew -- not because of pain, but because my teeth don't meet. The good news is no bite plate or bite turbos. The bad news is that I was told it could be two months before I would begin to have some contact. They didn't seem to be worried about the ceramic brackets chipping my teeth and said if I bit off a bracket just call--anytime. They have a bunch of offices and many would be relatively convenient.

Bottom line here is that all the worrying was for naught. Maybe it's like riding a bicycle, even though it's fifty years since my first experience, I feel little discomfort from the brackets and there are no sharp edges. Can't even feel the hooks.

I feel good that I did this. Actually sort of proud of myself. I certainly don't feel at all embarassed and most people probably won't notice unless they're like many of us who are always looking at everyone else's teeth. No pain at all yet. I'm sure it will come and hope it won't impact my effectiveness for my clients.

I hope my experience will help many of you out there who are so nervous about this great endeavor. One thing for sure, it's a whole lot easier than going to the dentist! Good luck to everyone!

[bbbards]

plugnickel69 your attitude is v impressive. Well done you. Both of my fittings didn't really go too well. I seem to have a sensitive gag reflex which makes things interesting to say the least...

What's your sentence?

[plugnickel69]

Thanks for the sentiments, bbbard. I'm fortunate in that I usually have little problems with my gag reflux. I can usually relax and remove most of my anxieties when I'm in those tense situations. I had a minor medical procedure a few weeks ago and was out cold as soon as they gave me something to "relax and take away my anxiety" before the doc came in for the procedure. I said I have no anxiety and thought about asking what that great-feeling drug was--and the next thing I knew I was waking up and the procedure was over.

Just had my first real meal other than yoghurt for lunch. Chewing only on my front teeth is not easy and is slow, and I can floss the uppers without much hassle, but will have to use the the floss threader for the lowers. Not that big a deal. So far absolutely no pain, and I haven't taken anything but one naproxen before the procedure. Don't think I really needed it. I'm smiling now, but we'll see what tomorrow brings.

As far as the "sentence," I don't look at it like that. I'm lucky to be able to do this to save my teeth without a financial hardship that I can't handle. (No, I'm far from being in the 1%!) I believe the minimum is 12-18 months, but nobody can be sure how fast adult teeth will move. Most of my time will be spent uprighting and rotating teeth and roots and extruding bicuspids and molars. Much of this will be slow work I believe and results won't be readily evident to the naked eye. So I'm thinking around two years, but in my mind the time it takes is much less important than the result, and the ability to retain. I realize I'm in this for a lifetime. We've already discussed a permanent retainer on the bottom, plus some other options.

Good luck to you as well.

[plugnickel69]

Just checking in. Braces installed two days ago. I've been real fortunate as I've had no pain at all. Just a little chafing from my lower metal bicuspids which are not yet engaged. Wax does the job.

Chewing is impossible. Ate two meals in restaurants yesterday. Hard work! Not because of any pain, but my only chewing surfaces are the brackets of my lower lateral incisors against my upper lateral incisors. Ortho totally not concerned about tooth chipping or biting a bracket off.

Would I be better off with bite turbos?

Meanwhile, other than chewing, it's been a pleasant experience so far. Has totally not affected my professional or social life. For the most part I don't think about them while I'm busy. They really are barely visible and hardly noticeable and I assume most people are not paying attention to my teeth.

Anyway, hot cereal for breakfast, soup for lunch, maybe pasta for dinner.

[plugnickel69]

Thought I'd check in. It's been 5 weeks and two adjustments. No pain at all, just sometimes some chaffing from the wire ties that's easily fixed with wax or by pushing the ends of the ties back underneath the wires, and some discomfort early on while chewing some hard or stringy meats. Of course cleaning up after eating IS a pain. Flossing not too bad. Got some floss fish that help in a few problem areas where the wire is very close to the teeth. I assume that will get much easier when the the twisted teeth unravel and begin to straighten up.

Speaking of the chewing issues. At the very beginning my upper teeth hit my lower brackets (all ceramics) and chewing was extremely difficult with so little contact surface. It took just less than two weeks, with a combination of some arch movement and my learning how to chew a little differently, for me to be able to again use my back teeth to chew again. It seems my bite is slowly opening up day by day, and while there is still significant contact in the front, I think within a month that will no longer be a problem. No chipped teeth, but I am developing a few small spaces on top.

Thinking back before installation, my concerns were never about physical discomfort or irritation, but about the social and professional issues. Truth of the matter is my braces have zero impact on anyone else. When I bring the issue up, the response is always that the other person didn't notice, maybe a quick question (why? how long?)and then the conversation immediately goes on to other matters. No one stares at my mouth. Sometimes I try to smile while speaking to someone to see if there's a reaction, but there never is.

I went to two large business meetings yesterday, and finally, for the first time in 5 weeks, while talking to one of my clients (and forgetting I had braces) she said to me, "Oh, you have braces. Did you ever have them before? Why did you need them?" Very matter of fact, non-judgmental, friendly. And that was that.

The bottom line is that braces are a non-issue and have no impact in dealing with others socially or professionally. No different from wearing glasses. They do not change your life other than the eating and cleaning rituals.

I feel for those of you who have had to put up with pain or dental anxiety/phobia issues. I hope you can fight through those for the eventual gain in confidence and health. It will feel so good to finally be able smile confidently and comforting to be able to bite into foods and chew properly.

I hope my experience and insight will help some others. Good luck to all of you!

[Jerseygirl]

Wow Breel, Sea54change and Plugnickel69 - I can relate to everything the three of you said! It's so interesting to me to read your posts, all of which I could have written myself! I am now 46 years old and I was told 5 years ago that I needed braces. At first I thought the idea was sort of exciting, that I could do it no problem. But then the more I thought about it - the more I did not want to. Years went by - broken tooth, failed root canal, money spent on a beautiful crown only to have the tooth pulled. Continued with TMJ pain, a bad cross bite and open bite, inability to chew or bite my food, and the progression of my teeth becoming more and more crowded and crooked - my smile changing before my eyes as I approached my mid 40s. My dentist didn't understand how or why this was happening.

I started to meet with various orthos - one after the other. ALL the same questions you all had. Ceramic/metal? Self ligating or traditional? Could Invisalign work on me? What is the smallest bracket? Lowest profile bracket? Which will 'look' best on me? If I wasn't dating anyone at the time - would I continue to date or would no one find me attractive in braces? Time marched on - and I continued to mull it over, interviewing more orthos, researching and reading more and more. Life continues to happen - crisis' come up, illnesses, accidents, etc. Now isn't a good time. Can't do it now - nope.

Then the 2nd tooth broke, another molar with fractures caused by an uneven bite. Tooth is pulled. Next step - an implant. But before I do it - I see my dentist for a cleaning. For about the 50th time in the last FIVE years he suggests braces to me. And all of a sudden - the lightbulb went on. I said - I gotta do this - NOW! I went back to the very first ortho I met with years before, the one my dentist recommended. I was able to see him for a consult almost immediately because as luck would have it, he had a cancellation. I was embarrassed because I chickened out once before but I am positive he sees adults do this ALL the time. Two days after I consulted with him - he put my braces on and here I am.

It's only been five days! LOL - but I did it. I'm happy I went ahead with it, I KNOW I HAD to do it. I'm not thrilled with how I look - but I'll get over it. I'm even liking the way my mouth and upper lip is now filled in - because my mouth had begun to cave in and that made me look much older than I am - in my mind.

You all haven't posted to this thread in a few months - I hope you are all doing very well and excited for your end result. It's so very worth it!