Braces at 50

[daveinbraces]

"So glad to see posts from the older crowd. I'm 52 and got braces 3 months ago for overjet and overbite. I have to say it has been very difficult and stressful. Eating is hell. I've lost 10 pounds, which for someone who started at 115lb is not a good thing. Feeling very skeletal and worried that I'm just going to waste away. Anyone else dealing with unwanted weight loss?"

Leanna - I've experienced the same thing. This is your big chance to eat all the ice cream and milkshakes you want. Spaghetti and meatballs has been a lifesaver. Deviled eggs are good. Real, homemade, hand-patted hamburgers are good - your teeth can probably cleave thru the hamburger ok. Drive thru "rubber burgers" are terrible to try and eat. Lasanga with meat is good. Baked potatos, mashed potatos, crab soup, pinto beans, black bean soup.

You have to change what you eat and what you cook - its a total pain - but it can be done.

The first months are rough but persevere and you'll be ok. Motrin is your friend!!!

Best,
Dave

[leana]

Thanks for the encouragement Dave! So far pasta and other soft food hasn't worked out too well. I have turbo bites behind by front incisors and tons of buttons behind various teeth, so my tongue gets sliced up when I try to move food around inside my mouth. Ice cream and milkshakes do work, because they go straight down the gullet and are cold. Anything hot or spicy or savory is lethal. I'm normally a lover of spicy food, and love a big variety of foods, so being so limited in what I can tolerate makes me crazy. I dread eating....how sad is that? This experience makes me realize how we take enjoying food for granted. I'm promising myself to really appreciate it when it comes back!

[Bracer215]

Yes it is good to see the older crowd here. Never thought I would be in braces at 61. But as it was explained to me, a correct bite can help preserve your teeth as you get older. So here I am. I rarely get remarks from others. And I have been experimenting with the different color ligs. Presently in purple. In fact I constatnly seem to be running into more and more adults with braces. A coworker has had them on for EIGHT years. Don't know what is going on there??
I do work with preschoolers who will question me as to what are those things on your teeth and can you take them off. They are just very curious.

[sea54change]

Ellem-
Welcome!!!!

And to all of you who posted THANK YOU for making me feel not so crazy for doing this at an older age! I especially love Bracer215's comment about correct bite actually improving the helath of your teeth. My ortho did not tell me this or I forgot hearing it in those initial visits.

I was 59 when my braces went on. Now I'm 60 and have at least 2 more months to go. I've only been on this board for a week- wish I had looked for it earlier in this process!

Leana - I ate cheese omlettes for a long time after getting my braces on. Not much chewing and they are full of protein. I also lived on milkshakes with ice cream and or yougurt. I lost 5 lbs+ and I weighed same as you 115. After awhile when I could eat again, I slowly gained the weight back again. I love the idea of the protein shakes mentioned by Bracer215.

[JimMaine]

135 days since being braced. I'm 64, one of the older ones here! Most of my friends thought I was crazy getting braces. I have lived with an incisor that is rotated almost 100 degrees all these years. It always bothered me so decided to jump in. Having braces makes me look younger!

The orthodontist says he has to first move my top teeth forward to make room to turn the incisor. I have this crazily bent top arch wire with lots of loops. There is a button on the backside of the incisor but no wires attached to that yet. I'm getting a bit impatient with putting up with all the discomfort/diet change/endless teeth cleaning and nothing done yet to the tooth I want rotated.

My next appointment is in 10 days where I'm scheduled for a new arch wire. Hopefully that will get attached to the turned tooth.

[sea54change]

JimMaine-

Now I don't feel so old at 60! Welcome to the board!

My main reason for getting braces were my 2 front teeth top and bottom were so crowded they were crossing each other.
My daughter had braces for 3 years. Her teeth are now perfect and she has the most gorgeous smile. So I went back to her orthodontist and now he is working his magic on me.

1 lower tooth extraction Aug 26, 2010
Lower braces: Sept 1, 2010
Top braces: Dec 15, 2010
Anticipated debrace: Aug 1, 2011

[Huggypillow]

welcome to you all im only 29 but i guess we are all in this together. i git mine just before my birthday too strange how thats happened to a lot of us.

best wishes with progress everone. by the way im getting tad's if theres anyone here in that boat would love to hear from you.

[Dee17]

Hi,
It is so reassuring for me to see all these posts by people who are older and wearing braces. I am going to turn 54 at the end of August and will probably have my braces within two months of my birthday. The whole thing has literally turned my life almost upside down. My teeth have always been very straight. The only reason I've been referred to an orthodontist is because following two extractions a few months ago, I developed this HUGE gap between my two front teeth. Looks dreadful. Food keeps getting stuck in there! I'm a bit worried about how much it's all going to hurt for the first few days but am slowly feeling much better about the whole thing. Thank you to everyone on this forum who post all these reassuring pieces. It means the world to me!

[gj88]

Never too late to correct your teeth and achieve a perfect smile :)

Hope everything turns out great for you!

[Greenman]

I agree. Never too late to get that perfect smile. In fact, I'm sure you will appreciate it that little bit more.

[redwine]

I am 55 with a birthday coming up at the end of August. I've gotten insurance approval for SARPE and lower jaw surgery, but of course I have to pay for my braces. Anyhow, my ortho & surgeon are meeting for lunch on Wednesday to map out the plan for my mouth. With any luck, I'll have braces and/or 1st surgery before my birthday! Feels good, knowing I'm not alone in this!
Also, for those who are not big milk drinkers, I've found a wonderful protein drink that is sort of like kool-aid, or fruit punch. (I haven't been able to eat properly for some time - even without braces). I add vitamins, calcium & fiber to the drink for an extra "punch" of goodness.

[Dee17]

Wow. I am so glad I found this forum. I don't feel nearly so alone now. I never realized just how many adults were choosing to wear braces. If you'd asked me five years ago if I ever thought I would be posting on a forum like this, I'd have looked at you like you were crazy. As much as I am dreading joining this club, I think it's going to be a nice club to belong to. Thanks again!

[JimMaine]

I'm 65 and have had my braces for 1 year and 5 months now. My orthodondist says they will be coming off soon, just some final fine tuning. It's funny, I think I'm going to miss them. People say it makes me look so much younger :-). I am looking forward to eating out with friends and not worrying about all the food hung up in the hardware!

[Dee17]

That's awesome. What made you decide to finally take the plunge? Whenever I think about it, it feels like I'm jumping off a very high cliff and I get scared all over again. But, good for you! I hope you'll be very happy with your new smile. I wouldn't worry too much about missing them. I'm sure that feeling will go away quickly once you get used to to your new look!

[JimMaine]

[quote="Dee17"]That's awesome. What made you decide to finally take the plunge? [/quote]

All sorts of life priorities got in my way. Raising three boys, putting them through college. I always wanted to get my teeth straightened but so many other things took precedence. The thing that pushed me over the edge was my employer notifying me they were dropping my dental insurance which covered some of the cost.

It was indeed a feeling of jumping over the edge, but surprise, surprise - I had wings!