Bracing myself at 53!

[shredie79]

Indeed! I can only hope there is a master plan in place and this is 'ok'....

[shredie79]

Here are the most recent pictures after my last adjustment 2 days ago. I am 5 months into treatment come September 5. Any questions?

[GeezLouise]

I like to read your progress; it's inspiring. My teeth were braced 2 weeks ago (age 53) and I'm still too chicken and sore to actually bite into food, LOL.

[shredie79]

I had my most recent ortho adjustment on Oct 8th. This is the 4th adjustment or 6th month of DamonDays. I am in that space in my journey where I am feeling impatient and I don't see much progress happening. I am still waiting for the arch wires on top and bottom to become straight. Simply had a wire adjustment last week. I am wearing the same gauge wire as last time but this wire is made from a material which is more slippery to move along the brackets. The doctor sees improvement...but me? Still not convinced. I have been comfortable and can eat whatever I wish within chewing reason. There has been no pain associated with this recent swap which also makes me feel that I am in a hold pattern. I was initially told I'd be in braces for 15 months. I am at 6 months and seeing a lot more needs to be done to even out my smile. While things are straightening, half of my teeth on one side of my smile need to be brought down to match the other side. While I can touch teeth together that had never met before, my bite is far from matching yet. I've convinced myself that something dramatic will happen once I get into elastics. Yeah, I have heard they hurt, but just knowing something is taking place would be good. I am still waiting for the button build ups on my back lower molars to be removed. These are a bit of a pain. Wouldn't it be awesome if I could look into the future and see what the final outcome will actually look like???????? I am nervous but hopeful. Socially, I am at ease. No one seems to notice the braces. No one but me!

[kmadsen65]

I can relate about not seeing any changes. I got top and bottom braces with a bite plate for my overbite in June. A week after getting everything, my dentist took off my archwires to force my molars to "super erupt" correcting my bite faster so I could get the bite plate out, because I absolutely hate it. It did the trick and my molars did what they were supposed to do, but I can't get the bite plate removed until mid-December because the tissue needs to harden around the molars where they are now.

My archwires were put back on at the end of August and have had 2 adjustments since then. I haven't noticed any changes at all in my teeth other than my molars touch now. In my mind, if I don't feel discomfort, then the teeth aren't moving. When I brought this up to my dentist at the last appointment, he laughed and told me that I am the first patient that has ever wanted to be in pain. He said that my teeth are moving subtly every day and that I need to be patient. He said if we move too quickly it could damage the root system of my teeth.

I actually don't mind the braces much at all, it's the bite plate that I despise. It makes me sound ridiculous when I talk and eating is a pain in the butt. As far as being self-conscious about the braces, I'm not at all. I smile more with them than I did before I got them. I figured that if I was going to spend the money to do this, then I might as well ROCK THEM!!!

[shredie79]

Thanks for sharing your story. It was a,possibility I get an expander or a Herbst appliance but the ortho hasn't suggested one so I won't say a word! I have to speak to students in my class routinely so I sure don't need that obstruction!

[shredie79]

Hey all, has anyone else heard of the the orthodontic doldrums!? Like drifting in a sailboat in the South Pacific with no wind, my days are spent waiting for the winds of change to move my teeth into position. This is a rather slow process trying my patience. Today I turned 54. I soooo hope I reach the 'double nickel' in one year braces free. That will be my blow out the candle wish for today anyway...

I have an adjustment next Friday. No elastics yet. No wire bending for individual teeth yet. Here is my birthday smile.

[TheProfessor]

Happy Birthday, Shredie! I got my braces on a week before you and am also feeling the doldrums, maybe it's the 8 month slump??? I'm still on my second wires both top and bottom, I'm hoping the rectangular wires I'm supposed to get on Dec 22 will get things moving again!
---Prof

[kmadsen65]

I will have had mine on 6 months the end of November and I'm feeling very impatient to see some big changes. My dentist points out that they have moved, but since I look at them every day I don't see the subtle changes. Only 2 wire changes so far, but I do have wire ligaments on some of my bottom teeth that are crowded and crooked. He says he is focusing on the bottom teeth first then will work on closing the gaps on the top teeth. Plus I have an attached bite plate to open up my bite. A lot of focus has been spent on getting my molars to super erupt. Patience has never been a strong point of mine.

[Dougsey]

Happy Birthday Kelly!

[kmadsen65]

Thank you!!!

[shredie79]

Happy New Year to all of you! I hope 2015 brings a debracing for me...and you, too!!! :
Chugging along here with elastics to fix my overbite...

[kmadsen65]

Happy New Year to you too! I definitely will be getting mine off in 2015. At last visit, dentist said he is beyond pleased with my progress and that of the original 13-18 month timeline he gave me, we will be very close to 13 months. So that is around the end of summer. My bottom teeth are almost completely straight and the gaps are filling in on my top teeth. The best news is that I get this damn disclusion appliance off (bite plate) in 12 days!!! I don't mind the braces much, but I HATE THAT DAMN THING!!! Once that is off then power chain goes on my top teeth to start pulling them back in. YES!!!!

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

[Bracesat57]

Happy New Years to all my brace friends especially those of us in our 50's!

[KayKay]

I love reading these posts. You are so encouraging sharing your experience as you adjust to your braces. Thank you for sharing the good and easy along with the challenges. With 16 more days until my carriere' and elastics come off and my braces go on - I'm anxious to know the road ahead. And you are leaving great breadcrumbs behind you.

Hang in there! I'm bracing myself at 58!