Braces at 50

[PankyM]

I'm a 50 year old who finally decided to get braces. I've had them for four days now and my biggest issue is the brackets rubbing the inside of my mouth. Mainly annoying but becomes painful the more I talk and when I eat. The orthodontist gave me dental wax but suggested I use it only when absolutely necessary. I assume that is so I do not become dependent on it. Haven't used it yet. I'm hoping not using it will allow my mouth to "toughen up" sooner rather than later. Does anyone have feedback about this? Do you eventually get to where the brackets are no longer a bother?

[grin61]

Hi there.

Your mouth will toughen up fairly quickly. Keep a water bottle with you. Keeping your mouth moist will help. applying chap stick to your lips is very beneficial also.

[30yearoldbraceface]

hello I used wax like crazy the 1st month in braces - and since then I haven't needed to use any wax whatsoever. Why put yourself through torture, you wont need to use the wax forever

[pjade1]

I never used the wax much. I also got my braces at 52 and it's been a year now with them. It does get better and you do get used to them but they are still an annoyance. It's a love/hate relationship. I am sure we will be glad when the debracing day comes. I still have days where my braces seem to rub more than normal but I don't use the wax unless there is a pokey wire.

[metalliKa]

I'm four months in and my brackets still irritate me from time to time. Initially, I had sores from the brackets rubbing against my cheeks but I toughed it out like you. I recall using wax only once when a wire was poking at my back left cheek from teeth shifting and couldn't get to the ortho to have it trimmed because I was out of town. Speaking of which, a wire is poking at the exact same spot right now but not enough to warrant a visit to the ortho's office...yet.

[teeebeee]

Hiya..all the best 50 years old are getting braced this year!

Depending on where my wires are in the scheme of things (my teeth are moving fast!) I sometimes need to use wax. The best one I've found is plaksmaker. It's a bit heftier so takes a bit of working but it's the only one that mostly stays put. Mind you, I've eaten an awful lot of it over the past 4 months! lol...

If you need it, use it. I tried the tough it out approach and my dentist was horrified at the neat spike that was poking into my cheek!

Good luck!

T xx

[Bracesat57]

Welcome to the club. I have ceramic brackets which are bigger then the smaller metal ones. I can say I never had a problem with the brackets themselves. I did have a problem with the bands on my lower molars which are crowns. They didn't fit properly (I didn't realize this when I left the ortho's office) and I went back after a few days of the bands ripping up my tongue and they fixed them for me. This time when I left the office they were nice and smooth.

My only suggestion would be to try the wax or maybe go back to the ortho's office and let them look to see if something is wrong with any of the offending brackets.

Good luck!

[Ridingboots]

Enjoy your journey and braces gets better as you get use to them. I have had braces for 9 months and am also a late starter as am 41

I used the wax for the first few week when I got braces and again when I had the expander put in and found that once the sore bits heal up I have had no problems since.

If you get canker sores (mouth ulcers) I found salt water the best thing. I would gargle salt water a few times a day and with in two days they were gone.