Hello From Newbie

Message

#1 Post by **candygrrrl** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:34 am

Hi all:

What a great forum! And here I thought I was all alone at 41 with my crowded, crooked teeth and my narrow upper jaw! But noooooo . . . Makes me feel so much better.

My story is pretty typical: parents didn't "believe" in orthodontia when I was a kid, so I lived most of my life hiding an ugly smile and ignoring the difficultly I had chewing (and sometimes speaking), until I finally took my dentist's advice and went in for an ortho consult last fall.

Saw three of them, who all basically told me the same thing. After much thought and some reluctant raiding of the savings account (I mean, does dental insurance even exist?), here I am, in lovely, bite-inhibiting but outfit-matching turquoise colored spacers in preparation for braces and an upper palate expander. Which we're trying first to see if we can somehow circumvent upper jaw surgery. But, from my readings on this forum, I know at this age, all expanders do is push your arch outward. I'm beginning to think that I'm going to have to do the SARPE. And hope and pray my medical ins. covers it.

Scared and in pain and wondering when I'll ever be able to chew gum and eat hard candy again, but I'm trying to think positively about the outcome: for the first time in my life, a great smile and a healthy bite. And maybe a brand new handbag or two because, hey, when a girl's got a mouth full of metal, shopping IS therapy. And I need something roomy to carry around all that cleaning paraphanalia in, right?

Best of luck to all!

#2 Post by **OBG** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:11 am

Congrats on your decision. The journey can be frustrating but ultimately very rewarding.

sounds like you have a good attitude and good natured approach to your impending mouth jewelry. (Shop till you drop?) You will be eating hard candy before you know it.

I think you will actually enjoy this experience and will have many friends here to help you along the way.

#3 Post by **Mel-UK** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:00 pm

Hi there welcome to the site... it is great, full of wonderful information. So right about the handbag - I'm on the lookout!

Good luck
Mel

#4 Post by **OBG** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 2:22 pm

Well, are u ready to trade in your spacers for the real thing? Has the nervous anticipation set in?

I hope your B-day goes well. BTW what kind of appliances are you getting.

#5 Post by **candygrrrl** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 3:29 pm

I am sooo ready to get these spacers out! I can't wait until I can chew without pain again. However, I'll have to have four wisdom teeth out at some point in this process as well, so who knows when I'll be able to chew again? I'm also getting a RPE appliance, to try and circumvent SARPE.

Thanks for the warm welcome from everyone! Looking forward â€“ sort of! â€“ to this journey.