So many years I wonder how I got so brave?Made the appt !

[Gennel]

I found this site recently and have been reading everyone's stories and seeing pictures with great progress.As I mentioned before ,my daughter needs braces so we were getting a loan to pay for that and some bills as well. Out of the blue my husband asks if I wanted to get braces at the same time with our daughter. I kinda froze with fear because the Dentist is a serious phobia of mine. At the same time I was relieved he said it because I said "yes!" I feel terrible that I'm responsible for my daughter needing braces But now I just blame my father's family! lol
I said yes but kept putting off making the consultation appointment. I kept thinking "ok when we get the loan check cashed" I called the orthodontist for my daughter and asked a few questions about wanting to email him and they couldnt give me his info because it's only his personal email so I said I would call right back...I didn't. Then finally this Monday I called and spoke to one of the dental assistants and explained to her just how afraid I was and wanted to know about getting some sort of sedative before my appt. She was really nice and told me that she has braces herself and is a patient there. She kept telling me " Trust me it's no where near as bad as you are imagining" She asked me if I ever saw braces being put on and how the procedure works. I told her no. She asked if I wanted to at least set up a consultation with the ortho to speak with him about my concerns. She told me she would not schedule appointments right after my consultation just in case if I got emotional, she wanted me to feel comfortable. So I finally ok let's do this as soon as possible.
My consultation is Monday at 1 pm. I'm giving the down payment also on Monday. Since I know I need at least 4 premolars removed I will ask if they can extract the 4 on Monday. It's sort of stupid because I am not afraid of the actual pain or needles. I'm just terrified of embarressment to open my mouth. I feel I got this urgent feeling of getting the teeth pulled ASAP and getting my next appt for the molds and putting on the brackets ASAP. I told my brother " I need to do this quick because I feel brave all of a sudden lol" So for over a week I have not been sleeping well at all. Actually I have insomnia because I am awake in bed for hrs just thinking of all these possible scenarios in my head . I had to start taking a sleeping pill each night so I can just actually sleep and not think so damn much!
I will start a new thread as soon as I get back from my consultation.
Pray for me everybody!

Gennel

[finallybraced]

Hi Gennel,

This is FinallyBraced. I just read your post. I hope things are going well for you. One of the things I was so surprised by is how comforting the entire team at the ortho I went to was. They actually have 3 different dentists, a Treatment Coordinater, and tons of other people there that do so many different things.

One thing that I was impressed by and comforted with was the fact that not once was I ever "fussed" at, for not taking care of my teeth. My teeth have been crooked since elementary school. I have spent my entire life covering my mouth when I laugh, and only giving a half-hearted smile. So, I figured. "What's the point in proper flossing, cleaning, etc. when I'm still going to be ashamed of my teeth, no amount of cleaning is going to make them look better."

This team never mentioned it. The hygentist is a cute guy my age. Usually around cute men, I try to hide my teeth. Not that I expect to go out with them or anything(I am married). It's just the idea. Anyway, while he's cleaning my teeth he tells me he had the same exact problem I did. That made me feel so much better. Then the treatment coordinater got braces 5 days before I did.

It's really amazing how as adults we conjure up all these negative scenarios with no idea that it really isn't so bad after all. I guess after having so many negative dental experiences in the past, along with our embarassement and shame of a smile we can't show; it's understandable we would feel this way.

This site has been such an encouragement to me. I really feel like I'm not in this alone. As women, we mostly just want to know that there is someone out there who knows how we "feel". We are emotional creatures and want to know our feelings are valid. That's what this site gives me. I hope it does the same with you. I hope all goes well with you too.

[sjsarre]

Hi Gennel

I would go with KK on this one!

But maybe go that step further in writing your thoughts down. No matter how small or silly it may seem at the time. Sit down and write the reasons why you find the experience so hard. Then write down the positive reasons for getting the treatment done.

You can add to that list over the next few days.

Hopefully the positives will far outweigh the negatives of how you are feeling.

You are not alone.. Its taken me not far off 20years to take the plunge. AND, in the same sort of scenario. My son is due to have a brace on at the end of this year which is why I chose to get mine done!

[Gennel]

I dont even have to write the good and bad reasons. I can tell you right now that the good outweighs the bad! If I don't do something now ,this will be like a life sentence for me and I want to be free NOW. I am sooooo
anxious to get the treatment started I can't explain it in words. It's like this horrible part of my life will be a distant memory.
To tell you how bad I know I need this. I have even started thinking of ways to start a "help site" For those with serious phobia issues like myself.
The people that are dentist or work for dentist DO NOT TOTALLY understand just how scared a person like me really is. Just the fact that they are in the dental industry tells me that. My own personal experience and pictures will hopefully help someone else that doesnt have such a severe case.
What happens to me on Monday will only remain a mystery if I don't show up at my consultation. I need to know that its really not as bad as I think. I figure if I can give birth to a child and suffer labor pains,I also had a c-section. Which is major surgery and extremely super painful for like 2-3 months. I couldnt even sneeze because it felt like my guts were ripping open. I figure I can handel 15 or more needle shots if I need them. I figure I can handle the tightening pressure feeling, I can handle soreness for several days, I can handle eating only soft /liquids for days (might actually help me start a diet that I need to also! lol)
I feel like something strange has taken over me and it's not really me. It's something that is just guiding me to do what I know I have to do. I could never look into my daughter's eyes if I chicken out of this.
So right now it's a 5 day countdown to my appt.

Thanks everyone here for be so ,so ,so understanding. I feel that only a person with my situation could understand. My husband is extremely very supportive but he says he can't understand why or how I am making this such a huge problem because it has a solution.

[Gennel]

THANK YOU SO MUCH

I just looked up your story and pictures. For some reason I thought you were like a teenager.....that's a compliment by the way
Don't worry one bit about me going or not going to the appt. I am going on Monday. I honestly wish it was earlier than 1 pm. I'm crossing my fingers and maybe hoping too much that they can extract some teeth the same day! I want stuff to begin ASAP. I'm hoping that by Mother's day I might be with braces. Sounds funny ? lol

Iwill post as soon as I get back from my appt!!!

[finallybraced]

Hi Gennel,

This is FinallyBraced again. I also had a C-Section(not planned). Also, my incision became infected(yes, it hurt). I was on 2 IV anitbiotics for days. I was constantly being woken up in the middle of the night to have my finger pricked with a needle. Then there's the whole can't lie down or walk upright.

That being said, if you've been through child birth and a C-Section, you can definetly handle braces. For the 3, 4, & 5th day I began to feel like I was in constant pain(much like after my C-Section). However, it very quickly[by the end of day 5] began to change dramatically. Like I had my braces put on Wed. Thur, Friday--bad, Saturday-took Rx Ibuprofeun, Sun Am, better but still hurting. Sunday night a big difference from Saturday.

The pain doesn't last nearly as long as with a C-Section. I hope this gives you some encouragement. I won't lie and say it's painless, but I will tell you that it very quickly gets so much better.

P.S. I had to get 3 filling, all in one day 2 days before my braces. The dentist was fixing to give me a shot, yuck. I asked if he could do it w/o the shot, but warned him I'm a baby and DO NOT like pain. He tried it, and guess what, no pain, that shot would have hurt much worse.