Counting Down to B Day (as in Braces Day)

[conser]

Hi, everyone! This is my first visit to this website. I am getting my braces on May 28th and I am 37 years old. I should have gotten braces as a teenager, but my parents thought it was 'unnecessary'. I guess now that it's my money.....

I'm a little nervous. I'm nervous about the discomfort a lot of people have had and just a little uncomfortable about wearing braces as an adult, I guess. Oh, and the eating thing is a little disconcerting.

I will have the clear brackets in front and metal in the back, top and bottom.

Glad I found this website. Lots of good information so far and I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's story so I can share in your misery and joy! Happy brackets to everyone!

[MrMetalMouth1029]

Don't be nervous! I'm 26 and have been braced for only six months. I wished that I had gotten braced when I was younger, but that just wasn't an option with the absence of money. I get a lot of compliments, and I'm sure people will think you're the cutest thing because people seem to think braces take years off you for whatever reason

The discomfort is temporary. You may want to eat softer foods to begin with. After about a week or so, you'll adjust and can eat most things again. Coming from experience, let me warn you not to eat candy canes...I knocked out a bracket right after Christmas because I gave in!

Welcome to the forum, and feel free to ask questions!

[Cass]

I guess now that it's my money.....

I think that was my parent's evil plan, too!

Congrats - just two weeks to go! I'm jealous - it's just over a month before I can just get the braces on and stop worrying about it! I'll be interested to see how your brace-date goes

[conser]

Thanks for the replies! I've been waiting since January. Between the dental appointments and consults with ortho and the big waits in between, it seems like I've been waiting forever.

I initially went to the dentist to get a referral for a tooth implant (I had to have a tooth pulled while I was pregnant 5 years ago and am tired of the big, gaping hole). My dentist suggested the implant would go more smoothly if I had my teeth straightened first. My orthodontist - whose wife is a good friend of mine - says that I probably wouldn't have suffered all my dental issues growing up if I'd had braces put on as a teen. I have made a silent promise to my kids that if their dentist suggests braces while they are young, I will do whatever it takes to get them put on for them.

So, two weeks from right now, I will have my braces and will be looking for something soft to eat for supper! I'm really glad I found this site. I think it will be good for laughs and support when the mouth doesn't feel so great some days!

By the way, I'll be attending my 20 year high school reunion next summer with braces....thinking about getting botox and wearing my hair in pigtails! LOL! Have a great week!

[636chick]

Congrats on your upcoming bday. I am 32 and I just got braces yesterday. I am adjusting pretty well so far. I have been able to eat ok, my teeth are not meeting anymore so it is a little different. I have a family outing this weekend and am sure this will be a surprise to all. I am going to see how many people notice. My son took a few hours to notice and my niece still have not noticed. I am using family as my control sample , I return to work Monday. Good Luck.

[conser]

Well, I'm in to the last week. In January, I thought this week would never get here and now I'm only 3 days from getting my braces put on (top and bottom). By this time Thursday, I'll be looking for something soft to eat, I guess.....I'm getting so nervous! Excited as well, though. Can't wait to see what they look like! Have a great week everyone.

[I love my teeth]

conser- congrats and welcome, I had mine put on May 14............I am 38, mom of 2, and decided in Dec 2008 to get this done, then like you, between, this, that, ect............it was until May!!!! I give you credit for attending the reunion!! Although I live 3000 miles from where mine will be in Nov, I am using the distance as an excuse not to go.

It will go fine getting the braces on--my kids want to know what color bands I am getting next time I go in--haha!! ps- I have all metal (not my choice, the ortho's!!) so, it's not like you don't notice them, but I am used to them now after 11 days!!

good luck

[conser]

So, today is day 13 for you?! Wow! How is it going now, almost a week later? I'm going for mine tomorrow at 12:50pm....I'm planning to have caramel popcorn for lunch! LOL....just kidding, but I did have some on the weekend, just to get it out of my system. I didn't think the ortho would like me eating that with braces!

The only thing I'm worried about is the eating. I'm thinking it's going to be lots of soup and protein shakes after reading a lot of these posts.

Keep me posted. Since you're two weeks ahead, it will give me encouragement on days when I'm hating it!

[I love my teeth]

I will officially be 2 weeks tomorrow, and I am doing fine. I have resigned myself that I can eat most things, but have to give up some of the things I love--like bagette bread--made soup last night for dinner, rest of the family ate it, I dug out the insides,

But overall eating is ok, improving. Over the weekend I managed a sandwich from subway, my mouth was exhausted afterwards, and half the meal was in my teeth, but I ate it!! Ate a salad the other day as well!!

I had to have 2 gum grafts done prior to the braces, so I have been out of commission in the eating area since march 27...........I have lost 7pounds so far, and to be honest, I had been wanting to loose 10 anyway, so there you go!!

Tonight it's chicken cordenbleu and rice---veggies are still a bit tough!!

Good luck, we can get through this together!!!!!!!!

-Christine

[conser]

The veggies and fresh fruit are my biggest fear. I eat raw baby carrots and sugar snap peas and apples every single day now. I'm not looking foward to mushy, cooked veggies...yuck! Oh, and nuts....I know I'll miss nuts. I'm okay with losing a few pounds, though. That never hurts at this age, does it!? Okay, there's an upside!

Well, I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. I'm feeling more anxious now than I did this morning. I know it's just one of those things you have to get through and I've seen people with braces eating pretty much anything (although later in their treatment).

Thanks so much for your encouragement! I'm looking forward to chatting as we move through each stage! Have a great night!

[Cass]

Good luck tomorrow!

[conser]

Thanks, Ken!

Well, they're on...and the mouth feels a little bit achy already. I've got the ceramic brackets on the front, top teeth and metal everywhere else. He didn't put the wire all the way to the back molars because I had a tooth extracted back there and there's a big gaping hole in front of the back molar on the top left.

My ortho thought that the more flimsy wire would just keep pulling out on that side if he put the wire back there right now. So, when they put a stiffer wire in at my next appointment, he'll put it all the way back and add in elastics and some kind of 'buttons' behind a few teeth?.....He says this will ease me in to it until July and then we'll get everything in there and start really seeing things happen.

The really fortunate thing is that if I have any problems, I can call or email the orthodontist directly at home because his wife is a friend of mine and our sons play soccer together....the joy of small town life!

So, for now, I'm feeling achy and it feels like my lips don't fit over my mouth properly now...nobody mentioned that!....it's really a strange feeling! I'm thinking soup and maybe some bread with butter for supper! The family is getting pizza and I'm not feeling quite ready for biting in to anything like that, yet. I also bought some protein shakes in case I'm feeling really sore later on.

Thanks for all the support everyone! I'm really quite excited about this journey. I'm glad I found this website because I've already gotten a wealth of information from it. At least I know what to expect and I'm prepared!

[I love my teeth]

OK, yes, the lip thing---that stinks, now after 2 weeks I don't feel like I have to take my lip and place it over the brackets (which my husband thought was hysterical!!).......But when I am talking, I am finding myself doing some weird movements with my lips to "reposition" them, I guess. I don't know if this is noticable to anyone else but me.......



good luck, sounds like you are well on your way!! I am just 3 weeks away from my first adjustment, and sort of looking forward to it---I am feeling ready to get rid of the "starter" wire and bring on the big guns and move these babies into position!!

[conser]

Wow. I have to wait 8 weeks until my first adjustment. I don't go for mine until the 21st of July.

I must say that I had no idea how bizarre it would feel having these things on! It feels like the brackets stick out a mile! My husband is in the sympathy stage, still. I'm sure he'll be laughing at me by the end of the weekend. Right now, he's making me soup!

My kids (2 and 4 years old) haven't noticed, yet. I'm waiting for it....they'll be wanting to stick their fingers in my mouth! Ha,ha!

[I love my teeth]

My 5 year old seemed unphased by it, but my 9 year old, is really into it---wants to come to appts with me, wants me to get colored ligs, asks if this hurts, or that's ok to eat, ect--------it's really cute!!

You must be in my time zone if your eating now??? We are in Vancouver, how about you??