Pessimistic about braces, looking for support...

[Hopefulsmile84]

So I'm new, found this site after looking on the net for other adults with braces. I'm 27 female and finally by being pushed by loved ones and friends to get braces. Not because they saw anything wrong with my teeth but because I apparently make a lot of comments concerning my teeth since I was at least in college. I also was pushed by my dentist to get braces which is how I am where I am now.

I've needed braces since I was a teenager but I begged my parents not to get them for me and since my mom had a phobia of dentists she was hard pressed to argue with me then. I did get my wisdom teeth pulled in college but it didn't help the crowding in my mouth at all. I have a canine in the roof of my mouth that came in behind the baby tooth canine that has recently(last few years) started to rot out but my dentist didn't want to pull it even though I begged mostly for my benefit he didn't want to mess up my mouth without an orthodontist looking at it first which usually meant the dreaded braces. I've been against braces since I realized I needed them after going to an orthodontist consult recommended by my dentist about 2 years ago and realizing I need 4 bicuspids and the rotting baby tooth pulled I was extremely against it at that point and I cried about it for months later and put the whole thing on hold because the sticker shock of the price didn't help either. I also wasn't the biggest fan of this orthodontist either so fast forward to a few months ago I talked with a good friend of mine on twitter of all places that recommended the orthodontist she went to I mentioned it to my now fiance and he made the appointment for me since he knew I never would, drove me to the office and everything too. Was still given the dreaded diagnoses of 4 bicuspids and I was still upset over this but was reassured by my friend that getting braces was the best thing she had ever done and my fiance had had worse dental problems than I do now as a kid and his teeth look wonderful so with his and her thoughts I went and did this back in may for a consult and a follow up appointment to get spacers for my first two bands before my teeth were to be pulled. The spacers were by far the most awful pain I have ever been in in my life. I have recently gotten some very extensive tattoo work done this past year and I also threw out my back where I was in in intense pain for a week but the pain from those evil blue things took the cake, constant pain for 48 hours straight with a break for a day and another 12 hours more the next day. It was bad enough I called the orthodontist to have make sure nothing was wrong since he never heard of anyone being in that much pain from spacers before so I was freaking out because I wasn't warned of this being that bad. I don't know why I thought pain wasn't associated with braces but wow that sucked. Only good thing was thankfully the spacers worked in only about a week and the orthodontist seemed shocked he was able to get a band on my left molar no problem and my right one I chewed the one spacer in half since it made it down to the bite and I chewed it off while eating. Thankfully the bands didn't hurt at all getting them on and even after they were mostly a nuisance but I got use to them after about a week. Then I had to make an appointment to get my 4 bicuspids pulled and I opted for an oral surgeon rather then the dentist since my fiance agreed it just would be better and less traumatic for me that way and I agreed. The monday before I was to get the teeth pulled I cut the left side of my cheek with the one band which really sucked and being on edge about my teeth being pulled this really blew. Never mind the fact that I have to talk on the phone for my job which has made this whole ordeal that much more unbearable.

As I type this up I'm currently healing from my extractions and still kinda not a 100% yet maybe 50. Trying to find soft foods I like seems to be all diary too which is kinda funny. They sting now mostly and my jaw isn't to sore now but the first day sucked much like my wisdom teeth did. It's odd eating with 4 big holes in your mouth and not being able to brush my teeth yet is bothering me the most.

I have been very against this whole thing though and I'm really getting upset that I may not be able to enjoy my camping vacation coming up in late July early August but both my Fiance and orthodontist don't seem so concerned about it. It does look like I probably will only have braces on my top teeth since I have to get a removable plate for my bottom teeth to push my one tooth in the roof of my moth back to where it belongs and fix my bite so until that tooth moves back in place I probably won't have braces on the bottom till after my vacation from what my orthodontist has told me so far but I'm not quite sure what he has planned at this point. I know next visit I get 2 more spacers to make room for another set of bands next to the ones I currently have. I'm pretty confident he knows what he is doing and my sentence so far seems to be 18-24 months but he thinks I might be done closer to 18 since he was able to get the bands on that quickly and with little trouble. The bands themselves besides biting my cheek this past monday have not been a problem at all. I'm not sure what to expect at this point and I'm still deathly nervous about the whole process being extremely painful and uncomfortable. Everyone's experience seems to be different but with the spacers not working out and being a wreck over having to pull permanent healthy teeth I'm just very nervous I made a huge mistake doing all of this. I know it needs to be done for my health as much as my looks and everyone around me has been really supportive of it but doesn't change the fact I'm the one mostly against it and the one getting them. I hope in the end it's worth it, I'm tired of getting food stuck in the roof of my mouth even food getting stuck between braces seems only slightly annoying compared to what I have put up with all my life the pain though sounds horrid if it's anything like the spacers. Seriously worst pain ever.

I looked in the mirror this afternoon and the holes formed from my extractions and I about cried. While I don't miss the rotting baby tooth the other 4 missing bother me a lot plus it's still healing and blood clots are nasty looking. I haven't been able to eat all that well either but I try.

Also I didn't see it anywhere on here but does anyone else feel a bit strange being the only one in the waiting room at your ortho office that is above the age of 18? Kinda hurts my self esteem to be the only adult in the office at times. Might just be me since I feel I may have waited too long to get braces which is why I'm relieved to have found this forum.

Not sure if I will keep this updated but I will try sharing as the treatment progresses. I'm really nervous and scared about the whole thing and not sure what to expect at this point. I had plans to go traveling and do other things and I feel this whole process may but a damper on that but again neither my orthodontist or fiance seem to think it will be as bad as I'm predicting but then all I have to go on is how bad the spacer pain was and I still have to get more at some point. I guess I'm lucky in that I'm not getting everything in at once.

Also not the biggest fan of the 'just have to deal with it' and 'it's only temporary' comments. More than a week or even 2 days is certainly not what I view as temporary. I'm a live every day as if it were your last type of person I guess so part of me doesn't feel either comment is very compassionate or helpful.

This is a wonderful site though glad I'm not the only person in my late 20s getting braces and having to deal with work and the social stuff associated with being an adult and wearing braces.

Thankfully I enjoy beer so even if I can't eat I can still drink tasty beer and be happy right?

[200books]

Wow! I didn't have any pain with the spacers. Of course, my teeth were sore so I could only eat soft foods. They did have a lot of trouble getting them in. I started to worry that I might have to have those teeth removed. That was one of my ortho's concerns in the beginning. I did feel strange being the only adult patient there. I am 31. I now have had my braces for four days. The soreness in my teeth seems to be better today. I hope to be able to eat more by this time next week.

[Hopefulsmile84]

Update:

Went to ortho today and got two more spacers on the top but just 2(still painful though and I was just feeling better today). I also got a bite plate of some kind he just calls it a device so not sure how to describe it just for the bottom teeth. I'm to wear it 15 to 20 minutes a day at least to try and prevent me from biting the tooth in the roof of my mouth so he can pull it forward into place. Looks like I will probably be getting braces on the top in two weeks. I'm a little apprehensive about my choice since when I told my ortho of my upcoming vacation he hesitated at not wanting to 'ruin' my vacation but I really don't want to wait 2 months to get them on I figure I have more than 2 weeks before to get use to them and it will just be the top teeth. I will probably be getting the bottoms done sometime in september since the device I got needs to do it's job for a few months. Still sounds like I'll only be doing this for 18 months if I keep doing what I'm told which I am. Part of me is also a bit concerned that this ortho prefers bands to brackets on molars. I'm fine with it and the bands don't bother me at all and it's nice to know they don't move or fall off and they are quite easy to clean. One is digging into my gum a bit but my body has adjusted as things move. Just seems odd because I haven't heard of anyone else having two molar bands on each side(top and bottom though not sure about bottom yet).

Trying to be a bit positive about everything(shocking I know), I do feel some of the worst might be over but then I'm worried the bottom braces will really suck not sure how bad having braces on the top will be but after having my teeth pulled and getting food stuck in these holes I'll be happy to have them close as soon possible.

I told my fiance today I love that he had gotten braces as a child and I always admired his teeth and he has much more work done to his than I'm having done to mine. I'll admit I'm being a big baby about everything but I'm sure you can all relate that this is not a fun experience I just hope I have a better smile than he does in the end. I should be blessed that everyone around me including my ortho has been very supportive. When you are all upset at the pain you are in it's hard to realize that the support is there. After reading some of the stories on here at how unsupportive some people can be to this sort of thing makes me realize I should be more thankful at all the support I have makes the experience a bit better and easier to take.

Thanks all for this site the stories and insights are very helpful.

[mnmetalmouth]

I didn't feel that much pain with my spacers but I don't think my teeth moved as much as yours did. However, I had seven teeth pulled before I got my braces and that was more painful then childbirth! Braces, for me, are not as painful as that but it still hurts when I eat. I had them put on a week ago and my teeth still hurt. So you may want to think soft food for your trip.
I have bands around my molars as well but didn't have enough space for the very back four. I have to have rubber bands to correct my bite so I think they are for that.
I also felt a little odd about being the oldest person in the ortho office. But as I was getting my braces on I had the realization that when my braces cause me pain I get to have beer (& they're too young) and that made feel much more fortunate.

[noveldevice]

My braces hurt like a bastard. I spent the first two months basically two and a half sheets to the wind the whole time.

I had to have three premolars pulled. It was traumatic, and I felt sort of like having the teeth pulled was the point of no return, so that was uncomfortable emotionally.

My teeth still hurt but nowhere near as bad. It does get better, and this is seriously pretty much the best thing I've ever done for myself.

[kookoo80]

Hi, sorry to hear you're having such a bad time. I agree with the others that alcohol is a great pain killer though! I had 6 month smile fixed braces put on 4 days ago and today is the best day so far!I haven't had too much tooth pain as long as I don't actually use my teeth!I can kind of chew on my back teeth today- but my front 6 teeth, top and bottom, feel kind of numb but tender! For me the worst pain is on the inside of my cheeks where I already have some impressive ulcers, general rubbing and swelling- am sporting unlovely trout pout at the moment! However- the key is definitely regular pain killers!! I have been taking 50mg diclofenac 3 times a day, paracetamol 4 times per day and codeine 3 times per day! I've taken low doses of codeine in the day (15mg) so i dont fall asleep at work, and 60mg at night!! It's definitely doing the trick! Day 2 was horrible for the first 6 hours until I started taking meds regularly!
Also, it's worth baring in mind that pain is as individual as you are, as is the way you respond to it! So don't feel bad for complaining- just take enough medication to make you comfortable! I'm sure the regular meds will only be needed for the first week and after that probably just as and when!
Good luck and check out this blog
grownupsbraces DOT blogging DOT com

[kookoo80]

Sorry, that should be
grownupsbracesDOTblogspotDOTcom

[Hopefulsmile84]

Seems my top brace day was pushed 3 days earlier than planned and I'm not too happy about it. Instead of a saturday afternoon with a day after to get use to them I have to get them on a wednesday evening and then go to work the next day and somehow figure out how to eat soft food at my desk. It's either I take that appointment or wait till mid august to start all this. I feel so stupid right now for starting this before my vacation and I haven't heard one story where people didn't have pain the first day so I'm screwed. My orthodontist doesn't seem to very sympathtic to pain so I'm stuck with over the counter drugs. Narcotics didn't seem to do much for the spacer pain anyway. What sucks with this date too is my orthodontist won't be available the entire week after getting them so if I have a problem I have to wait a week to see him. I don't know what to do but scream and cry. I really just want this done and over with I'm a very impatient person but not looking forward to a very unpleasent week next week.

I'm really upset over this soft food diet and pain crap which was not even presented to me when I consulted for braces(I went to 2 consults too). Hell my fiance said he ate whatever he wanted without a problem or to much pain. I'm really confused on what to think right now I wish I never did this and now I'm dedicated with the extractions I just got.

[200books]

I didn't realize how sore by mouth would be either. I loved drinking ice water and eating cold watermelon. It made my teeth feel better.

[noveldevice]

I think orthodontists either pretty much assume you realize it's going to be painful, or they're effing morons who think it doesn't "really" hurt.

But you know, I'm seven months in, my teeth have basically done most of their serious moving, I'm only rarely in pain anymore, and I am even happier about how great my teeth are looking.

[annafaith]

Hi hopefulsmile84,

I'm sorry you've been in so much pain with your orthodontic work so far. Unfortunately, it really is no pain no gain with this kind of thing, although some people fare worse than others. You seem very upset with your brace treatment at the moment, maybe it would help if you looked for all the positives that having braces for a relatively short time will bring? Having good teeth for the rest of your life is surely worth it?

I think your treatment shares some similarity with what i've had done. I also had 4 healthy molars removed at the dentist, with a local anaesthetic - not pleasant. Two wisdom teeth extractions followed last year (I'm 24 now), and last year I was also told that I would need surgery to correct my underbite which I'm having next week. I've had fixed braces for probably 6 years of my life, and have had to put up with the intense pain which goes with every adjustment, not being able to eat properly, and feeling miserable because your mouth aches so much, as well as getting a lisp with retainers. I even ended up visiting a doctor for pain medication because it was so intense at one point I was on the brink of tears whenever i had to move my tongue. So it's not just you that has to go through the pain of it all, a lot of people have been there and done that too, just thank your lucky stars you don't have to go in for surgery too!

[Hopefulsmile84]

Update:

So got top braces wednesday evening as planned though I had to go to an appointment with the oral surgeon the day before since I seemed to have developed some kind of infection in one of my lower extraction sites. Was red and hurt to touch and a bump formed on my gum behind it. A week later now I'm done with the antibiotics I was told to take but the bump is still there but pain and redness of the site have gone. Getting the brackets and pre molar bands was not the most fun experience and apparently my orthodontist was over booked that evening and I ended waiting about a half hour with the damn cheek extender in my mouth waiting for the orthodontist to come back to take it out since I wasn't told I could, not that I could do much complaining with the damn thing in my mouth. Getting brackets on wasn't the most comfortable experience and boy is it demeaning to sit there with your cheeks extended not able to complain I about almost ran out mostly out of anger once the thing was in but now that I'm 'dedicated' with the extractions I feel like a caged animal with no choice left but to be tortured. Once the pre molar bands were on and the wire was put in I felt pressure but no pain. Was told I would have 'discomfort' and that salt water is really all I needed for it(yeah right). Was fine most of that evening but I woke up in the middle of the night in the most intense pain along with thinking about the uncomfortable experience of getting them put on. Plus when he cut the wire to length he left a cut off piece in my mouth that I rinsed out when I got home and was worried I swallowed the other(I think he got that one though). I slept maybe 4 hours that night due to being in pain and had to go to work the next day and I'm on the phone all day long so not talking wasn't an option. Took pain killers but they did nothing. Had to eat mashed potatoes for lunch which was really not the best lunch. About the only good thing about this so far is I went for ceramic uppers and you can't tell I have braces when I talk or smile, expensive but so worth the extra cost. The feel of them in my mouth pale in comparison to the pain the wire is causing me. Thankfully my ortho had enough sense to keep my back molars free so the wire has a place to go as the teeth move so I shouldn't encounter to much annoyance with that for awhile. I do unfortunately have a metal bracket on the tooth in the roof of my mouth and was given the sentence of power chains for that and my ortho used the words 'pain' instead of 'discomfort' when describing that so I'm not looking forward to that at all. He thankfully is trying to straighten my front teeth first before attempting that but still the bracket is there for no reason and I bite it everytime I try to eat.

The first day was the worst second day was better but chewing with my front teeth was out of the question. I was happy my molars were fine so I favored those when eating but yesterday and today my left molar really hurts when touched or even grazed with my tongue. I've been having a hard time dealing with stress lately and this is just not helping, I think about this every day and night and it's consumed my life to the point I can't live. I don't know how I'm going to deal with this for 15 more months(or longer depending on how fast stuff moves) Nevermind also my extraction sites with a metal wire over them has food get stuck and trapped there on a regular basis, they are so huge I just don't know how they are ever going to close and I have so few teeth I can't stop from thinking I made the biggest mistake of my life with this and it never really was my idea I put my life in the hands of others and I feel I made a mistake. Why is pulling healthy teeth ever ok? I don't know really second guessing this whole idea and I don't even have the opportunity to say no since I got extractions done.

I miss eating like a normal person. I use to be able to eat a meal in 5 minutes it now takes me an hour to eat a bagel(I guess I should be thankful I can eat that). Seriously I can't take this...I hate braces.

Oh and I only have braces on the top and the bottom still has to get done at some point. Not looking forward to having spacers and braces, seriously this is behind a comfortable experience a warning before starting would have been nice I shouldn't have had to go on the internet to research how bad this was going to be. Everyone I know that had braces were all freaks and had very little if any pain I don't get why this sucks so much for me besides my attitude but even with a positive attitude I doubt it would have hurt less. Complaining to my ortho is like complaining to a brick wall. The whole 'suck it up' attitude doesn't fly with me either no one should have to suck it up being in this much pain for this long this is day four and it's no better than day two it's actually worse due to the molar pain.

[kawser555]

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[catgyrl]

Sorry, but I think your negative attitude isn't going to help you at all during this process. Sometimes in life, yes... You do have to "suck it up" and deal with things. Life isn't going to be peachy all the time. Placing a bunch of metal in your mouth in order to move your teeth around to straighten them isn't going to tickle. You will have pain and discomfort at times. But eventually, it does go away. Try being a grown 43-year-old woman (and there are some here older than that) going through this.

I'm sorry this sounds so harsh, but it seems like all you want to do here is complain, and not accept any kind, reassuring advice from anyone. Everyone here is trying to help, but you're not very receptive to it. This site has been a godsend to a lot of us who were willing to take the advice given. Just relax and think about how amazing your teeth are going to look at the end!

[Hopefulsmile84]

Update: So without warning I got a power chain put on my tooth in the roof of my mouth which I thought was being waited on till after my vacation. I wanted to protest but I want this damn thing moved sooner rather than later but a warning would have been nice. I wasn't able to take medication before the appointment so I'm in a lot of pain now. This so sucks and I somehow have to drive to work tomorrow. I'm about ready to pull it out! I thought he was just making sure everything would be fine for then. Blech.