I hate waiting.. (long rambling rant/thought dump).

[oldfart]

Background: 46, and doing braces again. This time to close a gap due to a molar extraction, but also have bite issues and crowding to attempt to fix at the same time. Braces 10-12 years ago cleaned up about 80% of my bite issues) but still have some that I would like fixed.

Just had three kids in for a consult (two will do it now with me). But am probably still a month away from being able to take the plunge. So have too much time to think.

Still have the extraction, a cleaning, and one filling to do before I can even start treatment. But had the consults, and my wife is on board (reluctantly) so am moving forward. So hopefully by end of Jan I will be there.

Recent thoughts...

1) I swear I am going mental. I am having flashbacks from when I had them 12 years ago. I leaned on my hand and swore I had a band hook poke me in the cheek.

2) Crowded Teeth that havent moved in five years are moving again. Molars that I know will hurt when the bands go on are aching now.

3) Am I making the right choice. I can do an implant for $4000 (if by some chance I don't need a bone graft, even though thats likely) and fix one tooth, and get it over in two apts. And save myself all this headache. Or spend $5300 to fix a lot more than one tooth but take two years.

I am very odd here, but I enjoy seeing how the braces work, and am excited for tightenings and elastics, seeing teeth move, and the pain doesnt faze me. But swore I would never do it again after last time. But here I go gain. It's the generic excited to get them on, but excited to get them off scenario. I'll probably even play armchair orthodontist and try to guess what is coming next on my own kids appts.
I bet they run though when I get the needlenose pliers and ask if I can change thier ligatures.

But I hate the way they look on me. This may be sexist but I don't think braces detract from a womens look at all and are often attractive, but guys (adults) look like total dweebs in them. (No offense to any dweebs, I mean guys with braces, reading this.). I find it very hard to smile when talking to other guys. As I am sure then think I am a total idiot for doing this.

How often do guys my age even get braces? I have worked in a large office of about 200+ people for about 20 years. Now I don't know everyone, but can think of at least 20-25 adult women over the years that have had braces here. But can think of one adult male doing it during the same time. Am I smarter than the 99 percent of adults males here that could use braces, or are they all smarter than me not to do this? I can go shopping in a mall, or a high traffic area and see an adult female in braces almost every day. But never see an adult male. (maybe they just don't smile with them like me.)

Homework assignment. Any professionals that deal with a lot of people in the business world. How many adult females have you seen with braces over the last year, and how many adult males.)

If anyone works in an ortho office, what is the percentage of adult males getting braces vs adult females.. May have to go google that.

Okay, this rant is over.. if you made it through it congrats. I am sure it won't be the last.

of

[Kipepeo]

My personal thought of adult males I see wearing braces - EMPOWERED. Just the opposite of what you describe. I think this about adult females too, but to a lesser degree. In fact I think anyone with braces, or who's had them is smart for taking care of themselves.

I have only seen a few men with braces since I started in them, and lots of ladies, so your point is well taken. I sat next to a kid's dad at my son's soccer game one Saturday, and lo-and-behold, be had a tin grin! It made me feel more comfortable in mine, although I don't even think he realized I had them. Another was a coworker in a project I'm on, with people from across the nation, and across the pond.

There's one other lady in my office with braces, and another who recently completed invisalign. Another lady is about to start braces.

Several have said to me that they should go get a consult, including a couple men. Don't fret it, oldfart. After a couple weeks when the newness and weirdness wears off (agian!), you'll be fine.

[Tobilei]

I too obsessed beforehand. I took a month to decide what I wanted put on my teeth and then another 5 weeks before my appointment started. I found myself worrying about them, day dreaming about them, anxious to get started but only because I wanted them off before they even went on. Worrying about the money and whether or not I was doing the right thing.

I understand your point about men vs women with braces. I've seen 2 men with them since I got mine on and at least 4 women. I don't think it's dweeby to worry about your teeth. The way my ortho described it was to tell me that now days people want to keep their real teeth as long as possible. Way back when, most of the time, problems were dealt with by simply removing the teeth and wearing dentures. My Grandma has dentures and they're a nightmare.

I too could have simply gotten 2 implants instead of the braces. This way the cost is the same but I get to fix all my teeth and my bite as well.

I say go for it! Once they're on I'm sure you'll feel fine about it. After a month I don't really worry how mine look anymore. Besides, if Tom Cruise can do it..............

[Ellabelle]

Well OF, my fiancé is getting braced next week. He's 45, it's his first orthoventure, and he's getting a full metal set. He's completely confident about his decision, which I think is awesome. I'm 25, getting braced the same day, and although I've wanted this for over half my life I'm still obsessing over it.

As for men slightly older wearing braces, like yourself and my FI, empowered is an accurate word. Also I'd throw in sexy. But maybe that's just me, but I think confidence and working on oneself is hot.

[jem]

Hi Oldfart,

I am one of the rare older men in the UK with braces. I have seen a few adult women with braces but no men. But after 12 months I can say that my brace has not been an issue either socially or in my professional life. Interestingly, the only people who have commented on it have been female (all positive comments). I think women are more observant than men about aspects of ones appearance and also more interested.

I am heartened by the comments of other posters on this thread, although I suppose I would expect women with braces to be sympathetic to men undergoing the same procedure.

Good luck with your treatment

Jem

[kennyandrew85]

I'm a 27 year old male in UK, i have never seen another adult man wearing braces.

But I am very confident I made the right choice, I have no doubts the end result will lead to me being happier, more successful in business etc.

You will probably see more and more adults getting braces in the UK over the next few years.

[belenov]

I'm a 39 year old male who works on building sites and never has anyone mentioned them. It's almost disappointing. I've seen a few adult males in braces to the point that I was at a gig and found myself standing in line with two other adult males in braces, which was quite odd. two years in now awaiting release.

[Barb E]

OF - If you get the implant you can not get braces later without having the implant removed, so keep that in mind!!

I had an implant for a front tooth in 1993ish and it was removed in September so I could get braces.

[ca214]

32 yr old male here - work in the tech world, but travel a great deal and interact with a lot of people outside of my office. have only come across one other braces-wearing guy professionally - he was sporting metal brackets vs my ceramics. there's one woman with ceramics in my office of 250, and two others who are doing invisalign. i've definitely felt like i've gotten braces radar since i got mine on, and have certainly noticed more females than males with them.

C

[oldfart]

One more step dones needs to be done before the braces can go on with my kids.

Molar Extraction complete. No complications, just a big ol hole in my jaw. Been able to avoid pain pills so far. I should measure it. I think it is about 10-12 mm.

That's a long ways to move a molar. But being told it can be done.

of

[Tobilei]

Yay! One step closer I have a gap that I think is 12mm too. My ortho told me that partly mine was too large to close but more than that my bite would be really off if they moved the molar behind that far around to the front Glad yours is fixable! I'm staring down the barrell of an implant

[oldfart]

How many opinions did u get? I had one with only about six years experience say no. But two with a lot more say yes. It will be interesting.

[Dee17]

Hi Oldfart,
I think you're lucky if your orthodontist is able to close an extraction space left behind after a molar extraction. I had TWO extractions over the summer: a bicuspid on the upper right and an premolar on the upper left. I had two consultations with two different orthodontists and both of them said they would not be able to close the gaps. Sigh. So I am going to have to have two bridges or two implants when I'm all finished. On my upper right side, though, there has been a fair bit of bone loss because I had a huge abscess there. Periodontist told me I'd have to have something called a "sinus augmentation" before I could get an implant on that side. I looked it up on YouTube. Ick! It looks just awful. So, knowing that (and that the periodontist said it would cost about $8,000!!!) I have decided to go with the bridges. I may regret it, but I don't think so.

[oldfart]

I am hopeful as we are just moving one tooth forward to cover the gap using Tads. And there are lots of youtube videos that show how it is done. And we all know that if we see it on the Internet it must be true.

[Dee17]

Yes, you're right about that! Nothing bogus ever makes it to the Internet.
I hope you will be successful!