I posted a thread before the initial treatment. So I decided to make a new one.

Im 18 years old, and Ive wanted braces probably since I was 11. Growing up my parents had the insurance to cover braces but in our small town my mother wasnt very liked. Shes a smart cookie, and she deff doesnt keep her mouth shut. So all the dentists and doctors just didnt like her. Even if they knew she was right. My dentist growing up hated me, to be blates.When I was younger around 5, I hit my head on a desk and chipped a baby tooth, and thats when everything went down hill. That chipped tooth became rotten and despite all my family's plea's to the dentist he refused to pull it and allowed it to remain there up until my adult front tooth came in. Which is why its pushed back and etc. He would tell me to use popsicle sticks to push my teeth forward. Even at the age of like 9 I knew that wouldnt work. As I grew onto being a teenager I literally would cry to the dentist and beg for braces but he would always tell me I didnt need them. When clearly I did. Everyone around me was getting them, and i felt left out. He wouldnt give me a referral for my insurance company...i just gave up.

I recently moved away for college. And my wisdoms are coming in so I went for a cleaning etc and the dentist in my new town and he referred me right away. Although his tech made me feel so ugly and critised my facial piercings, the actual dentist was nice. My insurance approved braces and im schdueling my first ortho appointment today. Im excited! Does anyone have an estimate of how long I would have these suckers on? I heard two years is min?

Although I want yalls opinion on this. I came across this video when I was looking at peoples stories. After watching this I refuse to get extractions. I will not ruin my face. My lips are small to begin with. Is anyone else in agreement with me when it comes to these videos. The before and afters are chilling. I just cant get any pulled, I hated it when I was younger and I think my teeth are overall pretty well spaced, and I have an impacted canine which when it comes down it should make a huge difference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEFTJwTE ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ynvdTc ... re=related

Here are some pictures of my teeth.





[img]http://i50.tinypic.com/346lxxw.jpg[/img

Im calling the ortho tomorrow for a consultment!
Im excited. I hope everything goes well, and hopefully the time flies by aswell. Im not getting any younger!

Hey Chelsea. I'm also 18 (for a few more days) and just got my braces on this summer.

Sounds like you went through a lot of BS with your old dentist. And I'm sorry to hear that the tech made you feel bad about your piercings. I also have multiple piercings but luckily no one's commented about them.

Good luck at your consultation, I hope you can finally get braces.

About the treatment time... it's different for everyone. When I had my consultation he said "Ahhh, about 23 months probably" But when I look at my file on the computer screen it says a total of 28 months D: I'm 6 months in so far though and the time is flyyyyying by.

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My Braces Story:
viewtopic.php?t=32881

My post-op photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54793913@N ... 026796785/

Oh the joys of being 18. Ill be 19 in a few months.
Im all set to get braces, ive been referred and my insurance and stuff.
Thank you so much. I cant wait to get my new smile....i just hope I can endure the wait.

AAAAAH, what?? Someone please present to me a counter-argument for those videos! I'm getting 4 extractions, plus my last 2 wisdom teeth. I am a singer, I CANNOT make my mouth smaller. Holy crap.

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My Story: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=33490

Dellyfish,

As Dr. Rick and others have pointed out, extractions don't always make your mouth smaller. Depending on the crowding, you could actually be gaining space by removing the ill-fitting ones. You will almost certainly gain a more resonant space by opening up the arch, which is probably all jumbled up right now! Somebody pointed out, and I don't remember who, maybe class II, but the 'sunken face' thing is something that usually happens when children have had extractions and experience unexpected growth. In other words, the teeth fit the face until the face grew. If you're full grown, I don't think that will be a concern. The admin Lynn also had extractions, and she has a huge, beautiful smile and her face is NOT sunken. It really depends on the case, but if you saw several orthos in consult and they all recommended extractions, chances are you need them. Hope this helps.

Thanks. That was my moment of panic. I still feel a little panicked, but I was supposed to call the dentist to make the appointment tomorrow, so I'll just ask lots of questions then. I like my dentist a lot (I drive an hour to see him) and I'm sure he'll give me straight talk. I'm 26, so I don't think I have more growing to do. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread, Chelsea. Good luck with your consult!

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My Story: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=33490

Its no problem at all. I was panicing when I seen the videos, which is why I posted them. I havent heard much about the sunken face issue on this thread and I wanted to know if anyone had an opinion on it. Didnt mean to scare you!

Im having a major breakdown when it comes to all of this. Its all a rush and everything. First of all I live 2 hours from home, I have no car and my Ortho is about 40 minutes from my dorm so finding a ride is going to be harsh, secondly the dreaded IMPACTED CANINE. I really really do not want to go through surgery and everything. Is it really worth it? Ive always wanted a perfect smile, would make me 10x prettier, but is there a way around surgery for impacted canines? Cant it just come down once theres enough space like teeth do when youre little? I just...I REALLY dont want to have it done. Hell, I even want my wisdom teeth to stay in.

Heres my xray. Maybe you can see the impacted canine. I remember when i was like 12 and asking my (and excuse my french) damn dentist why my tooth hasnt come down hes like "oh its going to come down see its right there" and he would show me where it was at and being me I trusted him even after like 2 years of begging for a referral for braces. Anyway im 18 now, and it still hasnt come down. :/

Im just in a funk. I dont know if this is worth it.

Hi chelsea!!

Doesn't look like a serious problem that can't be fixed wif braces:D

U'll look absolutely fine after your braces

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Thank you!

My first consult is in less than an hour. Im super excited and scared at the same time. Hope everything goes well and I hope my sentence isnt too long. Wish me luck!

Good Luck Chelsea!
I will be following your story and I cant wait to see your progress

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Spacers in Aug. '09
MARA without elbows on Aug/09
Braces on Nov. 20/09
Elbows for MARA in Feb. 25/10
Braces off August 26, 2010!
Essix Retainers

my story: http://archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=33571

Well my dad drove about 60 miles to come down and take me to my appointment. The office was nice, but theyre moving even further away which is just more trouble for me. But oh well. I filled out some forms took them to the lady and she looked at my birthday and was like "oh youre 18, i had you fill out the younger patients forms." So i had to fill out the adult ones. Joy, ill never look old enough. Anyway so i did that, and then finally I got to meet my ortho. He is a nice middle aged man, with a slight lisp. He examined my mouth and he said some terms that I was familiar with. He mentioned my impacted canine, and he said we could make room for it to come down without surgery (yay!) and he said i have a slight over jet, and a slight crossbite, he mentioned my receeding gumline on one of my bottom teeth but didnt mention a skin graft thank god, he said i had a great profile, and i was a good canidate for braces. He also said he was in love with my skeletal or something inside my mouth which was weird. Never really got that before. XD But yeah usually he would have done the records that same day but he was short of staff so the records appointment is the 28th of Jan. Woo.

So Im getting my records done on the 28th. Im not sure what to expect. Could anyone tell me?

Also...Im not sure what kind of questions to ask. Any help there? Im naive to certain things, which is lame on my part.

I think im going ot ask my ortho if he can do as much as he can in one day because its 2 hours away from my college, and the office is moving even further north. Its breaking my pocket. Im a college student, with no job, its like I have no money ever!

But im excited for braces

Hi Chelsea,

Most of the time on the day of your records they'll discuss your treatment plan. This would be the time to ask any Qs you may have, such as what type of bracket you will be getting, length of treatment time, if there will be any extras such as an expander, if/when you'll be getting elastics. I expect most of this will be explained ahead of time anyway. They'll probably take some pics with those wonderful lip spreaders in, take some impressions, install spacers if you need them between your molars if they are to be banded, and give you your next appt. to get your brackets on. If you are lucky, you may get your brackets at this appt. I hope this would be the case since you have to travel so far.

But of course you could phone ahead and they would probably let you know what to expect. Perhaps then you could see about getting as much done as possible at this appt.

Keep up the good attitude as well. It sure makes this journey a whole lot easier.

Good Luck on the 28th and keep us posted!

Later! Ken.

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Braced for 3yrs., 10 mths., 3 wks., 2 days