Feeling sorry for myself......

[sibilla]

Have a serious case of the 'what was I thinking blues' today. Went to have my spacers out yesterday and came out with them back in - to prevent the gaps closing up in the next week. Made sense when the ortho said it, but just hadn't expected them to go back in, I thought the bands were being fitted... turns out he was just getting the size right then sending the whole implant off for next week's fun and games - otherwise known as the fitting of the dental plane/plate and lower brace.

He then casually threw in that I'd need to wear elastics!! Hadn't signed up for that and am seriously starting to wonder what on earth possessed me to start all this at my age (52). I know, I know, I hate my teeth, always have done and so want to be able to smile with confidence but am really struggling today... It all feels just too much and am dreading walking out next week with a mouth FULL of stuff.

Hadn't bothered to read up on elastics as I had no idea they were on the menu... anyone able to offer words of comfort/advice??

[klobird]

Hey Sibilla,

Welcome to the over 50 crowd! I'm 55 and will be at 1/2 yr in a couple of weeks. I go thru periods of "what have I done"
also, but as you get further in and further away from being a "newbie", it really becomes much easier. Especially when you see changes, and you will...

I have had elastics since day one. I really don't know what not having them is like, except for when I eat...
For me, they are not bad AT ALL!!! I read all of the horror stories, and they really surprise me. Everyone is different, but I'm thinking that maybe having braces alone must be really great, if elastics are as "horrible" as most people seem to think they are...

Occasionally elastics will rub against the inside of your cheek, and that can be annoying, especially if you talk a lot like me... And having to change them, and take them in and out and in and out can be a real pain in the *ss...

From my experience, though, and it's just my viewpoint...I don't think much about them at all....for the most part,they are a non-issue...

I hope that you fare as well as I have!!!

[sibilla]

Thanks for that! It's always good to hear from someone who's 'been there, done that'. This whole thing is starting to make me lose sleep, I really am dreading next week. My colleagues at work (bless them) assure me they won't laugh at me too much... I know once it's all in and I've got over the shock, I'll be ok. I think it's also because I've got huge ugly gaps where there were none before and the top brace hasn't been adjusted since it went on (25 July) so am not seeing any new movement at all now just ugly gaps!

[Plumcore]

I wore elastics for the past 3 months, about 3-4 at a time. They are a pain at first, but as long as you wear them, they become as the braces themselves. You get used to them, and feel odd NOT having them.

I wouldn't be surprised with things like elastics popping up in treatment, since at first the ortho cannot possibly know how your teeth react, move etc. Elastics help with bite improvement, or with moving stubborn teeth, so all in all, if worn, they speed things up. Which i think we all want.

Cheer up, and look at the pictures from when you started, then you will remember why you did it, and feel proud you took the plunge. Besides, there are worse things than elastics

[kamor]

i have had many days where i feel very sorry for myself and wonder , 'what was i thinking". some days it all seems too much to handle. While I do not have elastics, i believe they will be in my future.
On day 3 of my braces, i had a complete meltdown and was going to call my ortho and tell him to take the braces off. I did not think i was strong enough to go through this process. My husband was supportive and suggested that i give myself one week to decide and if i felt i really could not stand it, then i would call and have the braces removed.
Well its now been 3 weeks and i feel like i am over the worst.
I tried to recall times in the past, when i have been faced with adversity and hardship. And then i think about the positive outcome from these difficult experiences. This is the only way that i can get through this experience, is by visualizing the outcome. I am not trying to preach to you, but want you to know that you are not alone in your feelings. This has provided me with great comfort these past few weeks, and it may help you as well. While i have not seen any significant improvement in my teeth ( its only been 3 weeks), i can say that i am inspired by the stories i read on this site. Hang in there, and keep reading these posts, it seems this community is very supportive. Use the power of a shared experience to help you.

[sibilla]

Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement. I know in myself that I'm being pathetic, all stems from a really bad bout of insomnia I think.

I told myself last night that, rather than dread the next step, I would look on it as the next step to getting to where I want to be and if I didn't do it, I'd be stuck with the awful looking teeth I did have (and do have now!). I know it's going to be hard and I'm sure there'll be tears before bedtime next week but I've come through a lot worse and I know if I keep visiting this forum, I can take comfort in the fact that I'm not alone in the way I feel...

Thanks again - I will do my best to do as Monty Python suggest and 'look on the bright side of life....'

[kaylaa]

The shock is what got me when I first got everything installed (braces, bite turbos and quad helix) it really sucked because I had a hard time talking. I talk quite fast and having all of the stuff in my mouth made me have to talk slower. I'm not going to lie the first week sucked and I kept thinking what have I done!

It gets better. 15 months later, I'm 2 months away from getting them off.

You'll do fine. This board is great for support.

Good luck next week!

[sibilla]

kaylaa, thank you.. It's the knowing that it's going to be so hard to deal with that is scary too! I think for me, the ortho just throwing in the fact that I'll need elastics was the last straw. I'd had time to prepare myself for the brace and bite plane but elastics??

Good luck for getting them all off in 2 months time - how I envy you!