I'm scared of them. Can you make me feel more confident?

[butterfly]

HI

I registered right now but Ive ben digging throuhg posts for days now.

Im a 30 years old female who hates her teeth, for decades now. I have overcrowding, upper and lower. My right upper canine is twisted outwards, and his neighboring inciser is BEHIND the canine. It looks like im missing a tooth. below is not much better. I never smile, hate photos and laugh with my hands in front of my mouth. teeth hinder my social life, i dont like to laugh with friends, i don tliek to watch comedies in company, i dont like to speak in front ot people. which is bad cause i turned down a job as a lanugeage teacher. (english is not my mother tonge btw)

But its fear that kept me from taking the last steps. About 10 years ago I even had my pics taken and was ready to take down the raod, but I chickened out because of 4 (cuspids) extractions they planned....!!

Fate took me a different road and had lessons to learn. About 1 year ago my wisdom teeth startet to cause pain all over the mouth. It was a kind of a pressure pain radiating to my ears. It was on and off all the time, coming in sequences of 2-3 days, then stopping again. I didnt do anything about it - I was scared. But as soon i coudnt eat anymore i went to the surgeon...

I had 4 surgeries with stitches and all the full program. pure nightmare. after the 1st one i wanted a global anesthtetic.... my wisdom teeth grew in a more than 90 degree angle down INTO their neighbors and were fully embedded in the bone. procedure was 2 hours each visit, painless (due to a ton of novocaine) but a psychological nightmare! the days after surgery i lost 5 kg in a week and got almost an overdose of codeine... it felt like im drunk. i was crying the first night without getting sleep.

anything coming near this was an inner ear infection and an abortion with pills (4 hours labour, all pain killers vomited - i had to do it, - medically necessary).

last week a saw 3 orthodonts. they all said -surprise - 90% chance no extractions needed. (one incisor down there is already out, i have only 3 left, still crowded). but what the heck... im not afraid of any extractions anymore... i know this thing!! im scared of the unknown.. spacers, braces...

what should i do?? i always thought orthodontic treatment is painless, but the doctor already said theres pain killers involved....! and it will take 18 months.... how can u survive this?

i am scared to death but i dont want to live another 30 years without laughter and smile.... what a decision.

how bad is it? what kind of pain is awaiting me? is it the same pressure like the wisdom teeth pain (which was just annoying but not killing me) or is it the BONE aching like after my surgeries? is it like a cavity (the worst kind of pain on earth)?? please help me. Im afraid i will chicken out AGAIN.

money is no issue. i have it and i would pay triple for it.

if i do it i will take METAL. i dont care how i look like with braces... the opposite is true.. i would wear them with pride and with hot pink colors all over that shout to everyone: I DID IT!! LOOK AT ME.

help me. i want to win this.

thanks
butterfly (thats what i want to be at the end)

[flowertowngal]

Your post made me cry! PLEASE get started on your braces journey right away! If its only fear that is holding you back, trust all of us here that the anticipation and the waiting and the nervousness is the worst part! I am 40 years old and have been in braces for 9 months and every single day I wish I had not waited.

I have had NO PAIN! The first month was awful because everything is different - eating, smiling, talking... but I would only describe it as uncomfortable, not painful. I can't believe its been 9 months and that soon a whole year will have gone by!

Like I said, the waiting and worrying is worse than any single day in braces - all of us on this board know how hard it is to take that first step but once you take it, every step after that is a step towards a beautiful smile!

[momof2grlz]

Please don't let fear hold you back. You have probably already faced the worst pain during extraction of your wisdoms. Any pain you might have from spacers, braces, etc. doesn't compare to toothache pain in my opinion. It is soreness for a few days at a time - usually when you first get spacers and braces and then when you have your braces adjusted (which is usually only every 6 to 8 weeks). It's not excrutiating pain - it's just that your teeth are sore when you bite down. BUT ONLY FOR A FEW DAYS. My last adjustment was almost completely painless.

Even if you end up having teeth extracted to make additional room, it's nothing like wisdom teeth extractions. I had my 2 upper premolars extracted a week ago and can honestly say that I've had hangnails that hurt worse than the extractions. I had no pain at all unless I bit down on something hard in the area where the teeth were removed.

Please don't suffer in silence any longer. Just think - next year at this time you might be within months of having a beautiful, healthy smile (and you'll wonder why you waited as long as you did).

GO FOR IT. YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID!

Good luck.

Chris

[JN_Woods]

I got my braces on yesterday after being so afraid of taking that big jump. I already wish I had done this years ago. The spacers do hurt (for most people), but believe me--this doesn't hurt like wisdom teeth extractions. That was terrible, this is more annoying I guess than painful. But remember that this will be worth it. You will have a beautiful smile. The 18 months will fly by. I have to have mine on for a little over 2 years and I know that sounds like a long time but looking back the last 2 years have gone by so fast. I'm really looking forward to seeing some movement. Good luck with your decision.

Jennifer

[**shinyhappybraceface**]

I also got braced yesterday...and it took me forever to finally save the money, though I've wanted braces since I was 12 years old. I'm 29 and will spend 18 months in braces. For the first day, I was in no pain at all. My only problem was figuring out how to maneuver my lips around my braced teeth - lol!

Today, I'm having a bit of discomfort, but its only a dull ache. I've had headaches MUCH worse than this. Also, I've been chewing gum almost constantly so that my cheeks, lips and mouth get used to eating.

I'm so happy that my teeth are finally in braces. I've spent most of my adult life laughing with my hand over my mouth and not smiling in pictures, too. I figure it this way: I have whole blocks of time that I regret: 7 years with my ex is only the beginning...so what's 18 months?!

If you need someone to partner up with for encouragement, please feel free to send me a personal message. I'd be happy to help in any way that I can.

~Manda

[TessaLeoni]

Go for it ASAP.

I also waited for 4 years always knowing that one day I would go to the orthodontist and start my treatment. I was so afraid of what other people would say, how they would stare at me....This is your life, these are your teeth and it's in your hands to do something about it!

About the pain: This is my second time in braces - The pain has never been so terrible that I had to take pills! (I hope it will stay like this )

Good Luck!

[butterfly]

thank you for your replies and support! feels better a bit. i got SO scared because of all the posts regarding spacers and so on. (i will get spacers, thats already certain!)

i got a referral for xray and photos for next week. i saw a sample file.. my gawd i will have to take a full face shot with open mouth i dont even know how to position my lips to create a smile.... this will be embarrassing.

3 weeks from now we will go abroad. when i come back i will start the process. i dont think its wise to do it right now.. it would ruin the trip almost certainly. then again.. there will be always SOMETHING.... aargh. maybe i should pay the full amount so there will be no way out. i will keep you postet.

--
butterfly

[Attagirl2]

Butterfly, you can do it! I had to have spacers when the brackets would stick to my crowns. I never did experience any pain. There was some discomfort, especially trying to eat, for a few days. And, if you should have to take ibuprophen or tylenol, it is only for a few days... at any given time during treatment. Remember, if you don't get your teeth straightened now, they will only continue to get more crowded. Our teeth are constantly shifting- usually forward.

Bite the bullet and go for it, it will be one more fear that you overcome.

[caryca]

go for it!!!

I have waited 10 years...they shifted more, and for me there was no pain..with spacers and for the first adjustment...then I got a bit of a unconfort.

I wish I would started the process 10 years ago

[butterfly]

And, if you should have to take ibuprophen or tylenol, it is only for a few days

i should consider getting them in those special female days. i am "on" advil for 1-2 days every month anyone took this into consideration?

[Lexy]

Good luck, Butterfly. We're all here for you!

[Dodger(UK)]

I agree with our other right honourable members, butterfly. You have been through the worst with your wisdom extractions, spacers will be a breeze in comparison. Spacers can be very individual, some people feel only irritated by them, other's can feel a little pain. Nothing that a relatively mild painkiller wouldn't sort out though

I left it until I was 28 to sort out my oral disaster zone, and I related too all those fears of smiling in public you made reference too in your opening post. You got too do it, I beg you!! You won't look back, once you get your pearly whites on full public display again

[BraceUrself]

(In my best chanting voice) DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!
I'll be with you, I mean that literally because I am getting braced early in Oct too & I will get spacers on in 10 days from now. You can do it! You have our support! Good luck!

[n216]

yeah i get mine next week

[bbsadmin]

Well Butterfly, you sound a lot like me before my treatment. I had a bunch of consultations over a 10 year period and actually did chicken out after a full set of x-rays and molds, when the ortho told me I'd need headgear (I ran for the hills, LOL).

But then later I found the ortho who treated me and everything worked out really well....no headgear involved.

I also had impacted wisdom teeth (not as bad as yours, but they were giving me headaches). I had them removed a decade before getting the braces. Believe me, ortho treatment is NOTHING like having wisdom teeth out. And extraction of bicuspids is a piece of cake compared to wisdom teeth.

I know what you're going through because I was also wringing my hands about it. But after my treatment was underway, I wished I'd done it years ago.

Is there pain with braces? Yes, but it isn't the sort of pain you have with surgery, for example. It's mainly a dull ache, and it's worst during the first 2-3 weeks. After that you get used to the braces, they don't hurt very much at all, and life goes on.

In the end, you should do what you feel comfortable with. Don't worry about "chickening out." If it doesn't feel right to you, don't force yourself to do it.

Anyway, overall, it really isn't so bad to have braces. They actually look worse than they are! And you can commiserate with us here any time!