Getting Braces At The Age of 54!

[Dee17]

Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for your note. Okay, so I won't be overly concerned about it. It just seemed like it was happening SO fast that I was starting to get a bit scared that something might be wrong. That is mostly because his original estimate for treatment time was two years.

[Dee17]

Well, so much for my braces not being very noticeable. I went in to see my family doctor today and the FIRST thing she said to me after she sat down was, "OH! when did you get your braces!?" Sheesh. I'm feeling majorly down in the dumps right now.

Also over the past few nights I've woken up because I am doing some big time clenching. This morning, I woke up with a killer headache from it. Called my orthodontist's office and spoke to the woman who put my braces on last week. She said that's normal and should subside despite the fact that I've apparently been doing a LOT of clenching over the last 8-9 months. Ah well, she suggested Advil. So, I'm off to the store to pick up a bottle. Not very happy at the moment with these things.

[BetsyBug]

Next time you are at the ortho you should ask about a night guard or bite plane to help with the clenching/grinding. I had one, I have been temp taken off of it to let the elastics do their job but they are making me a new one as soon as I am done with the elastics.

as for your braces being noticable, your dr is supposed to notice things about you....don't pick on yourself. My Dr. noticed mine and told me she always wanted to get her teeth fixed too...

[Dee17]

Yes, I know my doctor is supposed to notice things about me. Two of my Facebook friends said the same thing. I just think that I've been so desperately hoping that no one would notice. I have been kind of counting on that, you know? And for that to be the FIRST thing she said to me? Really just upset me is all.
I don't have any idea what a bite plane is. Is it something that you just use at night while you're sleeping?

[BetsyBug]

It looks like a retainer but its thick behind your upper front teeth to keep your jaw teeth from closing. After a while my clenching was very minimal. I haven't really been having problems with it since they told me to quit using my bite plane. Think of it as a removable bite turbo thats the best way I can think of describing it.
I wore mine at night when I was sleeping only. I was grinding my teeth pretty bad without it and because I had just one or two teeth hitting each other at the time it was really causing pain and I was afraid I was going to damage a tooth.

[Angel269]

Dee

I have a bite plate. I don't know if I still grind anyway (have just asked hubby and he hasn't heard me lately). So hopefully it's doing the trick. Just hope I don't grind through my Essix retainer when I'm done with this plate.

Doctor. Haven't seen mine since I've had my braces. Most of the time now if I have concerns they routinely do a telephone appointment unless they needed to carry out any tests or see something to diagnose.

I mentioned to my dentist that I was getting Clearstep at my 6 month check but haven't seen him since-my next 6 month check is the day after my next adjustment (fingers crossed I get no issues to address at my check up!)

[Dee17]

Hi Elizabeth,
Okay, I'll ask him about a night guard. But I'm not supposed to go back to see him until December 17th. I hope I can tough it out until then. My jaw and head still hurt! Thanks for the suggestion,
Dee

[kellyb]

Hi Dee, how is it going?

[Dee17]

Hey Duncan,
I was wondering if you could respond to this earlier posting?
Thanks,
Dee

Hi Duncan,
I was wondering if you would mind explaining what you meant when you wrote this:
"the first few weeks are wire only to get the teeth levelled and then they can move along the wires"
I have Damon brackets and I know that they are supposed to make it easier for the teeth to move with the wires (less friction) but I've never heard anyone mention the term "level" before. What does that mean? Sorry for being dumb, I just don't know.

[Dee17]

Hi Kellyb,
Thanks for checking in. I've been doing pretty well. I seem to really be getting the hang of flossing now. It is only taking me about 25 minutes each night which is a dramatic improvement over the first night which took me more than an hour with very poor results. I'm still waking up doing my clenching thing and still doing it during the day so I will definitely have to address this with him when I see him in December. I had a call from one of the technicians on Thursday who wanted to check in with me after a week of getting my braces. I told her about the sore spot. She said that it's probably because the tooth there is moving. That kind of surprised me because I didn't think he would be moving those teeth up there, but since I have this large gap in my upper arch, maybe he has to move ALL the teeth up there, I don't know. I also told her about the clenching issue and she said that was pretty normal because my mouth is getting used to all the hardware in it. She said if I am still doing it when I come in for my first adjustment to bring it up with him.
I'm seeing some movement but only on the bottom teeth really. I have a space between two teeth close to the front. This also surprised me though. He said he would be "uprighting" the teeth on the lower arch (the are tipped outward a bit) but I did not expect to see a space form like that. The gap between my two front teeth seems a TINY bit smaller but not much different.
Does anyone know why this whole process is supposed to take two years? That just seems like such a long, long time!

[oldguy]

Dee17....... Sounds like you are getting used to the braces, thats a good thing, Leveling

I think is where the orthodontist puts the brackets on our teeth, the first wire, being so flexable,

tries to pull everything into alignment. Damon brackets slide along the wire as it moves to the position

the ortho put it when they tightened each arch wire. If one tooth is lower it pulls it up, if one is higher

it holds it down,...........the arch wires want to be straight.

Thats my understanding.....hope it helps


oldguy

[Dee17]

Hi Oldguy,
Thanks for the clarification on that term. I had just never seen it before. I don't think there will be much levelling required then for my teeth. They are all pretty even on the tops, none are higher or lower than the other. I'm starting to notice some rather sizeable spaces opening up between some of my lower teeth which is sort of bothering me. My orthodontist originally told me that he would be "uprighting" my bottom teeth because they tip a bit outwards. That was my understanding of why brackets were put on my lower teeth. I did not expect to see spaces forming between them, however, and it has me a bit concerned.
I am starting to see some closure of the large gap between my two front teeth and that's been nice!
Hope all is going well for you.
Take care,
Dee

[klobird]

Hey Dee--

Glad you are finally among the braced!

I've seen with your posts that you seem more concerned about the power chain than the elastics.
I have both, and have had both for a verrry long time. The power chain,by far, is more tolerable than the elastics. After a day or so, it was hard to even notice the power chain--and I love the deep sky blue color I have.

The elastics, which I have had since day one, are much more of a hassle. My ortho changes the configuration constantly. Every time, I have to get used to the rubbing against my lips and cheeks and end up using lots of wax. At my adjustment last week, the ortho added 5 more hooks for a new elastic box configuration. I now have 9 (!) elastics hooks on my right side. They are poking all over the place, and I have had to invest in a lot of wax in the last week. I know my mouth will toughen up, but it's annoying right now--to say the least.

So, I would jump on those power chains and consider the elastics your real nemesis.

That all being said---IT'S JUST NOT THAT BAD!! --our imagination can be our worst enemy. Everything that happens with braces just takes a little getting used to, and some creative adjusting for a few days after each appointment. Then it just gets boring--until the next appointment.

It seems like just yesterday since I got braces. It is all just a learning process. You will get soooo used to them--they become your new normal. No big deal.

Congratulations on the beginning of your new journey!

[Dee17]

Hi Klobird,
You're absolutely right that I have been pretty much obsessed with my desire to NOT have any powerchains on my teeth. This is despite the fact that everyone on this forum says that they are not so bad. When I told my orthodontist this he was very reluctant to agree to my request so I assume that I am going to be getting one at some point. Probably on my lower teeth as well because I have spaces down there, too.
He also said that I would be getting elastics at some time but none of the brackets that were installed have any hooks on them so I really don't know what to make of that. One of the guys on the forum said that the orthodontist can attach elastics to the wire at some point??? but I really don't understand how that would work. So, I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see how it all works out for me.
Good news, though!! I went out for dinner last night for the first time since I got my braces and I was amazed that I did not have any trouble eating! I did not embarrass myself unduly. I had a pasta/chicken dish because I knew it would be soft. I am SO sick of eating pasta!! The worst part of it, though, was that the linguine kept getting stuck in the space between my front teeth. THAT was a new experience, I can tell you! I also forgot my travel kit with my travel toothbrush in it so I just kind of sat there trying to dislodge all the pasta that felt like it was stuck to my braces. Miserable! My friend kept asking me, "Are you okay?" I guess because I probably had a look of total misery and disgust on my face! But I was very glad to know that it IS possible to eat in restaurants while wearing braces. Yay!
Thanks for your message. I am now hoping that I will not end up having to wear elastics. It does not sound like it's very much fun. Mind you, none of this has been very much fun yet. I keep wondering when it will start to get better???? I'm about 10 days in now and though some parts are better, most of it is still not.

[klobird]

Hey Dee--Had to laugh about the pasta stuck in your braces! I went out to eat once and had a great big mushroom stuck in front, and didn't know it til I got in the car..Fortunately, I raced out to the car first so I could check my teeth. I was mortified!!

If nothing else, stick some toothpicks in your purse! (But don't pick in public says Miss Manners!) They have been absolute lifesavers for me!!
However, more often than not, I do brush my teeth in restaurant bathrooms if I'm not going right home.
It's weird--I have had only a few people walk in when I do that. I either say "braces" and shrug my shoulders, or just stop so I'm not gross in front of someone else. You just get used to not caring anymore...

Now as far as the elastics hooks--I learned just this last time that they can quite easily attach the hooks to your brackets. Don't ask me how!! They attached 5 new ones last week. They look like they were always there....So ya, if the ortho says elastics, you're probably getting elastics!