After waiting years and years to fix my crooked teeth, I finally had braces put on at age 40. My teeth were always very tight as I have a small mouth but not horribly crooked. However, each time that I looked in the mirror or saw a photo of myself...I hated my teeth. I found a dentist/orthodontist who would fix my teeth without extractions by using interproximal reduction as well--it was important to me not to have teeth pulled.
I am three days into 18+ months of braces and feel pretty good about my decision. I have ceramic braces on both upper and lower.
Anyone have interproximal reduction done?
BarbieGirl
BarbieGirl's Braces Put on 7/7/08 at age 40
Moderator: bbsadmin
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BarbieGirl
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:02 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
BarbieGirl's Braces Put on 7/7/08 at age 40
Top and bottom Braces on: July 7, 2008
Elastics on: July 31, 2008
Next appt: September 9, 2008
Elastics on: July 31, 2008
Next appt: September 9, 2008
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BraceMouse
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:18 pm
- Location: Austin, TX
Welcome to the over 40 crowd!
Hi BarbieGirl!
Yeah! another one for the over 40 crowd! I just got braced on the 8th and will be 42 in September.
I haven't had it done yet, but my ortho plans on doing IPR for me as well.
This is one of the reasons I decided to go forward with this. 2 other orthos wanted to pull 4 teeth. This one said IPR and one lower would do it.
Good luck with everything!
Juliette
Yeah! another one for the over 40 crowd! I just got braced on the 8th and will be 42 in September.
I haven't had it done yet, but my ortho plans on doing IPR for me as well.
This is one of the reasons I decided to go forward with this. 2 other orthos wanted to pull 4 teeth. This one said IPR and one lower would do it.
Good luck with everything!
Juliette
Juliette
41 and about to braced
41 and about to braced
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LongInTheT
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:59 am
- Location: U.K.
- Contact:
Congratulations on your braces!
Congratulations on getting braced!
With the ortho you like and your positive attitude you'll have a good journey.
It is really nice to have over 40s here. Still, but both you and BraceMouse seem like babies to me as I was 55 when I got my braces on April 8th!
Don't want to show ignorance, but what is IPR? Good to avoid losing teeth, anyway.
Good luck!
Long
*click www for my braces story*
With the ortho you like and your positive attitude you'll have a good journey.
It is really nice to have over 40s here. Still, but both you and BraceMouse seem like babies to me as I was 55 when I got my braces on April 8th!
Don't want to show ignorance, but what is IPR? Good to avoid losing teeth, anyway.
Good luck!
Long
*click www for my braces story*
Re: BarbieGirl's Braces Put on 7/7/08 at age 40
Yes, a few times. IPR involves stripping a small amount of enamel between teeth which have developed "black triangles" at the gum margin from movement (almost always front teeth) and then pulling them together to close the gaps.
Anyone have interproximal reduction done?
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browneyedgrl
- Posts: 1302
- Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:29 pm
- Location: Central Florida
- Contact:
Hi Barbiegirl,
Welcome to AW and congrats on starting your journey!
I'm a newbie 40 year old (turned back in April), and I'm a second timer as well. I just celebrated my six month bracerversary today. I have my next appointment in 2.5 weeks and I'm going to have some IPR done on my uppers to make some room. I had IPR the first go around too.
Good luck with everything and keep us posted!
B
Welcome to AW and congrats on starting your journey!
I'm a newbie 40 year old (turned back in April), and I'm a second timer as well. I just celebrated my six month bracerversary today. I have my next appointment in 2.5 weeks and I'm going to have some IPR done on my uppers to make some room. I had IPR the first go around too.
Good luck with everything and keep us posted!
B
Started the journey for the second time on January 10th 2008~Ceramic uppers and metal lowers. Removed on June 2nd 2009.
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I just got my braces on Wednesday July 9th
I did not want to have any extractions, so I went looking for an ortho who could move my crowded teeth without yanking any of them out! I found one who does the Powerprox six month braces. I did all of the research and decided it was the best route for me to go. I am 41 years old and have hated the dentist for as long as I can remember - hence I neglected my teeth for many years, learned to talk and smile without showing my teeth - and accepted that because I was not willing to make a sacrifice and feel some discomfort during braces that I would learn to just live with my crooked teeth.
Rewind to October 2007 when I had to have 2 wisdom teeth removed. I was petrified but went through it with local anesthetic only and no sedation. I decided if I could get through that, I could deal with braces.
I went on the hunt for an ortho and as you know I found one that could put me in braces for 6 months fixing my anterior teeth (front 4-6 teeth top and bottom). I don't have bite issues, so this was a perfect fit for me.
Because I have crowding, I need enamel reprox each time I visit the ortho. I had my first round on Wednesday just before the braces went on. I was not prepared for it at all! I'm not sure what I thought it would be, but I was not ready for an industrial strength nail file!!!
It didn't hurt, just felt really weird. I will have a bit of reprox done at every adjustment. My adjustments will be every 4 weeks, so the first one is August 6th.
So far my teeth feel tight and tingly, but no pain. My biggest issue is the soft tissue inside my mouth where the brackets rub, so wax and I are developing a close personal relationship! I hope my mouth toughens up soon so I can start eating again.
I did not want to have any extractions, so I went looking for an ortho who could move my crowded teeth without yanking any of them out! I found one who does the Powerprox six month braces. I did all of the research and decided it was the best route for me to go. I am 41 years old and have hated the dentist for as long as I can remember - hence I neglected my teeth for many years, learned to talk and smile without showing my teeth - and accepted that because I was not willing to make a sacrifice and feel some discomfort during braces that I would learn to just live with my crooked teeth.
Rewind to October 2007 when I had to have 2 wisdom teeth removed. I was petrified but went through it with local anesthetic only and no sedation. I decided if I could get through that, I could deal with braces.
I went on the hunt for an ortho and as you know I found one that could put me in braces for 6 months fixing my anterior teeth (front 4-6 teeth top and bottom). I don't have bite issues, so this was a perfect fit for me.
Because I have crowding, I need enamel reprox each time I visit the ortho. I had my first round on Wednesday just before the braces went on. I was not prepared for it at all! I'm not sure what I thought it would be, but I was not ready for an industrial strength nail file!!!
It didn't hurt, just felt really weird. I will have a bit of reprox done at every adjustment. My adjustments will be every 4 weeks, so the first one is August 6th.So far my teeth feel tight and tingly, but no pain. My biggest issue is the soft tissue inside my mouth where the brackets rub, so wax and I are developing a close personal relationship! I hope my mouth toughens up soon so I can start eating again.
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BarbieGirl
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:02 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
IPR sounds like a great option to extractions!
Thank you for the helpful information. I had my bottom two wisdom teeth pulled years ago because they were erupting and probably much of the cause of my tight teeth today. Top wisdom are bony impacted and won't be extracted.
The ortho so far has been great.
BarbieGirl
The ortho so far has been great.
BarbieGirl
ckrobyn wrote:I just got my braces on Wednesday July 9th
I did not want to have any extractions, so I went looking for an ortho who could move my crowded teeth without yanking any of them out! I found one who does the Powerprox six month braces. I did all of the research and decided it was the best route for me to go. I am 41 years old and have hated the dentist for as long as I can remember - hence I neglected my teeth for many years, learned to talk and smile without showing my teeth - and accepted that because I was not willing to make a sacrifice and feel some discomfort during braces that I would learn to just live with my crooked teeth.
Rewind to October 2007 when I had to have 2 wisdom teeth removed. I was petrified but went through it with local anesthetic only and no sedation. I decided if I could get through that, I could deal with braces.
I went on the hunt for an ortho and as you know I found one that could put me in braces for 6 months fixing my anterior teeth (front 4-6 teeth top and bottom). I don't have bite issues, so this was a perfect fit for me.
Because I have crowding, I need enamel reprox each time I visit the ortho. I had my first round on Wednesday just before the braces went on. I was not prepared for it at all! I'm not sure what I thought it would be, but I was not ready for an industrial strength nail file!!!
So far my teeth feel tight and tingly, but no pain. My biggest issue is the soft tissue inside my mouth where the brackets rub, so wax and I are developing a close personal relationship! I hope my mouth toughens up soon so I can start eating again.
Top and bottom Braces on: July 7, 2008
Elastics on: July 31, 2008
Next appt: September 9, 2008
Elastics on: July 31, 2008
Next appt: September 9, 2008
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BracedVeryLate
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:33 am
- Location: California
Welcome barbiegirl.
Looks like there is a big 40+ crowd! I am 41 and got my braces on June 5th. My bottom teeth are also very crooked.
I know what you mean about not liking photos. At my baby shower 4 years ago, someone snapped a photo of me and emailed it to me and I couldn't believe my bad teeth!! Now, they are all shiny with metal brackets!!
hope your treatment goes quickly,
take care
Looks like there is a big 40+ crowd! I am 41 and got my braces on June 5th. My bottom teeth are also very crooked.
I know what you mean about not liking photos. At my baby shower 4 years ago, someone snapped a photo of me and emailed it to me and I couldn't believe my bad teeth!! Now, they are all shiny with metal brackets!!
hope your treatment goes quickly,
take care
Also going on 40 and probably getting IPR
I got my braces on almost a week ago -- sort of my pre-40th bday gift to myself. Happy with my choice but realizing what a long road it is going to be (2 years). Eating is the pits.
I think IPR must be what my ortho is planning although he hasn't called it that. I had three different consults, with three different treatment plans. I went with the one who said he could straighten and fix overbite without extractions. His solution was to "file down" my front teeth slightly to make room and change the shape of my upper teeth from a "v" to more of a semi-circle with the help of making my front teeth smaller and headgear. Sound familiar?
Glad to see other 40ish folks on here!
I think IPR must be what my ortho is planning although he hasn't called it that. I had three different consults, with three different treatment plans. I went with the one who said he could straighten and fix overbite without extractions. His solution was to "file down" my front teeth slightly to make room and change the shape of my upper teeth from a "v" to more of a semi-circle with the help of making my front teeth smaller and headgear. Sound familiar?
Glad to see other 40ish folks on here!
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BarbieGirl
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:02 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
Re: Also going on 40 and probably getting IPR
Hi and congratulations on your braces journey too! Eating is the pits. I have already popped off a wire from it's bracket when I tried a piece of my daughters real coconut from the shell!
Yes, they will be filing down my front teeth as well as a few others to make room. I refused to have any extractions....
Do you have to wear headgear?
Yes, they will be filing down my front teeth as well as a few others to make room. I refused to have any extractions....
Do you have to wear headgear?
Happy40th wrote:I got my braces on almost a week ago -- sort of my pre-40th bday gift to myself. Happy with my choice but realizing what a long road it is going to be (2 years). Eating is the pits.
I think IPR must be what my ortho is planning although he hasn't called it that. I had three different consults, with three different treatment plans. I went with the one who said he could straighten and fix overbite without extractions. His solution was to "file down" my front teeth slightly to make room and change the shape of my upper teeth from a "v" to more of a semi-circle with the help of making my front teeth smaller and headgear. Sound familiar?
Glad to see other 40ish folks on here!
Top and bottom Braces on: July 7, 2008
Elastics on: July 31, 2008
Next appt: September 9, 2008
Elastics on: July 31, 2008
Next appt: September 9, 2008
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LongInTheT
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:59 am
- Location: U.K.
- Contact:
IPR
Hi, BarbieGirl, hope the braces are going well. Eating will get easier and you will quickly learn what to avoid, BUT I'm not sure having to spend ages cleaning teeth gets easier!
I was interested in IPR as this sounds like what my ortho is eventually going to do, though just to my 2 front top teeth. Anyway, she's going to draw them together (they are 2mm apart) then draw them apart and take off some of each tooth to get rid of the dark triangle and then draw them together again.
All the best, Long
Click on www to read my story
I was interested in IPR as this sounds like what my ortho is eventually going to do, though just to my 2 front top teeth. Anyway, she's going to draw them together (they are 2mm apart) then draw them apart and take off some of each tooth to get rid of the dark triangle and then draw them together again.
All the best, Long
Click on www to read my story
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Bracefacegal
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:50 pm