ESBraces: Braces with Pontics (HELP!!)

[ESbraces]

Hello everyone. I am new to this group and I am MISERABLE and need HELP!!! I am hoping there are others out there that can relate to me or at least give me some words of wisdom. I also know from reading this board that I am not the only one in this world that feels as horrible as I do. Please refrain from belittling my feelings because this is how I feel and not how you feel. Thank you in advance.

I am 30-year-old female and my dental saga starts many years ago. I am congenitally missing one lateral incisor and my other lateral incisor came in as a half tooth, also know as a peg tooth. Needless to say this was not an easy way to look as a teenager. I first got my peg tooth pulled and then I got braces put on when I was around 14 and had them for two years. During those two years, there was never talk about dental implants at the end of the procedure. It was always assumed I would get a retainer with two pontics (fake teeth) and eventually a Maryland (bonded) bridge for both sides. My braces never closed the gaps, but just made room for the bridge. I had huge spaces one day and then a retainer with teeth the next. I only remember one friend noticing and saying I looked different but no one else said anything.

My retainer with the pontics was on from the age of 16-18 and my bridge was put in right before college. I had my first bridge for 5 years before it started becoming loose and my dentist suggested I replace it. Up to that point in time, NO ONE except my family knew I had that bridge. I remember when the bridge came loose and I had to tell my boyfriend at the time why I wouldn’t eat dinner one night. I got my second bridge in 2003 and it cost me close to $4000. This put a huge dent in my wallet. My second bridge pissed me off from the beginning. The lab my dentist used was horrible. They couldn’t match the color or the slight discolorations I had on my teeth. Then, face of one of the fake teeth chipped very soon after it was put in. I hated it for 5 long years.

Earlier this year I made an emergency visit to my dentist because bridge came loose on one side. After him fixing it three times over the course of this year, I knew it was time to make a major decision. I could either pay another $4000 for two new bridges or I could investigate other options such as dental implants. The idea of braces made me sick, especially since I just turned 30. My family dentist told me that the braces would be necessary in order to move the roots of my teeth in order to make room for implants. He suggested I visit an orthodontist for agreement on this decision.

I went to the first orthodontist in April and he said my option would be to remove the bridge and then get braces with the pontics attached to the wires. He said I would have to travel back and forth between him and my home dentist in order to get this coordinated. I don’t drive so the idea of constant traveling on public transportation with no laterals was really not something I wanted to do. I went to a second orthodontist who gave the same treatment option, but still said I would have to travel to a doctor that she recommended. (Side note: I thought it was strange that she didn’t trust the dentist in her own practice and wanted to send me elsewhere. That was why I chose not to go with her.) I finally went to a third orthodontist that had the ortho, dentist, and oral implantologist all under one roof. They gave me a ridiculous estimate, but I knew I was also paying for the convenience of never leaving their office with spaces in my mouth. It took me 8 months to finally make the decision to move forward with the braces and then the implants. The idea of the “riding ponticsâ€

[Clo]

Hi,

my issues are of a whole other kind. I have a very bad bite, but I have laterals.
So, I can't help a lot I fear. But I want to tell you some things. First, it is obvious
that while now undergoing this treatment, old feelings are revived again. This is
very normal. That is why you should not give up right now. I am visiting this site
since soo long (due to a very long orthodontic treatment I have) and have seen
so many members with feelings from fear to distress when they got appliances or
braces. That's not a good base or moment to make major decisions. Wait a while.
I am sure things will go much better after some days.

You have to know all braces start with a very flexible and light wire. So, it is
normal that your pontics are moving a bit. Very soon, your ortho will change the
wire to a more rigid and thicker one. Then your pontics won't move that much.
I can imagine that this movement is annoying, but you have to know nobody
can see this. This movement evokes that image of you having no laterals. But
I am sure nobody can see anything being wrong. That's the truth in general too.
Because we undergo a treatment, we know exactly what is wrong. But almost
everyone has no clue what is going on and will not notice at all. So, try to have
some patience. Soon, the thicker wire will avoid the movement. And very soon,
things will feel more natural and will be a lot more easy to live with.

I was thinking about this. Maybe your ortho could use some bonding material
on those laterals and make them a lil more natural shaped and bigger. Then
she will be able to remove bonding during the treatment on those places where
needed.

Best of luck !

[ESbraces]

Thank you Clo and Meryaten for your kind words and for being so understanding.

I managed to swallow down a few scrambled eggs this morning and then some hot rice cereal for lunch. Right now, the left pontic is touching my bottom teeth when I clench down so the swallowing of soft food is much better than the chewing of anything. I am a huge fan of cooking, so I really hope that I can extend my culinary skills during this sensitive braces time. Either that or get super skinny.

I wrote a very emotional email to my ortho's office when I woke up. I didn't sleep more than about three hours because I was afraid to swallow my fake teeth and at that point I still hadn't had anything to eat so I was kind of freaking out. Not as much of an anxiety attack as when I left her office, but still anxious nevertheless. In my email, I sent a few links to some information I found online last night. I do understand she is a professional, but I am also paying over $20,000 for a service and I expect her to listen to my concerns. I don't think this is unreasonable.

She called me from home and I told her everything that I wrote out here last night. She said that as the wire gets thicker, there will be less movement of the pontic. (Clo was right on!) She did say that she would try to find another alternative to help increase my confidence. At least her response was a lot more professional than yesterday when she said she was also nervous and that I should carry CrazyGlue "just in case". I am also going back in there on Tuesday so she can take a look. Maybe by then she will have another option. I am just hoping I can make it through until then with out losing it altogether.

I have a Christmas party tomorrow afternoon that I am now debating about going to. It is less due to the aesthetics and more due to the not wanting to eat in public.

I am so happy I found this site so I know I am not the only one out there dealing with these feelings!

[grneydfairy]

Clo's post is spot on.

We do all adapt to it, I promise. Sure, one or two people may look quizzically as you cut up your pizza with a knife and fork, but just tell 'em you're in braces and can't bite - no need to talk about your laterals.

I cut up my subs from Quiznos

I also understand that this is really hard for you emotionally and physically (and financially!) but like the others have said, other people don't notice it. You may have heard this before, if you make a big deal out of things, people will start to make a big deal out of them as well. If you can be confident about it other people will be as well. And it's amazing how much stuff people don't notice these days... it might be 19 days before someone says "is there something different about you" In fact there are going to be people who don't want to make you feel uncomfortable so they won't say anything.

I wish I could help with advice on the pontics but have NO experience with them.

I think you should definitely go to your Christmas party even if you have to eat before you go.

GOOD LUCK with your appointment on Tuesday!

[switchblades]

I totally agree with Meryaten and grneyedfairy; it's normal for this to bring up old feelings of doubt! I've had a few days over the past few months where I sit in my apartment and bawl my eyes out because I've been self-conscious about my teeth since I was a little girl (literally, I was teased about them from the age of 6). Trust when we tell you, it will get better, and you've always got a huge support base here of people who understand how you feel

As for the Christmas party, I also think you should go! If you're too conscious about eating a lot in public, have a snack before you go and try to find something soft to eat there. It will do you some good to get out and be social.

Most importantly, keep communicating with your ortho. As you said, you're paying her thousands of dollars to fix your teeth. You have every right to feel 100% confident in her abilities and comfortable with the procedures, and she has 100% responsibility to make sure you feel that way!

I wish you the best of luck and a wonderful holiday season!

[Mandyolivia89]

My pontic came off of my bracket last night and my orthodontist is not open until Monday. Is there anything I can do before then?