Getting Braces At The Age of 54!

[Dee17]

I'm getting self-ligating braces so won't need any ligatures. So, no colours for me

[kellyb]

initially i had said i would experiment with colours when my gaps closed but things happened so quickly and seeing my lowers will be removed at my next adjustment i won't really have time.

[Dee17]

Well, I'm sure if you had to make a choice between being able to get colours or having your braces removed, it probably wouldn't be much of a choice, would it?

[kellyb]

yes indeed.

i suppose i can still experiment with colours on the upper arch but not sure i am that keen anymore.

Good luck tomorrow with the bracing
I can't wait to hear about it.

[Dee17]

Hi Kellyb,
Thanks for your message and your good wishes regarding tomorrow. I am relieved that the day has finally arrived. With any luck I will be able to get a good night's sleep tomorrow night because my anxiety will have gone away. That will be such a blessing.
I did finally hear back from my orthodontist who says that I will have to have the molar buildups for a minimum of six months, possibly longer. Ugh. I just got home from the grocery store where I purchased all my soft food items to keep me going for about a week. So, I think I'm all set.
I'll check in with the forum tomorrow to let everyone know how it went. Thanks again.
Dee

[Angel269]

initially i had said i would experiment with colours when my gaps closed

I have said that to a degree KellyB. I'e contemplated lilac but then I was thinking once the gaps closed im going to want to smile more so will I want to draw attention when my diastema has closed. On the other hand I will know what it is like to pick a colour for braces!

Dee. Good luck tomorrow with your appointment. Just take a deep breath and relax-It'll be fine Look forward to hearing your story and seeing your photos tomorrow.

[Dee17]

Hi Angel,
Thanks for your good wishes. I hope, more than anything else, that I will be able to get a good night's sleep tonight. It will help me cope much better.
I did get an email from myorthodontist today in answer to my many questions. He said that I wil likely have to have the molar buildups for the duration of my treatment. So, that's a huge disappointment for me. But it is one less thing to worry about, I suppose. So, until tomorrow, then!
Dee

[Duncan5]

Hi Dee, best wishes for your appointment, hope it goes well. It will feel strange for starters, but you get used to it; even with the front turbos I'm coping better now. Food feels different, so bananas feel like I'm chewing really tough steak as the teeth are so much more pressure sensitive. Drink lots of water, I found that helped more than anything else as it kept my lips moist to better slide over the brackets. D.

[Dee17]

Hi Duncan,
Thanks for thinking of me and sending your good wishes. I know that drinking lots of water will help. It's something I'm going to have to really be aware of though because I normally don't do that. But thanks for the tip.
I'm not sure if I'm excited or apprehensive. Just feeling lots of butterflies in my stomach. So, the hour is fast approaching and in just about three hours I'll be in the chair getting wired up. I can't help thinking, "What are you DOing!??? Crazy woman!"

[plugnickel69]

You'll be fine Dee. After it's over you'll wonder why you were so apprehensive. I'm at about the nine month mark and still remember my countdown for my installation appointment, my excitement and apprehension, and my drive to the ortho's office that morning. Installation was a breeze, and my first look in the mirror was shock that the braces were barely visible and looked fine (upper/lower ceramics).

I have been following your discussions about molar build-ups, bite turbos, etc. as I had a semi-deep bite and the reason for receiving treatment was the wearing away of my lower canines on my upper lateral incisors when I chewed. At my first consult my ortho talked about installing the uppers first and using a lower bite plate. I asked many questions on this site about bite plates, bite turbos, etc. Fast foward a little over a year later at my braces installation. He did both uppers and lowers at the same time. When he was finished I told him my molars didn't meet as I was hitting the lower brackets when I bit down. He said not to worry, if I knocked off a bracket it was no big deal and he would replace it. How long before I could chew properly? I think he said 6-8 weeks. After a couple of weeks I figured out how to change my jaw position minimally when I chewed so that I was not longer making contact with the lower brackets. Interestingly, after two or three months I developed a somewhat open bite and my incisors no longer meet when I bite, making eating linguine a minor adventure.

But again, my experience has been pretty painless and social fears were entirely unfounded. Chewing and cleaning can be a pain sometimes, but that improves. In fact in my case I was constantly biting the inside of my cheeks and lips pre-braces. After a few months with braces this no longer happens.

Best of luck to you!

[Dee17]

Hi plugnickel69,
Many thanks for your encouragement and sharing a bit more about your story. Right now I am feeling either panic or excitement or apprehension. Not really sure. Didn't get much sleep last night (again!). But in about three hours all these feelings will be moot because the deed will be done and I'll be on to the next phase -- the adjustment period.
I think I've done a pretty good job of getting the supplies I'm going to need. Went to the grocery store yesterday and bought all my "soft food". So, even though I know that the bracketing process is not painful, I am still feeling afraid of the whole thing. But, this is pretty standard for me whenever I am faced with something new. I tend to really get freaked out for a while and then I calm down. I am fully expecting that to happen today. I will check in later with a "report" on how the day went. Again, my thanks. I don't know where I would be with all of this had I not found this web forum. It has been an invaluable support for me and I feel so grateful for this community.
Dee

[jem]

Good luck today!

Jem

[Dee17]

Thanks, Jem. I'm going to need it. As the time continues to grow closer, I am feeling more and more of a sense of panic. I will glad when I'm finished at the orthodontist's today and can finally start to relax!

[Tin Tooth]

Hi Dee!!!! GOOD LUCK today! I am very excited for you. Let us all know how it went. I just know you will do great. Today is the beginning of a beautiful smile that will last FOREVER!

Keep positive.

[Dee17]

Hi Tin Tooth,
I just sent you a message in reply to your most recent posting to your thread.
so, I just got home. Okay, so now the adjustment period begins. So far, so good. No pain or discomfort. They mostly just feel weird. Some good news.... I didn't cry when I first looked in the mirror. It is going to take some getting used to, though. She put in the bite turbos but assured me that they will not interfere with my ability to chew. I guess I'll find out when I sit down to eat supper later on. But for now, everything seems to be okay. I was actually there for just under two hours. The worst part of getting them put on? Having my mouth so open all that time. My jaw is very sore on the left side. Ouch.
Take care,
Dee