Getting Braces At The Age of 54!

[Dee17]

Hi EbonyQ,
No, it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I am SO glad that I did not stick to my original plan which was to wait until February to get them put on. I think had I done that, the anxiety would have just about killed me! So, I am getting used to them. I really don't think they look that bad and I may venture out of my house today. My son told me that I would "look like a teenager again" and you know? I sort of almost do! I think I actually don't look too bad with them on and that's been a HUGE surprise to me!
Thanks for your message!
Dee

[Duncan5]

Hi Dee, so glad to hear you've gone ahead and that it's going well. Hopefully as your front teeth only moved recently they'll be amenable to moving back fairly easily and you'll have your smile back before too long. The brackets will probably stay for a while no matter what while the ortho makes sure it has all stabilised in there.

Here's to being a teenager again!
D.

[Dee17]

Duncan, you make me laugh.
Yeah, I think that after I got my hair cut on Monday and now with my braces, I DO look much younger than I did just a week ago. I don't really know how she did it but when she cut my hair it really became quite difficult to see all the grey. So, I guess now is the time to have LOTS of pictures taken, right?
I was looking in the mirror this morning (again!) and have decided that the braces really do not look so terrible. I guess because the brackets are quite small, they really are not very noticeable. Of course, if I smile or open my mouth wide when I talk, it is very obvious that I am wearing braces. But I tend to not do that when I speak and never have so I suppose it's a possibility that most people won't notice that I have braces.
I am going out tomorrow night to a meeting with a group of friends I've been friends with for more than 25 years. They all know that I've done this (what have I done!!!???) so it will be an interesting thing for me to see if anyone actually says anything.
I am also going to have to venture out today to go to the drug store. But since I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that I really DON'T need to hide in my house like a recluse for the next three or four weeks, I might as well get on with it.
I am hoping when I go back to see the orthodontist that he will tell me that I won't need to wear these awful things for the full two years he originally estimated. I'm also going to talk to him (again) about the option of NOT wearing powerchains to close the gap and just using elastics to do that. But, I noticed last night that none of the brackets she put on on Thursday have any elastic hooks on them. Not really sure what that means because he told me that I would have to wear elastics. I don't know if that means he's changed his mind or that they will have to swap out some of the brackets I am currently wearing with other ones later on.
Thanks for your message.

[oldguy]

Glad you are accepting the braces, thy really don't look bad, and they are only a small part

of your life. I do agree that flossing is a bear......I have several lower teeth that are turned

sideways and I can not get the floss between...it shreads. If you have Damon braces,

the posts for the elastics are put in when the Ortho needs them, and where he needs them.

That is much better then having to deal with them in places they won't be used



Good luck on your outing

[Dee17]

Hey Oldguy,
Thanks for your message.
Yes, I do have Damon brackets. So does that mean that when he decides I need to start wearing elastics that they will swap out the brackets? I'm a bit confused.
Flossing was a bit easier last night. It only took me about half an hour so that was nice.
I'm just getting ready to head out to the store in about 30 minutes. I'm sure it will go off without a hitch and I am adjusting quite easily to all of this. That has been very reassuring considering all the anxiety and fear I was having before.
Thanks!
Dee

[Dee17]

I guess that means I will have to spend more time in the chair with those awful cheek retractors again. Ugh. I know I'll need that when I go in for my adjustment in December because apparently they will be adding brackets to the back molars on the top and bottom. I didn't get brackets on those teeth last Thursday because he said that when a thin wire has to be taken across a large expanse where teeth are missing it can bend or break. So because I have teeth missing on my upper right and left sides, he said they would add those brackets when I get my next wire. I noticed yesterday, though, that she did not put brackets on the back molars on the right/left sides on the bottom either and I wasn't sure why that was the case. So, I guess I'll find out when I go in for my first adjustment in December.

[dojo]

Dee, wearing braces is not the greatest thing in the world, but it's not that bad either. And never forget, you'll never ever feel as bad as you did in the first days

So, chin up and keep us posted with your progress. Can't wait to read all about your treatment.

[Dee17]

Hi Dojo,
I've been very pleasantly surprised by the way I'm doing. First, I did not burst into tears the first time I saw myself in the mirror! My brackets are MUCH smaller than I expected them to be and really do not look that noticeable even when I talk. Secondly, I have not been having all that much pain or discomfort. Some, but I've been able to manage it pretty well with just Tylenol. I was expecting much worse. So, that's been good. I just went out to the drug store and only had to speak to one girl at the register and, happily, found that I did not feel TOO embarrassed to do that. So, everything seems to be going along quite well. My next big test will be tomorrow night when I am getting together with a group of friends. They all know that I got braces so I'll be interested to see what the reaction is.
Thanks for your message and the encouragement! Much appreciated!!
Dee

[Duncan5]

Hi Dee, the archwire has a 'pre-posted' option where posts are soldered on the archwire, or the ortho can add posts to the brackets using loops around them. I think it would give them more options over hooks fixed to the brackets, although would mean longer in the chair (just my guessing though). Your ortho will be able to give a better answer - the first few weeks are wire only to get the teeth levelled and then they can move along the wires, so you've plenty of time to ask. Don't be too worried by Power chains, I'm telling myself they're just linked elastics that run along the length of the wire. D.

[Dee17]

Hi Duncan,
I didn't realize that there were two different kinds of brackets. I guess I thought that ALL brackets had hooks attached to them. So, I guess I'll just have to wait and see what he has planned for me. As for the powerchains, I did already tell him that I really don't want to have those on my teeth. He was reluctant to agree to this so I expect that at some point I will get one. The gap between my two front teeth is quite big and I think he is probably going to tell me that he won't be able to close it even partway without a powerchain. I'm dreading it, though, because I know they're supposed to be quite painful. Of course, i was also really dreading having my braces put on at all and that experience went very smoothly. So, maybe the powerchain will be the same way.

[BetsyBug]

Dee,
Even though many things with orthodontics are painful, usually its just the first few days when they hurt. Your teeth get used to the pressure after a bit of time. I have had power chains and they made my teeth sore for maybe a little longer than an standard adjustment but were ok after a few days. I wouldn't be too worried about the pain from a powerchain if it will do the job of getting your gap closed.

[Dee17]

Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you for your message. Intellectually, I know all of that. I think my reaction has mostly to do with the way I tend to process things: with a sense of dread and great anxiety. If the powerchain experience is anything like it was to actually get my braces put on, then I will be fine. I have adjusted very quickly and easily to them and have had very little pain. Well, a little bit of pain, but it's been well controlled with Tylenol. I'll do my best not to freak out about it too much. I suspect that he won't give me much notice that he's going to put it on given the strong objection I made when we met earlier. I think he'll probably just put them on and then tell me he's done so. He did say that he would give me about three months to adjust to having my braces. So, that's pretty much the way I expect it to go down. I'm sure it'll be fine. It'll just take a bit of getting used to.
Thanks!
Dee

[Dee17]

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]

I posted this same message on my other thread but thought I'd post it here as well so as to maximize the number of responses:

Well, the space between my two front teeth is definitely smaller. It seems to be closing very quickly, though. Is this something I need to be concerned about? Don't misunderstand me, I'll be very happy when it is gone completely, I'm just concerned that it seems to be closing very quickly. Should I call my orthodontist's office and ask to go in to see him?

[BetsyBug]

You will notice the majority of the changes that will happen will be within the first few days of an adjustment. I would not be concerned about the gap closing. Your Damon's are made for continuous movement so you will be seeing lots of changes. Congrats on your gap closing