Finally getting the smile I want at 38 years old!

[dcruzie77]

Hello everyone!

I'm super happy to be here and to read all of the awesome stories of orthodontic success! Here is my story..

I'm 38 years old. I knew I had to do something about the crazy crowding and overlapping of my teeth since high school. My dad took me to the Orthodontist for a consultation and he said I would need jaw surgery to fix my bite (deep bite) and braces. I was not having any of that! To be honest, I think he was relieved that I didn't want to pursue braces and surgery since we were strapped for cash. I honestly didn't really notice how messed up my teeth looked. Perhaps I was used to them? Then, the moment of truth came when I was about 22. I saw a black and white picture taken of me and my then fiancé (now husband) in our engagement pictures. Yikes! Teeth just all over the place! The picture was published in the local paper. Total embarrassment. I decided that at some, when I can afford it, I'm fixing my teeth. Kids, life, bills, etc. came along. Braces went on the back burner.

Fast forward to now. I can finally afford them. And, surprise! No jaw surgery!

I have "speed braces" which are Damon style, self - ligating brackets. 20 months is my treatment time. I had 4 pre-molars removed because there was no room to move anything. Braces placed on 2-29-16. Extractions on 3-2-16. 1st adjustment 3-28. New, thicker wires, tiny gaps opening randomly. Can't chew really anything like I used to due to deep bite. Potatoes are my new addiction! Lost weight!

I'll post mouth pictures when I am able. You'll see the hot mess that is my mouth. Guys, it's kind of jarring at first. I almost cried. It looks like crazy roller coaster tracks in there!

I look forward to getting to know everyone! Thanks!

[Bracesat57]

Congrats on taking the plunge. My "wake-up" moment was sort of similar to yours.

Grand baby came along and all the photos of us were up close and in your face type photos. Yikes!!

Good luck on your journey!

[dcruzie77]

Thank you!

Oh, yes. The dreaded up close and personal pictures where you can't contort your smile to hide your teeth!

I bet you can't wait to be able to smile and not worry about anything . That's how I feel.

[Lovelyteeth]

welcome. Wow we have a lot in common. I had my braces put on only a couple of weeks before yours. I too have speed system braces. I'm a little older than you and should have done things a long time ago. I was sick of every time a photo was taken I would cringe at the site of my teeth. So glad I did this for me. I don't won't any other milestones (with my family and myself) going by where I hate my smile.

[dcruzie77]

I wish I would have gotten my braces 11 years ago after my first consultation. I didn't think I could swing it financially. Ah, well...they're on now and I am so happy!

Ugh, the cringing.. I absolutely cannot wait to be "ok" with any pictures that are taken. Won't it be nice to actually smile as big as you want when you are happy? I find myself holding back to manage how much of my mouth is open. Too much work!

It's funny, when I look at myself in the mirror, my teeth never looked as crooked and crazy as they did in pictures. I wonder if anyone else has ever had the same experience?

[Lovelyteeth]

It's funny, when I look at myself in the mirror, my teeth never looked as crooked and crazy as they did in pictures. I wonder if anyone else has ever had the same experience?

I can so relate to this. Maybe our mirrors were lying to us. Here's to a cringe free future!

P.s You know what's weird, when I look at selfies of my braced teeth (that I am obsessed with taking), they look better in the pics than when I look at my teeth in the mirror. I've had them on now for 8 weeks and the change already has been great.

[andrea83]

Wishing you luck as I may be getting started soon to correct my own deep bite issues.

Great to hear that you don't need surgery afterall! Reading online about this has been so mixed some people seem to have good luck with just braces and others say surgery is the only way to fix it. I guess everyone is different but I really really hope that when my time comes they don't say surgery is needed.