BRACES AND TIME OFF FROM WORK

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pdbprodigy1
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:21 pm
Location: Houston

BRACES AND TIME OFF FROM WORK

#1 Post by pdbprodigy1 »

Hello everyone, I get my braces on in a few weeks and I just wanted to know, would any of you suggest taking some time off from work right after I get the braces?

did any of you take time off once you got the braces on?

if so...how long?

Lisa65
Posts: 3469
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:12 pm

#2 Post by Lisa65 »

I had mine put on a Friday afternoon. My intention was that I would finish work for the week and then go and get braced. As it was, I was so anxious that I had to take the Friday morning off work because my stomach was in knots and I felt sick :lol:

Personally (and others' opinions may differ) I wouldn't have wanted to go back to work the same day as getting the braces on. Not because of pain or discomfort but I just felt a bit overwhelmed by all the hardware and sitting in the chair with my mouth open for over an hour. I don't work weekends so I didn't have to go back to work till the Monday, but I wouldn't have had any problem going back the next day if it had been a work day.

If you're getting wisdom teeth extracted though, you might want a day or two off. Depends how easily they come out, and if you're having IV sedation you might prefer a day to recover from that. Depends on what kind of job you do I guess.

mihaelici
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:19 am
Location: Romania

#3 Post by mihaelici »

I had my braces on a Friday morning, I took the whole day off, and then I had the whole weekend to get used to the new things in my mouth. All my colleagues knew I was gonna have braces, so when I got back to work on Monday morning, they all asked me how it feels and wanted to see how braces look - but they were all nice, and didn't make fun of me :) . I thought about taking more days off, because it felt strange in the beginning and I wondered how people would react, but I just got on with my life, like nothing happened :D And now, this topic is like.. history, in my office.. :) So, I'd suggest a couple of days off, that should do.. at least, it did for me :)
Good luck!

SDFD TSchott
Posts: 1680
Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:36 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ

#4 Post by SDFD TSchott »

it was a year or so ago so I don't recall 100% what I did however I know I got braces and the very next day I was in work and pretty much kept my mouth closed and didn't show anyone I had braces... I do recall that the day I returned I only worked about 6 hours cause there was slight pain that caused me not to focus on work..

~Tim~
*** 27 Days Until Christmas ***

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Adjustment Sept 14th, 2018
Braces back on August 06, 2018
Braces off April 02, 2008

Lala7603
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#5 Post by Lala7603 »

my first time in braces i went back to school the hour after i got my braces on.

This time...i happened to have the day off already. i guess it depends on what kind of job you have. it can be a little difficult to talk after you get them on so if you have a job that requires a lot of talking you would maybe want to consider taking the day off to get used to the braces.

SMIles
LALA
Braces On: November 21, 2003
Braces Off: December 17, 2004
Braces Back On: November 6, 2007
Braces Back Off: 2008

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nogota
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:36 pm
Location: NYC

#6 Post by nogota »

I got mine on a Wednesday morning, and not only went to work afterwards, but went to class that night for 4 hours. I don't regret going to work that day, although I was kind of dazed at times by the sheer weirdness of having them. I think it almost made me get used to them quicker by diving right into my life. I also had them as a kid, so I was a little prepared for what it would be like.

lionfish
Posts: 2635
Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 4:16 pm
Location: emerald city, oz

#7 Post by lionfish »

I got my uppers on first (lowers came 8 weeks later). I went straight back to work after my appointment, thought that the sooner I resumed my normal life the better.

TigerLily
Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:48 am
Location: London

#8 Post by TigerLily »

I had mine fitted on a Friday morning.. With the day off. I ended up doing work at home but was glad I had the day to myself..I had emotional adjustments to make ! It was also handy as one of my brackets popped off so I could go back to the ortho easily.

macfancier
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:11 pm

#9 Post by macfancier »

I had mine put on first thing in the morning on a weekday and went to work right after. I don't think the pain was enough to stay home for, but it was definitely uncomfortable and awkward. My lips got kind of swollen after being stretched open for an hour and then being scraped up from the inside out by the wires and brackets. I don't know, maybe in retrospect it would have been nice to take the rest of the day off!

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muppet
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Norfolk, UK

#10 Post by muppet »

Hello,

I booked a weeks holiday!! Braces went on on the Friday and I returned to work 10 days later.

I did not need the whole week but it gave me time to get used to everything and work out what I could eat and a good cleaning routine. So far I have not had to take any form of pain relief and just use wax when my cheek wants a break or my mouth has got dry.

Due to my work I can go a long time without being able to get a drink so I had time to get used to everything first. :(

By the time I went back to work I was so used to my brace that I hardly thought about it (apart from going to wax every now and then)

I know people may think a week is a tad excessive but I was owed holiday and had a great week. :P

bracesafter40
Posts: 258
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Re: BRACES AND TIME OFF FROM WORK

#11 Post by bracesafter40 »

Hello everyone, I get my braces on in a few weeks and I just wanted to know, would any of you suggest taking some time off from work right after I get the braces?

did any of you take time off once you got the braces on?

if so...how long?
No and
No.
But everyone is different. I went right to work that same day and that night got on a plane for 3.5 hours and then another one for 14 hours. Eating was different of course, but it was fine.
http://bracesafter40.blogspot.com
Bridge Sectioned: Feb. 14, 2007
Last Pre-braces cleaning: Feb. 20, 2007
#21 Extraction: Feb. 20, 2007
Sentenced: 32 months
Top Braced: Feb 28, 2007
Bottom Braced: Apr. 4, 2007
New Ortho on Apr. 25, 2008
May 6; fluorescent blue ligs incl. upper powerchains. 2 elastics; Sept. 2, 2008.
Next Adj.: July 7, 2009 at 8:30a

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lilblackdress
Posts: 131
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:14 am

#12 Post by lilblackdress »

I'm a wimp! I got braced on a Wednesday afternoon and returned to work on Monday (took Thursday and Friday off - don't work on weekends). I wanted time to adjust and I'm glad I did it as I wanted to rip out my teeth for a while - the OTC meds (Tylenol) did not help that much.

My job requires that I talk to people and there's no way I would have been able to focus on what they were saying in the state I was in. Your mileage may vary. ;)

How flexible is your work environment? Maybe you can arrange to take a day or two off, but always come in if you don't need it?

gunter8888
Posts: 315
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2004 12:34 pm
Location: Utah, USA

#13 Post by gunter8888 »

I scheduled the appointment to have my braces fitted for late one afternoon. I left work a little early (3:30-ish) for the appointment, but I was back at work at the usual time the next morning. In my experience there was no need for additional time away from work. Besides, I hate playing catch-up at work :?

As for coworkers noticing; I enjoyed not saying anything to most people and waiting to see who noticed and didn't.

Best of luck!
Expander in 8/9/06
Lowers on 11/30/06
Uppers on / Expander gone on 1/31/2007
Class III elastics added 3/14/2007
Expander #2 - 6/27/2007
20-24 months w/ fixed metal braces

wired after 50
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 6:48 pm
Location: North Carolina

#14 Post by wired after 50 »

I took a long lunch and then went back to work. Needless to say I had bread soaked in soup for lunch that day. I usually go for adjustments before work but take my OTC pain meds and pack a lunch that I know I will be able to chew.
Last edited by wired after 50 on Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

METALMOUTHPOOH
Posts: 168
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:59 pm
Location: ATLANTA GA

#15 Post by METALMOUTHPOOH »

I had my appointment on a Monday at 8 and stopped off for breakfast (waffles) then went into work. Then the next day I called in and went in after lunch.... and I was good to go after that.

Good Luck :wink:

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