Getting braces soon. Starting to worry.

[GillyWeed]

Hey Dozza,

This whole braces thing can be extremely overwhelming. Prior to getting braces I read tons of things online about how extractions lead to sunken face, droopy eyes, neck problems, etc... But honestly you can't listen to everything you hear. I'm not saying that all those people are lying but what may work for one person may not work for another... If you are unhappy with your smile I suggest maybe continuning your search for an orthodontist? I feel like you just know when you find the right one, something just clicks. I went to 5 consults before I found my guy; 2 out of the 5 told me i'd require 4 extractions, 1 told me i'd need 3, the first told me i'd need none and the guy I decided to go with told me i'd require one and honestly I haven't looked back because he explained the need for the extraction very clearly, and it made perfect sense.

And as far as the braces themselves go, I have traditional metals and I love them.

I wish you the absolute best

[Dee17]

I was going to write earlier and tell you tht you might want to look into Damon braces. From what I've read, extractions are rarely required. Of course, I have no idea what kind of special circumstances your situation might require. I just know that on the Damon website, they say that extractions are rarely required. If you go to this link: http://damonbraces.com/, you will be able to click on a l ink which will help you find a Damon specialist in your area. It might be worth it just to have a consultation. You might have to pay for this but it would probably be worth it in your case. I have Damon braces and I was thrilled when I first looked in the mirror (ugh!) and saw how small they are.

[Dee17]

I think I might have posted this reply already, Dozza. If I did, please accept my apologies.
If you are concerned about having extractions I can tell you that I had two over the summer and had absolutely NO pain from either of them. No problems either. I was very surprised by that because I was expecting them to be very painful.
As far as getting extractions for braces goes, if your orthodontist is telling you that you need extractions, I would definitely get a second opinion. You might also want to consider an orthodontist who uses Damon brackets because my understanding is that extractions are rarely required with Damon brackets. My two extractions were not related to my getting braces. In fact, they were what caused me to have to get braces! Oh, my. So, that's just my opinion on this matter. Whatever you decide to do, best of luck to you!
Dee

[Plumcore]

Think of it like this. If it were that bad in general, you wouldn't have as many people going for it. Im not saying to blindly jump in extractions, but if you yourself understand why they are necesary then you need to consider that maybe there is something else holding you back. One thing you might try, is a digital preview of how you will look after the whole treatment is done. That way, maybe some of your fears will go away.

[SmilinginCO]

You're not alone in your feelings. It's a big change! I also did the Internet thing and got really worried about the extraction. Specifically the sunken face and i only had one tooth out. So I called my ortho and started asking a bunch of questions and he suggested I come in and talk again about my options. It was great! We talked everything through again and I felt I made an educated decision after asking a lot of questions. Also there is nothing wrong with getting a couple of opinions.
I've only had my braces on for 3 days and I am SO happy that I actually went through with this!!
Good luck with your journey!!

[Lizzie365]

Smiling - I hope you're braces aren't too uncomfortable!

I just couldn't go through with the extractions. I called my ortho to talk about them and she wast very helpful, she didn't explain why they needed I be removed just that 'it would make more space'.

So, I went back to the ortho who gave me a second opinion. We went into everything in detail, and only one extraction is needed. He's confident he can move my funny canine, and said there's no reason he can't get the space he needs. My midline moving over will create about 3, and due to a molar extraction there's room for the premolars to move down. I will also have ipr to make my teeth for together better.

So I changed my mind and decided to go with him.. I'm now being braces on the 26th November (just my top ones) and feel a lot more confident about it!

My extraction doesn't need to be done until my bottom braces go on, compared to the other ortho saying she couldn't treat me until the extractions were done!

Thanks for your support guys it's nice to know I'm not completely alone in this!!

[Dee17]

Hey, I'm just glad to know that you've figured out how to deal with this in a way that feels comfortable for you. I think that getting braces is tough enough. If you don't feel 100% confident that you've made the right choices in all aspects of your treatment, you will be second-guessing yourself the whole time and will not feel good about the process. Good for you for going back to see your orthodontist and making sure you got all your questions answered. If you can't be your own best advocate, you can't expect anyone else to do it for you. I'm happy for you. Good luck on your bracket installation day. I hope you'll be surprised at how easily it will be!

[wigglewiggle]

Ya I think I will need to talk to my doctors and get myself composed again. All these kinds of stories online are just nightmares...

[djspeece]

Yes, you definitely need to stop scouring the internet for medical / dental horror stories. Extractions are sometimes necessary. I had to have two in advance of my braces, plus a bone graft. My ortho provided a strong rationale and I went with it.
I'm 64 so here's a little pep talk.
Look to the long term and the end result. Decide what you want -- a better smile, more confidence, and so forth. There are no guarantees and you'll need to find your own way. Most if not all of us were concerned to some extent what others would think about braces. You're smart to investigate braces at your young age. You'll have that many more years ahead of you with the smile you've always wanted. With me, when I was asked why I got braces I replied (deadpan) "Well, I wanted to have the nicest smile in the cemetery." (Apologies to the old-timers here who have had to read that little quip over and over.) Of course in response I got this look "Is he serious?" and awkward silence. I loved it, but then I have my own set of issues
Self confidence will carry the day with the ladies. Braces or not. And not that I am any expert, but I suspect that many women will secretly applaud your desire for self-improvement and willingness to be inconvenienced for a while. As an RN I've worked with women my entire career, and in general they are less superficial then men and look for the goodness and integrity, etc. This is a gross overgeneralization but trust me your self confidence will pique their interest. No, I don't know how it works, it just does. And the braces may give them a reason to start a conversation with you so start thinking about what you are going to say when they ask you "How do you like your braces?" And for the unspoken question, braces do not interfere with romance (kissing and so forth).
I've always been a bit surprised that many people don't notice, and the ones that do notice really could care less. Every once in a while I'll catch some doofus staring at my mouth and I can hear the wheels turning and creaking in their heads as they try to figure out why someone at my age would get braces. I turn and look them in the eye with my patented death stare. Did I mention I have issues?
You'll do fine. You aren't the first and won't be the last. A couple of years from now you'll be wondering why you waited so long.
Best of luck to you.