Getting braces

parsleysage

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I am getting braces tomorrow! I am really excited. I have been working on this for a few months, I needed some dental work done before I could get them. This will be a 2.5-3 year journey for me and will include upper jaw surgery next year some time.

I am 25 but I am honestly not self-conscious about getting them as an adult at all. Well, I don't think I will be. I look at it as me doing something positive for myself rather than "nerdy" or whatever.

Anyone else get braces either as a teen or adult?
 

MoochNNoodles

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My cousin had them as an adult.  I never thought her teeth were that bad; but she feels better about them now that they are straightened out.  I think she mostly closed the front gap and straightened those front few out.  I'm not sure how long she had hers for; but I think as an adult its easier to see the process as temporary. 


Good luck tomorrow!
 

pinkdagger

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I got them later than everyone else. I was 16 and super diligent about having them because they hurt so much to get tightened, and I had to wear elastics too.. My teeth were a mess though, so I was glad to get it done, and glad to have it over with. They quoted it would take 2 years, and one month less than 2 years, they casually asked if I had some extra time at one of my appointments. I cautiously asked why and they said they wanted to take my braces off and I was like "oh, I've got all day!" Was kind of inconvenient having braces for my high school graduation picture and entering university with them, but that's life.

IMO dental work is worth it even if it is insanely expensive and briefly uncomfortable. It can make your life so much easier afterwards as long as you're good with general maintenance (though I am nervous for your jaw surgery!!).

One of my friends had braces put on when she was 15 or 16 and didn't get them off for FIVE years because she was lazy about her elastics and she loved chewing gum. So do what the orthodontist says and get it over with! lol
 

fhicat

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I've been thinking about getting some myself. I have horribly uneven teeth, I never smile with lips parted when I take photos (which I rarely do already).

Maybe we can start a "braces rule" support group. 
 

andrya

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lt's become a bit of a status symbol here to have braces since it's one of the things our health care doesn't pay for, and they're expensive.

l worked with a woman in her 40s who got some for underbite and pain, and she had them for less time than they predicted. She said the jaw pain and headaches went away as her teeth straightened.
 
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parsleysage

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Thank you everyone!!! I got my braces today - photos below :)

@MoochNNoodles  Yes I definitely agree that as an adult you are more appreciative - not least of all because you are the one paying! LOL! I will definitely be complying with all treatment requirements, but due to the surgery and other factors I should be at least 2.5 years with these things on.

@pinkdagger  I totally agree about the dental work. To get here I had to have several fillings and a crown. It's been very expensive (thank goodness for insurance and my FSA!) but it will be worth it. If I had my choice I might have saved up longer, but I had to have a tooth pulled so you can't really go a long time leaving that space open, lol. It was now or never! I'm nervous about my jaw surgery as well but it is necessary due to having a skeletal underbite. (Right now my teeth meet but once they are straight they will be in an underbite according to my orthodontist.)

@Fhi09  Yes, do it!!!!!!!! We can definitely have a support group :) You should also join Archwired, it's an adult braces forum. I'm there (same username).

@Andrya  I have an underbite as well. I am a chronic headache and neck pain sufferer - I think my pain is caused by problems with my back and exacerbated by being overweight, but, it will be interesting to see if any of those symptoms resolve! 

Photos!! and I got Joni to be in one :D

  
 

pinkdagger

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Looks great! Your teeth don't look too bad in the pictures either, you may get away with a shorter term. ;) Did you choose specific colours? I was told when I first got braces, silver wires and clear brackets were the least obvious, but after they put them on, I was like come on... I so have braces, and you can so tell. lol.

They had to pull teeth for me just to make enough space to realign my teeth. I got 2 bicuspids out on top and bottom (one on each side) before I could get braces. Is the underbite severe? I know when they put elastics on my braces, as well as my friends', they were to correct a jaw alignment but I have no idea how much "work" my jaw actually needed.
 
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parsleysage

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Looks great! Your teeth don't look too bad in the pictures either, you may get away with a shorter term. ;) Did you choose specific colours? I was told when I first got braces, silver wires and clear brackets were the least obvious, but after they put them on, I was like come on... I so have braces, and you can so tell. lol.

They had to pull teeth for me just to make enough space to realign my teeth. I got 2 bicuspids out on top and bottom (one on each side) before I could get braces. Is the underbite severe? I know when they put elastics on my braces, as well as my friends', they were to correct a jaw alignment but I have no idea how much "work" my jaw actually needed.
Thank you!!!! Most people have overcrowding so like you said you had to have teeth out, but I actually have the opposite problem of too much space. That's why you can't tell they are crooked. I wonder how long it will take to close up all the spaces.

Sadly, I didn't get to choose colors. Mine are self-ligating - they have little doors that come down over the wire instead of the tiny rubber bands holding the wire in.

If I had gotten braces as a teen I probably wouldn't have needed jaw surgery. When you are young your jawbone isn't fused yet and they can manipulate it (that's where headgear came from!). And yeah also they can use the elastics too. I won't have to have those since my jaw will be realigned with surgery. I wish I had gotten them back then so I could avoid the surgery, but oh well. :)
 
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