FREAKED OUT About Braces

Jonezie

Jonezie

Cathlete
Hi everyone!

Ok...I now have adult braces...the first I've ever had in my 37 years. It's Day 3 of a one year to 18 month sentence. And I've freaked out about a few things...but called some other people who have had them before and they've relieved some of my fears.

But here's my question...they make my teeth look so dingy (I've always had pretty white teeth) and dull...almost blue (my braces are all metal). Did anyone else have that experience? Do I just run to my dentist the minute they come off to have new bleaching trays made and start a week or two of bleaching? Blue teeth are not so in these days, you know?

PS...has anyone else out there had adult braces? And how did you make it through? I feel like I have a Buick in my mouth.

:) Jonezie
 
Hi Jonezie!

I had adult bracres when I was 33. I had the white ceramic brackets on my front teeth, so that helped some with the odd color. However, braces are just that way. You really will get used to how they look. And as for what other people think...they will know you have the braces, so they won't think you have odd colored teeth.

18 months is not that long, and the end result will be so worth it! My advice... smile big and be proud of your braces! It's so common these days to see adults with braces.... even more so than when I had them (gosh, it's already been 20 years since I had them!).

Good luck! You are already beautiful, but your smile will be amazing when you're done. :D
 
Jonezie,

I had braces when I was young and they did not make my teeth dingy when they came off. My sister had them as an adult and didn't have dingy teeth.

A guy I work with has them right now and he's 49.

The 18 months or less will fly by in no time and then you'll have a beautiful smile to go with the rest of your beautiful self!!

Enjoy the ride! :)
 
Straight talk about braces

Jonzie,
You are going do be okay!!!! I just got off my 3rd stint of braces: 1st time from 13 years to 17 years old (yikes! 4 years!!!!); 2nd time at 39 years old (was told it'd be 18 months, was only 10 months!); 3rd time was at 47 years old (for only 6 months). The 3rd time was because my ortho insisted on making her own version of Invisalign as my retainer and really screwed up my teeth.:mad: The practice fired her, and her replacement immediately put me back in braces to correct her damage.

To make things go faster:
Do EXACTLY what they tell you:
Eat the right foods. Don't eat hard crunchy stuff, not even veggies. Cut things up small.
Don't eat chewy sticky stuff. No sugar!!!! :eek:
Clean your teeth really really well after everything you eat.
Wear the rubber bands/head gear/torture devices EXACTLY as they tell you!!!!!:confused:

You will be used to them by next week!;)

When your braces come off they will polish your new beautiful smile and give you a retainer. Wear it. Yes, you will lisp. It's cute.:D

Good luck! Remember, nothing is forever!

Nancy
 
I had adult braces and just got them off about 1 year ago now.
The blue you are seeing may be the sealent that the use to bind the braces to your teeth.
When you go in for your cleaning the hyginist may be able to help you with that.
 
I had braces for about 18 months when I was a teenager. I had the full metal jacket style of the 1980's, so I have no idea what the color of my teeth were under them, but they were nice and white when the braces came off. In fact, I thought they looked like plastic vampire teeth. They were so white and perfect. You will be so happy you did this for yourself.
 
Nanbo said:
Jonzie,
You are going do be okay!!!! I just got off my 3rd stint of braces: 1st time from 13 years to 17 years old (yikes! 4 years!!!!); 2nd time at 39 years old (was told it'd be 18 months, was only 10 months!); 3rd time was at 47 years old (for only 6 months). The 3rd time was because my ortho insisted on making her own version of Invisalign as my retainer and really screwed up my teeth.:mad: The practice fired her, and her replacement immediately put me back in braces to correct her damage.

To make things go faster:
Do EXACTLY what they tell you:
Eat the right foods. Don't eat hard crunchy stuff, not even veggies. Cut things up small.
Don't eat chewy sticky stuff. No sugar!!!! :eek:
Clean your teeth really really well after everything you eat.
Wear the rubber bands/head gear/torture devices EXACTLY as they tell you!!!!!:confused:

You will be used to them by next week!;)

When your braces come off they will polish your new beautiful smile and give you a retainer. Wear it. Yes, you will lisp. It's cute.:D

Good luck! Remember, nothing is forever!

Nancy
Click to expand...

Thanks to ALL of you who responded! I can feel the love! And everyone nodding their head in unison as they totally get where I'm coming from. I actually coveted Mr. Potato Head today. I would have done anything to take off my lips and give them a break for a while. UGH!

Nancy...I WILL do EVERYTHING to exact specifications. I'm going to be ridiculous. Here's hoping it's only 10 months. But tell me...how do you eat veggies? Do you cook them until they are soft? And I'm trying to do no sugar...but all I can eat for the moment is 100% apple sauce. I hope that's ok.

Going to eat some apple sauce now and then brush my teeth. Thanks thanks thanks to all of you!

:) Jonezie
 
Jonezie,

I forgot to add, I lost a good bit of weight when I had braces. That wasn't necessarily a good thing for me, but just a warning, it will probably happen for you too.

I found that eating bread was more of a pain than it was worth. So, I cut out all bread. (It gets stuck in your brackets and looks horrible and is tough to clean). Another reason I lost weight is that sometimes it was easier not to eat, than to have to clean my teeth afterwards. I know that sounds weird, but if you're in a situation where cleaning isn't an easy option, it's just simpler not to eat.

I would have to eat softer foods right after adjustments, but you won't be on applesauce forever. You'll get used to it. You will have to eliminate biting into apples and anything crunchy/hard. (Corn on the cob... you'll have to cut it off the cob, etc.)

I had permanent retainers cemented onto the backs of my front teeth, upper and lower, in order to keep them from shifting back. My issue was crowding... not sure what yours is. My orthodontist told me that with adults, the teeth have a tendency to want to move back to their original positions, so you have to be especially diligent after removal to keep up with wearing your retainers. For me, the permanent wires (that do not show) were the perfect answer.
 
I got braces when I was around 22.
I don't recall them making my teeth look dingy (I don't recall seeing much of my teeth!), but I do recall that it was IMPERATIVE to have a Waterpik (especially since I didn't give up popcorn, as the orthodontist had recommended!).

For a time, I had to wear a couple of rubber bands going from one area of my mouth to the other, that made talking clearly a bit difficult.

I was just starting to learn Spanish at the time, and decided to go with a Castillian accent, because soft "c" and "z" sounds are pronounced "th" rather than "s" (and I didn't need to add to any sibilance to what the braces were already doing!).

I remember definite discomfort when adjustments were made. I tried chewing on licorice sticks (the actual sticks, not the candy) and that seemed to help a bit.

As someone else said, it's more common for adults to have braces these days (heck, even Tom Cruise had braces for a while about 2 ? years ago!).
 
Oh my gosh JeanneMarie, I forgot about the bread!! I remember I had a spacer in addition to my braces and bread was the WORST!! I had this little pipe cleaner thing to get the gunk out from between the braces. For the longest time, I would not bite into things-I would either use a fork or tear pieces off (like a sandwich). I still do that time to time :) Don't worry Jonezie!! You'll be fine!! And if you think it feels weird now - wait till you get them off. My teeth felt so slick and slimy for days because I was so used to the rough metal.
 
Jonezie,
I was able to eat lightly steamed veggies and all the leafy greens I dared to have enmeshed in my braces (ha-ha!). I bought one of those apple corer slicer things and used it on apples. Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast option instead of crunchy cereals.
Another tip for you: take some ibuprofen or other pain reliever before you go to the ortho for adjustments. Sometimes your mouth can become very sore after a new wire is put in.
Adults make the best patients because they follow instructions well and aren't likely to give in to peer pressure over bad foods (chips, popcorn, pretzels, soda, chewy stuff). My "braces diet" really set the stage for a more healthy way of eating even after the braces came off. I hope that you find yourself with more energy and a glowing complexion to go along with your dazzling smile!:D
 
I got braces first time at 55. had them > 3 years. I did lose about 5 lbs because I had to eat more slowly and carefully. I went thru tons TONS of dental wax to protect my cheeks from wires. especially while sleeping. I thought my teeth looked dingy but when the braces came off they were fine. I ate anything and everything. I had a good diet to begin with and the most I did was cut apples in half. In the whole time I had 2 attachments pop off. so this may be an individual thing but I ate corn on the cob, bread, salads, crunchy vegies as I normally did except for the day after the wires got tightened and I was sore. I never liked sticky junk like caramel etc so no problem not eating it. but crusty french bread? no problem.

I bought a vibrating tool ( can't remember what it was called but was about $15) that had disposable tips to clean instead of trying to floss. there's no way I could get my hands in far enough. it was small enough to carry with me so I could clean easily after eating.
 
I had braces when i was 12 and a second time a few years ago when i was 31-32. I still wear my retainer at night and i also have the permanent retainers behind my lower/upper front teeth to prevent a relapse. I didn't care what other people thought of me as an adult in braces. I'd rather have my 10karat smile so it was worth it.:D A few of my friends had the same thing happen to them as well and went through braces a second time as adults.

There is going to be mild discomfort when they tighten the wire or if you need elastics but it's definitely bearable. I don't think you'll need to live on applesauce. One think i never got over, even from when i was a kid is i still won't bite into certain foods (like an apple) i will always cut it up. i always carry a toothbrush in my purse to clean up after eating as well.

As for the "dingy teeth". I think it's just that you are not used to seeing all that metal in your mouth. You'll get used to it. I would always choose different colours for the rubber they use to hold the wire to the braces. I liked it better than the basic grey.

My dentist liked me as an adult patient because i followed all his instructions and the process was quicker.
 
Dental wax is your friend esp. the first few weeks. Get the kind from your ortho offiice it works alot better! :p I got braces at about age 29 and had them 3 years! had to have all the little gadgets, bands and wires and pokey things they torture you with along the way. I thought " oh my what did I do?" but it was well worth it. when your braces come off your teeth will be white and will look so straight you wont quit looking at them :D. I ate almost everything almost ,including popcorn, but do get a waterpic and a large bottle of advil for the days when you have to go back to the nice torture office. you will get used to them after you mouth quit hurting and you will be able to eat more later:)
 
Be diligent about keeping things clean. kids often don't do a good job and have problems with decalcification lines and decay after braces. adults are usually better about keeping things clean. the office should point out to you spots that aren't getting cleaned well enough.
I got a sonicare brush and used a probe tool to clean under the wires between the teeth since you can't floss normally. threading under the wires was something I couldn't do adequately. I ate normal food except for right after getting wires tightened. it cuts down on snacking because of the cleaning process after. carry a small brush in your purse, in your car, wherever.
It is SO worth it when you finally see your straight lovely teeth! I still wear a mouth guard at night and a lower retainer (and will forever) but it's no big deal. you get so used to it you feel funny without it.
 
I just got my braces off this past March. It won't be as bad as you think when they come off as long as you practice good and consistent hygiene while you have them on. Floss, brush, your proxy brush regularly and have regular teeth cleaning you shouldn't have any problems with dingy teeth when the braces come off. When mine came off I went in for a regular teeth cleaning and my teeth were perfectly fine.

As for making it through, it was a pain not being able to eat what I wanted. I broke my braces three times because I ate popcorn and pretzels. The third time the orthodontist got after me about it. Otherwise the only thing I hated were how my teeth hurt for a few days each time my braces were adjusted. If you haven't been in for your first adjustment yet you will soon understand what I mean once you do. For days after the adjustment I would only eat soft food because it was just too uncomfortable.

Anyway, the time will pass so try and be patient through this process because it's worth the pain and aggravation to have beautiful and straight teeth.


Jonezie said:
Hi everyone!

Ok...I now have adult braces...the first I've ever had in my 37 years. It's Day 3 of a one year to 18 month sentence. And I've freaked out about a few things...but called some other people who have had them before and they've relieved some of my fears.

But here's my question...they make my teeth look so dingy (I've always had pretty white teeth) and dull...almost blue (my braces are all metal). Did anyone else have that experience? Do I just run to my dentist the minute they come off to have new bleaching trays made and start a week or two of bleaching? Blue teeth are not so in these days, you know?

PS...has anyone else out there had adult braces? And how did you make it through? I feel like I have a Buick in my mouth.

:) Jonezie
Click to expand...
 
I really love all these responses...thanks guys!

Question...before I got the braces, I had only one lower front tooth that was slightly rotated. Now all four of my lower front teeth look a little crooked! Yikes! Is that normal? Will they straighten out?

:)Jonezie
 
Yes. They will straighten out. The orthodontist has a plan for how he will move/straighten the teeth via the braces. You will realize this when you go in for adjustments and hear him discuss which type of wire strength, etc. to use to move the teeth. You just got your braces so the teeth look a little strange right now but give it time and you will see how the teeth move and straighten. Trust your orthodontist. He knows what he's doing and for what it costs to have the braces he will make sure the teeth look good when the braces come off.


Jonezie said:
I really love all these responses...thanks guys!

Question...before I got the braces, I had only one lower front tooth that was slightly rotated. Now all four of my lower front teeth look a little crooked! Yikes! Is that normal? Will they straighten out?

:)Jonezie
Click to expand...
 
Jonezie said:
I really love all these responses...thanks guys!

Question...before I got the braces, I had only one lower front tooth that was slightly rotated. Now all four of my lower front teeth look a little crooked! Yikes! Is that normal? Will they straighten out?

:)Jonezie
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with trusting your ortho, but I would ask. He will explain the process to you. I just don't think you should ever go blindly trusting everything a doctor/dentist does. Ask questions!! :)
 
Thanks, Marlene! It's been very hard for me to trust! But you're right.

And you, too, JeanneMarie! I'm never one to trust blindly. It's been a week, and I've already become my ortho's worst nightmare. Every time I come in, I bring a list of questions. At least 7 or 8. She is always nice but I can tell I'm super annoying. Anyway, she said it was normal and that it would change once she put a thicker wire in, but I wanted to make SURE!

I'll let y'all know when I stop hyperventilating about this. It's really just because I've never set foot in an orthodontist's office until a month ago. Who knew?

:) Jonezie
 
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