Braces for Adults

sandman263

Hi folks,

Due to overcrowding, I'm talking to an orthodontist about getting braces. In particular, I have one tooth in my upper set moving behind another, and over the last 12 months, the change is really visible.

After my appointment, I'm thinking of getting train tracks on top & bottom. Price is fine, I know I can claim at least 20% back due to tax relief, and I've read through http://www.archwired.com/ .

I'm not erring towards getting the braces early next year (February), but have some questions:

1. How much does it actually hurt when getting the braces on, and then over the period of having the braces? I've seen some people say its fine, and I've seen horror stories....
2. I'm pretty active - I play football twice a week, and do other sports. Will having braces affect this - will I have to be more careful?
3. Any other advice? I know this will be worth it in three years - but some moral support would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

ByrdsFan

sandman263 wrote: »

Hi folks,

Due to overcrowding, I'm talking to an orthodontist about getting braces. In particular, I have one tooth in my upper set moving behind another, and over the last 12 months, the change is really visible.

After my appointment, I'm thinking of getting train tracks on top & bottom. Price is fine, I know I can claim at least 20% back due to tax relief, and I've read through http://www.archwired.com/ .


I'm not erring towards getting the braces early next year (February), but have some questions:

1. How much does it actually hurt when getting the braces on, and then over the period of having the braces? I've seen some people say its fine, and I've seen horror stories....
2. I'm pretty active - I play football twice a week, and do other sports. Will having braces affect this - will I have to be more careful?
3. Any other advice? I know this will be worth it in three years - but some moral support would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi Sandman, to be honest, getting the braces on did not hurt in the slightest. I found the first few weeks to be quite strange, which is normal giving the amount of metal in your mouth. Getting used to eating certain foods and whatnot takes a few weeks aswell. The only time you will get any discomfort after that, will be when the wires are tightened, then your teeth will be very sensitive. Its best to avoid any food that will requre major amounts of chewing, as this can be quite sore. Thankfully, after about 2 days, max 3, your teeth are back to normal. Another minor issue would be, sometimes the wire can irritate your lips. This happens usually in the 1st few weeks/months of having them. Your orthodontist should supply you with wax to ease it though.

2. Im not too sure about what precautions you would need playing football, as id only play non contact sports myself. But im sure if you asked your orthodontist, they would be able to point you in the right direction, or maybe a few other posters have experience in that area.

3. I was in the exact same position as yourself, i pondered over it for years, before eventually taking the plunge. Its definately worth it, ive had mine in just shy of 18 months , which means im roughly a 1/3 of the way through, & to be honest, I could'nt be happier. Really glad I did it, as after a while you dont even know they are there. The hardest part is to get it started, but once it has, and you get used to having them, its plain sailing from there. It will all be worth it when its over!

Best of luck

kelle

I saw an orthodontist 3 years ago about getting braces. I was completely put off when he told me I'd need to have 4 teeth removed. Plus my charming husband and mother in law told me I was too old at 35 and anyway I'd be losing the teeth in a few years!!! So I didn't go ahead . But I HATE how I look in photos when I smile so I've decided I'm definitely going ahead with it next month once my children go back to school (haven't told hubby yet).
ByrdsFan, did you need to have any teeth removed? Would you advice getting them all out in one go or one at a time?
(Sorry for hijacking your thread OP. I wish I had it done so I could be advising you! I wish you the best of luck. Of course, we can check each other's progress as we're going along!)

septern

i'm in my 30s and got braces about a year ago - i needed to get 2 teeth pulled, and had a retainer type thing on my upper teeth for 6 months
after that, train tracks on both sets.

the tooth pulling was sore, the retainer was annoying re eating hard foods and it took me a week to get used to speaking with it

once the 1st 6 months were over and i was on train tracks it was great.

i can't believe how much the alligment of my teeth, jaw-line and face has changed for the better.

re football, wear a gumshield. I do and its no bother

ByrdsFan

kelle wrote: »

I saw an orthodontist 3 years ago about getting braces. I was completely put off when he told me I'd need to have 4 teeth removed. Plus my charming husband and mother in law told me I was too old at 35 and anyway I'd be losing the teeth in a few years!!! So I didn't go ahead . But I HATE how I look in photos when I smile so I've decided I'm definitely going ahead with it next month once my children go back to school (haven't told hubby yet).
ByrdsFan, did you need to have any teeth removed? Would you advice getting them all out in one go or one at a time?
(Sorry for hijacking your thread OP. I wish I had it done so I could be advising you! I wish you the best of luck. Of course, we can check each other's progress as we're going along!)

Hi Kellie, yep, I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out at the same time (this was to make room as i had overcrowding). Ive never had any teeth other than wisom teeth taken out, so im not sure how sore it is to get normal teeth taken out. But ive heard its nowhere near as pailfull. I always think its best to get it all over and done with it one fell swoop, at least that way, you wont have to worry about going back again and again to get more removed. To be honest, im glad i got them out in one go, I wont lie to you, it hurt like hell for about a week after getting them pulled, & you will need to eat soft foods & whatnot during that time, but once you get past that first week its all cool from there.

Fair play to you for going ahead with it, I hope it all turns out well. If you have any other questions dont hesitate to ask

Kila

Hi,

23, and in braces since February myself. I've got clear on top, and metal on bottom.

I thought long and hard about getting them, and I was devastated the day they went on because I was sure I'd made the wrong decision. I cried, and didn't want to look at myself in the mirror.

Now, 6 months on, I can't stop smiling - I love how my teeth look now!

There was a little awkwardness getting them on, and it takes a few days to get used to having so much extra junk in your mouth. My teeth hurt a good bit by the first night, but then gradually got better over the next 2-3 days, and then were mostly fine. I'd advise lots of wax in your first few days, just until you get used to it all. Your mouth will toughen up pretty quickly, and you won't get ulcers all that often. The most disconcerting thing I found was how loose my teeth felt at first - like they'd fall out if I bit into something! It lessens over time, and you get used to it.

Adjustments can hurt a little, depending on what they're doing to you, and there may be some pain for the next day or two. But just like when you first get your braces on, the pain will ease within a few days, and you'll be back to normal again.

As for contact sports, I train martial arts 6 days a week, so I've experienced some fairly rough contact to my mouth over the time I've had mine on. I got myself a shock doctor mouth guard for sparring, but for regular training, I don't bother with it. If anything, my blocking has gotten even better since I got the braces, because I'm so wary of getting them hit! The bottom line is that you're probably not going to be able to avoid all contact to them for the whole time they're on, so here's what you'll have to look forward to; if you get a smack straight in the mouth, it's likely you may cut the inside of your mouth. It'll bleed lots, but it'll probably only be a tiny cut (barely visible) - mouth and head wounds bleed out of proportion to their size because those areas are so well veinated. You may wind up with an ulcer at the spot for a few days. Immediately after the hit (or training) rinsing with salt water will help to aid the healing process and soothe the area a little. Also, wax up the bracket for a few days afterwards to stop it rubbing on the cut/ulcer and it'll heal much quicker and much more comfortably for you. It is possible for braces to come off (if you read archiwired, I'm sure you'll have heard the stories), but I haven't experienced that since I had mine on, and I have been hit in the mouth a few times with them. Ultimately, it's a pain getting hit with them, but not a lot more painful then getting hit in the mouth if you don't have braces, so don't worry too much about it! Get a mouth guard for extra protection when needed, and get really good at moving your mouth out of the way.

Other advice:
Get yourself onto archwired - it's a great support network, and will be really helpful if/when you feel like you've done the wrong thing. I'm on it, and it's great to read about other adults going through it. (PM me if you want and I'll link you to my thread - you can see some pics).

It's not as bad as it first seems - you may think they stick out a mile and look awful, but most other people probably won't. And after a short while, you'll be so used to them that you don't notice them.

Eating - I have studiously ignored the "don't eat" list I was given. As long as you're careful, there shouldn't really be any foods you can't eat, although I'd recommend staying away from gum unless you're being really careful! Also, get used to eating weird things with a knife and fork - burgers are particularly tricky to bite into, and I haven't eaten one without a knife and fork since I got my train tracks (not BK or McDonalds burgers, I'm talking about real, thick burgers).

Dental wax - I got a bulk pack of orthosil from dentakit.com, and I found it much better than regular wax. It stays on much much longer, and is a bit easier to handle. I'd really recommend it.

Dental Picks - get yourself a pack of disposable dental picks, pop one inside a wax case, and carry it everywhere. Inevitably, food will get stuck in your braces, and it's a lot easier to get it out quickly with a pick than with fingers, water, tissue, or anything else.

Take pictures - I can't believe I'm even saying this, but I found that they really helped. When you think that nothing's happened, you look at your pictures and realise your teeth have practically moved a mile, and you can smile again!

Stay in touch - I'm gonna be in wires for 18-24 months, and it seems like a long time sometimes. But if you're chatting with other people online about it, you'll probably realise that your case isn't so bad, and that the time really does fly along.

Worth it - It'll totally be worth it, because you won't have to wait until it's all over to see results. Your teeth will be moving from the time you get them on, and it's really exciting to see it. You'll have a great smile quicker than you think, and then you won't be able to stop smiling either...



I go to an ortho in Newry, PM if you want details.

Good luck!

kelle

Kila wrote: »

Hi,

I'd advise lots of wax in your first few days, just until you get used to it all. Your mouth will toughen up pretty quickly, and you won't get ulcers all that often.

What kind of wax is that, Kila - is it a form of tooth polish?

Kila

Dental/Orthodontic wax. You can get it in some pharmacies, and any ortho should have it also. It's clear, soft wax (or sillicone, depending on type) that you soften by working it between your fingers for a short while, and then stick onto whatever bracket is causing the ulcer. It makes the bracket smoother so it rubs against the inside of your mouth less.

Any time you've got an ulcer, putting a lump of wax on a bracket can make it a lot more comfortable until it goes away. I don't use it all that often, but every now and again I'll get an ulcer that refuses to be ignored, and I have to wax up if I wanna be able to eat or talk!

-Els-

Hi,
I had braces for 2 and a half years and got them off about a year ago For about 8 months while I had braces I also had an expansion appliance, which was like a bar accross my back molars to widen my top jaw.

One thing to remember is that it is 100% worth it in the end. When you get them off its the best feeling in the world, not because the braces are that uncomfortable because you dont notice them after 6 months but because you will never be self-conscious about your teeth again. I have become so much more confident since I got my teeth fixed, its amazing.

The braces do hurt a few hours after you get them on for a few days, but I found that if you just take loads of Neurofen (I found it was the best) and stick to ice-cream and soup and soft foods its fine, and then you dont even notice it.

One thing to remember when you get braces, a lot of people forget this is that after you get the train tracks off you will have to wear a retainer full time for a few weeks/months and then at night. You will have to wear the retainer a few nights a week for the rest of your life, or else your teeth will move (and they do! Trust me!). The retainer isn't bad though, because you dont really notice it and you can take it out during meals/photos etc..

Just remember when your teeth are sore after you get them on, or your sick of food getting stuck in the train tracks, or your sick to death of dragging to the orthodontist every few weeks that it is going to be so worth it and you can smile for the rest of your life and not be embarrassed!

ohh btw- when you have braces stay away from chewits or tofee! I dont know how many times I broke my bracket because of bloody chewits!

The Batman

I just got mine off and i the results are great!!!

Regarding the mouthguard tho...you should go to your dentist after you get the braces and the dentist will make you a mouthguard that will fit your mouth and braces perfectly!! I had to for rugby and found it very good tho it is quite expensive!!

Other advice...be patient!!! I had mine on for over 2 and a half years and i heard for adults its longer because their teeth take longer to adjust!! And keep them very clean to avoid stains when they come off......the only way to get rid of that is whitening!!

sandman263

Thank you everyone for the answers, comments, and encouragement - it's really appreciated!

WithCheesePlease

Great thread. Have been debating getting braces for years now and keep putting it off. But after reading this thread I am definitely, and finally going to go ahead!

But can I ask what age people here are?? I'm 29 and kept telling myself I was too old!!

sandman263

Hi Gearoid, I'm the same age as you, and will be just turning 30 when I have this done!

After this thread, and talking to a lot of friends who had this done, I now feel that you shouldn't even consider the age thing - if it's the right thing to do (and it seems it is), do it!

Enda89

Getting braces on dosent hurt at all. I'm a complete pussy when it comes to anything to do with dentists but I just said f it and got on with it. Dentists will usually go out of their way to make you at ease though. I know the fella I go to sticks on the radio and tells me to just raise a hand at any time if I want to stop/get a drink or water or whatever.

WithCheesePlease

For anyone interested Ton Dunne will be discussing this on NewsTalk today at around 9:35 10:35...