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sarahlstocker

Total newbie to this - im almost 30 and having braces fitted after an extraction

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by
sarahlstocker
, 10-25-2011 at 04:29 PM (334 Views)
Hi all,

I really hope i can find some people to share my worries and hopes with on here... my husband doesnt get the big deal about this - his view is i wanted it and im getting it

I'll start with what a waste of space my mother is and wish this had been sorted as a child Which the orthodontist was quick to ask about at my initial app (i wanted the floor to open up on me)!
My teeth are so crooked and over crowded, i don't have nearly enough space in my mouth. I still have a baby/milk tooth next door but one to a front tooth, (the adult tooth is still above embedded in my jaw/gum), its discoloured compared to the rest and a lot shorter having been in my mouth a lot longer.
In just over a week i have an operation booked to remove 4 molars and to remove the embedded tooth - ouch!!
I've wanted this for 10 years+ now so am so excited for the end results but the 2 years its gonna take is a worry.

I have appointments booked for spacers within the next 6 weeks too (altho i dont know if these are needed after an op???). No idea yet of when my brace will be fitted. I guess before xmas...

I have somehow managed to get this all on the NHS, all because of my amazing dentist so am going to be having fixed metal braces top and bottom. I feel so ungrateful but im really not, its such a relief to think im actually beginning to get this sorted

Am i being a total vein and un-appreciative cow worrying about my 30th birthday celebrations a week before xmas?? Not only am i going to have a gappy mouth but i may be in pain too and even have the braces on :'(

If anyone can give me some words of advise or if this blog will help anyone in the future it would be GREAT!! i feel lost and a tad alone in all this
Categories
Getting Started , Oral Surgery

Comments

  1. abbaker's Avatar
    Hey Sarah, welcome to the forum! I started my braces journey knowing virtually nothing about orthodontics or teeth in general, but I found this forum to be extremely helpful (and friendly), so hopefully you will have a good experience here!

    I'm 23 and have had braces for about 7 months. I feel your pain about being older and having braces... The fact that I'm surrounded by 12, 13, 14 year olds at my ortho adjustments doesn't make it any more comfortable either... But as you peruse this site you'll read many stories about people who got braces in their teenage years but are getting braces AGAIN at age 30 because their results didn't last (or for other various reasons).

    I firmly believe that it is NEVER too late to improve yourself, to make a change, to finally get what you want out of life. And here you are doing it!! It's finally happening.

    I think it's totally reasonable and valid to feel concerned about public celebrations (30th bday is a big deal yes). I wouldn't say your concern makes you vain at all! Appearances matter in our society, deal with it. It doesn't make you a cow for wanting to look good and feel confident.

    I've never had extractions so I'm not sure about the spacers question, sorry. But I just wanted to wish you well and let you know you are definitely not alone. Braces on adults is far more common now than even 10 years ago. You can do it! Good luck with everything.
  2. Sassee's Avatar
    Hello sarahlstocker, welcome. You and I are very similar. My parents didn't have the money for me to get it done (although both my younger sisters got theirs at the age of 14, 15; I also turn 30 soon but in January and I too had extremely crowded teeth. I have an expander on the roof of my mouth that's given 8 mm more width on top and I will be getting 6 teeth extracted in the next couple of weeks.

    However I have never been happier I smile more, I am happier more and I am more Vibrant. and I am only 6 months in to a 24 month treatment plan (YAY 1/4 of the way)

    Basically I think what I am trying to say is you have come to the right place. I wish I had found it before hand, it's nice to know there others out there that know where your coming from. Your not being a cow, don't ever think you are. 30 is a big deal; but its about you not how you look. Good Luck
  3. justjenn's Avatar
    Hi Sarah and welcome. Let me tell you about my journey and maybe it will ease your worries/fears. I'm 30 now and never even went to the dentist except for wisdom teeth removal (my choice) and 4 molar removals (again my choice due to decay) until I was 27. The first time I went, I learned that I had severe gum disease and 21 cavities. I had to go through 2 deep cleanings with numbing and gas because it hurt so bad, a regular cleaning, and then start on the 21 filings. I also grew up with TMJ symptoms all my life and it was horrible. When I was about done with all my filings, I decided on my own that I wanted braces. My dentist wasn't sure if I should at this point with all the trauma I'd been through in the past year and a half. I did it anyway. Now here I am. I had jaw surgery in May to get my overbite fixed and my braces are coming off on Nov. 7. I also just turned 30 in Aug.

    So, it's not really that bad. I also had spacers even with 8 teeth removed and they're not bad after the initial few days.
  4. AK710's Avatar
    Welcome! You will probably still need those spacers and try not to have anything planned the day after because THEY HURT! That is the worst part of getting braces (then the bands). You are not vain to want to be able to smile and have healthy teeth. I had some crowding like you and even though I brushed and flossed regularly I still had some plaque buildup on those lower teeth. Now, I hardly have any plaque. Straight, healthy teeth are wonderful!

    Don't worry about your birthday party. Your mouth will be a bit sore for a while so go overboard on the cake (just remember to rinse your mouth out afterwards) since that is going to be very, very easy for you to eat.