ow

[chapeauxchick]

I have braces now in preparation for oral surgery a year or a year and a half from now to fix my open bite.  My teeth hurt a lot and I feel like I look ridiculous even though I know, in theory, that they aren't that bad.  It makes me really mad that my dentist didn't tell to have this fixed when I was younger.

Comments

[kwanboa]

If it helps, tons of people are getting orthodontics in adult life. Technically, I ought to go BACK on them, because I did not wear my retainers (gasp!) and my bottom teeth went back wonky a bit. But I don't see the need for the expense, really.

*hugs*

[chapeauxchick]

Yeah, I wouldn't do it if it was just cosmetic. But if I don't get this fixed I probably won't have molars by the time I'm 50 because all the strength of my jaw is being placed on four teeth in the back of my mouth so they will crack and break eventually if I don't have this altered :(

[shmennivie]

What's an open bite? o.o That's too bad. I had braces in middle school/high school and I hated them... I really wanted them in grade school, though, I thought they looked cool... but then once you get to middle school you kind of hate them... And I never wore my retainer, so my teeth are horrible now >.< It was kind of a waste lol

[chapeauxchick]

An open bite is where your jaw grows in such a way that your front teeth can't touch in the front. If you treat it early while your jaw is still growing you can usually just get away with braces for it, but I have to have this horribly frightening sounding surgery where they cut off my jaw move it around and then reattach it with metal plates in order to fix it. The braces are just to make sure my bottom and top teeth are aligned in such a way that they will fit together properly when the surgery is done.

[shmennivie]

Ohh o.o

[smokesinatra]

aghhhhh I hate braces so much. I had them senior year of high school/freshman year of college and I felt like the only kid my age with them, which totally didn't help.

I totally fell in love with wax and aleve, though... they saved me from a lot of pain. good luck with them!

(and I guess I should say, so I don't sound like a grinch... overall the experience improved my oral health and confidence, so. I guess, maybe, kind of... it was worth it. ;D)

[chapeauxchick]

Yeah, I mean the main reason I'm feeling really bleh about them is the age thing. You don't see many people in their mid 20s with braces and it makes me feel really weird. That and right now they hurt. A lot. I've been taking ibprofen, but maybe I need a stronger dose. This hurts more than when I had my wisdom teeth out. Though, admittedly, I had about the easiest wisdom teeth extraction ever.

I know that when this is all done I'll be glad I did it. But 2-3 years seems a long way away right now.

[smokesinatra]

I turned to aleve liquid-gels... two of those and the pain would be out within ten minutes and would stay out for like, sevenish hours. it also helped me to drink warm liquids and to not chew on anything more than sponge-cake softness for four or five days after getting them adjusted/put on/what-have-you. I desperately missed gum for those two years, though. you have noooo idea. XD

as for being the only person in your age group... I've found that it's like something that never happened for me. I often forget I ever had them and they never once embarrassed me (I was so concerned about food getting stuck, spitting, etc). I just took care of them dutifully. the best thing you can do is make damn sure they are doing their job and that you keep them clean and unbent/unbroken, because to me, every day was another step closer to being done and I didn't want anything to compromise the deadline I had.

I'm sure you can do it.<3

[shanzig]

awww i'm sorry, sugar! i think dentists are EVIL!! EVIL!!!!!

i bet you look cute with braces though. ;)

[chapeauxchick]

Hehe, well you can judge whether I look cute with braces tomorrow ;)

[faunkegin]

Awee we can be braces twins!
i'm going to the dentist and the orthodontist this coming wenesday in preparation for fixing some broken parts on my braces and to fix a tooth i accidentally made crooked by having mine on too long ;3;

I'M GONNA GET LIGHT PINK AND LIGHT BLUE BANDS!! you should get cut colors, tooo!!

[chapeauxchick]

I got clear brackets and clear bands so they blend into my teeth as much as possible.

Light blue and light pink is totally perfect for you though :)