Comments | roxybisquaint: METAL!!!! mouth

roxybisquaint

METAL!!!! mouth

Feb 20, 2012 04:37

I'm not yet, but I will be soon. Yep, I'm getting braces. In a few days!

Why? Because my teeth are crooked, crowded, poorly aligned and they've been shifting and getting worse in recent years. It's not just a cosmetic thing, though. I've got a substantial overbite ("deep bite", technically) that's causing wear and tear on my bottom front teeth ( ( Read more... )

finally something new to do, metal mouth, my life

Comments 12

sabaceanbabe February 20 2012, 12:42:01 UTC

I had to get braces when I was 28 and wore them for 18 months. The worst part was that my mouth was so narrow it had to be widened by... 3 millimeters or so? The fun part was that my 7-year-old niece had to have braces at the same time and her mom told me she hadn't smiled in a good 2 months, but when I showed her mine, she lit up with a huge grin. \o/

roxybisquaint February 20 2012, 18:58:34 UTC

Aw, that's so nice about your niece! I've heard similar stories from a few people who had adult braces - having a niece or nephew who felt better about their own braces because of it. While I'm not exactly looking forward to having braces, I'm sure it's a lot easier to be an adult and not have the added problem of feeling like a freak at school.

What was your braces experience like? I think I'm more worried about how much they might tear up the insides of my cheeks than I am about having sore teeth. But I say that as someone who's never had braces before.

sabaceanbabe February 21 2012, 21:11:50 UTC

I don't recall ever having much of a problem with the braces tearing up my cheeks. That only really happened if I managed to hit myself in the face. :P When the wires got tightened, sometimes there'd be an end sticking out that would poke me, but I'd say something right then and there and it would be taken care of. The worst problems I ever had were with widening my mouth, because that just plain hurt. There was one occasion when I had to take 7 Advil to make it bearable (not something they recommend, but said in isolated incidences like that, it wouldn't cause any long-term problems).

roxybisquaint February 24 2012, 07:39:34 UTC

OMG 7 Advil?! The most I ever took at once was 3 after having my wisdom teeth out (and having to discontinue the prescription painkillers because of an allergic reaction.) I would not want to encounter a level of pain that required seven Advil.

phantomwriter05 February 21 2012, 02:40:37 UTC

Stay away from Magnets and corn chips ...

roxybisquaint February 21 2012, 03:47:34 UTC

Sounds like some good, common sense advice! (Though I've never had much of a taste for magnets anyway.)

phantomwriter05 February 21 2012, 05:33:44 UTC

Really?

Next you're going to tell me you've never stuck a penny in your mouth.

cj2017 February 21 2012, 13:56:39 UTC

I had a brace (top only) when I was a kid until my dentist finally conceded that the only way to fix my jaw was to break and reset it (not a fucking chance!) I think my teeth are straighter and a little gap was closed up or something, it's a long time ago ;-) Mine wasn't a fixed one, I could flick it out with my tongue and gross people out in the middle of dinner. Good times. Good times *g*

roxybisquaint February 21 2012, 17:51:57 UTC

I'm shocked (and horrified) at how often it seems that people are told they have to get their jaw broken in order to properly fix a bad bite. I had no idea it was so common. I don't blame you for not doing that!

Mine wasn't a fixed one, I could flick it out with my tongue and gross people out in the middle of dinner.

Your parents must've been so proud ;)

All degrees of perfection tackdriver56 February 24 2012, 02:51:01 UTC

One of my team-mates showed us his baby picture last night... complete with hare-lip and cleft palate. Docs fixed him up pretty well for the standard of that time.

A work-mate at my first job had a mandible that was under-developed...SEVERE overbite. She had surgery to extend her jaw nearly an inch. I'm sure it was a painful process, but she went from homely to "whoa". Same sweet person, but suddenly very attractive.

You certainly didn't need this for cosmetic reasons, but if it helps you reduce the wear and discomfort on your bottom teeth, that should make the realignment discomfort worthwhile, in the long haul.

I just wish I could go back and give myself the "Gibbs head-slap" every time I chewed an ice cube or an "Atomic Fireball" as a kid. The damage is done...

Re: All degrees of perfection roxybisquaint February 24 2012, 07:47:38 UTC

I'm amazed at how common jaw surgery is in orthodontics. My sister had an underbite and one of her options (when she had braces for a second time in adulthood) was to remove a piece of her jaw. They fixed her underbite with braces, but i think the idea is that it could've been a better fix with surgery as part of the process. She opted not to have surgery. (I'm suite sure I'd have made the same choice.)

Re: All degrees of perfection tackdriver56 February 24 2012, 13:53:12 UTC

I agree. I've known many people who lost sensation in various body parts as a result of nerve damge, after what I consider botched surgeries. One was a woman who lost sensation in half her tongue after a wisdom tooth extraction. What you're doing will cause some temporary discomfort, but it's really benign. Good luck :-)