Adults in Braces?

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Are Braces Just for Kids?

Here I am! The brave soul at the age of 27 years (28 now! Had a birthday since the start of this ;) ) who has decided to go through getting braces - as an adult. Growing up, brushing my teeth wasn't important to me and after asking for braces around the age of 12 and hearing what I expected, "we don't have the money," I essentially gave up. I ignored it for a long time. Worked hard at hiding my smile for the most part and it didn't matter so much to me when I was in consistent relationships, but I've been single for a while now. That has given me PLENTY of time to reflect on how I truly feel about the way I look.

It hurt to feel I wasn't being taken seriously because of my teeth. It still stings to think about a high school comment that came about from a "friend" and a guy I kinda liked at the time that involved putting a bag over my head. I've grown up under the subconscious impression that my body was going for me when my mouth wasn't. I know better than to truly believe that, but it's still a feeling that can be hard to shake.

Since I've decided to take the plunge, I think it's important to share with you my journey. While going through the internet doing extensive research on getting braces as an adult, I kept coming up short. I wanted more progress pictures. I wanted to know more about the actual experience. That is what I hope to accomplish here with this lens. You don't have to be alone. You don't have to feel that your situation is just too impossible. It isn't. It's time to take a personal inventory on how you feel about yourself and what benefits you ultimately hope to gain from going through with getting braces as an adult.

This lens is going to grow with me and my treatment progresses, so let's get started with it shall we?

My Case

Before Braces Photos

I have an anterior cross bite where one of my top front teeth grew in at an angle, placing it behind two of my bottom front teeth. I have also had to have several tooth extractions over the years so that has left me with with very few molars and two other top row teeth that you can see are missing if I happen to smile. Looking at this picture...I'm further mortified. I have to share them though because in the end, it's really going to be an amazing change.

To fix the crossbite, they put some composite filling on the very back molars on the left side of my mouth to "build up" and make my jaw stay open long enough for the tooth affected by the crossbite to be pulled forward so they could finish correcting everything.

Eventually, the places where I have gaps at are going to be corrected with crowns and bridges to help give a more normal and healthy appearance to my mouth and teeth.

What About You?

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My First Day! - June 15, 2011

Braces On!

There are some pictures to show my teeth the day that the braces went on. It was super difficult to take any because...well...after YEARS of trying your hardest to hide your teeth and suddenly actually TRYING to show them...that takes a little guts. I had to actually start out taking stupid pictures of me to get to a straight face!

As to be expected, the new metal in the mouth was a bit annoying, but I didn't experience a lot of major pain that everyone was suggesting would happen. Some soreness, yes, but actual pain was minimal - that day.

The day after was fine for the most part until I tried to eat something. OUCH! Talk about a lot of pressure on those chompers! Even brushing them was a chore! Everything was really tender. I have to wonder if that's what my next adjustment is going to feel like...

By the third day, I was using the wax that they had sent along in the starter pack for the braces because wires were already poking at me in the back and I couldn't seem to keep from sucking my lips up against the braces! Oye. The wax was a little awkward to use at first, but things worked out ;)

Ibuprofen is a big help as always. Getting used to the metal takes a bit and the biggest hurdle at times I think is to avoid being self conscious about it. It likely isn't a big ordeal as much as it feels like one ;) Expect people to insist on seeing them! I don't know what the fascination is but nearly everyone I came into contact with that knew me well insisted on seeing my train tracks. The more I looked in the mirror though, the more I came to realize that it really wasn't that awful compared to what it looked like when I didn't have braces and that I should take some personal recognition in the fact that regardless how embarrassed I felt, it IS obvious that I'm working to fix things. There should be no fear there, only optimism towards the future ;)

Stuff You Can Use

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Week One - June 22, 2011

This first week was an interesting one, trying to learn how to eat and dealing with loosening teeth and poking wires!

Yep, I said loosening teeth! It's a weird sensation and one that's hard to keep your tongue away from, but it IS totally normal. Sometimes the teeth loosen up when they're moving but they reassure you that once it's in place for good, the gums will tighten back around it in its new, corrected position. I take the loose teeth as a GOOD sign!

Also, I had a deep teeth cleaning prior to the braces being put on and that cleaning uncovered another cavity that had been missed because of tartar build up. This cavity is on a bottom tooth, near the front but to the side of the tooth itself. I figured I'd have a little bit of time before it was an urgent issue to get it filled but from the looks of things, that tooth is moving fast! I have an appointment to get it filled on June 28th but I'm actually sweating bullets about it a little bit. Why? Because the placement of this cavity and how my teeth are being corrected...I'm afraid the cavity part is going to level out with the tooth next to it and inhibit the ability of my dentist to get it filled. How alarming!? I suppose we'll find out soon how that actually goes.

It is pretty fascinating up to this point though to be able to recognize that the teeth are moving.

One other thing I experienced already too with the teeth shift is between a molar and the canine on the right side of my mouth, the gum between the two apparently "pinched" and created a bit of a "blood blister" so to speak. It sounds far more painful than it really is. More than anything, it just feels like I have stuff in between my teeth there.

Ready for Week Two?

Week Two - June 29, 2011

June 29, 2011

Things are getting easier...

As we wrapped up the week, I have to say that compared to the first week in braces, I'm definitely adjusting to having the extra metal in my mouth. It's becoming a fixture and not so bothersome. I've also quit using the wax for the most part.

Make sure you get all your fillings done BEFORE the braces go on if you can help it! Eeep! It wasn't painful but it's a very odd sensation to feel your other teeth "move" that aren't the ones being worked on because of the braces. But, they filled that cavity without a problem and I'm back to feeling good about my teeth straightening out :)

I also managed to (carefully) eat a couple of cheese burgers and am still finding a way to sort through what I can and can't eat since my teeth aren't making contact all the way around because of the build up to fix the cross bite.

Speaking of that! On the 27th of June, I could actually feel the tooth that's been affected most by the cross bite touching the bottom tooth when I bite down! I feel confident that within the week, that tooth will finally be past the bottom row and be "out of the cross bite." How cool is that? It's a huge thing to me since...well...from the pre-braces picture, you can SEE just how much that alone detracted from my appearance. The rest of the straightening process should speed along pretty well after the cross bite is "corrected." Then, we'll start getting into the other nitty gritty stuff to close in gaps and realign. So, it's a milestone for me :)

Who's ready for Week Three???

Week Three - July 6, 2011

This last week has been fairly uneventful. Things are still moving. I'm still experiencing tenderness every now and again but things are nominal. My thought that the tooth in the cross bite would be pushed forward was optimistic but it's still moving along. At this point in my progress, it seems to be touching the bottom tooth in a more centered way now. Before I think it was more hitting the actual bracket itself, and I had to make a little bit more of a concerned effort to feel it. Now though, when I bite down, I can feel the top and bottom teeth touching. I can also see that the tooth is more forward when I look in the mirror from a sideways point of view, but it's not really visible from the front.

For week four, I plan on doing a side by side view of all four weeks together. I wonder if there will be any visible changes that way. We'll see won't we?

Week Four - July 13, 2011

Wooo! A month already!

So, a quick recap: I'm eating a few more things like the softer tacos at Taco Bell and hot dogs, sandwiches, things like that. It still takes a while to chew a lot of it, but I'm getting better at it.

The one tooth that's been in the crossbite seems to be pretty even with my bottom teeth now which is a good benefit since it's helping to eat through some other foods easier ;)

You'll see in the pics above that I decided to take some side shots. Acuity Orthodontics will be taking updated progress photos when I go in for my next appointment on August 9th. I really think it's going to be interesting to see them since they'll be taking pics in pretty much the same position. Hopefully the excitement of the change will rebuild!

Three Months!

It's really amazing how time can just fly right on by!

In the pictures above, I decided to collect the best pics from each week I remembered to take pictures (since life has REALLY gotten in the way lately) and share them so you can go through them one by one and see the progress at your own pace.

Let's recap some things :)

At my visit August 9th, my teeth were a bit sensitive still so they chose not to put on the thicker wire on the top. That will be happening for my next visit which is on September 26th from what I understand.

I can eat pretty much what I want now. I have to be careful but it isn't that difficult and isn't NEARLY as painful as it was initially. I was actually a little disappointed after the last visit because I expected my teeth to hurt again and they didn't. I felt some pressure, but, that's about it. I guess I just like to feel it working like I did the first time around. I can't complain too much though. My teeth are moving :) In a small way, they don't seem AS crazy to me to look at anymore when I show them to myself in the mirror. Soooo, I'm hopeful :)

Now, the one habit that I HAVE picked up through all this...I suck on my teeth. It's hard to fully describe but...well it's like I'm trying to suck my lips into my braces/teeth like there's something in there, even when there isn't anything. When I wake up in the mornings, the skin inside my mouth feels "stuck" to the braces. Stuck is the wrong word but I can't think of the right one. I'm a side sleeper too so it's not as though laying on my face is causing it. And really, it's not bothersome either, just something that happens and that I continue to do throughout the day since I feel extra aware of the possibility of food getting stuck in places I have trouble reaching. I'm hoping to invest in a Water Pik too since those have been recommended to work well for people with braces. I just don't feel like I'm cleaning well enough sometimes!

Anywho, I'll update again soon so stay tuned!

Nine Months!

Wow! It HAS been a long time since I've updated! Yikes!

Right now, I'm around 9 months in on the progress. My bottom row still feels great and my top row is advancing along nicely too. One thing I have really noticed is with my two front teeth. Because of the crossbite I started with, one of the teeth always dipped down further than the other. Can you believe that they're about level now?? I think that's pretty awesome :) It already makes me feel like my smile is more normal so it's a nice thing for multiple reasons.

So, why has there been a delay in updating? Well, the holidays strolled through and I had a bunch going on. Then, I got the whammy just after the first of the year. I lost my job of almost 7 years. I can't exactly say I've felt in the mood to get excited about the progress with the braces with uncertainty looming over my head. I have people that care about me though, and they're making sure I'm taken care of while I try to find something that will be more fulfilling for me in the end.

I had a visit at the end of January where I got to experience the power chain. The one I got was basically this strong piece of "plastic" that they stretched across the two front teeth brackets to hold them together. I was having issues with the two front teeth "gapping" again (probably another reason for my disinterest in taking pics and posting an update) and the power chain helped keep them in one spot.

I just had a visit on March 13th where they changed the wires on top and bottom to stronger ones, meant to aid more in moving things around. They replaced the previous power chain with a piece of wire to make sure there wasn't anymore continued movement. I have another visit on April 9th where some more adjustments are going to be made and another power chain will be put on some neighboring teeth to correct some gapping issues that are surfacing there.

Overall, I still love the tight feeling in my teeth after an adjustment. The gum soreness is present, but minimal in comparison to the first few weeks in the braces. I'm still having trouble with the "lip sucking" and I seem to be working in some ulcers on my bottom lip. I may have to resort to wearing the wax again at night until it heals up some. I can't lie though, I hate the wax, so I'm resisting a bit there ;)

One final thing - my bite. My teeth feel SO different now when I bite down. Teeth feel like they're touching more where they are supposed to be. I don't feel one tooth hitting another before all the rest. It feels much more even. Oh and flossing! Flossing is SO much easier with the teeth straightening out! Did I mention that before? If so, it's worth mentioning again ;)

Hopefully I shall return after my next visit for another update! Poke me with a comment every now and again if I'm getting too slack ;)

So...Tell Me...

Inspiring? Depressing? Have questions? Sound off here ;)

  • vanessa May 21, 2012 @ 2:07 pm | delete
    I was so happy when come across your blog a few months ago. For years i was debating on getting braces and i hated the over crowding on my front teeth but at 35, thought i was far too old to get them. You are one of very few adult brace wearers that have written about your experience, and for that i am thankful as i realised its not as 'taboo' as i thought it would be. Its kind of thanks to you that i actually took the plunge and got them fitted on 29th feb,2012! I wouldnt say i am a proud adult wearer of braces, or that being 35, i dont cry sometimes with the pain of the damn things but so far the results are amazing and i cant wait to smile confidently after all these years without hiding behind my hand. So thank you for unknowingly helping me in the right direction...and for helping many others that read your blog! Keep it up! x x x
  • lpyrbby May 21, 2012 @ 4:29 pm | delete
    You got them on my birthday! :)

    It really is enormous the boost your smile can give you! And with how swiftly things seem to move around and get straight, it makes it a little easier to get over the fact that they're there and start smiling without hiding before they even come off.

    Thanks too, for the feedback :) Sometimes I come back just to look at this page and wonder, "is it helping?" Especially when I look through those awful pictures from the beginning. At the very least, it helps me visualize the progress so that I can be less "worried" about what other people think.

    I still hate them too, but at this rate, I'm in the home stretch it feels like since it's been almost 12 months since they went on. And it's so much easier now than in the beginning!

    I'll try soon to get new pictures up! Thanks for the nudge :)
  • Cee May 17, 2012 @ 2:53 pm | delete
    I have a consultation for braces next Wednesday, the 23rd. I'm a bit nervous and wish I had done this at least 10 years ago. Well, better late than never. Thanks for sharing your journey! Truly inspiring!
  • lpyrbby May 21, 2012 @ 4:24 pm | delete
    I'm glad to hear you're going in! Just make sure to take some ibuprofen or tylenol about an hour before your appointment to make the pain a little easier to adjust to.

    Good luck!
  • Angela May 3, 2012 @ 7:27 pm | delete
    Wow I'm getting braces this month as a teenager, but I'm almost 16! All my friends are about ready to get theirs off so I feel all alone in my group. :( I think I might want to do something like this for my progress, great idea! Your teeth are looking really nice and I hope mine is like that too. I have a severe crossbite and an overbite as well as crowding :l
  • lpyrbby May 3, 2012 @ 7:51 pm | delete
    I actually see a lot of older teens in with theirs when I go in for visits. Trust me, it's a TON easier to go ahead and get it done now than waiting :) I think you'll also notice a few adults here and there with them on too as time goes on. I know I have.

    And! I think you'll be pleased with how fast things move! It's been almost 11 months for me now and things look SO much different than what I started with. It feels good to see, even with the gaps. I have another visit soon and I'll update the page then with more pics :)
  • Trinakay Apr 13, 2012 @ 12:05 pm | delete
    I have that same problem as you, with the cross bite. I got my braces three days ago and already my two top teeth are almost fulling aligned again and the cross bite gone. The only real downfall for me so far is, I absolutely CANNOT bite down whether it be for food or just to bite down like a normal person. The teeth just wont let me, therefore its making it hard to use my molars to chew since if i touch my front teeth together its a pain. Im not in really bad pain, just enough to really miss the food i love because i cant tear into anything with my front teeth. All day long i feel them moving. Actually I can move them myself with my tongue.... creepy! I do have a question though, after you floss do your teeth feel more tender/sore afterward??? Ive noticed that I will brush etc and be fine but as soon as i floss, my mouth is throbbing... I have always flossed my teeth, so i know its not a "lack" of flossing. I flossed etc everyday before I had my braces. I just find it weird that they hurt so much after flossing... I just really want to use my front teeth again, which feels like they will be too weak for eternity now haha and also be able to floss and bite down with out issue. But alas, it is only day 3 for me so I guess I cant complain too much... Anyway glad to find your post!
  • lpyrbby Apr 13, 2012 @ 12:14 pm | delete
    Yay! It'll get easier! I know it's a common response but it does get easier ;)

    In regards to the gums and flossing, your gums are extra tender because things are moving around. It'll be worse initially but after a few visits, the tenderness doesn't seem to last as long (maybe a few days compared to about a week or so for the first couple of adjustments). I was SO excited when I could eat something "real" again!

    If you can, just cheat and cut your food with a fork now until you can get back into using your front teeth :)
  • fshgal96 Apr 10, 2012 @ 11:01 pm | delete
    Weird, I read this one about a month ago and I guess I didn't realize it was on this site. All I can say is WOW! So much progress made already! What an inspiration to others that were leary of getting braces. Kudos to you girl!
  • lpyrbby Apr 10, 2012 @ 11:11 pm | delete
    I am ready for it to be over with, that's for sure! I hope it does help others in the end though :) Thanks!
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lpyrbby

Opinionated. Educated. A sponge to new information. I'm not sure where I'm going with Squidoo yet, but I'm sure it'll be related to dogs, dog ownership,... more »

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