Adult Braces Experience

funkey_monkey

What the hell has happened to my front teeth? I've only just noticed this in todays sunshine. There seems to be cracks in the teeth which I don't believe were there prior to the braces - almost 100% confident of this. What and why has this happened - will I require expensivve dental work for treatment?

Going to book an appt with dentist in the morning - really not happy about this. :mad:

I was going to post a photo of my new smile - but maybe that will happen when these are extracted and replaced with false ones :mad::mad::mad:

Oral Surgeon

funkey_monkey wrote: »

What the hell has happened to my front teeth? I've only just noticed this in todays sunshine. There seems to be cracks in the teeth which I don't believe were there prior to the braces - almost 100% confident of this. What and why has this happened - will I require expensivve dental work for treatment?

Going to book an appt with dentist in the morning - really not happy about this. :mad:

I was going to post a photo of my new smile - but maybe that will happen when these are extracted and replaced with false ones :mad::mad::mad:

Do you have a similar photo from before the braces??

funkey_monkey

Only these:







Excuse the hygiene

Oral Surgeon

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Only these:


Excuse the hygiene

Looks to me like you had those vertical craze/ cracks beforehand... You just have cleaner teeth now and can see them clearer... The after photos lighting and detail certainly shows them up more but I think I can see them on the befores too....

Have a chat to your ortho, he/she probably has some better before photos to show you.

funkey_monkey

Those ones are from the ortho. Are these something I should be worried about?

Oral Surgeon

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Those ones are from the ortho. Are these something I should be worried about?

They are tiny cracks in the enamel. Generally a sign of clenching and grinding, sometimes trauma. You do grind, you have wear facets on your teeth…. If you are wearing the teeth away at night, it is a warning to get a night splint to protect the teeth….

funkey_monkey

I have worn a splint for a number of years now. My retainer that I wear at night too was made tougher in order to prevent grinding causing wear. So, i'm looking after them.

Is there anything to be said for using a toothpaste like BioRepair or similar? Normally, I just use a snoraml toothpaste and at the minunte I'm using an Arm&Hammer whitening toothpaste - I think it has flouride in it.

Thanks.

Oral Surgeon

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I have worn a splint for a number of years now. My retainer that I wear at night too was made tougher in order to prevent grinding causing wear. So, i'm looking after them.

Is there anything to be said for using a toothpaste like BioRepair or similar? Normally, I just use a snoraml toothpaste and at the minunte I'm using an Arm&Hammer whitening toothpaste - I think it has flouride in it.

Thanks.

The damage that is there is done and won't repair with any toothpaste… Just concentrate on preventing any further damage from wear/ grinding. Fluoride toothpaste is a good idea for loads of reasons but I don't think that it will cure this one…

OS

LottieP25

Definitely looks like they were there beforehand.

Still have my braces on, raging, but i suppose I've come this far whats a month or two more.

Had a consultation regarding my crowns there the other week, pretty happy about that, cant wait to get them changed

bulmersgal

I got braces on last Tuesday, they still feel quite tender and sore to bite things. It's like they feel weaker is this normal. I only got the top braces on

bulmersgal

bulmersgal wrote: »

I got braces on last Tuesday, they still feel quite tender and sore to bite things. It's like they feel weaker is this normal. I only got the top braces on

It takes about a week for them to settle down. I was the same. The teeth do feel weaker or looser but it's par for the course. Perfectly normal.

CaitAine

I'm getting my braces put in tomorrow.
Just the top teeth.

I'm just wondering how they will effect my speech initially. I have a job teaching English over the summer and am wondering will I be able to cope with it with new braces on?

And does filing the teeth hurt? I don't have to get an teeth extracted thank God, but will need to have my teeth filed down to make space for the movement.

I am slightly freaking out now.

Oh and what do people recommend eating for breakfast and for the first few days/weeks? After a quick google I have realised that I may run into trouble given that I hate certain textures and a lot of the softer foods do not appeal to me in the slightest.....

CaitAine

I went for a checkup with my dentist today. All seems good, thankfully. The sensitivity I had recently has subsided and my dentist said he couldn't see anything unusual in that area. So happy days.

CaitAine wrote: »

I'm getting my braces put in tomorrow.
Just the top teeth.

I'm just wondering how they will effect my speech initially. I have a job teaching English over the summer and am wondering will I be able to cope with it with new braces on?

And does filing the teeth hurt? I don't have to get an teeth extracted thank God, but will need to have my teeth filed down to make space for the movement.

I am slightly freaking out now.

Oh and what do people recommend eating for breakfast and for the first few days/weeks? After a quick google I have realised that I may run into trouble given that I hate certain textures and a lot of the softer foods do not appeal to me in the slightest.....

My speech wasn't affected at all - I'd say it depends on the person. For breakfast I ate Weetabix with warm milk to soften them.

I also only have the top in at the moment. It's touch and go whether I'll get the bottom brace in on my next visit, will have to see what my orthodontist says.

CaitAine

Oh can you still eat Weetabix? I just assumed that all the little bits would get stuck everywhere.
Its just trying to figure out what to eat that won't have me getting up cracked early to fit in a big clean after breakfast. :P
Thanks for the speedy reply Karsini. Glad to hear that your sensitivity is calming down.

CaitAine

CaitAine wrote: »

Oh can you still eat Weetabix? I just assumed that all the little bits would get stuck everywhere.
Its just trying to figure out what to eat that won't have me getting up cracked early to fit in a big clean after breakfast. :P
Thanks for the speedy reply Karsini. Glad to hear that your sensitivity is calming down.

Rinse your mouth after eating and you'll be fine. I usually drink water, tea or milk after eating and use that to get rid of anything big; then I'd brush my teeth afterwards.

jimmer123

Hi Folks

I am finally coming to the end of my treatment and I need to get a bit of cosmetic bonding to fill gaps. Two small triangle gaps between central and lateral incisor (I hope that is all)

Looking for recommendations from people who have gotten gaps filled in and are happy with the quality of the work.

I rang my own dentist and they mentioned cost was €275 per tooth depending on what needed to be done.

Thanks guys
Jimmer

Back with my orthodontist today. Still didn't get the bottom arch on because we're running behind schedule. I did get the missing bracket fitted at the front though, because there's enough room to push it through.

Feels like he put cement on my back molars to prevent me biting down fully. Sounds right because the tooth he put the bracket on is so far back that it goes behind my bottom teeth when I bite down.

Lovbnmoma

Hey Guys, Im now 15 months into my treatment, cant believe how quick the time has gone by. I have clear ceramic on my top teeth and metal on the bottom and the ortho says he isnt happy with the top teeth and is going to put metal on the top for the next four months and hopefully ill be getting them off then. Has anyone heard of someone having to get metal on instead of clear because they are not working? I am dreading getting them on as I find the clear ones bad enough! I asked him is there nothing else he could do and he said no.

NoQuarter

With regard to the 6 month smiles (which I have in 6 weeks), does anyone actually know of people who have gotten them out on the 6 month mark, or indeed before that!?

Im hoping for 6 myself although I do half expect to be told to keep them in. But I just want to know if 6 months can be common.

paulers06

I got mine off after 4. I did have an appointment every 3 weeks though. Was so surprised, my teeth were totally mangled before

jokettle

Back with the ortho yesterday to get top wire changed. As well as the elastics I wear across the top and bottom teeth, I have to start wearing elastics at night to connect the top and bottom teeth (like this). Wearing this elastic means I can't open my mouth to talk. My boyfriend is delighted :pac:

helimachoptor

jokettle wrote: »

Back with the ortho yesterday to get top wire changed. As well as the elastics I wear across the top and bottom teeth, I have to start wearing elastics at night to connect the top and bottom teeth (like this). Wearing this elastic means I can't open my mouth to talk. My boyfriend is delighted :pac:

what a lucky man :pac:

funkey_monkey

How likely is it that the central incisors will drop vertically from their final position once the braces have been removed? I wear my retainers every night but I've noticed that there is a gap between the lateral incisor and the retainer on the top arch.

Am I imagining things or do they only drift in the horizontal plane?

jokettle

jokettle wrote: »

]Wearing this elastic means I can't open my mouth to talk.

Wearing this elastic also means serious discomfort during the night. It's like really intense grinding pressure focused on one tooth in particular. Hopefully it's temporary!

Killer Wench

I should have had my braces off months ago but my two front teeth are uneven. One is larger than the other and one is higher in the gum line than the other. So, my ortho is moving one tooth up then my dentist will add a composite to make them even.

Anyway, I should have known something was coming when she told me to inhale deeply. She turned the wire and, dear Jesus, I nearly fainted. I even have a high tolerance for pain but that was something else. Ouch.

R lane

Hey guys just came across this thread!

I was thinking about six month braces but I'm not sure that they'ed be suited to me. I'm booking a consultation soon. But I just thought I'd stick up a photo anyway :-) see what ye think ..... I'd just love a full,bright white,straight smile!!! Like us all ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ x

D16TURBO

Glad I had a look through this thread as I want to go down the road of getting my teeth straightened. I had a consultation with and orthodontist close to where I live in Luxembourg. He did all the scans photos and he decided which direction we should take. He informed me that he specializes in a brand called "incognito". I was fairly excited about these particular braces because they are not visible to others. Unfortunately I've been reading online about these braces and their seem to be quite a few issues to overcome and even with the huge cost (7grand) the finished product may not be what I desired due to differences in tooth thickness and the fact that they push from inside outwards.

He also installs Damon ceramic braces but didn't really go into much detail about this today.
Has anyone here had these braces (incognito/Damon) installed recently as i would love to hear some views.

Thanks

LottieP25

Killer Wench wrote: »

I should have had my braces off months ago but my two front teeth are uneven. One is larger than the other and one is higher in the gum line than the other. So, my ortho is moving one tooth up then my dentist will add a composite to make them even.

Anyway, I should have known something was coming when she told me to inhale deeply. She turned the wire and, dear Jesus, I nearly fainted. I even have a high tolerance for pain but that was something else. Ouch.

That what is delaying me, gums are even now. so just hoping my next appointment they will be coming off.

Then it just a gum graft and crowns and im done! woo

LottieP25

LottieP25 wrote: »

Then it just a gum graft and crowns and im done! woo

Is this extra work or is it included in the orthodontic treatment?

LottieP25

Extra, I have very thin gum around one of the crowns, and the metal is showing through it so it looks black at the top.

So im getting a gum graft, to thicken up the tissue, and will then get it shaped.

Then my two centrals crowned, had an accident a few years ago. But they were badly done at the time and look awful, so cant wait to get rid of them.

Super Sidious

Hi,

Looking for braces, 29 year old male, big gap in front teeth(2-3cm), I would appreciated some recommendations for orthodontists in Dublin via PM.

I'm going for a consultation this week to assess what sort of Braces i need, but most likely the full metal braces would be my option.

Have saved up for this, but don't want to get ripped off so appreciate any feedback.

Thanks.

TiGeR KiNgS

Hey guys and gals
I had my braces in for about 6 months now, all going well so far.
I have noticed a dark incised line on my front gum line running up from where my front teeth meet. I am getting self conscious about this.
Is this normal ?
Will it heal over time ?

RighteousDude

Hi everyone.

Quick query regarding 6 Month Smile braces procedure.

In order to create space for my bottom 4 central teeth, the orthodontist plans to wear away .5mm of enamel on the side of each tooth of the 4 teeth in question. She told me that around 2% of people will experience sensitivity issues as a result of this procedure and that only small percentage again of those people will experience a significant degree of pain.

Does anyone have any anecdotal evidence for me or are there any professionals who can verify these claims?

Sorta hate the idea of destroying healthy tissue any where on my body!

Thanks!

Straycat

oooh, have my braces on since dec, but just got them tightened for the first time yesterday and im in bits. (i seem to be really really tender every time i have an appointment, even getting new elastics on makes them sore) i now have power chains on as we are starting the process of pulling them back, i am due to get them removed in 9 months time.

jokettle

I have my braces on since last October. My orthodontist told me today they could be coming off in 10 weeks That'll mean only 13 months total!

My next appointment is in 8 weeks time, and if she's happy with my teeth at that point she'll take impressions for retainers and the braces will come off 2 weeks later. Fingers crossed I have them off by Christmas!

Straycat

great jokettle, what was your original timeframe? do yours look finished to you iykwim? i am at the halfway mark but i expect them to look finished with only tweaking to do in the last few months.

also a quick question, my ortho leaves the ends of the wire when he tightens them, the end is curled over so not to be sharp but it seems to be far too long and cuts the hell out of the side of my mouth, is this normal? think im gonna have to get him to snip it the the last and not curl it (as he wont be able when its in my mouth) ive a huge mouth ulcer and a crater beside it from the wire, flipping agony.

Sounds odd. My ortho snips it all the way back.

jokettle

At my very first appointment I was told 18-24 months (I get the impression everyone is told that), and a month later I was told maybe 15 months, with a slight possibility of it being sooner. I assumed she was giving me general statistics rather than commenting on me specifically, so I always assumed 18 months minimum for me.

Oh, and yes, they do look finished! Even more so today because she shaved down the edges of my front teeth (the bottom edge of my top teeth and the top edge of my bottom ones, if that makes sense) so they look lovely and straight and smooth. I'm delighted with them! She told me to carefully monitor how my teeth look in the next 8 weeks, and if I want to change anything they can address it at my next appointment.

About the wire issue, my orthodontist does the exact same thing. She always makes me move my mouth/teeth around as much as possible before I go to make sure the wire isn't sticking into me anywhere. If it's uncomfortable, go back ASAP and have them adjust it. It'll only take a few seconds, it's not worth being in pain for.

dee.1989

Hi everyone,

I recently visited an orthodontist to see about getting braces. I really want to go ahead with it however the one thing putting me off is the need to have 4 teeth extracted due to overcrowding. I don't like going to the dentist in general (but I suppose who does!) but more than that I have a pretty bad phobia of needles. It's not so much the idea of any pain (although obviously I'd prefer to avoid that if possible) but just the thought of it in general. Just wondering if anyone here has had any experience with getting teeth extracted for braces that could help and maybe stop me worrying so much? I almost rang my general dentist today to make an appointment but chickened out! As I said above I really do want to get braces as I'm very unhappy with the appearance of my teeth but I just don't know if I can make myself do it.

Thanks for any help.

Straycat

dee honestly go for it. Im sure you are with a lot of people who struggle with a fear of the dentist but its really not bad, dentists have come a million miles from the ones a few years ago. they apply numbing cream before using the needle, which by the way will not be in your sightline at all, so between not feeling it and not seeing it you wont even know its done at all! for the extraction you will feel a slightly nudging feeling then its gone, also without seeing the tool to take it out. you will be delighted you did it once the braces go on. (the gap from the missing tooth is a bit annoying visually for a while but it will soon fill with nice inline teeth on your way to a fab new smile.

Irish Heidi

Hi everyone
I've finally taken the plunge and getting braces (Damon fixed braces, upper and lower) next week. While I'm really happy that I'm finally doing something to address the overspacing, I am slightly nervous about the impact it will have on my speech. I have to give presentations and workshops as part of my job and have basically put anything like that on hold for the next 4-6 weeks. Initially, I was mostly concerned with how I would look and feeling self conscious about having a mouth full of metal in my mid 30s (ortho wont let me get ceramics! :-( ) but as the time comes closer I am thinking of the very real impact this may have on my speech throughout the 18 months or so of the treatment. I don't know of any adults who've had braces so am basing this on what I remember from schoolfriends lisping back in the day. Have many people experienced problems with speech or is that just a temporary thing?

Oh, I have also signed up for my first ever 10k and it's 3 days after I get the braces on. It was an impulsive decision and now I'm wondering if I am crazy to go ahead with it. Although, maybe being dosed up on painkillers might help me through the race...?!

bulmersgal

Irish Heidi wrote: »

Hi everyone
I've finally taken the plunge and getting braces (Damon fixed braces, upper and lower) next week. While I'm really happy that I'm finally doing something to address the overspacing, I am slightly nervous about the impact it will have on my speech. I have to give presentations and workshops as part of my job and have basically put anything like that on hold for the next 4-6 weeks. Initially, I was mostly concerned with how I would look and feeling self conscious about having a mouth full of metal in my mid 30s (ortho wont let me get ceramics! :-( ) but as the time comes closer I am thinking of the very real impact this may have on my speech throughout the 18 months or so of the treatment. I don't know of any adults who've had braces so am basing this on what I remember from schoolfriends lisping back in the day. Have many people experienced problems with speech or is that just a temporary thing?

Oh, I have also signed up for my first ever 10k and it's 3 days after I get the braces on. It was an impulsive decision and now I'm wondering if I am crazy to go ahead with it. Although, maybe being dosed up on painkillers might help me through the race...?!

It didn't affect my speech at all, I have mine on for 3/4 months. I didn't really need pain killers either as its just a dull ache and bit tender when eating. I did take some a couple of times though just cause i don't like pain

Keano

I was about the same age when I got them on and my speech was bit different for a day or two but nothing most people would notice. Your top lip just gets stuck on the top brace from time to time it's just your mouth getting used to the change!

The running will be fine - just make sure your ortho gives you enough wax as the wires may hurt the back of your mouth.

Keano

I had been meaning to post this for ages.

Before and after. Sorry for the pic quality

Same here. My speech wasn't affected at all.

jokettle

I had a tiny lisp/slur for maybe 12 hours after first getting them on. It just took my mouth some time to get used to working with all the metal in there!

Pain-wise, I think I took painkillers once about 2 months in, the day after getting the bottom wire changed for the first time. Apart from that there was just some pressure after first getting them on and getting the wires changed, as mentioned already, which can make it a bit tender when eating.

You get used to them so quickly, I wouldn't worry

dcrosskid

Hi

I've been thinking of getting my teeth re-aligned/fixed for a while now. Should I visit my dentist first for a recommendation or straight to an orthodontist? I've seen a few ads online and on Tv about it and am curious how to go about it. Also what kind of costs could I expect?

I am in a position where I have enough saved to cover it now and I don't have any big obligations work-wise or in personal life in the near future to worry about.

Also I can be a bit conscious about my teeth and would prefer not to have visible braces, is this an option?

Thanks.

LottieP25

Keano A Legend wrote: »

I had been meaning to post this for ages.

Before and after. Sorry for the pic quality

Thats amazing you must be so happy

Keano

I am. Best money I've ever spent

I might need to see my orthodontist earlier than planned. One of the brackets at the back is tearing into my cheek! I've been using the wax to ease it but I don't know how long I can keep using it for.