Yesterday I had my Braces removed, after one years treatment. My teeth look great! It was definitley worth the pain and suffering of having the braces fitted and then tightened every six weeks. I'm glad I don't have my braces, but now comes my retainer! - Anyway, heres some advice:
Before Braces - Your dentist will tell you if you require braces for your teeth atleast six months before they have to be fitted. During this period, you may have to have several teeth removed which involves painfull needles, and then the dreadful clamping of the Dentists Plyers. We know, we've all had atleast one tooth out!
Having your braces fitted - You will have multiple x-rays of your teeth at the Orthodontist, you will also have something in your mouth which stretches your mouth at the sides a little so only your gums and teeth are shown. Further on, your Impressions need to be taken. This is when a Gum Sheild type of thing filled with what seems to be warm chewing gum is pressed firmly against your teeth to take the shape, this is not painfull and only a little awkward. When the scans & Impressions have been taken it's time to get your braces, sadly this doesn't happen on the same day, it may take Weeks to Months for them to make the brace perfect for your mouth.
When it is time to have your braces placed you may feel worried/nervous and therefore may refuse or argue against having your braces. This isn't anything to be ashamed of or nervous about as the end result is great. When your braces are first placed, you and your mouth will be in LOTS of pain. As soon as you get home, take some painkillers to relieve the pain and sleep doesn't hurt either.
Braces Tightened - Every six weeks you visit the Orthodontist to have your braces tightened. There are several way the Orthodontist can do this but usually they just place the thin metal wire with a thicker wire. The procedure is very awkward and the Orthodontist may ask you to keep things under your arm to hold something in position or w/e. The Orthodontist, with his/her plyers either takes the wire from the center of your teeth and pulls them upwards or takes the wire from the sides. He or she replaces the wire with another and cuts the ends, so they aren't stabbing your gum. Make sure you tell the Orthodontist if the wires are poking/jagging you. You may get elastic bands to align your teeth. These are as important as the braces themself!
*It's not really wise to cut them yourself, you could break your braces like I did.
*It feels really weird eating for the first time with braces, and after the tightening procedure.
*The pain usually goes away within Four Days.
*You CAN eat chewing gum, but not toffee.
*Sometimes when you eat bread after placement of braces/tightening it feels really horrible.
It's always good to ask the Orthodontist of his/her opinion on how long you may have to wear braces, I did - I was estimated a year and a half but my teeth reacted well and I only had them on for a year.
Hope this helps for those who are going to get braces, or have Just received Braces for the first time!
Psych!
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Thread: Braces.
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Braces.
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Very nice and descriptive post. My teeth are fine (luckily) but am sure this will be put to good use.
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This is quite interesting actually. It will sure come in helpful for some people on the forum.
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Let's hope so.
Originally Posted by Loqo
Thats why it's up! Originally Posted by Wayne
This is quite interesting actually. It will sure come in helpful for some people on the forum.
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I've had mine for little over a year and I have something to add, stick to cheap manual toothbrushes, because they get absolutely ruined, I've lost count of how many I've been through since I got my braces in.
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Good point. Originally Posted by Indie-Dan
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You make it sound much worse than it is. For one getting them in is painless completely. The only uncomfortable thing getting them in for me was when she performed a chemical clean before the braces went on and then had to leave to get more water for the gun thing, and the acidic stuff ran down the back of my throat which, at worst, was just like eating a lemon. True enough it does hurt after you get them in for a few days but it was more frustrating than extremely painful.
You also made the tightening sound much worse than it is! They just take the old wire out as you said, which doesn't hurt at all, nor feel uncomfortable, you just feel the ortho taking the wire out, then putting the new one in is totally fine and it's only the actual wire which makes you feel anything, a slight 'pressure' on your teeth.
obvs different people experience it differently but for me it wasn't nearly as traumatic as your's sounded.
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This is what I experienced, and by sharing opinions between my friends who had braces and now have retainers. I wrote this up, they shared my opinions.For one getting them in is painless completely.
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Eurgh, mine were a bit traumatic
Also, if you need to have a lot of teeth out, then you might get put to sleep for it (or are particulary awkward)
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I got four and no sleep! Originally Posted by Blue
Eurgh, mine were a bit traumatic
Also, if you need to have a lot of teeth out, then you might get put to sleep for it (or are particulary awkward)
A friend of mine who's fairly snobby demanded she be put to sleep for two.
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