Silly questions about braces

September 25, 2003

I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be. (Esp.

at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

(Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to eat

lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

eat once the braces are on?

I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

anyone has some. Thanks.

Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets make? Is

it worth $250?

Luna

P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two years

total.)

September 25, 2003

Hi, Luna.

These are not silly questions at all! I have had my braces for about

10 months now, and I am 32. A few people told me that they make me

look younger, and one man asked me if I was an undergrad (cool!).

I am not a terribly sensitive individual, so the feel of braces

doesn't bother me very much, but in the beginning I was annoyed by the

little sores (bracket scratches?). I saw a thing online called the

Bumper, which is a little plastic tube that you can fit over

the brackets to protect your mouth. I was about to get them in the

beginning, but by the time I got around to it, it didn't bother me

anymore.

I chose to get the metal braces, because I thought $400 extra (in my

case) was too much. Although I have had glimmers of self-consciousness

when I wish I had gotten the clears, I am happy I chose metal. We can

buy something we need with that $400 that we can keep forever (or at

least longer than 2 years.) That's my way of looking at it.

I have no problem sleeping braces-wise. (Now open mouth, blocked

nose-wise is another story.) And I usually sleep on my belly.

The popcorn thing didn't bother me for two reasons. 1) Pirate booty!

(which is rice and cornmeal puffs, AKA hulless popcorn) and 2) I caved

and ate popcorn (caramel, even! Shhhhh, don't tell my ortho) and I

had no ill effects. Although I haven't eaten popcorn since, just Booty.

Cheers,

Eileen

> I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

> myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be. (Esp.

> at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

> cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

> the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

>

> Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

> hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

>

> I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

> (Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to eat

> lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

> eat once the braces are on?

>

> I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

> anyone has some. Thanks.

>

> Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets make? Is

> it worth $250?

>

> Luna

>

> P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two years

> total.)

September 25, 2003

If you like sticky things, toffee, tootsie rolls, karamel korn, etc.

do lots of that -- or stop doing lots of that, to get used to the

absence. Those will wreck the wires and brackets, I was told. Hard

candies, too, lest you be tempted to chew.

Ice is also something I was told not to chew.

Ribs. Anything chewed off the bone. Corn on the cob. Anything that's

likely to knock off a bracket.

Biting into an apple, if you can now. I never did that very

satisfactorily, anyhow. You can eat apples, though, or broccoli raw,

if you chop it first, and chew it on the back teeth. Carrots raw, too.

Nuff of that. You get the idea.

(i never tried stickies. Don't do 'em anyhow, because I fear for all

those crowns and fillings.)

Um, yes. Braces will probably drive you crazy at first. Think of a

mouthful of fishhooks. Be sure to learn about wax, or better,

silicon. There is a site that seems good to me -- the keyword is

Archwired, but I forget the whole address. They have a little kit

that offers most of the helpful goodies, all packed into a neat

travel kit, to ease you through the initiation. (You can probably

make your own, cheaper, though.)

You will be over the toughest part after a week or two. Your mouth

gets used to the stuff,which will feel like scratchy culvert pipes,

with square edges, at first. The brackets and wires are not as big as

they seem.

You will be able to sleep on your side or stomach, particularly if

you use wax generously. Just take one whole little tube of it, and

cover all the brackets on one part of one arch, as far as it will go.

Smoothe it out, and it will protect your cheek. Then use another for

the next segment, at least at first. Do the second arch. Then

graduate to particular bits that are poking you. Eventually you will

find you won't need much of it any more -- until something new is

added, or a tooth moves.

Babe. I could do braces tomorrow, I think, and barely flinch -- at

least if I had wax and/or silicone, and good cleaning apparatus.

If I were starting over, I'd save the $250 for ice cream, or frozen

yogurt, and get all metal. (But $250 is a LOT of money to me these

days.) You may feel that appearances are more important, though. Ask,

before you decide, about the possibility that they will chip during

surgery. I don't know that it's ever happened, but if a chip gets

lost inside you (as in, inside a lung) during surgery, it cannot be

found on an x-ray, and can cause big troubles. I did not like

ceramics (which I had upstairs) in the least; others do. To me they

were larger and sharper than the metal.

Cammie

September 25, 2003

I wanna know more about this " Pirate Booty " ! Where? How? You gotta

make it, or it's packaged? Who sells it?????

Not that I have braces any more, but ooooh, I'm jealous fpr all those

months!!!

Karamel Korn???? You like living on the edge, don't you? My ortho

would have had a fit (a nice fit, but a fit) if I had had to confess

that I, an adult, had broken something on Karamel Korn. (Only things

that messed up my wires and brackets were 1. dental floss -- yep! --,

2. the force of his big wires, and 3. surgery/insertion/removal of

wired-in splint.)

Cammie

> Hi, Luna.

>

> These are not silly questions at all! I have had my braces for

about

> 10 months now, and I am 32. A few people told me that they make me

> look younger, and one man asked me if I was an undergrad (cool!).

>

> I am not a terribly sensitive individual, so the feel of braces

> doesn't bother me very much, but in the beginning I was annoyed by

the

> little sores (bracket scratches?). I saw a thing online called the

> Bumper, which is a little plastic tube that you can fit over

> the brackets to protect your mouth. I was about to get them in the

> beginning, but by the time I got around to it, it didn't bother me

> anymore.

>

> I chose to get the metal braces, because I thought $400 extra (in my

> case) was too much. Although I have had glimmers of self-

consciousness

> when I wish I had gotten the clears, I am happy I chose metal. We

can

> buy something we need with that $400 that we can keep forever (or at

> least longer than 2 years.) That's my way of looking at it.

>

> I have no problem sleeping braces-wise. (Now open mouth, blocked

> nose-wise is another story.) And I usually sleep on my belly.

>

> The popcorn thing didn't bother me for two reasons. 1) Pirate booty!

> (which is rice and cornmeal puffs, AKA hulless popcorn) and 2) I

caved

> and ate popcorn (caramel, even! Shhhhh, don't tell my ortho) and I

> had no ill effects. Although I haven't eaten popcorn since, just

Booty.

>

> Cheers,

> Eileen

>

September 26, 2003

Sorry about the length of this post. I guess I just have a lot of

opinions on braces. Also, I haven't been sleeping much since my

surgery so I'm awake and bored and I haven't been able to talk so

this is how I get my fix.

This is my second go-around with the braces. I'm 30 now. When I was

in high school, I just had the regular metal silver ones. Now, I

have clear on the top and gold on the bottom. Aesthetically, I like

the clear ones much better. They are slightly larger though, so if

you are sensitive, you may not like them in your mouth. Also, you

have to be careful because they will stain. If you like a lot of

coffee or tea or cheetos, they will be hard to keep clean.

Personally, I really didn't like the way the silver looked on me

when I first had them. Unless you're up close, the only thing you

can really see on the clear is the archwires. Of course, my ortho

doesn't charge extra for clear or gold, so the money wasn't as issue

for me. I have gold on the bottom. Since I had already had braces

before I just wanted to do something different. It doesn't really

matter, hardly anyone ever sees your bottom teeth anyway, but I

really like it. I was worried that it would look garish, like I was

some kind of rapper, but I was pleasantly suprised by how soft the

gold color was. I'm kinda caramel skintoned and it really goes well

with my coloring. The silver always stood out rather sharply. My

ortho said that most people have a slightly yellowish cast to their

teeth (not that their teeth are yellow, but that the natural color

of teeth tends to lean more toward a yellow-white than a blue-white)

so the gold isn't as noticeable on the teeth as the silver. My ortho

wasn't always able to put gold archwires on me, but I really liked

the look of the gold lower brackets, clear upper brackets, and the

gold archwires. I just felt is was a " prettier " look, especially

when I wore makeup. It seemed more adult looking, like jewelry

almost. I got a lot of compliments on it. My ortho and surgeon

didn't have a problem with my choice in braces, but some have a

preference for the metal in surgical cases. You should ask them

about it.

When I first had braces, it seemed like I lived on wax. My braces

really bugged me. I haven't had any problems this time around. I

spent maybe one night with some orajel and then your skin just

toughens. I've hardly used any wax at all. The most annoying time is

probably when they put the seperators in to make room for the bands.

Those are really annoying. Otherwise, I tend to sleep on my face

and it hasn't been uncomfortable or anything. I think the braces may

be lower profile nowadays and maybe my mouth was just toughened by

my first four years in braces, but I hardly ever notice them. After

a while, you just get used to them. Then after they're gone, your

teeth feel really weird without them. I do remember having to get

used to my upper lip not laying flat against my teeth. It was just

an odd sensation like my lip was big or something. Other than that,

the only thing is to make sure you go in to your ortho to get the

ends of your wires clipped if they start to get too long in the back

and start poking you or you can have him try to bend the hooks back

or whatever if they start to poke. My ortho was always really good

about letting me drop in to get that done. It only takes a minute

and it makes a big difference.

Foodwise, I'm not a big popcorn eater, but I do miss sticky foods

like caramels and gum. I eat ribs and corn on the cob with a knife

and fork. (I was never able to eat those gracefully with my overjet

anyway) I'm kinda bad though. I still eat things like sunflower

seeds and hard candy and I bite through things all the time. My

ortho would just be aghast at what I eat. I haven't had a problem

this time, knock on wood. Be careful though. I knocked a bracket off

one of my little front lower teeth when I was young. The tooth got

squeezed out of place and was all turned. The most pain I've

probably ever had is when they put a band on that front tooth

instead of just replacing the bracket. It was excruciationg. The

food I had was so not worth that.

Good luck to you. Don't worry about the braces. They really aren't

that big of a deal and the end result will be so worth it.

> I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

> myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be.

(Esp.

> at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

> cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

> the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

>

> Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

> hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

>

> I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

> (Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to

eat

> lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

> eat once the braces are on?

>

> I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

> anyone has some. Thanks.

>

> Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets

make? Is

> it worth $250?

>

> Luna

>

> P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two

years

> total.)

September 26, 2003

Hello -

I found braces to not be so bad. The first couple of weeks are

bothersome because they tend to annoy the inside of your cheeks.

Wax works wonders though.

I did get the clear brackets, they were fine for my jaw surgery and

I thought they were much less noticeable. I have a some pictures

that you cannot tell I am in braces! My ortho does not charge any

extra for them but I would think the extra fee would be worth it you

were going to wear them for awhile. I have already been in braces

for two years, so they were definitely worth it for me.

By the way, I did eat normal popcorn with braces and never broke a

bracket from it. I stay away from anything super chewy like

caramel. I also really look forward to eating corn on the cob again.

Cheers,

> I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

> myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be.

(Esp.

> at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

> cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

> the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

>

> Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

> hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

>

> I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

> (Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to

eat

> lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

> eat once the braces are on?

>

> I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

> anyone has some. Thanks.

>

> Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets

make? Is

> it worth $250?

>

> Luna

>

> P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two

years

> total.)

September 26, 2003

Hi Luna,

I am in braces for the second time in my life and hopefully the last

time. My first go around with them was when I was 12 and I had the

regular silver/metal ones. In fact I wanted them because all of my

friends had them.

This time was different, I am 32 and wanted the braces to be the

least noticeable possible. I have had them on since mid March of

this year. I did splurge and get the clear/porcelain kind this

time. There is a silver archwire, no big deal. I will say this, the

clear brackets are not as flush as the silver, in other words they

protrude of your teeth much more. This took some getting use to.

The brackets themselves are stainproof, they will not discolor. The

problem in the clear rubberbands that they put on each bracket to

secure the archwire. These do stain. So they end up looking

yellowish rather than clear. If your ortho is nice, they usually do

not mind if you pop in to have these rubberbands changed whenever you

feel the need. My ortho is not that close to wear I live, so I don't

do this.

Also, if your ortho doesnt charge extra for the clear you are very

lucky. My braces are costing me $6k!!!!! My dental ins. is kicking

in $1025.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Best,

September 26, 2003

I was 24 when I got my braces (26 now), and I opted for the white

porcelain ones on top and stainless steel on the bottom. I don't

remember how much it cost, but I've never looked back because I like

what I chose. Even with rubber bands, the only time I got anything

other than a cloudy white stain-resistant color was right before

surgery - I got lavender rubber bands just for the fun of it then. I

abhorred by braces when I first got them. It wasn't so much the

looks as the discomfort. I strongly advise keeping ibuprofen near

you at all times during the first week or two after you get braces.

I can't tell a lie - it hurt when I got them on. It wasn't the

actual process of placing them, but the rest of my mouth getting used

to them. I still get canker sores from them, but not for much longer.

As for eating popcorn, I don't advise it. I had some once and all

went well, so I did it again. Big mistake. I got a nasty infection

that bled a lot, even though I flossed after eating the banned for

braces food. Bagels with cream cheese were also on my list of don'ts.

All in all, it's really not that bad. You're mouth will adjust,

you'll get used to it, and you'll be closer to getting them off with

each adjustment.

> I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

> myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be.

(Esp.

> at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

> cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

> the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

>

> Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

> hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

>

> I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

> (Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to

eat

> lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

> eat once the braces are on?

>

> I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

> anyone has some. Thanks.

>

> Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets make?

Is

> it worth $250?

>

> Luna

>

> P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two

years

> total.)

September 26, 2003

> I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

> myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be.

(Esp.

> at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

> cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

> the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

>

> Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

> hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

>

> I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

> (Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to

eat

> lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

> eat once the braces are on?

>

> I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

> anyone has some. Thanks.

>

> Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets make?

Is

> it worth $250?

>

> Luna

>

> P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two

years

> total.)

September 26, 2003

Hi!!

Those aren't silly questions at all. I'm 34 (soon to be 35), and have

the wires on my lower teeth (as of early September), and brackets on

my uppers. I have a palate expander in (and am having SAME this

coming Monday to activate it), so no wires can go on my uppers for

about 3 months. Anyway, I thought they were very annoying for the

first several days (just being honest)! It kind of felt like my teeth

were always dirty - like there was food stuck to them that I couldn't

get off (ick). However, I'm happy to say that I don't notice them

that much now!! Just be sure to use lots of wax, because those

brackets are sharp little buggers, and I got some canker sores right

away.

As far as food....well, I haven't had anything chewy, but I've had

M&M peanuts (my main candy weakness - just one of many :-) ) without

much difficulty. Just know that you need to get in the habit of

brushing your teeth after you eat. Or, if you really can't brush,

then checking to make sure food isn't stuck anywhere conspicuous!!

There really hasn't been any other food that I've avoided. I've had

burgers and pizza, but cut into bites first. One plus is that I now

eat a little slower, because I'm more careful. You really do get used

to them, though!!!

Hey, I'd love to share braces stories with other adults, so feel free

to email me at west1@... or wests@....

By the way, I'll also have surgery about 2 years from now, but for

forward movement of my upper jaw. Fun fun!!

:-)

> I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

> myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be.

(Esp.

> at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

> cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

> the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

>

> Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

> hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

>

> I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

> (Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to

eat

> lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

> eat once the braces are on?

>

> I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

> anyone has some. Thanks.

>

> Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets make?

Is

> it worth $250?

>

> Luna

>

> P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two

years

> total.)

September 26, 2003

hey straight teeth-

i'm not sure how many people already responded to this...but i'll

put my 2 cents in. i had a pretty good experience w/ braces.

i did chew a little gum, ate a little popcorn, and had soda...but

the thing that really makes a difference is BRUSHING. not only

because the food is in there, but you run the risk of discoloring

your teeth if you don't take good care of them. if you can't resist

certain foods, be gentle (sticky or super crunchy), and do it VERY

occasionally.

my braces were an attempt to correct my jaw problem, and were

supposed to be on for at LEAST 3 years...but when i was instructed

to wear rubber bands, i wore them constantly, brushed like it was a

religion and took care of them. i got them off in 2 1/2 years w/ no

stains.

as far as sleeping, i used to cover my brackets w/ beeswax and could

sleep in relative bliss.

everyone has a different experience...but that was mine. it's going

to be frustrating at times..but keep teh final goal in mind. i NEVER

regret the experience. i LOVE LOVE LOVE having straight teeth and

having a smile i can be proud of.

(i'm still having hte jaw surgery, though. my teeth stayed straight,

but my jaws moved back...so i'm still 'in progress').

good luck with it!!

> I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

> myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be.

(Esp.

> at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

> cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

> the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

>

> Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

> hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

>

> I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

> (Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to

eat

> lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

> eat once the braces are on?

>

> I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

> anyone has some. Thanks.

>

> Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets

make? Is

> it worth $250?

>

> Luna

>

> P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two

years

> total.)

September 26, 2003

Yes, I forgot to specify that. It is the clear bands and not the

brackets themselves that really tend to stain. Also, if your ortho

decides to use the metal ties on you, it will be more noticeable

than with just the clear brackets and clear bands.

My ortho doesn't charge extra for the clear or the gold, but my

braces were already 6k, so I guess she makes up for it somewhere

else. My insurance didn't cover any of it. But it's all worth it for

the bite, right I can't wait to bite into a piece of pizza or

into a sandwhich without having everything slide out because of my

overjet.

> Hi Luna,

>

> I am in braces for the second time in my life and hopefully the

last

> time. My first go around with them was when I was 12 and I had

the

> regular silver/metal ones. In fact I wanted them because all of

my

> friends had them.

>

> This time was different, I am 32 and wanted the braces to be the

> least noticeable possible. I have had them on since mid March of

> this year. I did splurge and get the clear/porcelain kind this

> time. There is a silver archwire, no big deal. I will say this,

the

> clear brackets are not as flush as the silver, in other words they

> protrude of your teeth much more. This took some getting use to.

> The brackets themselves are stainproof, they will not discolor.

The

> problem in the clear rubberbands that they put on each bracket to

> secure the archwire. These do stain. So they end up looking

> yellowish rather than clear. If your ortho is nice, they usually

do

> not mind if you pop in to have these rubberbands changed whenever

you

> feel the need. My ortho is not that close to wear I live, so I

don't

> do this.

>

> Also, if your ortho doesnt charge extra for the clear you are very

> lucky. My braces are costing me $6k!!!!! My dental ins. is

kicking

> in $1025.

>

> Good luck with whatever you decide.

>

> Best,

>

September 26, 2003

Re the porcelain braces, some folks like playing with the colored o-

rings. (They come in everything from purple to orange.) And some find

that the gray/silver ones are less visible than stained clear ones.

You might ask your ortho to let you see a silver one, and decide from

that.

Another way to go is to ask them if they can use teflon coated

ligature wires. These are nearly invisible, and do not stain. There

may be some reason your ortho would prefer not to use them, and

powerchains will still stain (they, too, come in colors, if you like

that idea). But I had the wires all the way through, after the first

month (they sort of gentled me into the whole thing, I think) and was

well pleased.

Cammie

> Hi Luna,

>

> I am in braces for the second time in my life and hopefully the

last

> time. My first go around with them was when I was 12 and I had the

> regular silver/metal ones. In fact I wanted them because all of my

> friends had them.

>

> This time was different, I am 32 and wanted the braces to be the

> least noticeable possible. I have had them on since mid March of

> this year. I did splurge and get the clear/porcelain kind this

> time. There is a silver archwire, no big deal. I will say this,

the

> clear brackets are not as flush as the silver, in other words they

> protrude of your teeth much more. This took some getting use to.

> The brackets themselves are stainproof, they will not discolor.

The

> problem in the clear rubberbands that they put on each bracket to

> secure the archwire. These do stain. So they end up looking

> yellowish rather than clear. If your ortho is nice, they usually

do

> not mind if you pop in to have these rubberbands changed whenever

you

> feel the need. My ortho is not that close to wear I live, so I

don't

> do this.

>

> Also, if your ortho doesnt charge extra for the clear you are very

> lucky. My braces are costing me $6k!!!!! My dental ins. is kicking

> in $1025.

>

> Good luck with whatever you decide.

>

> Best,

>

September 26, 2003

if your ortho

> decides to use the metal ties on you, it will be more noticeable

> than with just the clear brackets and clear bands.

Not if the wires are teflon coated (whitish teflon, that is)

Cammie

September 26, 2003

Luna,

I'm 34 and have been wearing braces for a year and 8 months in preparation for

my upper/lower/genio surgery next Friday. I am a side sleeper and have never

found the braces to be a problem with that. There will be a number of things

you CANNOT eat, which I am sure your ortho will tell you about, such as gum,

caramel, hard candies, hard nuts, and certainly popcorn. I must confess that I

have eaten nuts of various sorts while in braces, but I have been very careful

and have never broken any appliances.

There are tons of things that you'll decide not to eat when you figure out how

messy they are and how hard to get out of your braces (spinach for one, and I've

stopped eating lettuce unless it's chopped up real small.)

I have clear brackets on the top and metal brackets on the bottom. My ortho

didn't give me any option at the time. I wish he had put the clear ones on the

bottom as well. They are so much more aesthetically pleasing. The only problem

I have found with the clear ones is that the clear rubber bands around them tend

to stain pretty quickly depending on what you eat and drink. Between my 2 cups

of coffee a day and my Italian husband making sauce (they call it " gravy " ) on

Sundays (which I then bring as leftovers for lunch at work), my bands look

pretty yellow in about 2 weeks time. More often than not, I stop by the ortho's

office just to have them change the top clear bands, particularly if I have an

affair to go to. Other than that, I prefer the clear.

Sharon

Silly questions about braces

I will be getting my braces on in a little over a month and I find

myself wondering just how big of an adjustment it's going to be. (Esp.

at age 35!) I am sensitive to annoying little things like ragged

cuticles and such, so one of my biggest worries is that the feel of

the braces in my mouth will drive me crazy.

Will I still be able to sleep on my side/stomach or will the braces

hurt my cheek if it is squashed against the pillow?

I also have a hard time imagining not eating popcorn for two years!

(Although it will probably be good for me.) So I am determined to eat

lots of popcorn in the next month. :-) What else won't I be able to

eat once the braces are on?

I guess I'm just nervous and would like some reassuring words if

anyone has some. Thanks.

Also, how big of a difference do you think the clear brackets make? Is

it worth $250?

Luna

P.S. I will have lower advancement a year into the braces. (Two years

total.)

September 26, 2003

" I have clear brackets on the top and metal brackets on the bottom.

My ortho didn't give me any option at the time. I wish he had put

the clear ones on the bottom as well. "

>

My ortho said that they don't do clear on the bottom because they

are higher profile so you might bite them off when you're bite gets

closer. Also, they tend to not worry about aesthetics on the lower

teeth because they usually don't show that much.

September 26, 2003

I get Pirate Booty at Trader Joes (not sure where you live, Cammie,

but here is a link to Trader Joe's store locator:

http://www.traderjoes.com/locations/index.asp).

They also sell Booty at most health food stores, Whole Foods,

Superfresh, and I've seen hulless popcorn (same thing) at Mars

supermarket. You can probably ask your local store to order it. Pirate

Booty comes caramel corn flavor, too! Mmmmmmm.

I caved and ate caramel popcorn (the real thing) at the ocean this

summer. Everybody around me was eating it and I couldn't stand it

anymore, so I gingerly bit into a piece. It was fine, so I carefully

ate more and more. But, I've laid off of it since then!

> > Hi, Luna.

> >

> > These are not silly questions at all! I have had my braces for

> about

> > 10 months now, and I am 32. A few people told me that they make me

> > look younger, and one man asked me if I was an undergrad (cool!).

> >

> > I am not a terribly sensitive individual, so the feel of braces

> > doesn't bother me very much, but in the beginning I was annoyed by

> the

> > little sores (bracket scratches?). I saw a thing online called the

> > Bumper, which is a little plastic tube that you can fit over

> > the brackets to protect your mouth. I was about to get them in the

> > beginning, but by the time I got around to it, it didn't bother me

> > anymore.

> >

> > I chose to get the metal braces, because I thought $400 extra (in my

> > case) was too much. Although I have had glimmers of self-

> consciousness

> > when I wish I had gotten the clears, I am happy I chose metal. We

> can

> > buy something we need with that $400 that we can keep forever (or at

> > least longer than 2 years.) That's my way of looking at it.

> >

> > I have no problem sleeping braces-wise. (Now open mouth, blocked

> > nose-wise is another story.) And I usually sleep on my belly.

> >

> > The popcorn thing didn't bother me for two reasons. 1) Pirate booty!

> > (which is rice and cornmeal puffs, AKA hulless popcorn) and 2) I

> caved

> > and ate popcorn (caramel, even! Shhhhh, don't tell my ortho) and I

> > had no ill effects. Although I haven't eaten popcorn since, just

> Booty.

> >

> > Cheers,

> > Eileen

> >

September 26, 2003

Wow, you guys are awesome. Thanks so much for all the great answers!

I'm going to check out the Bumper, I found their website at

https://www.morganbumper.com/index1.html.

I've had Pirate Booty and like it, but the main reason I like popcorn

is because it's the perfect conduit for two of my favorite foods,

butter and salt. Like I said, it'll probably be good for me to go

without it for a while! :-D

Cammie: " a mouthful of fishhooks " -- YIKES! Are you trying to scare

me?! OK, I am getting the impression that having lots and lots of wax

around is a good thing. Where do I get it? Are there different kinds?

I'm adding Orajel and ibuprofen to my shopping list.

" wax and/or silicone, and good cleaning apparatus. " What's the

silicone for, and where do you get it? And what kind of cleaning

apparatus do you mean? Like an electric toothbrush or something?

Thanks, , for the advice about popcorn. I bought two boxes of

microwave popcorn today and I will be sure to eat ribs and corn on the

cob in the next month!

I'm not a big meat eater and tend to get a lot of my protein from

peanut butter, nuts and cheese. How do they do with braces?

As for whether to get clear, even after reading all your posts I can't

decide. I feel better informed, though. I do think the clear looks

better than the metal, but OTOH I don't really think metal braces look

all that bad. I've never thought braces look bad, or glasses, or bald

guys, for that matter! :-) The clear and gold braces sound lovely, though.

Hmmmm, I wear a silver collar as sort of my " signature " jewelry. I

wonder if that's going to be way too much silver with the braces?

I did like the looks of the pink and purple bands I saw in the ortho's

office. Do you know if they have maroon? Our school colors are maroon

and gray.

Anyway, I'm going to go watch a movie and eat some popcorn now. THANK

YOU all so much for your help!!!

September 26, 2003

As for colors of bands, my ortho has at least 50 different colors. Every time I

went for an appointment, I had my colors changed to match whatever I was

planning to wear to church on Sunday. I had the most beautiful shade of maroon

bands to match my maroon suit. Btw, Lorna, I think the prayer group is a

excellent idea.

As for cleaning apparatus, I asked my OS about using my Sonicare. She said she

wasn't familiar with that. I told her it was an electric toothbrush. She says

that I can't use my waterpik, but an electric toothbrush is fine...not really

sure if electric toothbrush is the right description for Sonicare being that

it's so powerful. I'll have to remember to ask my ortho about it.

Peanut Butter and braces are no more problem than Peanut Butter and teeth...a

sticky mess, but a good mess Nuts are a definite No-No (although I have to

admit, I did give in to my Peanut M&M craving with no problem). Cheese? Oh

my...what a mess, but it's worth it (but not in public). I put cheese on just

about everything.

Smooches

Re: Silly questions about braces