Adult Braces

[SnarkyBag]

After many years of wanting to get my teeth fixed I’ve finally embarked on getting braces. I’ve just had the top set fitted.

Thought I might start an ongoing progress thread a) to keep track and keep positive as it’s a long time to wait for the end result and b) answer any questions for people thinking about getting braces.

In my case I have two missing teeth (congenital missing lateral incisors) at the top and some crowding at the bottom set. So my treatment plan is fixed braces to narrow the gap at the front, followed by composite bonding at the end. I have clear ceramic brackets on the top teeth and the bottom ones which will be fitted in a month will be gold brackets. I was unsure about the gold bracket options and was considering paying the additional £500 for clear ones but the orthodontist explained that in terms of doing their job the gold brackets are far superior.

The process of having them fitted was surprisingly quick and not painful at all. I would describe the feeling of having them on as really tight pressure. I haven’t found it painful although I’m noticing a small amount of sensitivity if I bite down when eating. The braces haven’t irritated the inside of my mouth at all but I’m feeling extra cautious about worrying if the wires will break!

I’m sticking to fairly soft foods at the minute as I’ll be honest eating isn’t painful but feels rather messy and uncomfortable. I have to avoid biting down using my front teeth so everything has to be cut up small and It’s not nice feeling good getting stuck around the brace TBH.

I’ve switched to a very soft headed toothbrush as I worry about snapping the wire whilst trying to clean thoroughly. Flossing and using dental sticks is quite hard but keeping on top of cleaning is going to be important. I’m going to try and make it easy on myself by cutting out sugary foods, sticking to fairly soft foods like pasta and making sure I clean after eating every time.

On the upside I anticipate losing a few lockdown pounds as I’m really not enjoying the eating process right now!

I will upload some progress pictures once there is some progress to be seen!

Just resurrecting this thread to update.
It’s been 15 months since I started my braces journey and whilst the top teeth had made great progress a few bumps in the road have delayed getting the bottom brackets started. I got so used to just having the top braces on and they were clear and no one ever noticed them but now the bottom ones are on they feel horrible and look awful!! So I’m feeling a bit sorry for myself. I’m only hoping as that as there is less to do on the bottom that they will shift quickly! I anticipate another 12 months although the orthodontist won’t commit to a solid time scale yet.

Anyway a couple of before and progress so far pictures to remind myself that my teeth are getting better.

I had the same combination as you and I too was shocked at the ugliness of the bottom ones. But they didn't show as much as the top ones so it really wasn't important.
I had mine off last week, after 21 looong months. I'm pleased with the result. Here are my before/afters.

Getting mine off tomorrow!!! Had traditional on top and bottom, don't really mind them in terms of how they feel, but felt a little 'ugly' - i.e. been putting off dating etc. Also booked a hygienist appointment tomorrow and so excited about getting everything thoroughly cleaned. No regrets, beats always moaning about my teeth and not doing anything 😅

@JillPole123 It felt so strange after they came off, my lips still aren't used to feeling the edges of my teeth

I didn't have terrible problems with blisters but I did get some sores from time to time and I don't miss them at all!

OP, I meant to say in my post before, you have made loads of progress. My ortho didn't commit to them coming off until the actual day. I was scheduled to have them off four weeks earlier but there was a couple more minor adjustments needed. It's worth doing the time to get the best results you can.

They look amazing OP!

They look great!

I am thinking about getting braces and/or teeth whitening. Which should I do first?

I’m getting teeth whitening too but was told by orthodontist to have it at the end of treatment

@AnnPerkins your teeth look amazing I can imagine it felt great to get them off! I’m being realistic in my mind about how long it will be I’m hoping no more than two years in total but prepping myself for two and half. To be fair the last 15 months has gone by in a flash and I remember about 5 months in being so upset that my teeth actually had started to look worse but that was turning point and by 6/7 months they started to look much better. I’m hoping the initial bleurgh feeling of these bottom braces will go soon too!

@JillPole123 wow big day tomorrow! Enjoy being brace free.

Thanks @Figroll16

Thanks @SnarkyBag

Ref whitening, the ortho had to do quite a lot of polishing to get the glue and the remains of the ceramic brackets off and then he did a general all over polish so my teeth look whiter anyway. There is a bit of staining on the edges that is now visible since my teeth have moved which I will get seen to at the hygienist.

I kept up regular hygienist appointsments while the braces were on and my teeth and gums are generally very clean and healthy now.

@JillPole123 Happy braces-off-day! Would love to see your before/after pics if you are comfortable with posting them.

I would prefer some of my teeth to look less like incisors and less pointy.
Is this something that the ortho can do?
Kate Middleton's teeth are great, btw.

The ortho did slightly shape my teeth during treatment to make a bit of space, and also after the braces came off to correct where they had worn unevenly. He could only do so much because it can make them very sensitive if they take too much enamel off.

I’ve had my canines filed off as they have moved into the space where my lateral incisors were missing. If you look at the pictures I posted you can see how pointed they were. Ortho will posisibly file more but they only do a bit at a time as previous poster suggests it can be sensitive

Really glad I've found this thread Op.

Not quite the same but DD 14 has an X-ray booked soon to get final verdict on her teeth ... long and short her last baby tooth should have come out by now but it looks like the molar behind it is impacted horizontally. Gist of things is it's looking likely they will remove it to help tooth down (makes me feel a bit funny wondering how ) then train tracks to keep it aligned through recovery but she has a overbite so braces for that too anyway.

She's gutted. Upset at how it will affect her appearance and scared of the process itself. I'm gutted for her and at the cost as we'll have to go private. She won't stop googling

So yes I'll be watching this thread for hints and tips. It's helpful to hear all of your journeys.

Thanks for starting OP

To anyone thinking about it, do it! I smile so much more now and generally feel more confident. I worry less about make up etc. i never wanted to be gorgeous, just not embarrassed

Interesting update OP. I started my braces about 8 months before you and get them off in a few weeks. I also have the same combo- no lateral incisors so my canines have been shaped to look like them. The orthodontist said I might need some composite bonding if I want them to look more realistic but I’ll see how I feel once I get them off. He also said he’ll reshape them for me at my final appointment as some of them are longer than others. My teeth will never be ‘perfect’ but they’re pretty much perfect to me considering what they were.

im sure you’ll get used to the bottom set soon enough, remember it will all be worth it. Sometimes I felt like I would be wearing mine years.

Your progress pics are incredible by the way!

@Pippetypoppety wow your teeth look fabulous. Great to see such a good result from someone else with missing lateral incisors makes it feel worthwhile!

I think your top teeth look great, I wouldn’t have known they weren’t the actual teeth they should be- I think mine look a little barrel like so not quite right, but I’m happy with them .

fingers crossed your bottom ones move relatively quickly, one of my bottom teeth isn’t quite perfect, but the orthodontist said my teeth have ‘history’, which I thought was a good way of putting it. It’s taken nearly two years for it it move into the position it’s in now, and it’s good enough for me!

have attached a pic of what they looked like before (had to have the one lateral insicor I had out before my braces were fitted for symmetry). How have you found having the braces in general? No one ever asks me about mine which surprised me, I think people don’t notice them half the time!

To be honest it’s been fine with just the top set on for so long and people have rarely noticed I’m wearing them. I’ve not found it painful and only had a couple of sore spots. I have and still do find eating tricky though. I think with just the top set on for so long my bite is currently quite “off” so food is not much fun at the minute!

am hoping to get used to the bottom set quickly I think half the problem is the brackets go on to wonky teeth so they look wonky and horrible too! I remember posting about 5 months in in despair because my teeth were actually looking worse at that point which I hadn’t anticipated. Fingers crossed for quick movement at the bottom.

Interesting that even with the missing incisor beforehand you didn’t have big gaps like I did.

My ortho has prepped me to not expect perfection and I’m ok with that as they will look ten times better than they did.

Got mine on in November, was inspired by both DD and DH getting their teeth straightened (DS seems to have naturally perfectly straight teeth, he is the only one of the four of us who never bottle fed). Didn't want to be the only one with wonky teeth. I also lost a tooth when DS was 1, so hoping they can close the gap.

@SnarkyBag i had exactly the same problem!! I felt the brace made them look even worse cos they were kind of on a slope and all over the place! My friend also had them but her teeth were relatively straight compared to mine to start with so her brace looked good from the beginning. I don’t think the bottom will be as noticeable as the top, funny about the food thing, I only ever struggle when I’ve had them tightened, otherwise eating has been fine for me, they do tend to dig in a bit though. I didn’t have gaps because my teeth were really quite crowded, the orthodontist said they could either remove a molar or the one insisor I had - they suggested it would be better symmetry wise to go for the insisor. I had a massive gap for about 6 months!

@Dyslexicwonder how are you getting on? I wish I’d done it years ago to be honest as it’s not been as bad as I thought it would be

I am finding eating more difficult than before, I used to love apples and raw carrotts can't do that anymore. Also find salad a bit tricky. I think maybe I have lost a bit of weight.