Braces in adulthood: Expectations and reality
Recently, we talked about what methods of bite correction exist. The decision about whether you should correct the bite and what method of correction to choose, you need to take only after consulting with a specialist. If you take too long to go to the doctor or you already know that you need to correct the bite, but do not make up your mind, then someone else’s experience may be useful. We asked girls and young people who had set braces as an adult to tell us whether it was easy for them to take this step, how braces changed their lifestyle, what difficulties they encountered and what they learned from this experience.
I put braces in 29 years, almost 30. My husband persuaded me to do it by that time for a couple of years. It seemed to me that my teeth are not that uneven. Just think, one front upper tooth sticks out a little. It was hard to decide, because with everything new and not too pleasant it is always like that. In addition, this is not cheap entertainment. When I came to the doctor, it turned out that I did not diagnose everything myself correctly. There were enough problems: besides the leveling of the teeth, I had to correct the bite.
I wore braces just over a year. I had ceramic - they are less noticeable than metal. Uncomfortable, I felt the first few days. And that did not hesitate, but rather got used to new sensations. I see no reason to feel uncomfortable with the braces. This is something unusual that not everyone has, almost like a tattoo on the face, only for a while. I even asked myself to put multicolored gum on braces. Usually they are put to children, but they were of such beautiful colors that I, too, decided to be like that.
Braces are hard to bite, especially something hard, like apples. First, the bracket can fall off, and secondly, it causes, if not pain, then discomfort for sure. So I gave up fast food and apples - on the go, if you can't bite, it's impossible. It was uncomfortable when something went wrong: the bracket fell off or the arc shifted and pierced the cheek. But in fact, now I understand that it was worth suffering. Not only my teeth became smoother, but even the oval of the face changed a little, cheekbones appeared.
How many can remember, I had crooked teeth. As a child I went to the doctor, and he said that braces should be set, but as time went on, they were on the orthodontist’s table, and not in my mouth. After a while, the situation worsened. At some point, when wisdom teeth began to grow, I began to feel discomfort. I was already 23 years old. Repeated visit to the doctor - and the diagnosis is clear as day: say braces "yes." But before that it was necessary to heal all the teeth and remove wisdom teeth. It is easy to put fillings on teeth, but wisdom teeth extraction is a pleasure, let's say, dubious. And this is only the preparatory work, which stretched a little more than six months.
Then you come to the doctor, he appoints time, makes molds, and voila - braces on your teeth! One day after the installation, you realize that you cannot live like this: your teeth start to hurt and itch; there is something firmer than semolina almost impossible. In this case, the mouth rubbed with these damned braces utterly, and the wire tore his cheek at the base of the jaw. But, as they say, this is only scary for the first time - subsequent wire shifts, of course, bring discomfort, but two times less than the first time.
The doctor laughed that my girlfriend would leave me after installing braces, but she is still with me. In general, I am not a supermodel and didn’t look much better than braces. Therefore, my self-confidence does not shake! Seven months have passed. The only bad thing is that I start to forget the taste of nuts and "Orbit" without sugar, but after removing the braces I will definitely arrange a "pichard" with apples and breadcrumbs.
I put braces in 19 years, when it became obvious that a bad bite strongly affects the health of teeth, they will not last so long and need something to do. An example was the elder brother, who set braces on his own at 25. Six months later, I went to his doctor’s first appointment. Therefore, it was easy to decide, I knew what to expect. The most unpleasant moment was the need to remove four healthy teeth in order to free up space for maneuver. This causes some psychological discomfort, besides physical.
I wore them for a relatively long time (four years) and difficult: with additions in the form of the palate byugel (this is a metal strut under the palate for moving the molar teeth) and elastic bands that move the upper and lower jaws relative to each other. At the same time I do not remember that I was ashamed of my appearance at this time. Perhaps because we chose transparent sapphire braces, which are not as striking as metal. And even the opposite, almost immediately after installation, I began to smile more openly. For a person who has been shy of his smile all his life when reflexively covering his mouth with his hand, this was a big breakthrough in the fight against complexes. I even got married with braces: I just asked the doctor to put a white arc instead of a metal one. She, of course, reacted with understanding to such a request and congratulated on the occasion. And now, when I look at photos from the wedding, the presence of braces seems just a nice detail.
Naturally, they strongly influence everyday life, because you must often and regularly go for check-ups, pay much more attention to hygiene and get used to the "glands" in the mouth. At such moments, you especially appreciate that the oral mucosa heals quickly and adapts to innovations. But, firstly, all this is temporary, and secondly, if the difference is as outstanding as I was, this is the decision that has a positive effect on the rest of my life, both in terms of health and self-esteem.
I set braces a year and a half ago, when I was 32 years old. The dentist recommended doing this, so that the bite was correct and the teeth would not be chipped, there would be no chipping. The decision was made easy, because still no one knows how the braces will actually be felt. You realize this later, when the job is done and the money is paid. I put lingual braces, which are placed on the back surface of the teeth. I wore them for about nine months.
Lingual braces strongly influence diction and at first distort the voice. Strongly rubbed mucous membranes. In general, this is blood and tears for the first month exactly, and then you get used to it. The oral cavity adapts, and all this is already calmly transferred, speech is also gradually being restored. I didn’t lose confidence in myself, just at first I always felt a sense of discomfort and pain. Confidence is probably lost by those who have braces visible. But braces have changed my daily life. They should be additionally taken care of, constantly cleaned, and washed with the irrigator after food. Do not chew apples, do not chew gum.
It was a wonderful experience. The teeth are now even, and I did not have to wear braces for three years - everything turned out pretty quickly compared to many acquaintances. Of course, one needs to go through all this in childhood, but in my childhood such systems were not even close. Therefore, we have to do this already in adulthood.
When I was almost 23, I set myself braces. Not that I was very worried about my smile, but the problem was still there: one of the lower teeth squeezed the neighbors' teeth and he was behind, tilted to 25. At the same time, it didn’t work properly, he darkened and soon ceased to be noticeable. When I smiled, it felt like I didn't have a tooth at all. I love to smile, and mislead people - not so much. We had to do something about it.
My parents, especially my mother, pushed me to the decision to put braces. I thought that the mother would not advise the bad, the more I realized that the sooner I began to correct the bite, the sooner it would all end. I had a few feelings about this: I was afraid that a girl would leave me, that I would not be able to eat, smile, live life to the fullest and in general would be such an overripe teenager a la Butthead.
In fact, everything turned out to be somewhat simpler. Although the first day was the peak of despair and frustration and for some time it was really not easy to eat, then it became easier and easier. You get used to everything, and sometimes you find advantages. From the initial misunderstanding of how to live at all, soon there was not a trace left, and then there was even a confident feeling that braces became a part of me and my style. It's funny that I began to smile even more than before. Maybe, on the basis of comments from friends and acquaintances, or as a result of the usual self-deception, I became sure that braces are a thrill, and I am handsome. Anyway, I realized that braces are certainly not a repulsive factor. Rather the opposite.
The whole process of bite correction took only a year. They say it is very fast. I, however, had enough. No matter how often I miss braces, I have to admit that without them I live much more freely. I am sincerely glad that one day I still drove to the clinic and took this step. A slap in the past would give oneself for not having dared for a long time. Now I wear plastic caps made from the cast of teeth immediately after the braces, to fix the result. They, by the way, turned out to be even worse at first. But that's another story.
I decided to put braces at 22, in the spring of this year after a routine checkup at a dentist-therapist. Outwardly, my imperfections were almost not noticeable, the non-core doctor did not have strict recommendations, but I suddenly realized that I wanted (and I can!) Once in the mirror to see perfectly even teeth. I thought a few days and signed up for the removal of wisdom teeth - this is preparatory work before the braces. Removal is the most unpleasant part, but the main thing is to get to the dentist’s surgeon’s chair (I caught a great one!) And endure an anesthetic injection. After removal, the doctor describes in detail what could go wrong, but everything can turn out even better than average: immediately after removing the first two teeth, I even went to a party - and the party was super.
In parallel with the deletions, I was looking for an orthodontist. Braces - this is a long-term treatment, so it is important not to lose money with your doctor. As a result, the method of “asking good doctors about other good doctors” helped: I chose an orthodontist on the recommendation of a dentist-surgeon. It's funny that after frequent trips to the dentists, I had a “third eye”, which distinguishes people with imperfect bite. Alas, almost always perfectly even teeth are the result of correction. To keenly notice the details around - so-so superpowers, the world turned into a kind of perfectionist hell, but it seems that this period has passed.
I have noticeable metal braces on my teeth. First, the doctor said that they are effective and unpretentious - transparent caps, for example, should be worn 22 hours a day, they should be removed for meals, that is, after dinner or lunch outside, you should look for a washstand and put your jaw in order to put on a mouth guard. Secondly, really imperceptible braces cost several hundred thousand rubles, such an investment of money in my situation does not seem reasonable.
I hardly feel any inconvenience with braces. Teeth usually do not hurt, but it is better to refuse radish and whole apples. Braces involve careful oral care with all sorts of devices, but this is generally a good thing for everyone, a good habit. I was a little worried about braces in connection with the profession, because sometimes there are important meetings at work. However, in vain: no one attaches any importance to this, moreover, braces hardly worsen diction (these are not children's records), on the contrary, they can even improve. Pleased with the reaction of loved ones. My beloved man said that I’ve got a lot of braces (a dubious, but actually a very nice compliment). Friends praised for the power of the spirit. Braces really added a healthy self-confidence as a conscious and balanced life choice, I am very glad that I went for it.
Rationally, braces are even teeth and health benefits at the cost of certain organizational efforts and time constraints. But many people are confused when making a decision about installation by irrational things, reinforced by stereotypes in popular culture: “I'm not a teenager, I’ll be late, I’ll be like Katya Pushkareva, and everyone will point at me with a finger, oh, lost time ...” The most strange thing is that I heard from this series: "I would like to put braces ... but I can’t, I'm afraid the lower jaw will change and become too masculine, ugly, oh, I should have been before." The truth is that after installing braces, you do not wake up a new person. Passersby do not hide children, seeing you on the street, the flowers do not wither from your smile, the "crown of celibacy" does not suddenly grow on the head. There are reasonable difficulties in installing braces, this is a serious decision, but prejudices here will not help to make a choice.
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