Lovely Helen wrote a beautiful entry the other day on how many ages she can feel in a single day. I must say I know the feeling.
Especially since I went to the dentist on Wednesday morning, and was instantly transported back to being 13 years old when he uttered some fateful words:
"You need to have your braces put back on again."
Yep, that's right. Three thousand bucks and 18 months of a ripped up mouth and continuous pain (of both the physical and insecure-teenaged-emotional kind) have apparently slipped right down the drain.
It got even weirder when I rang my old ortho, and when I told the receptionist my maiden name she actually remembered who I was. Fifteen years on.
Now don't get me wrong - I don't look like Austin Powers or anything, but it's got to the point where I can't get my bottom teeth clean, and my gums are exacting revenge on me for not keeping their living quarters spic and span.
I would go with invisalign (ala Tom Cruise), but with a six to eight thousand dollar hit to the hip pocket and no insurance willing to cover it, it's not worth it. Looks like the good ole clear plastic brackets for me if I want some dosh back from the insurers. Although I gotta say, the ortho should be giving me this treatment for free in my opinion!
So. Anyone else out there who has embraced the archwire in adulthood?
I should have had braces when I was 10, but my mum didn't let me because she thought it would be too painful or something, so I didn't. I wish I'd had them then, because it'd be over with by now! In adulthood, there have been a few doctors or dentists who have said I should have them... I'm getting bloody sick of hearing it - if I wanted them now, I'd get them!! I have thought about doing it, but I always decide not to in the end.
I didn't get braces till I was 17 - yep high school senior prom with braces. I got them off when I was 19. I also had jaw surgery in between - fun. Just remember a few things...
Wax will become your best friend
Keep a toothbrush and floss in your purse
Always remember to eat before you go on your visits - your mouth will be sore and you won't want to eat afterwards
I did the braces thing as a kid. Not particularly well mind you, some of what my ortho was attempting to occomplish didn't take. I would rather the invisilign if I have to go back. Unfortunately, both the Missus and I have bigger problems: severly receding gums. Damnit, when I was a kid they told us to brush hard, but now they tell me to be soft. I'll have to get a gingiva transplant sometime soon. Wanna trade mouth problems?
I can beat you all. My mother..MOTHER..works at the dentists office. So, not only did I suffer at the hands of the bastard physcian wanna-be, but at the hands of my mother as well.
Talk about trust issues. I never had braces. I had a retainer and I fucking hated it. Sure, it wasn't painful, but many a time was the goddamned thing dropped in the trash. Yeah, Yeah we washed it off, but Goddamnit that thing was in the trash and now it's in my mouth.
Although, there are worse things that could be in my mouth, but at the time as a teen I would have never thought of them. Nay, Only now as an adult with a ridiculous obsession with sex (will I ever grow out of it?), I realize how little scarring the trash retainer would provide.
I've never had them, but I want them. Ok, maybe need is a better word. My top teeth are fine, but my bottom teeth could use the work. My sister had them when she was 19.
Like Lori, I had braces at the end of high school, and jaw surgery just after. I missed out on our formal (the equivalent of a prom) because of the operation. It was either that, or wait another 8 months before I'd be able to have to operation. Considering I didn't want to do it in the middle of Uni, and I didn't like most of the high school kids, I opted to get it over and done with.
And now my bottom teeth are warped again, so like you Helen, I'm sure I'd be advised to get braces again if I went to the dentist. I just don't care anymore though, I can eat fine, so I'll put up with them.
PS: Hi! *waves* *grin* Nice place you've got here :)
Yup. I had to have braces on after I had my wisdom teeth removed and I am quite a bit older than you. In fact my 18 months of purgatory only finished in July and IK now have little wires welded to the back of my teeth and little plastic things like a mouthguard to wear at night.
Horrible, horrible things.