So, here we are. Tomorrow, I go through puberty get braces.
Jenny offered to go with me and live-tweet the whole thing, but I politely declined. Now that I think about it, though, she let me do that while she was having a c-section, so I probably should have returned the favor.
Anyway… It’s been a long two and a half months of wearing my lovely Frankel device, and while it’s gotten much better than it was (in terms of how it feels, not so much in terms of how it looks. Which is still awful.), I am ready to get moving on the next step.
I left the orthodontist a couple weeks ago with rubber bands between my back teeth (which has been a blast, let me tell you) and a purse full of instructions on how to brush my teeth (17 times a day), what to not eat (to paraphrase: everything), and advice on mainlining painkillers for the next 18 months.
And, now that I’m reviewing the literature, a stern warning about something called Lingual Arches potentially becoming embedded into my gums.
This is going to be awesome.
So I’ve read all the materials from my orthodontist, and I even watched their instructional YouTube videos. But I want the real scoop.
What do I need to know about having braces? What are the foods I should for sure avoid? Or, more importantly, what foods will I be able to actually eat?
Should I plan to come back to work after having them put on tomorrow, or will I want to just go home?
I would appreciate any tips, tricks or advice you have!
Okay, so it’s been 20 years (or so) since I had braces. BUT, here’s what I remember: take ibuprofen after tightenings. Seriously. It will ache and throb, but ibuprofen helps a ton. Also, that wax stuff looks weird, but is your friend. When you first get a bracket, your inner cheeks and lips aren’t used to it and will rebel– the wax helps keep you from feeling sore and torn up.
I don’t remember having many eating restrictions, really. No corn on the cob. No taffy. No caramel apples. But, honestly, I could eat just about anything I wanted. I just had to sometimes cut it up/off. Either they took it easy on me, or I was very disobedient. Whichever way, I didn’t have any issues. 🙂
Good luck! (And, yes, Jenny should live-tweet. 🙂 )
Thanks Jessie!
I would take the day off–my teeth hurt like there was no tomorrow. I remember going to Arby’s after getting my braces (yes many moons ago)…but I think a milkshake was about all I should have attempted that first day. We didn’t have youtube videos back in the 80’s–so I’m sure you are way more prepared than I was. I just knew they were gluing these things to my teeth–and I was super excited!
I agree with Jessie that wax is the BEST THING EVER! Every once and a while, if you do eat the wrong food (for me it was sticky candy, gum, apples…etc), a wire will come loose in the back of your mouth and poke the inside of your cheek. That is when wax is your BFF! So, you just put the wax on top of the poking wire, call your ortho, and have him/her put the wire back in.
Best of luck- I was the first one in school to get braces–so I was pretty proud of them. 🙂 They did hurt like crazy–but I liked the results. BTW, after you get your braces off, PLEASE continue to wear your retainer, b/c otherwise your teeth do shift!
Thanks for the tips, Marcia! I appreciate it!
You will become an expert at cutting everything you eat into microscopic pieces and you will learn very quickly that wax and Advil are your new best friends. BTDT!
Don’t feel weird about “going through puberty” as an adult. My sister didn’t wear her retainer after having braces as a teen, and had to get them again mid-forties. My grandmother was born in 1922 and never even went to a dentist until 1970, but she always wanted to fix her teeth. We got braces at the same time in 1990! You’ll get used to them quickly, just remember they are totally worth it. (((((Hugs)))))