Friday, January 13, 2012

Curious about my adult braces? Read this and watch these

I still am, hence my continued research today lol. Thought I'd share a few of the best vids!

I find myself doing a lot of explaining because it's not clear why I needed braces so badly to get them at age 31. People ask why did I get them if my teeth were "straight."

I have a Deep Bite.
.

I have a complete, 100% deep bite = no bottom teeth atallll. This has gotten progressively worse over the years and as of last year my teeth have begun to chip up top, and my bottom teeth are turning completely 180°, though no one can see them lol. Every dentist I have EVER seen in my life has told me I "need braces/should have had braces/better get braces" to save my teeth.  And the new one who saw the little chips insisted I look into it before it got yet worse.  So I did!

So I have only top brackets (white ceramic) on for up to 6 months time until my bottom teeth start showing/become accessible. 

THEN I will get my bottom brackets put on and be using some sort of bite plate like below to prevent damage as seen in the animation.  This may happen Feb 1 after only 4.5 months! I'm hoping my teeth have moved enough already- she seemed optimistic last visit.

I already have a bite plate now I wear only at night.  It's crazy whack.  But guess what?  Unlike the pic here, I see bottom teeth now! and they look crazy upset lol. No one has seen them forever.

See bite plate video below.



If your dentist suggests you need braces, look into it and save your only teeth.  However, if no doctor or dental professional tells you to get braces- DON'T do it! lol  it sucks.  I thought I'd be fine because I hadn't had any chipping or jaw pain, despite dozens of advisories.  I did not want braces.  ever.
Until this year.  Chip a tooth a few times and things change lol. I also finally subscribed to an insurance plan that pays half even for adults.

Plus the technology has gotten much better over the years.   In previous consultations I was told I'd need extractions, to wear braces for 3 years, that I could only have metal brackets because of the force needed to move them so much, and that I'd need to wear a bite plate the entire time.  I walked off like no thanks- my teeth are fine.

Now that they finally are not fine, I'm on a 2 year plan, with ceramic brackets and thus far a removable bite plate...

Wish me luck!

Imma share some honest and graphic teeth picts below.  
Turn away now if you don't want to be all up in my mouth. lol

Me today... Wire chain, smoke colored bands, no braces on bottoms yet- but they show a bit now! and look a hot mess...

Bottom teeth- ugh!  They are suffering/turning/falling further in and I was warned I'd loose them in another decade or two. 

4 comments:

  1. I got braces at age 28. Mostly because I had 4 baby teeth that never fell out and had to be removed after chipping. So then my teeth started shifting towards the empty spaces. I wanted implants but they said I need braces first. Now I'm just trying to pay some debts off so I can afford 4 dental implants.

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  2. This is brave, great and really all very interesting! Thanks for sharing and keep us posted on how things go.

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  3. Good luck modest-goddess. I wish insurance covered these sorts of things fully. TEETH are kind of essential I would say... smh.

    No problem MJ! I figure it's part of whole-self well-being, and it's on the more scary side of taking care of oneself. I hope to encourage folks to make these tough decisions when needed.

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  4. Hi! I stumbled on your website via youtube. I remembered your hair from fotki. You and your hair are gorgeous. I too have been natural for 10 years and chopped it off again last year!! I swear this is my last time cutting it. Anyway, I am 36 and have braces (been in my mouth for 2 LONG years) and will finally get them off at the end of this month!!! Don't worry about what people say because everybody has an opinion. The good thing is, what matters is how you feel at the end of the journey (whatever it may be). Just like going natural, so many people had comments, good and bad, but there's not an ounce of regret in doing it. Smile big!!! I don't have a google account but will definitely follow your blog. I love it... SheWill

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