...Braces as an Adult

Every since I was little I’ve been told I needed braces.  It was something my parents just couldn’t afford. My teeth aren’t too terribly crooked but I do have bad crowding to the point that it’s hard to get dental floss between my teeth.  And this is even after having my wisdom teeth removed several years ago. 

When I bite down my back teeth don’t touch.  My two front teeth directly hit my two bottom teeth and this is starting to cause chipping.  Apparently the front two teeth should just come over the top of the two bottom teeth.

At my dentist appointment yesterday braces were once again brought up but this time I decided to take the plunge!  I’m getting braces!  As a 36 year old adult!  

I’ve decided to document my journey on my blog.  I’m not sure if you’re like me or not but I like to research everything and find out real life experiences and opinions from real people.  Hopefully my journey will help someone else make the decision to better their smile. 

I go in next Tuesday for installation.  (Is that the right word?)  I’ve opted for the standard metal brackets.  I made my decision completely on price (they were the cheapest option) but after doing a ton of research last night I feel I made the best choice.

The silver wire will still be visible and I read that the clear brackets can turn yellow over time and that they pop off more easily.  

Speaking of price…the total price from start to finish is $3,395.00.  My insurance will cover $1,500.00 of this leaving me to pay $1,895.00.  (This is only $95 more than I paid for my dental implant last year.  One stinkin’ (fake) tooth cost as much as 24 months of braces treatment!)  I’ve opted for a no-interest payment plan directly with my dental office.  I will pay $78.95 a month for the next 24 months.  $40 a check.  I can swing that…eat out less, don’t buy that new InknBurn top…When I break it down it’s not too bad.

I guess that’s about it for now.  I’m actually really excited for my appointment on Tuesday.  Is that weird?  I’m only a little bummed by the long list of food they gave to me that I need to avoid for the next 24 months.  I guess being forced to cut out sweets and junk food isn’t necessarily a bad thing.      

So many of my favorite things in this picture.

               

Have you ever had braces?  Was it when you were a kid or adult?  Any handy hints for me?