Rosie's Braces Advice - 19 & 7 years of experience

BRACES ADVICE - HERE TO HELP Scrow down for Q & A

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Braces Questions

Hi Rosie. I saw your blog and wanted to ask some questions but it wouldn't submit for some reason. I hope you don't mind me emailing you. Im 15 and getting ceramic braces put on in a little over a week and I'm so anxious! From what I can see, my teeth are similar to yours. I have two canines sitting above my other teeth in the gum and the rest are very crowded and crooked. I am getting four teeth extracted on the same day as the braces go on which will leave large gaps that will be visible when I smile. How long do gaps take to close? And will the braces conceal the gaps at all? I'm apprehensive to get braces because I already wear glasses during class and I'm afraid that I'll be seen as 'nerdy' or 'ugly'. Why did you have to have your braces on for so long? My orthodontist told me 18 months, but said up to 22 months. Now I'm scared I'll have to have them on for years like you did. I want them off as soon as possible as I'm self conscious. Did you experience any problems with staining the ceramic braces? Also, does the white wire cost extra and how do I go about getting it? I know this is a lot of questions! Thanks x -Natalie Lagerroth

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I have a gap between my two front teeth, I am in ninth grade and I would really like to get lingual braces. My bottom teeth are also crooked. Is this a good option? I am really self conscious about my teeth.

Hi thanks so much for your question! I can’t speak more highly about lingual braces! When I found out about them for the first time I was amazed that they are completely invisible but just as effective (if not more) than normal braces. You shouldn’t be self concious about your teeth or let it worry you as I’m sure they are much better than you think they are! Also once you get braces (whatever braces you end up getting) your teeth will end up looking great and you’ll be proud to show them off and you’ll be smiling constantly! Lingual braces can easily fixed crooked teeth. You can get lingual braces on the top and bottom set, so for sure they’d work for you! If your self concious linguals are a great option but quite pricey- which is the only downside. You should also look into to Invisalign which are clear and can sort out crooked teeth easily. I don’t think you’ll have to have braces for very long if its just aligning the teeth and closing a gap so normal braces could work too. Hope this helps and try not to be self-concious about your teeth, I know it is hard though. Good luck with getting braces and get in contact is you need any more advice, I’d be delighted to help! All the best Rosie x

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I'm getting braces Thursday! I'm pretty excited. I have a question though. Is there any way I can prepare for Thursday (mentally, physically, etc.)? Thanks!

Hey! Really good question and good for you to prepare yourself! Don’t be worried before getting braces but be excited to start your new journey! The best thing to do is not to worry and be relaxed. Just keep thinking about how amazing your smile will look after having braces! Clean your teeth thoroughly and floss them. Other than that you don’t need to do much! This is my advice for getting braces: It will be painful for the first 2-3 days whilst your’e getting used to your braces. Eat before you go to get your braces on, because when you get them on your teeth will be very sensitive so you’ll only be able to eat very soft foods without your teeth hurting. Your teeth will be very sensitive for the first week, put ice against the brackets that hurt- this will relieve the pressure and pain, also apply orthodontist wax against any parts of the brace that are irritating your gum. And eat smoothies, soup, and soft foods whenever your teeth hurt. Because I had my braces for 7 years, during the painful times I felt as though nothing could be worse than this- but it is SO worth it in the end when you’ll have a beautifulll smile! Best of luck, Rosie, bb x

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I just got ceramic braces and I hate how bulky it is and regret that I didn't get metal braces. I don't like my orthodontist either. I want to change to metal braces but I am scared of enamel damage that ceramic braces can cause and to put metallic braces on damaged teeth sounds even worse.

Hi! Thanks for writing in to bracesblog! I know exactly what you mean! I regretted this too after I got the ceramic braces. I felt that my lip had to stretch really far over my brackets and it felt uncomfortable. That’s when I decided to change to the metal braces - and it was worth it, they felt much more comfortable and I think even looked better. Don’t worry too much about enamel damage, I found it my experience that it is much more rare than people assume. Changing the brackets shouldn’t create this damage as my orthodontist was changing my brackets all the time and they didn’t effect my teeth. Defiantly ask your orthodontist about your options. If you can’t change to the metal brackets I would recommend changing the wire to a white wire. My friend had ceramic brackets with a white wire and you could hardly notice them, it made such a difference! When I first had enamel braces I had a metal silver wire and you could easily see them. If I had known about the white wire before I changed to metal braces I would have just changed the wire, as it was much less noticeable. I’ve attached a photo so you can see how much the colour of the wire changes the appearance. Hope this helps! All the best with your braces and ask any more questions any time, Rosie, bb 

Photo credits: (Top) bracesbysanjoseorthodontist.com

(Bottom) bestdentistinbangalore.com

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So I'm getting braces in a month so I wanted to know how should I prepare my teeth cleaning wise? Also, what should I expect when getting my braces on and afterwards?

Thanks for your question fayyadebola! So exciting that you are about to get braces! A step closer to having the perfect smile! WOO! Don’t be worried before getting braces but be excited to start your new journey! This is my advice for getting braces: It will be painful for the first 2-3 days whilst your’e getting used to your braces. Eat before you go to get your braces on, because when you get them on your teeth will be very sensitive so you’ll only be able to eat very soft foods without your teeth hurting. Your teeth will be very sensitive for the first week, put ice against the brackets that hurt- this will relieve the pressure and pain, also apply orthodontist wax against any parts of the brace that are irritating your gum. And eat smoothies, soup, and soft foods whenever your teeth hurt. Because I had my braces for 7 years, during the painful times I felt as though nothing could be worse than this- but it is SO worth it in the end when you’ll have a beautifulll smile! Best of luck, Rosie, bb x

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Hey, my name is Alexa and I would just like to know how long after you get your molds done do you get braces ? Im getting molds this friday and im so so so so excited to finally get my braces and fix my open bite! Please help

Hello Alexa! Thanks for coming onto my braces blog! So exciting your’e getting braces soon! It varies for each person and how complex your braces will be and what type of braces you will be getting. When I got my mould it took about around 10 days before I got my braces because they needed to study the moulds to decide what the best braces were for me. So soon I would think! Good luck Alexa! If you have any other questions please ask me I’d love to help you through your braces journey! Rosie, bracesblog

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Hey! I just got braces on Friday and it didn't hurt at first, but now I'm in immense pain on the back teeth. It hurts to eat, so I've been having soup and very soft foods. Will the pain stop? And how long will it take? Thanks very much!

Thanks for your question! So sorry you’re in pain, but it is very common with bracesThis is my general advice for those about to get braces: It will be painful for the first 2-3 days whilst your’e getting used to your braces. Eat before you go to get your braces on, because when you get them on your teeth will be very sensitive so you’ll only be able to eat very soft foods without your teeth hurting. Your teeth will be very sensitive for the first week, so take painkillers whenever the pack says its safe to, put ice against the brackets that hurt- this will relieve the pressure and pain, also apply orthodontist wax against any parts of the brace that are irritating your gum. And eat smoothies, soup, and soft foods whenever your teeth hurt. Because I had my braces for 7 years, during the painful times I felt as though nothing could be worse than this- but it is SO worth it in the end when you’ll have a beautifulll smile! Best of luck, Rosie, bb x

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Hey I'm thinking of either getting braces or invisilign which one I get? And does invisilign even work?

Hi! Thanks for your question! Invisalign braces are much more expensive than ordinary braces. Invisalign is more limited than normal braces in what it can adjust and it takes longer. However it is really good for those who are self-conscious about there braces. Click here to complete a self-assesment to see if Invisalign can align your specific teeth. Normal braces work great and are faster than invisalign, but they are more visible and cut the gums and inner mouth. Normal braces can fix more teeth issues. I would also highly recommend Lingual braces- which is what I got after Invisalign (Invisalign braces didn’t suit me as I didn’t like the feel of them in my mouth, and kept taking them out, and they were really slow in comparison to normal braces- which I had before them). Lingual braces are great as they are train tracks on the back of your teeth-so no-one can see them, and you don’t need to worry about taking them out as they’re fixed, I also found that in my case they were even faster than normal braces, and didn’t hurt nearly as much (I’ve attached a photo of them at the bottom, and scroll down on bracesblog to see a picture of mine). I would ask your orthodontist which ones he suggests- Invisalign or Lingual braces and because he knows your specific teeth he can give you a better idea of which ones to get. But you can defiantly go from normal metal braces to Invisalign when ever you want- which is exactly what I did! Hope this help, keep in touch to let me know what you decide or if you have any other questions; I’d love to hear from you! :D xx

Lingual braces (below)

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I'm due to get my braces off soon!!!:D WAHOOO! but I'm kinda worried about having a retainer and how awkward it's gonna be.. Can you ask your orthodontist for a specifics type of retainer? Eg the clear mouth guard type? Or will he just give me the one he wants/needs to? Do different retainers do different things?

CONGRATULATIONS! What an exciting time! All that pain will pay off soon when you see you beautiful smile! Don’t be worried at all! Retainers are SO easy after having braces! You can request a specific type of retainer- Clear (invisible but hard to clean), metal (quick and easy to clean but visible) or a fixed metal one at the back of your teeth (invisible, you don’t need to remember to put them in- less hassle, can cause irritation to tongue). All retainers do pretty much the same thing- ‘preserve’ the shape of the teeth after the braces. The orthodontist might have a preferred retainer he/she uses, but you can request (this might be at extra cost though). Good luck with getting your braces off, one of the best feelings ever! Rosie, bb

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hi, I was just wondering how you felt having braces for so Long. I've had mine for 3 years or more & I was only supposed to have them for a year and a half and they REALLY upset me, they bring my confidence down a lot. I was just wondering if that's normal. Can you give me some advice? I feel like everyone's getting them off or already had straight teeth & it makes me sad :(

Hi there! Thank you so much for your question! I can relate to this SO much! I was meant to have braces for 4 years and it ended up being 7 :-( ! My orthodontist kept extending the date I was getting them off, which let to a lot of tears and angst! It is absolutely normal for braces to bring down your self-confidence. I was SO self conscious with braces. I wanted to post pictures of me with braces onto the blog but i couldn’t find 1 photo, because I would never smile with my teeth during the whole 7 years I had my braces! I also thought I looked bad with braces and tried to talk without showing them. However I reminded myself that it’s better to have braces for a few years when you’re younger and have a beautiful smile for the rest of your life, then to be conscious your whole life with wonky teeth.  My friends who ended up not getting braces because they thought they’d be too self-conscious, are regretting it now as there teeth have worsened and they’ll have to have braces in their 20s as an adult. Hope this helps, and I can massively relate to you! Hope it all goes well, and don’t let them bring you down as you’ll get them off soon and have a beautiful smile at the end of it. After 7 years and getting my braces off I have never looked back and so glad i stuck with it and never gave up!! I love to smile now and I am always beaming. Also about other people getting your braces off before you- I was the only one in my year at school who had braces and the last to get them off. But once I got them off I appreciated straight teeth and will never take being confident to smile for granted! Good luck with your braces journey! If you have any other questions along the way I’d love to help and share my experiences with you- I know how hard it is! Rosie, bracesblog xxx

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Hi Rosie. Im Julia and I put ceramic braces 1 month back. Now 2 braces are shaking and one came off so its just holding on the wire. Did you have similar problem and what did the orthodontist do? Thanks

Hi Julia! Thanks for your question! This happened to me often when I had my clear braces. This is common with ceramic brackets. The orthodontist simply reaffixes the ceramic brackets onto the tooth. It’s really easy and quite. Don’t worry it’s really common. Hope this helps, Rosie, bracesblog

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Hi Rosie! I've had my braces on for a year and a half. I asked my orthodontist when I'd be getting them off, but he said he'd be taking them off whenever I'm happy with it. I personally think it's weird he said that, I don't have any medical expertise and know nothing about my teeth. Does the orthodontist usually give the decision-making to the patient?

Hi! Thanks for your question! I think this is quite common, my orthodontist said this. The orthodontist has to take the braces off when the patient asks for them off. However the orthodontist should also give advice and his professional opinion. I thought my teeth looked perfect when I first got my off and persuaded my orthodontist to get them removed (against his recommendation). Once I had my braces off I realised i still had a pronounced over-bite so had to get them again. I asked my orthodontist to take them off when he was sure they were ready - 3 years later they were off! So the orthodontist’s opinion is really important, just ask for his professional opinion. Hope this helps, Rosie, bracesblog 

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Hi I'm Kathryn. I've noticed my teeth moving bc I haven't worn my clear retainers in awhile. And I've worn them for 2 days straight and the gaps got bigger. What should I do?

Hi Kathryn! Thanks for your question! Ok so it is really important to wear your retainers especially as soon as you get your braces off. By wearing the retainers your teeth ‘retain’ the shape your braces made.  When you stop wearing your retainers your teeth will start to revert back to their original shape before you got your braces. But don’t worry as only a couple days should be fine. This has happened to me before and after a week or so wearing my retainers full time they became straight again. If your teeth don’t fix themselves naturally after wearing the retainers call your orthodontist and explain the situation. They will re-mould retainers for you so they fit and so they realign your teeth to the state they were after you got your braces off. No need to worry! Hope this helps, Rosie, bracesblog

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your teeth look amazing! i'm so jealous :P but my teeth are very similar to yours, and I have braces, so once I get them off, I hope they look just like yours!

Thank you so much! That’s so kind! I’m sure they will! Good luck with your braces journey, Rosie, Bracesblog

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Hey, i've had metal braces for almost a year now and although i got very sensitive teeth it doesn't hurt that much and i can eat without any problems. Is this normal (cause everyone is having pain)?

Hi Marssarshere! Thanks for your question. Don’t worry at all about this; braces affect everyone to different extents. So you’re really lucky that you are having a good experience with them so nothing to worry about However it would be normal for your teeth to  hurt after getting your braces tightened. Hope your good luck continues!

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what toothpaste would you recommend for people with braces to use? and how often should a person with braces brush their teeth in a day?

It doesn’t really matter what toothpaste you use, as most toothpaste nowadays has fluoride in it. I would recommend you brush your teeth after every meal, in order to avoid excess plaque. If you are especially worried about plaque build up I would also recommend you use an antiseptic oral cleanser (for exmaple Colgate® Peroxyl®) and floss regularly. Good luck with your braces! 

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hey! I'm getting braces in a couple of days, I'm more concerned about my GUMS. They're not horrifying, but they're bad! They used to be worse but then i received a cleaning, I'm getting another cleaning in 2 days, do you think my gums will improve with the cleaning? and with more cleaning among the future?

Hi! Thanks for your question! Exciting news about you getting your braces on. Ok, basically ask your dentist to perscribe you with Corsodyl if they see it appropriate- which is really good at treating inflamed gums for braces. The cleaning will defiantly help with your gums, the more regular you have them the better your gums will get. You should also brush well the tops of your gums- where they meet the teeth to stop inflamed gums. Hope this helps, and best of luck with getting your braces on!