Braces--as in the kind for your teeth

[teigyr]

Hi there and welcome to the community. Hmmm...I had braces for a year, then jaw surgery, then braces for a year then they were off...and now I am half braced on one side to close up gaps. My freedom was short-lived.

I did not have Damons but I've heard nothing but good things about them. They are less bulky and they work more quickly than traditional braces. They are self-ligating so you don't have ligatures (those colored things on metal braces) either.

I was recently divorced (as a present to myself) when I got them. I remember being uneasy about eating a lot of things. Oreos will be fine! Even nuts though they get stuck. I ate almost everything that I would have eaten before though unsliced apples and corn on the cob were difficult. Pizza is messy because bread and cheese get stuck bigtime! Same with pasta and spinach. You will need a waterpik (or something equivalent) and I know a wonderful source for a "kit" to take with you to work. It comes in a purse-like pouch and contains everything you'd need when you're not at home. Let me know if you want the link, I can send it to you.

I did date. My first dinner date (first time eating in public) I decided to test swishing water to dislodge food in my braces. I was so nervous and as I swished the water, I ended up spitting it out onto my date. I ended up marrying him

The things that might be challenging are small things. I always used to open cycling water bottles with my teeth...it's difficult when they're sore. You can't bite off hang nails or scraggly nails though you CAN file them down (a bit) on the wire. Don't ask me how I know. I know it is scary, especially as a single person, but look at it like this. If someone looks at it the right way, they'll see someone with insurance, who has money to spend on braces, and who is concerned about their health. If they can't see beyond that, they aren't worth your time. That isn't to say I didn't have my share of "feeling sorry for myself" days but it gets better.

If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know. Please also ask any questions at all that you might have. Oh as an adult I learned that if my braces hurt (like after a visit to the orthodontist) Patron Tequila is perfect. Works better than advil.

As a postscript, my retainers (until I got half-rebraced) were of the Invisalign sort. To be honest, I don't like them. They feel bulky in my mouth, I drool when I take them out to eat, and I hate putting them back in if I can't clean them. I think you are better off with the Damons.