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[quinnr]

There are only about 2 things I fear very much so:
Spiders (This only has about 2..but they are killer spiders...Black Widows and Brown Recluses).
and Orthodontist Appointments

Oh yeah, and ovens. But I got over that one...mostly.

So. Every 5-6 weeks, I have to go to the Orthodontist for braces. About every time I go, they manage to do something painful to me. I shake in fear of anticipation the whole night before I have to go, and can't sleep. What's even worse, each week they've been threatening to put on new brackets (PAIN! ) as soon as my teeth move out of the way. So...does anyone have a good way of dealing with pain/fear?
I really don't want to go in 40 minutes...

[Satarus]

Keep reciting the litany against fear in your head.  Sounds a bit silly, but it can really help.  I'm serious.  We went over it in psych class and haveing a mental focus like that can really help you get through a fearful ordeal.


Also as an aside, you may consider getting a new orthodontist.  Talk to friends who have braces as well and gauge their experiences vs your own.

[SanDiego]

You have permanent braces? Then, you will get used to it over time, but man is it uncomfortable when they remove it. And if they manage to do somtehnig painful to you each time you visit them, you either have something wrong with your teeth, the treatment is advancing (moving teeth around isn't supposed to be comfortable), or you may have lower tolerance to pain, or maye it's a combination of some of the latter. Do a breakdown and you will see, when a problem is broken down to pieces they are easier to deal with.

[Cthulhu]

Getting the brackets removed doesn't hurt, actually.  What hurts is scraping the glue off afterward.

[quinnr]

Not permanent. But it takes forever.

Also, probably a combination of the last two.

[SanDiego]

Ah, I had the removable (don't know how it's called in english) for like seven years and then they extracted two of my premolars and I had permanent for four years. Pain, but it's worth it.

[quinnr]

I have like a year left to go if this is on schedule.

[eerr]

The braces will destroy you Quinnr.

Give in to the power of tooth-side!

[smigenboger]

Braces were not a fun ordeal, but you have to deal with it. You may be able to ask for a mild painkiller to ease the pain, or take two asprin beforehand. Since this is the LA thread, I feel the need to have the disclaimer: Don't take more painkiller than you need, but I'm sure you're not like that.

Wear the rubber bands, all the time. I had to wear them for an extra year because of not wearing them.

[SanDiego]

Or bite with all the power you have when your orthodontist has fingers in your mouth. Just for kicks.

[quinnr]

The braces will destroy you Quinnr.

Give in to the power of tooth-side!

Nevar! Actually...

Braces were not a fun ordeal, but you have to deal with it. You may be able to ask for a mild painkiller to ease the pain, or take two asprin beforehand. Since this is the LA thread, I feel the need to have the disclaimer: Don't take more painkiller than you need, but I'm sure you're not like that.

Wear the rubber bands, all the time. I had to wear them for an extra year because of not wearing them.

Yeah, I already take two ibuprofen (according to box directions, I could have more...) after I get home.

I don't have rubber bands yet. Also, they were talking about adding a steel chain, and they even told me they were going to take some brackets off, and put them back on, just for torture. They changed their minds, deciding that poking my gums till they bled was good enough for them.

Or bite with all the power you have when your orthodontist has fingers in your mouth. Just for kicks.

Very tempting.

[eerr]

Supposedly unusual head shape causes need for braces.

1. Is this a true correlation?

2. Can you fix the shape of your head?

[quinnr]

I'd rather just destroy my head. No more teeth

[Calhoun]

That sucks. Though I loved the dentist I had when I was going through braces. He was a pretty easy-going dude from china. He had a plaque on the wall from some sort of award/recognition thing from when he still lived in china, and the picture looks like Shigeru Miyamoto. Which is pretty cool.

His assistant was a very soft-spoken man who I knew only as Edgar. He also had a VERY voluptuous secretary.

I've been done with braces for awhile now. However, i have a semi-permant retainer. My teeth moved so fast that I only had braces for about a year. However, because of it, I'm going to have this retainer for 10 or so years. Still, It's not intrusive or annoying, I think i'd prefer it to a traditional retainer.

I never went through much pain at his office. Though mostly because we were talking. which lead to lots of laughs when he tried to understand what I was saying while he was working on me.

[Heron TSG]

    You must not fear.
    Fear is the mind-killer.
    Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
    You will face your fear.
    You will permit it to pass over you and through you.
    And when it has gone past you will turn the inner eye to see its path.
    Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
    Only you will remain.