Second day in braces

[JulieFL]

I got mine on May 26. Like you, I had Jamba Juice the first couple of days. I had pasta fagioli on Sunday night. Felt good to eat something a little heartier than tomato soup. In the mornings, I've been having oatmeal and a protein shake. Last night, I had scallops and salmon in really small pieces. Chewing feels awkward. Not sure if that applies to everyone or if it's because I have turbos on my bottom back teeth.

But each day is getting easier - yay!

[marzdncr]

Awesome!
Scallops sound so good right now.
I'm still on soup and "jellie" like substances, my teeth still feel super painful when I bite down, so I'm just gonna take my time.. However I did eat mashed potatoes with a hell of a lot more ease yesterday, so I can tell things are moving in a better direction.
What I also caved into was using more wax. It seems like the wire is coming out of the hook and poking me in the cheek, its super sharp, but again a good sign that all is moving in the right direction.

I was putting make-up on this morning and noticed that I actually like seeing the braces. I'm not sure if I look better because my spaces are sort of masked by the clear brackets or what??? I have always had a thing for people with braces :-) so maybe that's why I like them on myself? Very funny experience.

I take bread making class next week that has been scheduled longer than my first ortho appointment, so all I am asking is that my teeth are comfortable enough to chew when it comes time to tasting in class next Wednesday. Fingers crossed!

[JulieFL]

I am using wax like crazy! I wish I'd known to ask for more the day I got them on. Next time I'm going to load up! I hear it won't need it so much once I'm used to them. But, it's more the hooks, buttons and springs than the brackets that bother me.

[blackapple]

Oh do I remember those days of asking why did I do this. I was tempted to drive back right after braces placement and ask them to remove them. It will get better! The first few weeks
are the worst. Several months in I don't even notice the braces.

[Crazy4Snow]

I'm nearing 2 months now and am still on soft food, unable to chew at all because #1 my teeth don't touch in the back and #2 they're still too sore to comfortably chew. So I usually just move the soft foods around in the roof of my mouth for a while and then swallow. Sucks.

[marzdncr]

Audrey I am so sorry! That is my biggest fear! However I think things are getting better on my end, the healing process is just moving very slow. I ate ravioli and scrambled eggs yesterday so I had something in my tummy in order to take pain meds... That wasn't fun, but I was able to chew more than ever before.

In all honesty, I think I'm a pretty tough cookie, but I did NOT think it was going to be this hard! I'm not looking forward to adjustments either....

I took a look at your blog and wow! Just seven weeks and your teeth look great! I know it's only been a few days for me, but I think I may be seeing change too... I go back and forth, like "Am I seeing it or is it just in my head?" Hard to tell with all of the brace gear blocking my view of my teeth!

Seeing your progress is def putting a smile on my face! Thank you!

[Twinks]

I'm nearing 2 months now and am still on soft food, unable to chew at all because #1 my teeth don't touch in the back

@Crazy4Snow that sounds like me! I've become the slowest eater and feel like my tongue does all the 'chewing'. So many times I've nearly felt like I was going to choke because I couldn't chew a piece of something. I'm only at the 3 week mark, but I hope it gets better soon.

[Jannie]

I can't tell you all how much I appreciate reading these posts. I feel like I could have written each one. I got mine on June 1, almost one month after my 43rd birthday. I am slowly adjusting, but it has been difficult. I'm kind of glad I didn't know how difficult it was going to be or I may have chickened out!

Can someone tell me what spacers are for? I don't have them.

[marzdncr]

I agree. It has now been three weeks (since my initial "2 days in braces" posting) and I am able to eat almost anything. Some items are just a pain in the rear of course. But at least I am not hungry!!! Everyone's messages about how it gets easier are certainly true. Time is going by so fast and it felt so long ago that I was in a lot of pain.. More than I thought they would be, and my questioning why at the time is now, thank goodness the hard part is over. If you would have asked me if I would do it again one week in I would have replied "hell no". But now, yes, I am actually looking forward to seeing my new smile even if its like 20 months away.

My new issue is slobbering all over the place like a mad dog! So embarrassing! And I am now clenching my teeth at night when I sleep. I wake up in the morning and not only am I soaked in my spit (nice visual) but I have to put in effort to unclench my teeth. Very strange. I don't know if that's a good thing or just going through the motions.

I have spacers, and honestly I don't know what they are for either?

[Jensniffer]

Funny I am also three weeks in and I have woke up the last few mornings and have been clenching my jaw at night too! I just put it off as some added stress this week but now I wonder...

[marzdncr]

You know I'm a pretty stressful person by nature (I tend to worry about things that are no big deal) sucks, but true.. However I have never clenched my teeth like that before in my life, so I know that for me this is most likely related to perhaps my bite changing? Ironically I'm relatively relaxed this week (maybe my bf being out of town has something to do with it? (wink*)).

It's a very strange experience and kind of scary at first, but I'm not worried. I feel like my mouth is constantly changing rather quickly, not so my my teeth because I don't notice too much of a difference quite yet in that department. But in the way I eat, drink, bite.. Every day it seems a different part of my braces is lighting snagging at a different part of my mouth.

I know its only been three weeks, but every time I look in the mirror, I'm like asking my parent on a road trip "are we there yet?".. The answer is no. ha! But the change in my bite and the teeth clenching has to mean something? Right?

[Jannie]

[quote="marzdncr"]You know I'm a pretty stressful person by nature (I tend to worry about things that are no big deal) sucks, but true.. However I have never clenched my teeth like that before in my life, so I know that for me this is most likely related to perhaps my bite changing? Ironically I'm relatively relaxed this week (maybe my bf being out of town has something to do with it? (wink*)).

It's a very strange experience and kind of scary at first, but I'm not worried. I feel like my mouth is constantly changing rather quickly, not so my my teeth because I don't notice too much of a difference quite yet in that department. But in the way I eat, drink, bite.. Every day it seems a different part of my braces is lighting snagging at a different part of my mouth.

I know its only been three weeks, but every time I look in the mirror, I'm like asking my parent on a road trip "are we there yet?".. The answer is no. ha! But the change in my bite and the teeth clenching has to mean something? Right?[/quote]

I am also clenching my teeth at night. I have been told that I used to grind my teeth at night, though I would never had known it. I didn't have TMJ symptoms or anything. Anyway, I am cognizant of clenching because I've woken myself up over it. :)

I also am free of wax lately. I still may need to use some now and then when I get a new snag. It's nice to see that these new snags are due to movement.

I am a therapist and while I am listening a lot, I am also talking. I hope that as the rubber bands go on and bigger wires are used, I don't begin spitting all over my patients!