Six Month Smile Brace Just Fitted

[naomithompson]

I just had my Six Month Smile brace fitted today and was wondering if anyone has any tips/advice/motivational words they can give me?! I've always been unhappy with my teeth but I'm getting married next year and finally found the courage to do something about it....and hopefully not look goofy in my wedding pics. Will post some pics soon so if anyones interested can see before and after....

I found the process of having it fitted better than I expected...minimum discomfort, pretty fast etc....but.... I have say I was a bit depressed when I got home and tried to eat and found I couldnt due to having the bite guards - my teeth dont meet....and cant chew. Where the bite guards hit my bottom teeth at the front I thought I may be able to chew using those but its very uncomfortable to the point of painful! But on the whole mouth and teeth feel sensitive and tender which I guess is to be expected so maybe this will get better as I get used to it. No-one told me about this bit?

On the plus side... I'm a smoker and although my teeth are fairly white there was a thin brown line/stain (may be coffee or red wine or a combination of all of those!) between one of my front teeth and the next one (they are overcrowded) and now I have had a little bit of tooth removed during fitting (i forget what the technical name is!) and the brace fitted, I can see that brown line has moved over...and now clearly visible rather than being at the join of the two teeth...so even having that done and the brace fitted has kicked off some movement.. (sounds disgusting but that little brown line has given me hope!)

Would love to hear from anyone having the same thing or going through the process... my main issue is - I am STARVING! Not sure how I can live on soup for six months...but at least it might help the wedding diet! Thank god you dont have to chew booze.... thats whats helping me through tonight!

[Realizingadream]

Thank god you dont have to chew booze.... thats whats helping me through tonight!

NOW STOP that, you (the alcohol) heheheh! My husband made me some mushroom soup (that stuff from the red can) and added a LOT of real mushroom pieces. YUM.

My teeth have moved all over the place. I find it entertaining how much they move--they get my hopes all up, and then they move BACK.

At the end, I'm going to ask my orthodontist to make me some trays to do some heavy duty whitening.

Real

[Toasty79]

I also have Six Month Smiles and bite guards, and can totally relate to how you're feeling. That's exactly how it was for me when I first got them put on. But don't worry, the discomfort does pass, and you WILL learn to eat with the bite guards. I remember how impossible it seemed. I imagined having to live on soup and mashed potato for 9 months! But it WILL pass

I am 5 months in now and I eat pretty much anything, although steak defeats me unless it is fillet, veggies have to be well steamed and not crunchy, and I can't bite into anything with my front teeth so I just have to cut everything up before it goes in my mouth.

You'll be OK, honest

[beckybrucelee]

I had mine fitted on the 22nd November - I've got a blog explaining my experience so far - with pictures. Got a couple survival tips in there too. Good luck!
http://my6monthsmiles.wordpress.
com

[HB1]

Am getting my six month smile fitted on Fri! Very nervous! Did smoking stain the elastics?

[beckybrucelee]

Hi sorry I wouldn't be able to say as I don't smoke but even with my diet (no tea, coffee, smoking, red wine etc) they still stain a bit but you are allowed to ask the orthodontist to change the bands every 2 weeks or whenever they can fit you in if you want to as you are paying for them after all!

[Nat22]

[quote="Toasty79"]I also have Six Month Smiles and bite guards, and can totally relate to how you're feeling. That's exactly how it was for me when I first got them put on. But don't worry, the discomfort does pass, and you WILL learn to eat with the bite guards. I remember how impossible it seemed. I imagined having to live on soup and mashed potato for 9 months! But it WILL pass :-*

I am 5 months in now and I eat pretty much anything, although steak defeats me unless it is fillet, veggies have to be well steamed and not crunchy, and I can't bite into anything with my front teeth so I just have to cut everything up before it goes in my mouth.

You'll be OK, honest :thumbsup:[/quote]

Hi , I've just had a six month smiles brace fitted with bite guards too - how long roughly did it take you to be able to eat with the bite guards? I can't chew anything and am struggling to see how i'll ever adapt, it just doesn't seem possible!

[safetysquirrel]

Hey!

I'm not doing 6 month smiles, I'm in Damon ceramics for my top arch and Damon metal for my bottom arch, and I have those pesky bite blocks on my back molars. It took me about a week and a half before I really got brave enough and Mt teeth could handle trying to chew. It's still hard, but you'll figure out how to use three bite blocks to chew.

Best of luck to you!

[Nat22]

[quote="safetysquirrel"]Hey!

I'm not doing 6 month smiles, I'm in Damon ceramics for my top arch and Damon metal for my bottom arch, and I have those pesky bite blocks on my back molars. It took me about a week and a half before I really got brave enough and Mt teeth could handle trying to chew. It's still hard, but you'll figure out how to use three bite blocks to chew.

Best of luck to you![/quote]

Thanks! I hope I do manage to chew soon as i'm getting really bored of eating slop lol

[Nat22]

[quote="beckybrucelee"]I had mine fitted on the 22nd November - I've got a blog explaining my experience so far - with pictures. Got a couple survival tips in there too. Good luck!
http://my6monthsmiles.wordpress.
com[/quote]

Your blog has helped me no end - thanks :)

[Paige]

Oh no, really you can't eat crunchy vegetables? Is this the case for most people with braces or something to do with the 6 months smile? I need my crunchy vegetables!

[paulas1]

I'm day 8 into my 6 month smile and have avoided all coloured stuff. God i'd love a glass of red wine. Will the brackets themselves change colour or just the elastics?

[safetysquirrel]

I have clear brackets and they haven't stained. I've even drank red wine from reading other people's stories on here, it sounds like the o-rings may stain though

[isthistaken]

Crunchy vegetables are out. I've had traditional metal braces for six weeks and the hardest thing I've been able to "eat" is pancakes.

[peppy]

I'm day 8 into my 6 month smile and have avoided all coloured stuff. God i'd love a glass of red wine. Will the brackets themselves change colour or just the elastics?

The only thing that stain with 6MS are the elastic bands that go around the brackets. I can confirm that they do, indeed, stain quite easily. Just avoid curry/red wine and brush religiously after eating!