I'm free!!! Braces are off!

[hypocrite opportunist]

Went through the removal process this morning- some of it was a bit painful, but overall it wasn't too bad. I was shocked when I saw my teeth- it's as if they had taken someone else's teeth and inserted them in my mouth! It really weirds me out every time I look in the mirror, but I love them and I am so happy I did this. Here are some before and after photos:

Week One


Today

[auco99]

Went through the removal process this morning- some of it was a bit painful, but overall it wasn't too bad. I was shocked when I saw my teeth- it's as if they had taken someone else's teeth and inserted them in my mouth! It really weirds me out every time I look in the mirror, but I love them and I am so happy I did this. Here are some before and after photos:

Week One


Today

Wow, they look great! Congrats! I cannot wait until it's my turn to write this post.

[kellyb]

Amazing result! Congrats

[tmroy79]

Wow! Happy Debrace day!!!!!

[AM21]

Beautiful Smile! Congrats!!

[hypocrite opportunist]

Thanks so much everyone! The last 18 months would have been ten times harder if I hadn't found this message board and all the support here.

[Jahs2015]

Congratulations! Your smile looks great!

[catgyrl]

Beautiful! Just beautiful! Your smile reminds me of Scarlett Johansen's. She's gorgeous...

May I ask if your ortho left you with a very small bit of an overjet (like, 1mm or so)? I ask because I'm supposed to be debraced soon, and while my overjet isn't noticeable head-on, it is when I tilt my head back. I almost don't care about it anymore, and would choose debracing over 6 more months of braces, if he said he may not be able to fix it.

Was the painful part the removal of the brackets, or the sanding off of the bonding material?

CONGRATS!!!

[hypocrite opportunist]

Your smile reminds me of Scarlett Johansen's.

This made me laugh, because people have told me for years, even strangers, that I look like her! It's so funny that you made the same comparison with only seeing my mouth!

May I ask if your ortho left you with a very small bit of an overjet (like, 1mm or so)?

I just went and looked at my teeth again, and I would say I have a very slight overjet. My right front tooth actually sticks out a bit more that the left (they aren't "perfect"), but it didn't bother me enough to keep wearing the braces. No one can, or ever will, notice it except me. However, celebrity perfection was never my goal to begin with, so it just depends what you want out of your braces. I actually like a little overjet, because my two front teeth were tilted pretty far backwards when I started, and now they are so dang prominent in my mouth I think it looks cool!

Was the painful part the removal of the brackets, or the sanding off of the bonding material?

There were probably 4-5 brackets that were REALLY stuck on there good and she had to apply so much pressure to remove them it hurt. Also, I have very sensitive teeth, and when she was sanding off the cement, the assistant was blowing cold air on each tooth and that was very painful for me.

[catgyrl]

LOL! I'm always hesitant to comment that someone resembles a certain celebrity because sometimes they don't find them as attractive as I do. But Scarlett is gorgeous!

You've made me feel so much better now! I, too, have the same issue with my front-right tooth sticking out slightly farther than my left one. (It always has, and now that I think about it, I think it's a family trait. I have siblings and even a nephew with the same teeth.) I've been debating on whether it's worth keeping the braces on longer to try to "fix it", or to just accept that really... Only me and my orthodontist notice it (with my head tilted back). Heck, people claim they never even noticed my bucky teeth to begin with. I also think a bit of an overjet is kinda cute.

I'm sure I will have the same issue with sensitive teeth during debracing, but at that point... I won't give a hoot!

Thank you so much for putting my mind at ease. Enjoy your time in "Retainer-ville"!

[hypocrite opportunist]

I was just chatting with a friend of mine this morning that also happened to have braces removed last month, and she pointed out that one of her incisors sticks out more than her other teeth- I couldn't notice at all. We are our own worst critics, and I think it helps to put things in perspective sometimes by asking other people. I asked a few friends and my boyfriend if they noticed my front tooth when I smiled, and they all said NO. That was good enough for me! And I definitely do not regret having them removed when I did.

Good luck with the removal process, you'll do great. I can't wait to see your final pictures!! Maybe have a ocean before hand to loosen up. hahaha

[hypocrite opportunist]

An "ocean" hahaha I love the censor on here.

[Sita]

Beautiful smile! Congratulations to you.

[Ellebraced]

GORGEOUS smile!!!!

Congrats. You must be sooooooo happy.

Enjoy I can't wait to be brace free too !!

And yes this website is the best, makes this process a whole lot easier.

[hypocrite opportunist]

Enjoy I can't wait to be brace free too !!

Ellebraced, you're getting close!! Wear those elastics non-stop. I used to change mine 4-5 times a day to keep the pressure on the teeth, and I swear it made a difference.