Hello from a braces newbie!

Message

#1 Post by **alicialouane** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:56 am

Hello everyone!

I'm a 25-year old from Boston, and this is my first time in braces (my family couldn't afford them when I was a child). I am being braced on Wednesday (6.20.07) and wanted to say hello before my b-day! I've had spacers in since Wednesday (6.13.07) and am finally getting used to them- of course, they come out in two days. Go figure. I'm getting braced to correct crowding which, as the orthodontist put it, happened because my mouth is too small all those teeth.

I've been reading this forum for a few weeks and I have to say, it has been very helpful. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and expertise and for giving me inspiration to start my own journey.

Wish me luck on Wednesday!

#2 Post by **mindykatz** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:54 pm

Good luck tomorrow on your Braces-Day! I have the same problem as you - my mouth is too small for all my teeth, so I have a lot of crowding too.

Welcome to the forum - you'll have tons of fun reading and posting here!

#3 Post by **MissDiana** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:56 am

Today's the day! I hope it went really well! Congratulations and welcome!

#4 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:24 am

Where are you???? Hope things went well! Luck your mouth is small and can be expanded, my teeth are just too big and I had to have some extracted. SO i'm sure the expander wasn't so bad.

#5 Post by **jamie315** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:19 pm

Hey Alicia,
I hope everything went well today, not to much discomfort I hope. This is the beginning of a great journey, I remember my first day being braced, I was so upset, now here I am 10 months later, im sure it will go just as fast for you. Goodluck and keep posting, remember your wax and warm salt water rinses at night(a tip from KK), they help alot. Again, goodluck.

#6 Post by **TracyFace** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:45 pm

Alicia, we're brace twins!! Today was my b-day too.

Hope everything went well for you!

#7 Post by **alicialouane** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 7:58 am

Thanks everyone for the positive words!

It's been 2 days now since I got banded (upper and lower in metal brackets with silver ligatures- I am a true "metal mouth! hehe). The only issue I've been having so far is that my molar bands have hooks on the inside (which, I've been told, are for elastics, which I wasn't told I would need, but who knows), and they are scarping my tongue whenever I talk, eat, or swallow- ick! I've been using wax during the day to make it easier to deal with, but have been keeping them wax-free at night to "toughen up" my mouth. And I've been doing the salt rinses (which I read about here before my B-Day) too, which help. My cheeks, the inside of my lips, etc. are fine so far- fingers crossed that it stays that way!

Still can't chew much of anything though.

Nevertheless, I am excited to see how things progress! I am having my premolars extracted in three weeks to make room for everything else- I've never had a tooth pulled, so it should be interesting. Wish me luck!

- Alicia

#8 Post by **wwdia** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:23 am

Hi Alicia
If it's available for you get the laughing gas (when you get the extractions)
Thats what I did and it worked wonders. Good luck
Diane

#9 Post by **cmm1280** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:13 am

Hi Alicia,
I have the cleats too on my bands on the inside upper molars. No fun at first, but you get used to them pretty quickly. Also, as your teeth move, you won't even notice them! Best of luck to you and welcome to the club!