23 just got braces

[jojali]

Hey everyone, just a quick intro for the purpose of making a post

Names John. Just got my braces fitted 3days ago. Im on the suresmile thing, which means it should all be over quicker 15-18mnths ive been told.

My teeth are massively overcrowded which is why I needed them. So far they're a real pain chewing is near impossible as my rear top teeth hit the lower teeth brackets. The ortho said i just have to try and deal wih it until thy straighten out enough for it to stop Luckily on holiday atm, so brushing after every meal isnt an issue yet, not lookin forward to going back to work.

Anyway, just thought I'd say hi happy to have found this site, makes me feel a bit better

[sammywantstraightteeth]

Hi John, welcome to the club.

It's amazing what you can get used to and soon enough you'll start to forget you even have braces.

Brushing after every meal is annoying, and as I have breakfast and lunch at work, doubly annoying for me. You just find it slipping into your normal routine after a while though and now I just accept that part of my free time before work and at lunch time has to be dedicated to my teeth.

Feels like I've always had braces. I can't remember what it was like to just eat something without wondering where and when I could brush my teeth.

[rhomboid]

Welcome to the club, glad to have you.

[jojali]

Thanks. Argh i hope it gets better. Has been 3 full days now, lips keep drying out, getting them blister things on the inside of my mouth, and cant eat anything that needs chewing because of the back brackets, living off soup, yogurt, pasta. Sucks so bad. Why did I do this to myself! End result, end result, just got to keep looking to when its over

[jojali]

Almost 5 days now. Surprising how much better it's gotten in just the last couple days. Can kind of chew stuff now, slowly and carefully. Still too painful on the front teeth to bite anything. Am noticing the braces less and less throughout the day, until i eat or drink. Almost at the one week mark, hopin what people say about eventually not noticeing them at all is true

[Sandpiper]

Hi John,

Welcome to the club! In my first week I could think of nothing but my teeth, but it does get better. I can sympathise with the dry lips - remember it well, and the various sores. I'm only 2 months in, and have all but forgotten I have them. I was very self-conscious at first, not smiling much and trying to hide them, but now I just don't care! Look forward to hearing how you get on.....good luck!

[jojali]

Thanks for the welcome sandpiper. Im the same atm, really trying not to smile, which is hard because I laugh so easily :p Also dislike wakeing in the morning with a dry mouth, the brackets seem to snag the inside of my cheeks until I can get some water

Back to the ortho tomorrow, had one of my front lower brackets just randomly come loose today. Wasn't even biteing anything, which is annoying. Earliest they could get me in was tomorrow morning to get it fixed.

Started more solid foods. Managed a burger yesterday, somewhat painfully, but got there :p

Flossing is getting harder, it feels like my teeth are getting closer together and can't get the floss between them. Also, really painful!

Just thought I'd drop by again. 1 week down, minimum 59 to go :O

[jojali]

Bracket fixed. Ortho said because my teeth are so out of line, there is alot of force on the brackets, especially the front ones. Which is why it just popped off for no reason. And apparently I can expect it to keep happening until my teeth start to align themselves

And might post some 'before' shots later Once I figure out how to get them on the computer :p

[jojali]

First big night on the piss last night since braces. Absolute worst wakeing up this morning with the driest of dry mouth, all the brackets snagging inside

[jojali]

Well it's been a while :p so thought I'd drop by with an update.....well 15-18months was not on the cards... still wired up and with springs and elastics added into the mix.

Just over 12months in my teeth were straighter then ever, no more overcrowding and looking ok. But my bite was not closing... having the option of jaw surgery or extractions, I ended up having all my 4's pulled, one side one week, the other the next, how fun
1 week after my extractions my wires were replaced and springs added to all four sides to start pulling the teeth together and closing the gaps from the extractions. Another painful and cleaning nightmare addition to the metal factory.
A few months on and many trips to the ortho later, for wire trimmings. The gaps are all but closed and I have a solid bite, for the first time ever I can bite stuff off instead of tear it or useing the side of my mouth
But in closing the bite my lower teeth began slightly
to protrude past my uppers, and the oh so joyous elastics were added into the mix to pull my
lower jaw back.
It's been a few weeks and the elastics, whilst still a nusance, have been easy enough to get used to. With none flinging out at anyone yet, the only reason i notice them is the added ime to remove and replace them before and after meals and brushing.
first set of Suresmile wires are in, but will not proceed any further untill the gaps are fully closed up.

So that's my little update for now ...hopefully one day I'll get around to posting some photos, and try and get another update in when i get my release date :p Though I've got so used to having them there, have forgotten what it's like not to have them :/

[jojali]

Here are a couple pics...
Before:

1180.JPG

Current:

1179.JPG

Shudder that they were that bad :/

[keramik22]

Im 22 and wearing spacers atm. My brace day is the 19th this month, it was really good to read through your story! My top teeth are over crowded, the orthobhad to drill a gap between my teeth just to fit the elastics in :-\
She slipped with the pliers trying to force it in a first and now I have a cut and swollen cheek! Hopefully they do their job, but atm they just feel like they are pushing my crowded teeth even closer together :'(
Cant wait for my braces to be on and start working!

[jojali]

ouch! it is great to see them doing te job, it's a pain but all worth it in the end

went back to the ortho yesterday and got the springs removed, the gaps from my extractions are fully closed

then the bad news....

lacebacks on my molars, then another across the front six top teeth, with a new thing called a torque spring or something, it's meant to spin my top front teeth out forwards, very painful! ...ontop of that I have triangle elastics for the day and introduced zig-zag elastics for night :/ like having my jaw wired shut, sucks bad. Nurofen is being taken by the bucketload :p And because of the torque thingys next follow up is only 4 weeks away as they will work very fast and he doesnt want to overshoot and have to correct in the reverse :/

more photos when I can.... didnt realise I posted that last one upside down :p lol, will fix that too.

until next update

[jojali]

20 months in, ortho said next wire (fitting in 3ish weeks) should be my last

teeth now.jpg

elastics and talk springs have really helped close my bite