Joney - update 29 June 08 - top brace off

Message

#16 Post by **joney** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:44 pm

Thanks for the good wishes, day one, 12 hours later, so far so good.

swiss1, go luck to you with the extractions, it is over so quickly you hardly even notice, quite scary how quickly a dentist can get those teeth out!

lionfish, I may have managed the toast, and my dinner, but it was in tiny mouthfuls!

Metamorphosis, my problem bottom extraction site is feeling a lot better now. Glad to hear you're doing well too.

antsika, I checked out your story, you're right there are similarities in our top arches. I hope I can emulate your progress.

Regards
Joney

#17 Post by **xtrememkovr** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 3:44 pm

Glad that it went well for you. Don't worry - you'll probably have really pretty braces in a few weeks or so. I was initially going to get silver ligs - but at the last moment changed my mind and went with pink.

I can't wait to try more colors - I figure I gotta have my fun with this adventure somehow!!

that was great advice about the wires and running your tongue over them before you leave. I'll have to remember that for my next adjustment. Also - as KK and others suggest - salt water does SO much good!!! The other thing that I do along with the salt water rinses is use my waterpik (on low, of course) to massage my gums with. I put nice warm water in it - and just move it over my teeth. It's really quite wonderful - gets the blood moving - massages the achies right out and cleans under my gum line a bit, too.

Good luck in the next few weeks. Be good to yourself.

X. (Kari)

#18 Post by **newmetal** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:42 pm

Congratulations mate.Bet your glad they are on now.

Newmetal

#19 Post by **florencegal** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:54 pm

Congrats joney on getting braced!!

I'm so glad it all went well for you, especially as you had a bit of trouble with the extractions - I hope that pesky extraction site is settling down now and the pain subsiding. It sounds like you're coping really well and this is a great sign for things to come over the next weeks, months and years. And it sounds like your hubby is being very appreciative of the new pouty you - that sure helps make a girl smile through the tough times!

How nice that your whole family is behind you on this, that must mean an awful lot and I'm sure you'll have lots of brace-related giggles with your girls. Well done on managing a good meal after your appointment - I'm having some issues with eating, mainly not knowing where the heck to chew! What with brackets, multiple wires and extraction gaps, there's nowhere left to turn...

Are you finding your bottom arch more comfortable than the top as it doesn't go all the way back? I'm only bracketed to my front molars (leaving out the back molars and wisdom teeth) and am very grateful for this, that I don't have wires right at the back up against my cheek. Looking forward to seeing some pics of the Damons when you can post them!

Best of wishes

x

#20 Post by **joney** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:49 am

Hi folks

Thanks for all the encouragement. Day 3 now, I think the novelty and excitement is wearing off a bit and reality is hitting that I am in this for 18 months to 2 years. I was so tired last night that I slept for 12 hours and I woke up with a headache. I think I must have displaced pain as my teeth don't hurt but I have a new sort of headache around my temples. Took some ibuprofen which seems to have helped. Normally I don't like to take tablets but hopefully it will only be for a few days.

My girls are a great help but they view the whole brace thing as a bit boring and just tell me to get on with it and ignore them as much as possible and eat whatever I like which is probably good advice. Thank goodness for archwired.

I am trying to be positive and tell myself that this will be a really good thing. It seems that people like me with extremely crooked teeth seem to get a lot of movement in the first few months so I am looking forward to a hopefully good result in a few months time.

I had a dream last night that I looked in my mouth and saw new lovely teeth growing before my eyes. How odd but how great if they just popped up straight in a matter of minutes!

Florencegal - My bottom arch is more comfy as the wire doesn't go all the way to the back but I have some wax on my canines which protrude more towards the front. The bottom extraction gap is also a lot better. Thanks for asking.

One thing I don't like about the damons is that they have no ligs and I think it would be fun to play with having different colours.

I have also learned that you can eat without using many teeth, my back left molars seem to be doing most of the work for me now as I am avoiding the right where the extraction gaps are. I am also chopping up things. I've never had two square of chocholate last me half an hour before!

Off to work tomorrow, it should be interesting to see how people respond. Some of my colleagues know I am getting a brace and have already, in a nice jokey way, renamed me braceface. I have 3 brothers which has toughened me to teasing so I don't mind. My boss has been supportive of the decision and he had braces himself as a teenager.

Regards
Joney

#21 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:53 pm

Don't you just love the sympathy you get from family? Ha ha!!

Glad to hear you're tucking into chocolate. I used to stick squares on the roof of my mouth and let them dissolve.....heaven.

#22 Post by **joney** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:40 pm

One week in now. I am getting used to my brace. I had a wonderful moment last night, I found I could chew on my right side and bite together without tenderness, it was like Christmas morning for me I was so happy. The left side is still a bit tender to chew with.

I can't bite anything with my front teeth. I wonder if this will be the case for my whole brace journey?

No real pain to speak of, just a tightness which is not too bad, and I have to say that even that has improved over this week.

I've been checking my teeth to see if I can spot any movement, it's really difficult to see, I suppose I will have to be patient. My wires have moved more towards the back so I am taking this as a sign that there has been some movement, I hope so. Still waxing at this stage. I find the taking the wax on / off for brushing a bit inconvenient and look forward to the day when I won't need it but in the meantime I want to be comfortable.

All in all I would say that my first week has been good. If the rest of my brace experience continues in this way I will be very happy.

Some people have asked me about my brace and I am quite happy to discuss it, usually they either have had braces themselves or have considered them, however most people just do a bit of a double take and say nothing. I've tried smiling with my mouth closed but it is just so unnatural for me so I will continue to smile and show my brace, it just feels right for me as I've never hidden my oh so crooked teeth.

#23 Post by **florencegal** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 5:50 am

Great to hear how well you're doing Joney! I agree it will be interesting to see how we both get on, considering we both had extractions and got braced on the same day. I know every single case is different but it's good to have something to compare! And how wonderful you've noticed changes already

- that extra wire must mean something! I sure am glad I'm not bracketed right to the back as I'm sure that's where a lot of discomfort must happen. Are you noticing any changes in your extraction gaps?

Like KK I've soon learned to leave all the chewing work to my molars and wisdom teeth (seeing as they've caused my overcrowding I figure they have to repay me in some way

) - this means I avoid poking food in the extraction gaps as much as possible and keep it away from the brackets at the front. No embarrassing "spinach in the grill" scenarios yet, miraculously!

Keep using the wax if it keeps you comfortable - I used it for the first few days on a couple of bottom brackets but then one day forgot to carry on and haven't noticed any rubbing since. I did find it a pain to stick on though - do you find it tricky to get it to stick?

Keep on smiling wide - you should be proud to show of what you're achieving here!

x

#24 Post by **joney** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:04 pm

Thanks for the good wishes guys, it's good to hear them.

Florencegal I am only braced right to the back on my top teeth and apart from it being tricky to clean it doesn't really bother me too much. The teeth that are rubbing the most are my very prominent lower canines as they really protrude a lot towards my lower lip and also I have a spring on one of them. I have managed to go from waxing 4 sites down to 2 so I think my mouth must be toughening up. I was told to dry the area before applying wax but it is difficult to dry right at the back of your mouth, I find that quickly moistening the wax after application seem to help fix it although it can be a bit hit and miss.

I haven't really noticed any difference in my extraction gaps but then my ortho isn't tackling them as yet. They do seem huge to me though and I am wondering how they will every close. I know this is not logical as I know friends of my kids who've had extractions, and some adults, and they don't have gaps now.

I must say that as each day passes I am getting more comfortable with the braces. I will also keep on smiling in my normal way. The most difficult thing for me is to learn patience, I don't want to be wishing my life away but I look forward to improvement.

Regards to all
Joney

#25 Post by **antsika** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:56 pm

Hi Joney, I am glad you are doing well!

I had to use wax for the first 3 weeks, it was really unconvenient to take them out before each eating and brushing, I was also a little bit tired of it, and it was a relief to not need them anymore, I hope it will happen for you soon!

I also cannot bite into anything with my front teeth, I cut up everything, even if it seems strange, e.g. a hamburger

My upper extractions have started to close quickly but after a point they have stopped and now for a few weeks I don't see any changes, but they will close sometime so I don't worry about it. My lower extraction doesn't seem to close too much.

It is great your first week have passed, things will only get better! I am sure there is already movement, and you will see it soon!

#26 Post by **joney** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:39 pm

Time for a one month update. I am very excited by the movement that I have seen. My top canines have moved into place although looking at the top right canine I can see that it may have to be filed down. I have a vague recollection of the dentist filing my left canine when I had some dental work as a teenager. The top right canine will have to be moved back however as there is an extraction gap behind it so itâ€™s still a game of wait and see. My top right central incisor has also moved down a lot and straightened. It is difficult for me to be entirely sure but it seems that the left of centre incisor which needs to be rotated has indeed rotated a bit with just the wire.

My bottom arch needs a lot more work and there is movement there but itâ€™s not so dramatic. I am on the smallest wire (a number 13) and I have a feeling that to get more movement here I will have to be moved up, maybe a sledgehammer might help!

Getting used to the brace hasnâ€™t been too bad. I quite enjoy giving it a really good clean at night and for the first time in my life I am now able to floss between all my teeth. Eating is fine too but I have to either tear things up or cut them small. I havenâ€™t really had pain, just a tight feeling at first which has really eased up. It is a bit disconcerting now to feel that some teeth actually feel loose but that is the idea I suppose.

The only problems I have had have been dental rather than ortho in nature. I wonâ€™t go into too much detail but I have had one too many trips to my dentists recently and am going to look for a new dentist before my first adjustment in January.

The all important photos

1. My smile, I love this photo even though my smile still leaves a lot to be desired but I can really see a big improvement. Left is my original right is now 12th Dec. A friend of mine pointed out to me that I always smile and tip my head to one side, you know she is so right, which explains why my smile seems sideways.

2. My upper arch, it actually looks as though an arch is forming â€“ hooray. You can see my right side extraction gap which will need to be closed.

(I'm not sure why I can't reduce that original arch pic on photobucket, hope nobody gets angry with me, this is hard work!)

I will post photos of my bottom arch another time. I canâ€™t seem to take a good photo and it still seems to higgledy piggledy anyway at the moment anyway. I canâ€™t wait to have a normalish bottom arch.

I tried giving up smoking but unfortunately too much stress at the moment.

However I have cut down an awful lot and I cover my front teeth with my lips now when I inhale, only kidding myself I know but I will try again soon.

Good luck to everybody, and to anybody thinking of getting a brace I would say go for it. I am so happy I have started this.

Regards
Joney

#27 Post by **Metamorphosis** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:51 pm

WOW Joney! I am so envious! Your arch is looking fab. I've had my braces on for 2 months now and I dont see much of a change at all (and I've taken pictures and compared!) but, you - WOW! congrats!

good luck with quitting smoking - keep trying, try all the different methods, eventually you'll find what works, i'm sure of it

#28 Post by **joney** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:05 pm

Thanks Metamorphosis, I am really pleased. Because my teeth are so crooked I hoped I would see some dramatic changes early on and the ortho promised I would and I have to say that I haven't been disappointed. Also I have had minimal discomfort, as you know the extractions were worse for both of us.

I'm sure your arches have changed. Sometimes it is hard to spot as camera angles are never going to be exactly the same. I'm just so happy that I can floss now, I never could before and I think this shows the movement more than anything.

Regards
Joney

#29 Post by **Brace Face** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:17 pm

That's an amazing difference already!

Awesome!

#30 Post by **joney** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:42 am

Hi Linda21, bracedagain, Meraten and Brace Face, thanks for the compliments. It feels so good to see some progress, hope it continues in this way. After behaving in such a crooked way for my 42 years I now think my teeth owe me bigtime and should co-operate, they seem to be listening. Perhaps they got a fright when they overheard the dentist saying that I could lose some if I didn't get them straightened. (I'm being silly here.)

Regards
Joney