Sistermadly's Ortho-Dontcha Diary

Message

#1 Post by **Sistermadly** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:31 pm

I thought I'd start by summarizing my story thus far. The skinny:

I'm a 38-year old woman in Vancouver, Canada who is wearing braces for the first time. I'm married, no kids, and I have a professional degree (though I work in a very casual environment). I'm primarily getting braces for cosmetic reasons, but if I didn't get them, my crossbite would only get worse over time.

I'm correcting a crossbite, open bite, closing some spaces, and straightening my midline. There's probably a hyrax appliance in my future to expand my top palate so that my lower teeth can tuck under my tops; if that doesn't work, then surgery's a possibility.

I've been braced since July 25, and I've just had my first adjustment today.

One of the most embarrassing things to happen to me since I got braces happened just last week. I was eating a grilled chicken salad for lunch, and not being as careful about eating as I normally am. I'm missing a premolar on the bottom right side, so the archwire spans an empty space. I picked up a piece of chicken that was apparently a little too large, because I managed to disengage the archwire from the rear bracket. I couldn't believe I broke my braces on a piece of chicken. The only way it would've been any more embarrassing would be if it happened while I wa eating watermelon!

Best thing to happen since getting braces - finding out that yes, it is impossible to kiss someone senseless over several hours after only three days in braces. Woo-hoo!

I've just had my first adjustment today. I had two springs put on (upper left and lower right) to hold open the empty spaces where implants will be put in after my ortho treatment is over. I also went with metallic blue ligatures in honor of my upcoming September birthday (I'm a Virgo, and my gemstone is sapphire. The metallic blue ligs were as close to sapphire as I could get.)

That's all for today!

#2 Post by **Sistermadly** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:42 pm

I thought I'd share a picture of me from the first day the braces went on:

And this is what I look like when I smile - you can barely tell I'm wearing them at all:

#3 Post by **MommaDucky** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:34 pm

Welcome, Sistermadly! I love your photos - you look great! You really can't even see your braces when you smile - that's always a plus. Did you get any idea as to how long you need to wear braces? It looks like the corrections that need to be made are minor, but what do I know?

How have the first few weeks been for ya? Your smile is beautiful already - I bet you can't wait to see what it looks like when all is said and done.

#4 Post by **Sistermadly** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:38 pm

Hi MommaDucky- it looks as if I'll be in braces for at least the next 24-36 months. My ortho doesn't want to pin down a more accurate time than that because she doesn't want to set an unrealistic expectation. Of course I'm hoping it's closer to 24 months instead of 36.

#5 Post by **cwatt1** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:49 pm

Hi Sistermadly!,

You're so right -- it's hard to even tell you're wearing braces from your pics. You look great! Looks like you don't have a lot of alignment issues; mostly bite-related ones, which I'm told make for more subtle changes and might take a little longer to correct.

Here's to wonderful progress for you

#6 Post by **victor36** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:50 pm

Hi, Sistermadly, and welcome to ArchWired! I love your pics -- what a lovely, warm smile!!! Coming from first-hand experience, wearing springs aren't going to be a big deal. A little strange initially, but otherwise you get accustomed to them.

Looking forward to seeing great progress!

~Victor