If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!
ATTENTION NEW MEMBERS: Do not post full-face photos or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
A bit about me. My name is Kimberly and I'm a 28 year old mom of two. I've been wanting to get braces for a long time but never had a chance to (read too much money). My husband and I have finally come up with a plan so I could start my treatment and I'm VERY excited! Getting my teeth straightened means so much to me. I have battled with self confidence issues for a long time. I struggled with being overweight and crooked teeth. Since the birth of my son 2.5 years ago I have joined a gym and have lost 114 lbs. Getting my teeth fix is the next step in my makeover.
I just started my orthodontic treatment last Thursday and I'm very excited and nervous. I have severe crowding of my upper and lower teeth, along with a very narrow upper arch. I have been told my treatment time will take 3 years requiring time in braces along with upper and lower jaw surgery.
My orthodontist put elastics on my back upper and lower teeth this past Thursday along with a single bracket on one of my left upper tooth as it's seriously out of place. The first course of treatment is to get my upper teeth in proper position. Right now they are turned wrong. Once that is done we need to work on moving the upper teeth to create a space between my two front teeth. My oral surgeon will then be performing surgery by making a break? in my upper jaw directly between my two front upper teeth. Sorry I don't know more specific details - it's all still quite new to me.
Here is a before picture and a picture of my teeth after getting the elastics put on. I plan on taking a lot of pictures during this entire process. As you can see my teeth are horrible. I'm working on changing that!
That looks exactly like what the oral surgeon told me he would be doing. It seems like the orthodontist is concentrating on putting elastics on my back upper and lower teeth. In order to create the gap in my upper front teeth I'm guessing all of the upper teeth will need to be braced and moved? I'm so excited about this entire procedure but I know it's going to be a long time. I have my next appointment tomorrow morning and I can barely wait. I will be sure to take Advil before I go this time to save myself some pain.
I will definitely check the Orthogathnic Surgery section for stories about SARPE. The oral surgeon told me an expanding device would be installed that would require me to perform several turns 2-3 weeks after the surgery. My husband thought the sound of all the surgeries alone sounded quite painful. He said he wasn't sure he could do it if he were in my shoes. I really want this though so I'm willing to go through whatever pain I have to.
You have done amazing. I too have struggled with my weight and with having teeth that have been less then pleasing. I am on a quest to lose more wieght now and would love to hear more about how you did it, if you don't mind sending me a PM.
I was braced on November 12 and am loving it. I haven't seen anything major as far as closing my gap, but my lowers have shown lots of improvement. You definitely deserve this next step in your makeover and I can't wait to see the transformation in your smile.
Congratulations on both losing weight and starting the road to an improved and healthy smile!!!
I worked with a young lady years ago who had surgery to expand the roof of her mouth. She did go through a rough couple of weeks but boy oh boy after those braces went on the progress was shocking!!! I think she had a beautiful smile just months after the surgery. Her crowding looked much like yours if I remember correctly.
You will be sooooo pleased with the results! Go for it and Good Luck!!
Welcome, i agree with what everyone else has said. And then some...................anyone here who has had to wear a palate expander will tell you, it gets worse before it gets better. But it is truely worth it. I will tell you that after I finished my second time in braces, and sans the expander, i looked like a totally different person in the face. My entire face had more volume to it. I have the Cherokee Indian genes in me, and facial structure, but not the tan. And it made me look totally different.
Bear with it, and grin like hell..........the end of the ride is one worth the wait.
Thank you to everyone for their helpful comments and kind words. It really helps to know there are a group of people online that are going through the same thing or have already been there.
My second appointment with the orthodontist went well. My elastics were taken out and a few brackets were put in place. I have included pictures below. I have a tooth that is really out of place in my top upper left. The orthodontist put a bracket on this tooth but says he will need to create a special device to help in pulling the tooth into place. Some brackets with hooks have been added to my lower teeth. I'm guessing they will be used in conjunction with elastics to help pull the tooth that is out of place?
I have included pictures below. More elastics were put on other teeth. I have my next appointment on Friday. Can't wait!
My biggest complains is that the bracket on the lower teeth containing hooks are really digging into my mouth when I eat. I find I have to eat really soft foods. I'm putting wax over the hooks to help me with chewing so the metal doesn't dig into my mouth but it doesn't always help. Sometimes the wax gets dislodged and I end up eating it LOL.
Other than that everything is going great. No pain at all anymore from the elastics which is great.
I went to the orthodontist again today and my custom made device for helping to move the top left upper tooth that's seriously out of alignment was put in place. No aches or pains at all, I love it! I told my orthodontist I was having serious problems eating with the hooks in place on my lower teeth. Since we're not using those brackets for anything just yet he bent the hooks for me a bit so they don't dig into my mouth anymore. Yay!
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and is looking forward to the New Year.
I figure it's time for an update! Around December 21st I found that the wire from my braces was digging badly into my upper lip. I called my orthodontist and they told me to try snipping the wire myself and to come in on December 27th. I did my best to snip the wire but couldn't get it so I just covered the wire with wax and pulled through. When I went in for my appointment on the2 7th the dental assistant was surprised at how long the wire was. She told me my teeth have really started to move. I asked if the wire came out of place due to eating but she assured me it was from the teeth moving. I was anxious to get home and take some pictures to see if I could notice a difference and I do! Check it out below.
Needless to say I'm REALLY looking forward to my next appointment on the 14th. Once we get that stubborn tooth in place I believe we are going to brace the rest of my teeth. I can't wait!
I decided to take some more progress pictures this evening (I know relentless LOL) but instead of focusing on just my upper teeth (where the wiring is) I decided to take a full smile picture. I'm amazed and shocked at the dramatic change. I've included pictures below. The gap in my opening has improved and there has been definite movement.
What do you all think?? First pic was taken in December. The bottom picture was just taken tonight. I'm SOOOO excited!
Hi everyone! It's been forever since I posted. I have been posting in the Oral Surgery section about my Sarpe - LeFort that took place on June 3rd. I wanted to post some pictures to my Braces stories here for everyone to see. I'm so excited! I am turning my appliance once a day with an odd break here and there where we don't turn. My oral surgeon wants to do it slow based on my age. I go see him again on Monday as well as my orthodontist! I'm not sure when the braces will go out but I can't wait.
