Miss Trevi- My Braces Story with pics

[trevi02]

Hello everyone. I am 23 years old and new to this site as well as braces. As I have read many say in numerous brace stories, I always wanted to get my smile fixed but never actually took the first step into making that happen. Well I did attempt to get braced in January of 2008 but soon learned I would be expecting my first child so put it on hold. So about a month ago I finally consulted with an orthodontist after having a root canal and crown and numerous other set backs from my general dentist. I was very pleased with my first consult as the ortho was very knowledgeable and told me up front what she would need to do to fix my smile. I have very crowded teeth and which caused a tooth not to be able to fit into its space. I was given a sentence of 18-24 months with ceramic braces on top and metal on the bottom. My second molars are way out of alignment and was told they may never fit perfectly in my arch but that wasn't my main concern. So I had to get all four first premolars removed. I wasn't too thrilled about that however I knew I would need teeth pulled. The whole extraction thing wasn't too much pain but it wasn't fun either, paired with being frightened that I would get dry socket. Luckily I didn't, a week after having all 4 teeth removed at once I was braced, April 16, 2009. The bracing procedure was not bad at all, but I took a few motrin just to be safe. After reading many stories here I was prepared to be in extreme pain for the next few days. To my surprise, I am in not much discomfort at all. My teeth hurt when I try to chew however I am just breaking up my food very small and making due, still eating my regular diet. I tried brushing with an electric toothbrush and that caused too much pressure, I'm also holding off the flossing for a few days, but all in all it is not nearly as bad as I expected. I also questioned if they gave me a weaker wire than normal since i don't really feel pain, I have a 0.14 on top and 0.16 on bottom, but I read many people started with similar wires. So here's to the beginning of a brand new smile.

Here's a few pics from before braces



And here are pics from Brace Day (04.16.09)
On Brace day, before braces were applied.

The smile afterwards

Upper and lower arch (Notice extraction sites)

Profiles(With huge extraction gaps)
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All in all I am very satisfied with my braces and they way they look on me. I thought they would be huge but after having them applied they actually aren't big at all. Can't wait to see improvements in my smile as the months pass.

[kayleighkelley]

Welcome and good luck with your journey!! Good to hear you haven't experienced pain with the new braces

[Tommm]

Welcome to the braces club. Congrats on starting your journey!

[misswired]

Oh hey, your bottom teeth look a lot like mine, with that little molar ventured out of line on its own.. But I have worse crowding at the front. Congrats on getting your braces!

[*tap*]

hey miss trevi, nice one on making your own story its great to look back after a few months at what you once had. hope everything is going well so far.

sophie

[trevi02]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. Things are going great. I can feel my front lower teeth loose when I push them with my tongue so I know things are moving or in the process of moving. No pain really and I am biting and chewing quite well on the left side. Can anyone share their tooth brushing routine with me as i am still getting in the habit of what to do.

[catfish]

Hi Miss Trevi, glad to hear that you're doing well with your braces! It's a weird feeling to know your teeth are so loose you can feel it when you touch them with your tongue, isn't it? Signs of progress!

As for teeth brushing, I use a combination of proxi brushes (I think that's what they're called - it's the little bottle brushes), dental floss and toothbrush. During the day I just brush. At night, I use the proxi brush to remove big stuff, then I floss with superfloss. Superfloss is a little more expensive than regular floss, but the stiff end makes threading the floss under the braces a breeze, and I'm all about making the process fast and easy. Then I brush. I alternate between a manual toothbrush and an electric one. I think both types have their pros and cons, so I use them both.