HHKiwi's Braces Journey

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#1 Post by **HHKiwi** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 5:24 pm

At the age of 36 Ive finally made the committment and forged ahead with braces! Like many others here Ive been so uncomfortable with my teeth since my teens. My family wasnt able to afford them when I was younger, here in NZ we dont get any subsidies for braces at any age though we do have free dental care up to the age of 18 years. So I went through school, university, early adult life with either a hand covering my mouth when I laughed or a stifled laugh where I sort of smirked/grimaced and I think I came across as being a bit stuck-up/nervous due to this "hiding my horrible teeth" behaviour.

So in Dec 2009 I decided that the time was right, financially and because I'll be returning to uni it wont be much of a problem image wise for me. I got seen by my ortho in February 2010 who then referred me to a periodontist to check on my oral health. I had hated my teeth for so long that I had only seen a dentist a handful of times since my teens, for wisdom teeth extraction and fillings. Fortunately I dont smoke so the damage wasnt too bad considering such neglect from me.

Periodontist was brilliant and introduced me to proper flossing (I was so bad and only flossed like once a fortnight if that!), a Braun Triumph which I have used faithfully since . I use it now with 3 heads, ortho, standard and interdental on different tooth areas.

The only concern is that I may need a frenectomy for the maxillary labial frenum, precision, and root coverage procedures for any gingivial recession.

So with that news the ortho began his first stages treatment - xrays, photos, moulds. This went problem free and I got braced on the 18th May 2010.

Went home, all good, then...that evening ouch, pain, ouch, pain...felt so yucky that I went to bed early with some nurofen (pain killer). The next few days were much better (it does get better!), and I couldnt stop looking at my grills at every chance I got.

Teeth cleaning from start to finish took 30 minutes for the first 2 weeks but now at week 3 Im down to 20 minutes. Its the flossing that takes up time but its getting easier. The waterpik that many of you use is available here in Auckland but my goodness its like nearly 4 times what it costs in the USA. I think I'll just soilder on with my floss.

My weight dropped off too - I've lost 5 kg in 3 weeks. Just goes to show what a sweet tooth I am because I cant eat the banned stuff anymore. Plus after youve done all your teeth cleaning its not worth having snacks in between main meals. Now Im eating most normal foods, just having to make them bite sized and then chew them on my molars.

So about my teeth prior to bracing. I had a tooth extraced when I was 13 due to crowding on my upper right and because the dentist thought I'd be getting braces. I have always had a slight gap (family thing) between my front 2 teeth but its got considerably wider over the years. 2mm upper midline diastema and open contacts between several teeth. Also on my right side the upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth. I have ceramic uppers and metal bottoms. I wanted damon but my ortho has a preference for his adults to at least be in upper ceramics. I think mine are ICE. Some slight staining on my clear ligs but not too noticiable. My ortho feels that I'll be braced for 18 - 24 months.

Hes also put these blue build-ups on my molars that Ive managed to get used to.

I've put pics up of my teeth before bracing - my next ortho appointment is in 2 weeks time.

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#2 Post by **HHKiwi** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 5:17 pm

Sorry about the odd placement of my first posting of pics - hope the next lot are better. Am in week 4 of braces and so far so good...I havent had to use any wax yet and just some twinges of pain occasionally if I knock two teeth together.. But those weird teeth dreams are bugging me. I have the ones where my teeth are falling out, the braces have come off and my teeth are worse, I have missing teeth and am upset cos I dont know where they are and last week was a horrific one where my tounge had become gangerous and was half eaten off...sigh...

The changes I have noticed is that more molars are touching when Im chewing than in Week 1 and 2 where I was only making contact with the molars that had the blue build ups on. Oh and the clear ligs are a really yucky coloured now. Will definitely go with a coloured lig in Week 6.

My ortho did mention that I will have a permanent retainer bonded on my uppers. I forgot to ask him whats going to happen to the gap where one of my upper right premolars was extracted. How does he balance the 7 teeth on the left with the remaining right six? He didnt mention anything about implants.

Heres week 1 in braces pics

I kind of wish I'd gone for the full set of ICE only because when I speak you mostly see my lower teeth but Im sure thats a subconscious thing to hide my upper teeth. Although while looking at members pics Im sure I have either a small mouth or weak smile muscles cos I cant get good pics of my teeth without having to pull my lips apart with my fingers! LOL.

And here is Week 4 pics -

Will post pics after each ortho visit, my next one is on 28 June 2010. Am planning on having a big chicken curry and roti dinner the day before!

#3 Post by **HHKiwi** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:31 pm

Thanks Ken. Am so glad that Im finally braced and really encourage those who have been sitting on the fence to just do it!!! I have another week before my first adjustment and there are changes! Lots of gaps are opening up between teeth as well as some gaps closing making flossing quite interesting...
Im using Oral B Superfloss and have managed to bring my whole teeth cleaning time down to 15 minutes. It is so true that after awhile you sort of fly through the process and it becomes much easier. Looking forward to my ortho appointment!!

#4 Post by **HHKiwi** » Sun Jun 27, 2010 9:15 pm

Had my first adjustment this morning which was well timed because while I was flossing my sons crazy cat jumped up on my leg and I snapped the end wire off at my back molar.

My ortho changed the wires and also placed a hook bracket at my right lower molar which was previously bare. And placed what I think he called buttons on my upper inner right molars. So I now have 2 lovely elastics - Chipmunks! haha funny about the animal names of elastics - that looked lovely once I finished off a chicken avocado sandwich for lunch. The elastics had lots of stringy chicken pieces hanging off them!

Back with clear ligs - will be braver a little later on I think with colours...

Looks like it will be porridge and soup for the next few days as Im feeling the tightness creeping up on me.

WEEK 6 and First time in Elastics

#5 Post by **Kiwioverseas** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:24 am

Hi HHKiwi
It’s good to hear from a kiwi on this website, cause all I’ve seemed to read is American’s (No offense) it’s just good to relate to another kiwi.
I am 26 and just got braces (metal top and bottom) on 9th July. You described exactly everything I went through from the part when my parents couldn’t afford it to when I smiled too. “Covered my mouth when I laughed or a closed mouth laugh”.
I felt as if I could never speak up because everyone would steer at me and I wasn’t very confident with all eyes on me.
So I decided to go to a ortho and see what could be done, my teeth are pretty messed up, I have teeth missing due to no adult teeth to replace the baby teeth, I use to suck my thumb (Alot) and one of my front tooth sticks out and I have a impacted canine , see I told ya It was a mess but at least I’ve made the first step.
No othro would touch me so they referred me to the hospital to deal with my treatment and it was done on the NHS (National health service) which is free but I had to wait for about a year an a half just to start treatment but hey ive started it now.
I feel a little funny considering the age I am but I have to keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end. The ortho told me I would have them for about two years.
It been a week now and im still struggling to eat properly I can only eat on the left side molars, cant bite anything with my front teeth as there still tender. The first few days wasn’t too bad they were tender but nothing like I imaged the pain would be.
So how did people react to your braces? I have not seen any of my friends yet. My partners not too bothered about them.

#6 Post by **HHKiwi** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 6:17 pm

Kia Ora Kiwioverseas!! Ive seen some Aussies here and one other Kiwi, KK, but all the rest are lovely Americans so its nice to see you on the site. Congrats on starting your treatment - forget your age, I got 10 years on you and it will be so worth it at the end. I like to look at a lot of the successful stories posted on here and some of these makeovers are amazing. Im sure you wont regret this despite those challenging, painful, and sometimes embarrassing times that will happen during your journey.

My latest one is of me trying to get around eating curry without staining my ligs...well I cut up the chicken into teeny tiny pieces and then stuck them at the back of my tounge to sort of chew it on my left back molars (the right side has elastics on them).

Just a few pieces to satisfy my craving - BIG MISTAKE, YELLOW MELLOW EVERYWHERE! My saliva obviously swished the tumeric colouring and now Ive got what looks like bright yellow teeth. Its worse on the top as theyre clear braces and very noticeable.

Reaction to my braces? Nothing negative directly said to my face, though be prepared for the obvious second and third takes as theyre eyes wander to your mouth and then shoot back to your eyes. One friend didnt notice anything at all until I pointed it out to her. I can tell some relatives want to comment but they know Id rip into them if they said anything bad. My immediate family has been fantastic and very sympathetic.

Its funny when you do see other braced adults - I want to say something to them like "Wow, how long have you got? Whos your ortho?" but I just beam a big smile to them and they beam back like youre part of a special club haha!

I got asked for ID at the supermarket when buying a bottle of wine. Theyre supposed to ask if you 'appear' under 25. When I showed my drivers license the checkout girl goes "Youre 36!!!". Ummm, thankyou braces!! Thankyou very much!

Are you posting your story here? Hope the pain eases soon...it does get easier!

#7 Post by **Kiwioverseas** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:56 am

I’m still on a semi soft food diet. I’m finding it hard to bite food as my bite has completely changed and in such a short time.
I can’t seem to bite anything with my front teeth so everything has to be cut into small piece and then shoved to the back off my mouth to chew lol.

Yeah when i go to my appointments at the hospital it’s a bit embarrassing as the majority are teens and children but my last appointment there was an older lady there and i just wanted to talk to her about it all, but it made me feel a little bit more comfortable seeing another adult in braces.

LOL i guess getting asked for id could be perceive as a good thing or a bad thing, personally I’m not sure how i would take it.

Im curently writing my story and its beginning to become a novel lol

Well good luck with your treatment and i look forward to keeping up with your process.

#8 Post by **HHKiwi** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 6:06 pm

Took this pic just before I went to my Ortho for my 2nd adjustment today, Monday, - thank goodness I looked like this for only the weekend. The yellow is actually much worse in real life than in the photo...a warning for curry addicts!

#9 Post by **HHKiwi** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 6:32 pm

Sorry about pics being so large - couldnt size them down...

Had my 2nd adjustment today, now Week 11 in Braces and apart from the curry mishap no serious problems have happened...Had my upper wire changed to a much thicker one. The ortho says I will "feel it" for the next few days, haha! My bottom wire stayed in place and Im still to wear my Chipmunk elastics with change once a day.

Though lately my elastics have been snapping when I eat, I guess my molars are aligning and causing them to break while Im chewing. I have a really laid back ortho - how about you guys? Doesnt really talk much about treatment...

Still havent had to use painkillers or wax yet...I have had sore days but I think if you bear with the soreness the faster your body gets used to the pain. Mind you, early days yet...

I noticed the right side of my smile is not as high as the right. Im thinking this may be due to the extraction of a molar there that I had as a child may be a factor. And I really have to practise my "natural smile" - looks strained at the moment, haha!

Happy brace days all!

#10 Post by **mlholl19** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:34 pm

Hi HHKiwi, your teeth actually remind me a lot of mine before I got braces. I really did not have any structural or bite problems, but I had a midline gap that I had ever since I got teeth. Like you, my gap was also a family thing. I hated my teeth my whole life, and I used to get teased about my gap. I never smiled in my pictures until I was 26, which was when I got my braces. Fast forward 13 months,and I love my teeth! I smile all the time, and my confidence is soooo much better. I only have about 5 more months to go (hopefully), but getting braces was one of the best things that I've ever done for myself. I hope you end up feeling the same way about yours. I wish you the best of luck with your treatment!