My story...

[ashesgap]

Was catching up on Braces Stories and saw yours. Thought i'd give you my two cents...Red ligs are awesome! Its all i use anymore. I've tried the baby blue and by the end of the month they were icky dingy. I tried dark green and you couldn't tell what color they were at all. I've tried purple and thought they made my teeth look really yellow. I did try metallic red and liked it a lot. The best thing to do is have them put the bottom ligs on first then see if you like the color, then put the uppers on.
I have the RediBreeze that hooks to the faucet. I love it. We have disgusting water too, but when this thing is power cleaning your teeth you don't really taste the water. Also if you really needed to you could attach it to any faucet. They have one that easily pops on and off, at Dentakit.
Good luck with your braces!

[drgnchsr36]

Welp, I was given a choice of bite turbos, bite appliance, or glue on my lower teeth. I've read lots of posts where people stated they had a hard time chewing with the extra glue.. I'm leaning towards the bite appliance since I can remove it.

I still have time to decide though, won't happen until my bottom braces are on.

[trampswife]

Yay!! Four more weekes. I'm super excited and very glad that my friends are willing to put up with my craziness. Mostly that my DH is putting up with me. 18 days until my son gets spacers. The ladies in the ortho's office said to just bring him in sometime after Christmas (50 miles over a snowy mountain pass) and they would put them on, but didn't want him to have to have them for Christmas dinner. Sweet ladies, they are.

One of my friends was recently debraces. She looks phenomonal!! She was telling me horror stories of the smell when they clean off the glue. EW!

Cannot wait!!!!

[BracketRacket]

I love that you're so excited -- you sound like me! (Well, the braces part, at least, I was NOT excited for a long time with the surgery and all!)

I love playing with the colors, too, and trying to *plan* ahead of time and all!

[trampswife]

BR,

Totally have LOVED your posts. They are very insightful. You are really upbeat and put a great spin on your journey. I think it is either dread this or be excited. Where I chose it, I think it behooves me to be stoked about it. My nature is pretty upbeat, anyway. I try not to let things get me down...much.

Found out today that the big boss will be stopping by the office the day I get braces. Guess he will just have to accept I'm not going to be there. Even if I wasn't getting braced, my son will totally need parental support. I just hope I remember to get his mouth guard while I'm there. He does karate and I would hate to have his mouth totally hamburgered because I was dopey.

My manager bought pizza for us today. I really enjoyed it and slightly lamented that I may not be able to just chow down on it again. But...my coworker was chomping it and she is braced, so I have hope. I really love pizza. And apples. I already slice them into little slivers, so I'm glad I can still have those.

Hope ya'll have a SPECTACULAR evening/day/whatever.

[trampswife]

I did it. I'm bracked, bracketed, bite plated and rather sore. My bite plate rubs the top of my mouth something horrid. Hurts like heck. Other than that, I'm surviving. Wax is my friend. Motrin is my friend and warm salt water will be my friend in a few minutes.

Note to all interested...do not start a VERY strict diet a week before you brace. You can't eat and then, you REALLY can't eat. V8 and chai green tea have been my friend. Cottage cheese and scrambled egg whites with salsa. All things I can just swallow. I'm hungry. Thinking I should NOT have let the kids name the cat Mr. Bacon, either.

Will I ever be able to chew again? My molars don't even come close to meeting and if my front teeth even touch a little, it is like I had a jolt of electricity through my mouth. Why did I do this? Oh, because I don't want nubbin teeth in a few years. That't way.

For fun, though...my bite plate is sparkly purple and I got ligs to match. woot!!

[drgnchsr36]

I did it. I'm bracked, bracketed, bite plated and rather sore. My bite plate rubs the top of my mouth something horrid. Hurts like heck. Other than that, I'm surviving. Wax is my friend. Motrin is my friend and warm salt water will be my friend in a few minutes.

Note to all interested...do not start a VERY strict diet a week before you brace. You can't eat and then, you REALLY can't eat. V8 and chai green tea have been my friend. Cottage cheese and scrambled egg whites with salsa. All things I can just swallow. I'm hungry. Thinking I should NOT have let the kids name the cat Mr. Bacon, either.

Will I ever be able to chew again? My molars don't even come close to meeting and if my front teeth even touch a little, it is like I had a jolt of electricity through my mouth. Why did I do this? Oh, because I don't want nubbin teeth in a few years. That's why.

For fun, though...my bite plate is sparkly purple and I got ligs to match. woot!!

Wow, you got your bite plate already?? Did you do all your x-rays and molds earlier? I ended doing it the same day as being braced.. but I have a feeling my ortho is going to win out and I'll be stuck with the cement instead of the bite plate.

Do you take it out to eat? Or when you're frustrated at all?

This is my third day and I've been able to bite without pain, although still kinda weird to eat. No pain, but the bracket pain.. but as you say.. wax is your friend! I had fish sticks tonight, tomorrow.. I'm hoping to go for some Mexican food..and tempt fate and try to eat some chips? Not sure if that's a good idea or not.

Hope the pain goes away soon and the bite plate is something that you get used to fast.. let us know how it goes.

[trampswife]

They did all the molds and stuff in November. I just needed to know how much is would cost so I could set up my flex account to pay for it. Got a surprise, though, and dh went ahead and got himself braced, too. So three of us braced in one day for my ortho. The ladies thought it was a riot.

My mouth actually feels better with the plate in. It keeps me from bumping my teeth together. I can feel some serious movement and sensitivity without it. I am very glad I have it, unless I have to take it out to eat. Then it hurt the top of my mouth. Friction wound, because I tend to suck it against the top of mouth. Same reason my brackets are rubbing so bad, too. I know better, but I still do it. *sigh*

I don't eat with it in. I don't actually usually drink with it in, either. If I am using a straw, I leave the plate in place. Otherwise I take it out, because I don't like the feel of fluid washing around it.

[GRILLZ]

congrats TW! that is awesome that all three of you are braced! my daughter and i will be braced together, though not on the same day. i'm getting mine on MONDAY, unless a snow storm closes the city down which i hope NOT.

[drgnchsr36]

They did all the molds and stuff in November. I just needed to know how much is would cost so I could set up my flex account to pay for it. Got a surprise, though, and dh went ahead and got himself braced, too. So three of us braced in one day for my ortho. The ladies thought it was a riot.

My mouth actually feels better with the plate in. It keeps me from bumping my teeth together. I can feel some serious movement and sensitivity without it. I am very glad I have it, unless I have to take it out to eat. Then it hurt the top of my mouth. Friction wound, because I tend to suck it against the top of mouth. Same reason my brackets are rubbing so bad, too. I know better, but I still do it. *sigh*

I don't eat with it in. I don't actually usually drink with it in, either. If I am using a straw, I leave the plate in place. Otherwise I take it out, because I don't like the feel of fluid washing around it.

Ahh, do you have both lower and upper braced? I only have upper, I realize I still clench my teeth a lot - and from time to time feel pain when I do that. I'm a bit curious what the archwire is doing - probably pulling my upper teeth out so brackets can be put on the bottom.

Hang in there! I started using straws as well.. except at home. But, if I drink soda..it's mostly at lunch time anyways.

[trampswife]

congrats TW! that is awesome that all three of you are braced! my daughter and i will be braced together, though not on the same day. i'm getting mine on MONDAY, unless a snow storm closes the city down which i hope NOT.

I kept watching for snow. We totally can't get out of our basin if it snows. No 4 wheel drive and I drive a GTO. Sportscars don't like snow.

My daughter is sad she doesn't get to be braced with us. Hers will probably go on when ours come off. She is 9 now and still has molars to come down. Depends on how fast her teeth come in. They are slow with her, though.

Good luck tomorrow!!!