MBriar's journey to a beautiful smile...

[MBriar]

I'm on my third day of bracing and I gotta say it has been a roller coaster ride of emotions. I was feeling great on Friday and most of the day on Saturday but then Saturday evening I had a mini breakdown. I was so, so hungry and wanted chicken SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM. I cut them into little pieces but still could not chew it up with out severe discomfort so I gave up and had a vanilla milkshake for dinner. Needless to say I was really bummed and wanted to cry! I was cursing myself for putting myself in this situation. I had a pity party for one for about an hour and then I reminded myself why I wanted to do this in the first place.

I am also struggling with the fact that I had ceramics put on my uppers. I'm really wishing I would have just gotten all metal. I'm already tired of worrying about the color of the food I want to eat and whether or not it might stain the ligs. I'm thinking about either just getting colored ligs at my adjustment or asking if it would be possible to switch out to all metal brackets.

Yesterday was a better day as I was able to eat some grilled chicken and it was so good! I cut it up into tiny little pieces in order to eat it but it was worth it! I've already lost 7 pounds since I had my extractions on August 23rd. I do need to lose weight but this doesn't seem like a very healthy way to do it! I'm certainly going to have to start taking a daily multi-vitamin. I don't think I'm getting all the nutrients that I need at this point.

So far today things are good. I didn't wake up with any achy feelings and that's a first since I got braced. I'm starving at the moment so I'm off to find some breakfast.

[libbylou]

You have such lovely teeth - those braces are going to be worth it!

[MBriar]

Thanks libbylou!

[MBriar]

My mouth hates my guts today! The inside of my cheeks and lips are on fire I keep putting on wax and it's just not cutting it. I think the biggest problem is the wire going across my extraction sites. I feel like my cheeks get hung up on the wire whenever I talk or smile. I keep telling myself this will all be worth it in the end but I'm having a really tough time listening to myself today. I'm wondering how on earth children do this!! *Sigh* I know it will get better but I really just wish it would hurry up already!

On a positive note I bought a Water Pik Ultra yesterday and I love it!!!

[kitsune]

I am also struggling with the fact that I had ceramics put on my uppers. I'm really wishing I would have just gotten all metal. I'm already tired of worrying about the color of the food I want to eat and whether or not it might stain the ligs. I'm thinking about either just getting colored ligs at my adjustment or asking if it would be possible to switch out to all metal brackets.

Hello braces day twin!

I've been wishing the same thing lately. I feel like the metal brackets don't irritate my mouth as much as the ceramic ones do, not to mention that I keep getting my top lip stuck on them as well.

I think I will ease myself into colored ligs and try some on the bottom first. If I don't feel like a total weirdo ( ), I would like to progress to colored ligs on top too. Keep us posted on what you do!

[MBriar]

Just wanted to share some pics of my braced teeth

Smile:


Uppers (please excuse the yucky extraction holes):


Lowers:

[MBriar]

9 days in and things are slowly improving! I'm only currently using wax on the tubes that the wire ends go into on my 1st molars (I have nothing on my 2nd molars....I'm assuming this is normal??) I do still feel discomfort on occasion from the wires over my extraction sites but it is getting better. My chewing is also getting much better. I still have to take small bites and chew slowly but I am able to eat more things now.

And I have already had some tiny bits of movement! YAY!!! It's not noticeable except when I floss. It is much, mush easier to get the floss in between my teeth than what it was prior to bracing. I'm excited to see where I will be at in five weeks when I get my first adjustment!

I am also getting used to the ceramic brackets on my uppers. They still feel bulky and I really don't know if I will ever get to the point where I "forget" about them being there but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I do still struggle with the possibility of staining ligs though. I'm a little bit OCD (okay maybe a lot OCD) and I really don't want to spend the next 2+ years obsessing about what color food I eat and checking the mirror all the time to see if there is any discoloration on the ligs. I know the brackets themselves won't stain but I don't won't yellowish ligs (I'm assuming when they do discolor it will be a dingy yellow??) Any-who I will be discussing my concerns at my adjustment and see what they can offer as far as colored ligs.

Hope everyone is having an enjoyable weekend! I will post more soon

[MBriar]

Three weeks in and feeling great! I am adjusting to having all this metal in my mouth and rarely need to use wax anymore. I still have some trouble with chewing but that's mostly because when I do chew my upper teeth hit the brackets on my lower teeth. I've seen lots of other people who got molar build-ups to keep this from happening so I'm not sure why I don't have molar build-ups. I'm putting my faith in my orthodontist that this won't hurt anything!

I go for my first adjustment in three weeks. I have already noticed movement with my teeth which makes this all worth it!! I'm resisting taking photos until the 1 month mark so I can compare those with day one and see what's happened over the month. So stay tuned....next week I'll have photos!

[MBriar]

One month down and I've had some noticeable movement!!!!
Check out my pics!

Smile:


Uppers:


Lowers:

[Eve43]

Congratulations M!

How long is your treatment plan?

[Gorda04]

Hey M Briar! I just got braces put on 3n days ago and I am regretting it!!!! I have ceramic on top and metal on the bottom too. I really dont like the ceramic. I feel like they are bulkier than the metal and my top lip keeps getting stuck! I seriously want to take them off!

[MBriar]

@Eve43 - I'm "sentenced" to at least 24 months.

@Gorda04 - I feel your pain! Hang in there and I promise it will get better!! I'm happy with my ceramics now and glad that I chose them. Even with the little bit of movement I've already had with my uppers it has helped make the ceramics more comfortable. I don't feel like they stick out a mile from my teeth and my lip hardly gets hung up at all any more.

[MBriar]

WOW! Time flies when you are having fun!! I have seriously neglected this site and updating my braces journey....sorry about that! As my ticker below shows I am ONE YEAR into my journey. It has been one heck of a year

I'm doing great with my braces and progressing (in my opinion) really well. Most of the last 9 months have been spent on closing my extraction gaps and we are now working on my bite. As far as I know (and my orthodontist hasn't stated differently) I am right on track in my treatment plan. SO (fingers crossed) in another year these bad boys will be coming off. My original "sentence" was for 24 months.

Here are some pics of what my teeth look like 12 months in (I apologize for my poor photography skills):

Smile:



Uppers:



Lowers:


I'm going to try to get on here more often with updates. I'm scheduled for an adjustment on 9/28 so I'll try to post after that. Later!

[Webbie]

Hey

Your teeth condition looks similar to mine. Very happy to see your progress. I've also had extractions-2 teeth on the upper jaw. How long did it take to close the extraction gaps? Can you close your mouth properly? I'm finding it difficult to close my mouth properly. I have normal braces- not ceramic ones.
Hope your "sentence" gets over ASAP.