Finally got my braces wahoo!!

[KiilaniY]

Hi! My name is Kiilani & have read your posts. Your extractions sounded like they were a pain in the butt!! Glad to hear that all is healing well now. Your teeth have come a long way in such a short time! Crazy how much happens with our teeth, huh? I got my metal braces on 11 Oct 2011 (top & bottom). My dentist originally said my treatment would be 2 1/2 years, but he just told me last week they'll be off before Christmas!!! I'm a happy happy girl!!
The journey goes by fast!!

[EmBee]

That's so exciting!! I hope I find myself in the same boat, with treatment lasting less time than anticipated, instead of more

The extractions were absolutely a pain in the derriere, but I look at them now as something in the past, it's all behind me now lol. Even the extraction site where I had the dry socket is almost entirely filled in with soft tissue, though I know that the bone takes months and months to grow back. The premolar extractions are barely noticeable anymore, except that there are teeth missing!

So far I try and see the positive of my treatment....I have pain pretty consistently off and on, and ESPECIALLY after the adjustments, but my teeth have absolutely zero trouble moving around It's only been 4 days since my last adjustment and I can already tell noticeable differences in my teeth position and my bite since the appointment. It's crazy!!

[Bridgettt]

Wow EmBee! You have been through a lot in such a short amount of time!! Such a trooper ! Ah! I'm getting a TAD put in as well! EEk just reading about your wisdom teeth and dry socket! crazy scared to get mine out now haha I'll probably do the same and not want to eat anything just so I don't get any food trapped!

[EmBee]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you for your wisdom teeth! Honestly, after the first day or so they were the least of my worries LOL, they were all stitched up so there weren't huge holes, and once the stitches fell out you couldn't even tell anything had been done, back there at least.

I'm hoping the TADs get placed drama-free. I've heard one or two horror stories but it seems all in all it's a fairly painless process. Still have 2 and half months or so to go, so plenty of time for me to dwell on it til then

[Bridgettt]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you for your wisdom teeth! Honestly, after the first day or so they were the least of my worries LOL, they were all stitched up so there weren't huge holes, and once the stitches fell out you couldn't even tell anything had been done, back there at least.

I'm hoping the TADs get placed drama-free. I've heard one or two horror stories but it seems all in all it's a fairly painless process. Still have 2 and half months or so to go, so plenty of time for me to dwell on it til then

EEK! I actually just got my TAD in! It was fairly pain free! She first put the numbing stuff on my gum and I was surprised because it wasn't your usually needle, it was just on a q-tip and held it there for a bit, maybe 5 minutes? She said the stuff was actually fast working and wares off fast! It also may make your gums raw for 1-2 days because it's that strong! Then she tested my numbness and said I should just feel pressure! It wasn't bad at all! took 5 seconds and it was in! I actually told her it was really cool! I think you will be fine, just bring some ibuprofen because I defiantly felt some soreness afterwords!

[EmBee]

Had another adjustment today, and to my great surprise...I started elastics today!! I was completely thrown for a loop, because I was under the impression that we were going to wait until I have my TADs placed. But NOPE, my ortho gave me about 10 packages of Komodo Dragon elastics that I hook from the top wire (around where my canines are) to the bottom first molars. I have to wear three on each side for 5 days, and after that I will wear two on each side until my next appointment in 6 weeks. Holy moly does it feel weird! My mouth is kind of painful, though it seems like it's more just because I had another thicker wire put in. They also added metal ties to a majority of the brackets, wired my top four front teeth together, and added coil to the wires. Said they wanted to keep things "nice and tight". Well, they've sure succeeded

Will add more pictures once I get around to taking some!

[EmBee]

Ugh so I just had TADs put in. They weren't too bad going in, I couldn't feel the left one at all though I felt a little bit of sharp sensation with the right one. But holy moly it's been hideously painful ever since, though it is starting to subside now. They gave me a scrip for Tylenol #3 which I might have to break down and use before bed. Also bled quite a bit more than I was expecting. All in all, not the best scenario I was hoping for.

I have to have them checked in 2 weeks for stability by the surgeon, then I can go to ortho and start using them with my elastics.