hey everyone I posted this a few weeks ago but deceided to update this with a few pictures.
My name is Laticha and I am new to the board. I live in the dirrty south, Arkansas and will be braced on Jan 23, I will get spacers on Jan 16. I am soooo excited
I have wanted braces all my life to fix my crooked teeth but my mom was a single parent and could not afford them. Now that I am out of grad school and actually have an income. I deceided to get them and fulfill my lifelong dream of having pretty teeth and a normal bite.
It is funny, I always knew my teeth were crooked but my ortho gave me a long list of things that were wrong with my teeth.
1. anterior open bite, 2. skeletal deformity that has my midline off
(which will require lower jaw surgey at the least). 3. 2 impacted wisdom teeth, 4. a gummy smile, a tongue thrust (which I have no idea of how to fix, I push my tongue through my open bite whenenver I talk, swallow, and when my jaw is at rest, 5.crowding which will require 4 first bicuspids to be removed.6. I have degeneration of my tmj on the right side which gives me a pop every 3-4 times I open my mouth.
oh the list just goes on and on.
I am getting 2 crowns on my bottom right molars so that is why I will not be getting braces until the end of January. I cannot wait to see my teeth improving. I am so glad to have found this wonderful site full of you wonderful people who trully care and give great advice.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c360/ ... teeth1.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c360/ ... 6ba09f.jpg
Laticha's Story
Moderator: bbsadmin
Laticha's Story
ceramic upppers, metal lowers 1-23-06
next adjustment March 21,2006
WElcome to this awesome board Latichas! 
Congratulations on finally deciding to start your braces journey! My ortho also gave me a huge list of the problems in my mouth and he always has to remind me of them at every appt.
Good luck with your journey and keep us posted!
-Hannah
Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Congratulations on finally deciding to start your braces journey! My ortho also gave me a huge list of the problems in my mouth and he always has to remind me of them at every appt.
Good luck with your journey and keep us posted!
-Hannah
Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
hey everyone
I got spaces 8 rubber spacers on Monday the 16th. The appointment started off well enough the assistant took upper and lower impressions. I nearly hyperventilated while she was taking the upper because she just kind of put the mold gunk in my mouth and did not tell me how long she was going to hold it in there. But it was just for a couple of minutes(or so it felt). The bottom impression was fine. Both impressions were pretty hard for her to pull out, I thought she was going pull out some teeth with it but the girl told me I took really good molds. Next she has me bite down on a "u" shaped piece of wax. So I was thinking o'kay this might not be so bad.
So she left for like 10 minutes and finally came back to put in the spacers. As she put in the first spacer I heard the words I had dreaded since reading other people's bad spacer experiences. "Wow you have tight contacts!" After she had put in 2 more spacers she deceided that not only were my contacts tight but they were the tightest contacts she had ever worked with. After she put in about 4 she had to call someone in to finish because she had cut her finger on the floss trying to put the spacers in. At this point I am trying to be strong. She kept jabbing me in my gums. The next girl had me moving in pain all over the dentist chair, but alas it was over. The ortho looked them over(while he was leaning over another patient whose braces he was putting in and said my 8 spacers were okay. He also said I would have some pain for the first 2-3 days.
I wanted them to change one of the spacers on my lower right side because I thought it stuck out to far but they wouldn't. They said it just felt like it was too far up and that it would be fine. So they sent me home with a information sheet about my spacers and my appointment for next monday for full braces.
I went home to 3 of the most agonzing and painful days of my life. My teeth were constantly sore and throbing. I took 600 to 800 mg's of advil every 4-6 hours for the first 3 days. On Wednesday I woke up with that spacer I had complained about on my tongue. I called the ortho and his receptionist asked If I had pulled it out or did it fall out, I said I was not sure because I was sleep. She looked up my info and said because my appointment was on the following Monday and because it was early in the morning that they would just put a new spacer in on Monday the 23rd and allow it to make some space and then slip the molar band on. I asked her if she was sure and she said yes that they would have plenty of time.
I thought that was kind of weird because if they can do that for one tooth why not just just do that for all the teeth instead of allowing me to be in so much pain for days. But I am sure they have their reasons.
Anyway tomorrow is the big day, I think I have everyting I need. Any last minute advice would be helpful though. Thanks for enduring this long post.
Laticha
I got spaces 8 rubber spacers on Monday the 16th. The appointment started off well enough the assistant took upper and lower impressions. I nearly hyperventilated while she was taking the upper because she just kind of put the mold gunk in my mouth and did not tell me how long she was going to hold it in there. But it was just for a couple of minutes(or so it felt). The bottom impression was fine. Both impressions were pretty hard for her to pull out, I thought she was going pull out some teeth with it but the girl told me I took really good molds. Next she has me bite down on a "u" shaped piece of wax. So I was thinking o'kay this might not be so bad.
So she left for like 10 minutes and finally came back to put in the spacers. As she put in the first spacer I heard the words I had dreaded since reading other people's bad spacer experiences. "Wow you have tight contacts!" After she had put in 2 more spacers she deceided that not only were my contacts tight but they were the tightest contacts she had ever worked with. After she put in about 4 she had to call someone in to finish because she had cut her finger on the floss trying to put the spacers in. At this point I am trying to be strong. She kept jabbing me in my gums. The next girl had me moving in pain all over the dentist chair, but alas it was over. The ortho looked them over(while he was leaning over another patient whose braces he was putting in and said my 8 spacers were okay. He also said I would have some pain for the first 2-3 days.
I wanted them to change one of the spacers on my lower right side because I thought it stuck out to far but they wouldn't. They said it just felt like it was too far up and that it would be fine. So they sent me home with a information sheet about my spacers and my appointment for next monday for full braces.
I went home to 3 of the most agonzing and painful days of my life. My teeth were constantly sore and throbing. I took 600 to 800 mg's of advil every 4-6 hours for the first 3 days. On Wednesday I woke up with that spacer I had complained about on my tongue. I called the ortho and his receptionist asked If I had pulled it out or did it fall out, I said I was not sure because I was sleep. She looked up my info and said because my appointment was on the following Monday and because it was early in the morning that they would just put a new spacer in on Monday the 23rd and allow it to make some space and then slip the molar band on. I asked her if she was sure and she said yes that they would have plenty of time.
I thought that was kind of weird because if they can do that for one tooth why not just just do that for all the teeth instead of allowing me to be in so much pain for days. But I am sure they have their reasons.
Anyway tomorrow is the big day, I think I have everyting I need. Any last minute advice would be helpful though. Thanks for enduring this long post.
Laticha
ceramic upppers, metal lowers 1-23-06
next adjustment March 21,2006
Good luck tomorrow. I just had my braces put on last Thursday. It wasn't bad at all really. I was scared but there wasn't any reason to be. I took an Advil about an hour before I left. I think that helped. For most of the first day there wasn't much pain at all. That gave me time to get used to the stuff in my mouth. It's an odd feeling that's for sure.
I thought for sure I would cry or feel like crying when I looked in the mirror for the first time. I didn't though. I didn't have a bit of sadness or regret. I am thankful for that. I hope you feel the same way. I thought I would come home and hide for a while but not an hour later I was having lunch out at a restaurant with my sister-in-law. I had soup to be safe and that went just fine.
I'm sure it will all go great. Yesterday things started feeling more normal for me and that was just 48 hours after having them put on. Today things are going great and I feel just fine. My teeth are tender to bite down but they don't ache or anything otherwise.
Good luck!
I thought for sure I would cry or feel like crying when I looked in the mirror for the first time. I didn't though. I didn't have a bit of sadness or regret. I am thankful for that. I hope you feel the same way. I thought I would come home and hide for a while but not an hour later I was having lunch out at a restaurant with my sister-in-law. I had soup to be safe and that went just fine.
I'm sure it will all go great. Yesterday things started feeling more normal for me and that was just 48 hours after having them put on. Today things are going great and I feel just fine. My teeth are tender to bite down but they don't ache or anything otherwise.
Good luck!
Kelly
See my WWW link below.
See my WWW link below.
-
Metal Mouth Guy
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:08 pm
Hi,
It doesn't sound like the spacers appointment was much fun, but you seem to have handled it well. The ensuing days were no fun at all, I'm sure. I'm glad you're almost done with that part. I'm sure that getting most of the spacers out will make the braces going on a relief! That seems to be most people's experience, from what I've read. I think it must have been a little frustrating to know that the spacer you felt was too high was too high, and they didn't listen (or maybe the contacts are so tight that it just wasn't going in any further!).
Best of luck tomorrow! I know it feels like such a big thing (I'll be right behind you in a couple of weeks!). Please be sure to post when you can about the experience, and how you are doing.
It doesn't sound like the spacers appointment was much fun, but you seem to have handled it well. The ensuing days were no fun at all, I'm sure. I'm glad you're almost done with that part. I'm sure that getting most of the spacers out will make the braces going on a relief! That seems to be most people's experience, from what I've read. I think it must have been a little frustrating to know that the spacer you felt was too high was too high, and they didn't listen (or maybe the contacts are so tight that it just wasn't going in any further!).
Best of luck tomorrow! I know it feels like such a big thing (I'll be right behind you in a couple of weeks!). Please be sure to post when you can about the experience, and how you are doing.
Uppers placed 2/8/06--Inspire ICE ceramics
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
I am officially a brace face today. It was a long proces about 4 hours. I came in and sat in the chair and the assistant took out all of my spacers and allowed me to brush my teeth. As she pulled the spacers out she commented on the tightness of my right lower molars. Then she put the lip spreaders and the etch on. All this was fine. Next she began to place the molar bands and they would not fit on the right lower side so she attempted to replace the spacers to create some more space. After she tried twice she called over another assistant to put them in because the space was too tight for her. He used some kind of wire plier tool and popped the 3 spacers in pretty easily. She was able to place the other bands including the one I was so worried about because the spacer fell out after 2 days. So they kept checking the spacers on my right side and they never would make enough space so they finally deceided to go ahead and band me and live the spacers in until my next adjustment (which is not too bad). The actual banding was pretty quick, I was sleeply because I had been waiting for so long. I got ceramic on top with tooth colored ligs and metal on the bottom with silver. These things feel gigantic in my mouth. It was not too uncomfortable though becaue I had taken some advil before. It is about 4 hours later and I just woke up from a nap. The discomfort in my mouth is annoying but not unbearable. I am glad to finally have this part over with.
ceramic upppers, metal lowers 1-23-06
next adjustment March 21,2006
Latichas, congratulations! I am so happy that you got your braces on and it went so well! I hope that the next week or so isn't too uncomfortable as you get used to the braces, though I know there will be some discomfort. I'm sure in a couple of weeks you won't even notice the braces sometimes.
Please post pictures soon if you can. The ceramics with the tooth color ligs sounds great.
Please post pictures soon if you can. The ceramics with the tooth color ligs sounds great.
Uppers placed 2/8/06--Inspire ICE ceramics
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
here is a picture, hope they look o'kay. Tell me what you all think.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c360/ ... eethb5.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c360/ ... eethb5.jpg
ceramic upppers, metal lowers 1-23-06
next adjustment March 21,2006
Wow, they look really great! Seriously--very subtle, and your teeth look so white. I think you made a really good choice!
Uppers placed 2/8/06--Inspire ICE ceramics
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
hey everyone
So last Tuesday I was brushing my beautiful braces with my wonderful sonicare toothbrush, as I finsihed I noticed something felt weired.
Yup! You guessed it my ceramic bracket had popped off my right front tooth.
I was instantly pissed. I was calculating all the money I'd spent and all the time I had just spent a 48 hours previous to get these braces and on top of the fact that I my teeth are killing me and to still have the stupid spacers in, a bracket has the nerve to come unglued. I calmed down and called my ortho's office in the morning from work and got an appointment for the following Tuesday the 31st which is today.
So I went in today to got the bracket glued back on. The ortho then told the assistant that she should try to place my last molar band on the right side so I would not have to make another trip in a week or so. Little did he know that the last assitant had told me to wait to my next adjustment which was March 6 to place my molar band. Which I guess she should not have done. I had been wondering if I could live with those spacers for that long. But I ended up not having to wait at all because 2 of the dental assistants placed my last molar band just fine although it hurt and was a lot sorer than when my other 4 molar bands were placed, but it is the only band placed around a crown so that could account for that. I also got new wires and band. So my mouth is sore again but it was exciting to get a new adjustment after only 8 days.
So my wire is all crooked again so that is exciting. Everything worked out, I was so angry about that bracket coming unglued I kept thinking they had some how done a bad job, but know that I do not have spacers anymore I am pretty happy that the bracket came off otherwise I would have to live with those last 2 spacers for over a month. I also do not have another appointment until March 21st now. 6 weeks away.
Sorry so long
Laticha
So last Tuesday I was brushing my beautiful braces with my wonderful sonicare toothbrush, as I finsihed I noticed something felt weired.
Yup! You guessed it my ceramic bracket had popped off my right front tooth.
I was instantly pissed. I was calculating all the money I'd spent and all the time I had just spent a 48 hours previous to get these braces and on top of the fact that I my teeth are killing me and to still have the stupid spacers in, a bracket has the nerve to come unglued. I calmed down and called my ortho's office in the morning from work and got an appointment for the following Tuesday the 31st which is today.
So I went in today to got the bracket glued back on. The ortho then told the assistant that she should try to place my last molar band on the right side so I would not have to make another trip in a week or so. Little did he know that the last assitant had told me to wait to my next adjustment which was March 6 to place my molar band. Which I guess she should not have done. I had been wondering if I could live with those spacers for that long. But I ended up not having to wait at all because 2 of the dental assistants placed my last molar band just fine although it hurt and was a lot sorer than when my other 4 molar bands were placed, but it is the only band placed around a crown so that could account for that. I also got new wires and band. So my mouth is sore again but it was exciting to get a new adjustment after only 8 days.
So my wire is all crooked again so that is exciting. Everything worked out, I was so angry about that bracket coming unglued I kept thinking they had some how done a bad job, but know that I do not have spacers anymore I am pretty happy that the bracket came off otherwise I would have to live with those last 2 spacers for over a month. I also do not have another appointment until March 21st now. 6 weeks away.
Sorry so long
Laticha
ceramic upppers, metal lowers 1-23-06
next adjustment March 21,2006