Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

[catgyrl]

Okay, folks, I survived my first full weekend post-bracing. I can honestly say that I haven't had any pain whatsoever. A little bit of pressure, and some "tingling" feeling on my lower front teeth, but nothing more. Even the minimal chafing from the brackets seems to have gone away (for now, anyway). I haven't used anything to cover my brackets since Saturday evening. And best of all so far... since I don't clench my teeth while sleeping anymore, I no longer wake up with headaches.

Eating is certainly an adventure. I've been able to chew pretty well, though not too much with my front teeth, unless the food is REALLY soft. Tried grilled cheese (not bad if you peel the hard top crust off and wait until the cheese cools off); peanut butter sandwich (yum!); chicken tenders (cut up); apples (cut up). Treated myself to a gooey hot fudge sundae from Baskin & Robbins last night, but I felt so guilty, I had to go rinse my mouth out right after.

One positive side effect of braces: It sure does make you think and re-think about what you eat. If something's going to be too much of a hassle to (1) eat, or (2) clean up after, I'll pass on it. Since last Thursday, I've lost about 4 pounds.

Now that I've gotten the hand of flossing, it's not nearly as time consuming. The hardest part is trying to get in between teeth that used to be easy to floss, and that are now near-impossible. I suppose that means they're shifting somewhat. (I could've sworn I heard and felt a little "tick" between my lower front teeth. YAY!)

Getting my "wayward spacers" swapped out tomorrow. I'm so glad, because one of them turned neon yellow from when I ate some ramen (darn tumeric coloring!); plus it's still sticking up out from between my teeth, so I doubt it's properly doing it's job.

I'm tellin' ya - it's one of the single best decisions I ever made in my life... (getting braces).

-Cathy

[catgyrl]

Thanks, Ken! I just had my first "mishap" today. One of my bracket doors opened somehow. After a few minutes, I figure out it close from the bottom-up, so I went ahead and shut it, and... IT HURT LIKE HELL! The worst pain I've felt since all this started. I've learned I'm supposed to support the tooth from the back before I pull a stunt like that again.

[leannaaker]

Congrats on being braced! I'm 36 and taking the plunge next week (and I think you responded on my other thread).

If you don't mind my asking, what is the measurement of your overjet? Reason I ask is that I'm *hoping* to end up with teeth like yours when I'm done. I have crowding, overjet, and narrow arches. They can't fix the overjet unless I agree to surgery, which I'm not willing to do, and the extractions are not an option for me due to my profile.

I currently have a 9mm overjet and they say this will remain when I'm done. I'd be thrilled if my teeth ended up looking like yours...which is why I ask. (Funny how people have different goals, eh?)

I'll be looking forward to sharing your journey with you.

[catgyrl]

Congrats on being braced! I'm 36 and taking the plunge next week (and I think you responded on my other thread).

If you don't mind my asking, what is the measurement of your overjet? Reason I ask is that I'm *hoping* to end up with teeth like yours when I'm done. I have crowding, overjet, and narrow arches. They can't fix the overjet unless I agree to surgery, which I'm not willing to do, and the extractions are not an option for me due to my profile.

I currently have a 9mm overjet and they say this will remain when I'm done. I'd be thrilled if my teeth ended up looking like yours...which is why I ask. (Funny how people have different goals, eh?)

I'll be looking forward to sharing your journey with you.

Hi leanna!!

You know something? I have no idea how big my overjet is. He never told me. In fact, he never really talks much, in general. I'll try to remember to ask him when I see him on Tuesday. I'll let you know.

Don't be nervous - I'm actually (strangely) having fun with them. I think I smile more now than I did before.

[catgyrl]

Leanna-

I did a quick measurement, and I *think* my overjet is around 6.35 mm (around 1/4"); somewhere between 6.35 and 7 mm. (I put the tape measurer at the top of my lower front teeth and measured straight out to the tip of the upper teeth that jut out. Is that the right way? haha I had to go online and find a measurement converter chart. Never did get around to learning the metric system... haha

-Cathy

[leannaaker]

Thanks for your approximate measurement.

[catgyrl]

Thanks for your approximate measurement.

I saw him this morning, and asked him how big my gap was, and he said, "Pretty big!" I asked for an actual measurement, and it turns out I was close. It's about 6 mm.

[leannaaker]

I have a whopping 9mm overjet. Yikes! But my teeth are also crowded and I have narrow arches. I'm hoping with the expanding and the crowding fixed the overjet will look better. Thanks again!

[catgyrl]

Okay, I'm getting a bit impatient now...

I went in last week to swap out my spacers for (what I thought would be) 2 molar bands. Well... one of the ones that was previously "hangin' on for dear life" (lower-left side) ended up getting eaten by me at some point a few days prior to my going in last week. He tried replacing it, and keeping it in while they worked on the lower-right molar band. That one went in with no problem. (No problem = they got it in. It didn't exactly tickle, but they were able to get it in.) After 3 tries, he decided to put... yes... TWO MORE SPACERS in on the left!! This is my 3rd round of spacers on that damn crown. I'm to come back next week for him to, hopefully, take those out and fit a band on there. I'm concerned that by the time I go back there, it'll be gone or bitten in half - and rendered useless - yet again. (As I type this, I took a peek and yep, there's a tiny little tear in it. Guess I'll be chewing on the right for the next week or so.)

I'm also scheduled to get my left top premolar extracted this weekend. I've had wisdoms pulled before (with nitrous - GOOD STUFF!!), so I'm not afraid of the actual process. But that side of my mouth got infected with the wisdoms, so I just hope this one goes smoothly with not too much pain or swelling.

I can't wait until mid-May when I will HOPEFULLY be fully braced and can get this show on the road.

Despite all these minor setbacks - still no regrets whatsoever!

-Cathy

[catgyrl]

Shoot - my "normal smile" pic is missing. Here it is:



I can really see here how "off" my midline is. It isn't even close the center of my top lip. haha

[LARRYBOY56]

Cathy,

You responded to my other thread ("Grampa in Braces"). Thank you. Can you tell me how many bands you ended up with (or will end up with?). I have lots of molar crowns and I am wondering if they will be shoving the spacers between all of those? Sounds like you have had a time with the spacers and I am worried that I too, will have trouble. I can hardly floss between most of my molars and some of the fronts.

Thanks for your input and encouragement. Sounds like it is going well for you overall.

Larry

[catgyrl]

Cathy,

You responded to my other thread ("Grampa in Braces"). Thank you. Can you tell me how many bands you ended up with (or will end up with?). I have lots of molar crowns and I am wondering if they will be shoving the spacers between all of those? Sounds like you have had a time with the spacers and I am worried that I too, will have trouble. I can hardly floss between most of my molars and some of the fronts.

Thanks for your input and encouragement. Sounds like it is going well for you overall.

Larry

Aloha Larry!

One thing I've discovered about myself since I got my braces is that... I have absolutely no shame when it comes to my teeth! I cannot believe I'm about to post what I'm about to post, but I shall do it for you and all the other "bracees" who must be subjected to molar bands: Here's a pic of mine:



As of today, I am only scheduled to have two molar bands. As you can see in the pic, my first molar on the lower right (on the left in the picture) is banded, while the first molar on the lower left (on the right in the pic) is surrounded, nice and comfy-like, by my now-yellow spacers. If you take a REALLY good look at the spacer farthest back, it has a little bite out of it. I'm trying not to chew on that side so it will last another week.

If you have silver molar crowns, like mine, you will most likely have to have those banded, as the bonding may not stick as well to the crowns. Actually, the tooth directly in front of the lower-left molar band is also a crown, albeit a porcelain one. I've already had that bracket pop off once after a week. They roughed up the tooth a bit more and glued it back on. So far, so good. However, if it pops off again, I'll be getting a band on that one, too. As if I didn't have enough silver in my mouth from the fillings... and crowns... and braces... now more silver bands! LOL!

To me, the worst part about getting the molar band was getting the spacers first put in. I'm not going to lie - my gums bled like I haven't seen in a very long time because they really had to force them in there. I've had them replaced twice on the left already because they either popped out or I ate them (don't they look like ramen noodles??), but I'm confident that if I can keep these buggers in - and in one piece - I'll be able to get the other band on next week.

The actual banding was a bit uncomfortable, but not painful. They shape the metal ring around your teeth and make you bite down on it to push it down. (The thought of biting down on metal makes my skin crawl!) Once they get it shaped there, they take it back out, put cement on the inside, and then place it back on. It felt HUMONGOUS for the first day or so. Now I can barely feel it at all. Honestly... I'm a wussy female who hates dental procedures and is silently freaking out about her upcoming extraction this weekend, so if I can handle it, I know you can.

Good luck to you, and let me know if you have anymore questions.

-Cathy

[cosmo]

have you already noticed movement?

[catgyrl]

have you already noticed movement?

Hey Cosmo-

Well, I've definitely FELT movement, that's for sure - complete with wiggly teeth and cracking sounds; mostly on the bottom front teeth. Those 6 are probably the most crooked in my whole mouth, and even so, they're not THAT crooked that I'd notice any immediate movement. I think he's going to try to move them forward a bit, and I do think that's happening every so slightly. (I can suck air through my teeth now; could never do it before, so they must be spacing out a bit.)

I don't really expect to notice any drastic changes until after my extraction is done (this weekend); the site is healed, and the top row will finally be wired all the way across. I can't wait!!

-Cathy

[cosmo]

that's awesome congrats and keep us posted.

I only aske because I am on day 5 and I haven noticed anything but I feel it though.