Another braces story

[BraceFace2o1o]

Congrats luchababe your teeth look great

[Ellebraced]

OMG luchababe, soooo excited for you. I haven't been on a bit and saw you had a newer post. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am almost 6 weeks brace free and soooooo happy to have those suckers off. Your teeth look awesome. Congrats and enjoy!!!!

[luchababe]

Thanks for the compliments everyone! I'm still hovering in the bliss of having them off, eating everything I can because it's fun again. That's probably bad...

Anyway, I just got back from getting my retainer. It's making me gag! This pic isn't of mine, but it's the same style.



The arrows point to where I think the gag point are. They're hitting my tongue when I talk and I dry heave. Does anyone watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? You know how Dee dry heaves? Yeah, it's like that. I just stood in the bathroom and heaved over the sink to try and get it out of my system. I'm to spend the afternoon singing along to some songs to get used to it in my mouth. I hope that works! I'll give it a day or two then call my ortho's office to see if they can suggest anything.

Really wasn't expecting this!

[Ellebraced]

ughhhh stupid website deleted my long post.

Anyways.....

Yes I felt ill from it the first couple days and it gave me horrible sores on my cheeks but it got better pretty fast. I felt like I was choking cause my tongue had no where to go.

Anyways I am retainer free during the day as of today and it's weird being so free LOL

Good luck, hopefully the gagging doesn't last too long

[Dee17]

Hi. I just have to get my two cents in, as well. Your teeth look lovely now, they will look spectacular when you get your braces off.
I'm getting my braces on at the end of October and I'm having some serious second thoughts about this whole thing. I am also going to have to be in them for two years and am also very worried about how they are going to change my appearance. The problem for me is that I am considerably older than you. I'm 54 years old and so I'm WELL past the age of someone who would normally wear braces. I'll be following your journey as you move along it.
I enjoyed your comment about not putting on hand cream before putting your finger into your mouth. Never would have occurred to me, so thanks for the tip!

[luchababe]

Had a quickie with the ortho this morning. No, no that. I went and he shaved off about 1/8 of an inch of the plastic that sits at the back of my mouth. What a difference! I don't gag when I talk anymore! Phew! So if you're getting your retainer, don't be afraid to ask your doctor to tweak it until it's comfortable.

Dee17: I can why you're anxious and doubting your decisions. But I've been in the ortho's chair and had a 14 year to my left and a 40 year old to my right. The day I got mine off, there was gentleman in his late 50s, early 60s who was getting his off too. Yes, you'll hate them but some days they won't be a bother at all. Some days you'll wonder why the hell you got them on and other days you'll see the movement they've made and be excited to see the end result. It's quite the roller coaster ride, just be prepared for that.

[Dee17]

Hi,
Thanks for your message. I really appreciate reading your postings about The Good, The Bad and in particular what you've learned.
Yes, I have been having tremendous amounts of anxiety but I am pretty sure that I'm not ever going to regret getting braces -- even though I desperately wish I didn't have to. But I really can not envision living with this horrid gap in my front teeth for the rest of my life. That being said, I think it would be so much easier for me if I knew even one person (in the flesh) who was close to my age who had braces. Ah well, I don't so right now I am just trying to work on "getting over myself" and stop feeling so sorry for myself. I think that once I actually have them on, most of my anxiety will go away. Sleeping is getting a bit easier although last night was a bit rough.
I see that you are also in Ontario. I am in London.
Did you post any photos of how your teeth look after you got your braces off?

[luchababe]

Dee17: I grew up in London! Small world... If you go back a few pages in my thread, 1 or 2, you'll find photos I took the day I got them off. I still check the comparison to help me believe it's real.

[Dee17]

Hi,
I assume that you live in Toronto these days. That seems to be where most of the London kids go after they've grown up.
I was looking at your photos again and i must say that your teeth do look beautiful. Makes it all worthwhile, I'm sure! I'm just getting ready to start but I'm anxious to get going. Two years from now I'll be sitting where you are now, just pleased as punch and happy I made the journey!

[Matilda]

Your blog/thread is definitely one of the best ones I've read so far, luchababe.

Thanks for sharing your story and congratulations on your new smile.