OK--This was not the plan!

[klobird]

I'm continuing to have no elastics pain, and even better, I haven't needed to use wax anywhere for 2 days...that is really cool..

OK, so finally I am coming close to my 1st real appointment since braces day on April 29th. In a little less than 2 weeks, I will be getting another set of spacers, which is for the final 2 of 8 molar bands (the ones they couldn't get on at braces time, but they expected my braces to move my teeth enough so that the spacers would be a little easier to get in, as well as the bands.)

Then 3 weeks from now I will have my very 1st adjustment. I will be able to find out if anything is really happening--if things are going as expected, or too slowly, or whatever. And I will get the first new archwire.

So, no spacers pain the first time around, no archwire pain ever--only pokeys, and elastics rubbing. So, my special little self
might be getting a rude awakening!! We'll see...Anyway, I am taking a week off when the archwire change occurs. And then another week off in August. I have a lot of time off accrued.

I am getting more and more used to the braces, and less obsessive about them...about what I'm eating, about running to the bathroom to brush/clean after eating pudding or something that doesn't stick in my braces. And I'm not shoving the straw halfway down my throat when I drink soda now...I am very careful still and do use a straw, but I'm not so hard on myself now.

Even with the elastics, I'm beginning to think less about my braces. I am thankful for any progress in that regard. Right now, it's all good.....and I'm still thankful that I was able to get braces...

[Beauty is Pain]

the day you begin to forget braces are there, time flies soo fast before you know it, you will be back at that orthodontic chair and getting your spacers and then your next adjustment hehehe by the way, do you still break things into little bits before you eat still?? I do

[klobird]

OK--I'm definitely feeling trouble looming--spacers on the 19th, 1st adjustment on the 26th and my top teeth are hitting the bottom brackets!! Not in front--more on the sides--bite turbos or molar buildups??? I am going to eat eat eat eat everything I can munch with my teeth coming together while I can!!

I am going to pay for whining!! I just know it......oh well, gotta buck up and keep my eye on the prize!!!

[klobird]

10 weeks down today---94 to go....

[klobird]

Well, there is not much to say, which is a really, really good thing!! I have used wax only 1 day in about a week now,
for which I am soooooo thankful. My rubber bands aren't rubbing against my cheeks so much, and I am having no pain now from them. They actually seem too loose now, even when I first put them on. Things must be changing, but I have to say
I really, really don't see it.....

Well, next Tuesday is final spacers day, a week after that is 1st adjustment. I can't believe it's already been 2 1/2 months since brace day. The time is going almost scary fast....

I am really getting used to having braces. And I'm also beginning to loosen up and be a little naughty. Well, ok maybe not so danged obsessive about the cleaning all day long.
I still brush 3-4 times a day, as well as my 7 step night time routine, but I eat and rinse a lot instead of brushing too...

I'm wondering if right now is the calm before the spacer/adjustment storm.....

[klobird]

Well, even though I don't see much happening after 2 1/2 months, it feels like things are changing. My teeth feel so danged weird. Especially the overjet--it must be coming in. And today I was fighting a lisp all day long.

My hair stylist told me that when she talked to me yesterday, she thought I had food in my mouth!! I never talk on the phone with food in my mouth! Nope, just a whole lot of braces in there.

Today, I called the ortho office and made an appt with the office manager right after I get my spacers put in next Tuesday.
I've just decided that I need to take care of myself as far as their office goes. I am going to ask that bugar girl doesn't work on me anymore; and if I can ask the ortho directly some of the questions I have, instead of the assistant trying to intercept my questions all the time. I understand that they don't want me monopolizing all of his time but I have yet to ask him a single question! When I ask whether or not he is going to use the KX module with the Forsus appliance that I will be getting--I don't want the assistants answer to be "Oh, well I don't think we have those" or something like that.

I think I must be really hormonal or something, because whenever I even think about my ortho office, I get soooo p*ssed
off!! I am trying to keep calm.......I really, really think I am a fairly easy going person, and have never,ever been accused of being a b*tch (well, except by my younger sister--but even then jokingly- ). But as far as dealing with this office, I feel like I have a volcano inside that is going to blow up all over the ortho office. And I really don't want that to happen....

I should have comparison pics to post after my 1st adjustment on July 26th....

[klobird]

Well, I just talked to my therapist best friend about how I should approach my appt with the ortho office mgr. She said that as far as bugar face goes, that I should just confront her directly when a problem arises. And as far as asking the ortho some questions-I'm just going to ask the ortho office mgr. how it works since I'm new at all this--and when is a good time to actually talk to the ortho about some of the questions I have. We'll see...

Anyway, another good day--no wax--no real elastics problems--these good days are getting more frequent which is really nice.

I am excited about my 1st adjustment--apprehensive too--but excited to see if anything is happening--just where I'm at after 3 months--I have nooooo clue....And I'm excited about posting comparison pics. I'm really hoping to see a change.

My tongue is always playing with the elastics--and I'm always contorting my mouth to make the elastics snap. It's actually getting to be a bad habit--and my friend says I look like a gorilla when I do that. (maybe I already said that...)

OK--yippeee time to take my elastics out to eat--it's almost like when a prisoner is let out into the yard for that one hour only--....OK not really....but it's nice to get them out for a while....

[klobird]

11 weeks down--93 to go....

[klobird]

I come on this website constantly--I feel really pathetic about it--it's just that no one else I know wants to hear about my braces, and it is a constant anxiety for me. And it just helps to vent, and to read other blogs to see that I am not alone.
Kids seem to handle braces soooo much better!!

[Beauty is Pain]

Hey klobird! It is your spacers day today right?? Or is it tomorrow...mhm regardless, happy spacers day!!

[klobird]

Hey Bip--Spacers day is tomorrow!!! (Tuesday,11:00am). I am finally getting to my 1st real appts since brace day!
I have all my soft food together--waiting to see how it goes. They are putting the final 3 spacers in to make room for the last 2 molar bands, and these are the spacers that they couldn't get in the first time. Well, it's still tight in there--I have trouble even getting floss between those teeth. Soooo, I'm thinking I just escaped all of the spacer drama last time--I had no pain at all--and I might not be so lucky this time.

At any rate--I am still glad it's all beginning to happen. My 1st adjustment is next Tuesday, the 26th at 10:00am. Now that one I am a little anxious about. Everyone seems to hear how there teeth are coming along so well...I still can't see much change at all...and I am coming up on 3 months....man that time went fast!!! Zooooommmmmmm........Whoooooosh..
not kidding!!

Then after my 1st adjustment appt, I have another appt 6 weeks after that, and another one 8 weeks after that. Oh ya, and right in the middle of all that, I get my archwire removed on Aug 15. to go to my regular 6 month dental check-up. It will be off for about 3 hours. YIPPPPEEEEE. And I loooovvvvveeeee my regular dentist. I really do!! I look forward to my appt with her!! So, I'm going to be having some real things done in the next couple of months--and I'm excited and apprehensive.

The thing I am really anxious about is whether or not I will get bite turbos next week. The ortho is right on the line about it. The one positive would be that if I do get them, I will hopefully lose some weight. I would really like to lose 5-10lbs, because even though I hike a lot, I am not too motivated to lose those pounds.

So, we'll see how it all goes!!......

[klobird]

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!!! Well, for all of you suffering in record hot temperatures, you are welcome in the Pacific NW.
The city parade Saturday night--it poured buckets of rain...the weatherman said we have had a total of 78 minutes this summer with temps over 80...

My husband loves the rain...hmmmm....we don't tan, we rust (a popular saying here)...

I slept all day yesterday (Sunday)...that's what you do when you're housebound...unless you have fun hiking in the mud...and well, the rain....

So ya, come to the Pacific NW--I promise you comfort from the hot temps...

I am going to eat steak and potato chips in a few minutes in honor of spacers day tomorrow.

[Ellebraced]

Hey Klobird

I know when I heard the east had record breaking temperatures I thought are you kidding, sooooo much rain in the West, where I am is usually HOT and sunny all summer not this year won't stop raining feels like I am in Vancouver, BC (or Seattle) in the middle of spring. UGHHHHHHHHHHH Never had to walk in the summer with an umbrella before now I never leave home without it.

Least I do not have to water my garden

SO you have not had any movement in your teeth at all. That really really really sucks. Maybe the rain is making them stay put.

Hope your teeth start moving soon!!

[klobird]

Hey Elle---That's it!! I have Damon braces and they're heat activated!! Well, when it gets warmer I'm going to lay in the sun with my mouth wide open!! Maybe THEN I will see some change...

I'm scheduled for 2yrs in braces--I sure hope I don't get a letter saying it's 3!!

[klobird]

So it's been almost 12 hrs since I had the 3 spacers put in...the assistant got the first 2 in fairly easily. Then the 3rd one....hmmmm..

Every time she pulled the floss out that pushes the spacer in--the floss broke...and broke...and broke...and broke...
She then said that if she couldn't get it in that they would have to put a metal spacer in...my question being--if they're trying to make room for metal bands with a metal spacer, well, hello, just put the metal band in...

She said she was going to keep trying for a while to get it in before resorting to the metal spacer. And she did get it in finally. Whew!!!

So, anyway it's been 12 hrs (almost) and hmmm---no pain---at all...ok maybe I have defective pain receptors--I don't know. I am kind of worried about tonight. I am a terrible teeth grinder and if I go grinding on those spacer teeth, I think I will be in deep pain doo doo. I have been loading up on Ibuprofen 800mg all day long, and I am eating with my front teeth so I don't bite down where the spacers are. Seems to be working...

Soooooo, I had my meeting with the ortho office mgr.. I don't know if my regular dentist has been talking to the ortho office (she did say she would have my back--and I have talked to her office about the problems I have been having with the ortho office). Anyway, they went out of their way to be nice today. And I was able to say how I have been feeling without being offensive. The office mgr. said she has already been dealing with some of the things I was having problems with. So, apparently I haven't been the only one. At any rate, my whole experience at the ortho office today was 1,000 times better than my previous visits. I felt heard, and the ortho actually talked to me and answered some of my questions and that was great....

OK, so now the really good news. NO BITE TURBOS!!!!!!! Yippeeeee!!! AND--the forsus will not be for about 5 months annnndddd if I really can't handle it, they will take it out and I will do elastics only. But it would take longer with only the elastics. So, I am going to try the forsus when the time comes. I think I will be able to handle it much better knowing that it will be OK to have it removed when I say I'm done with it. It makes me really want to give it a good try--to work at it.

So next week, I will have pics taken (and then I will try to post the before and now--hopefully I will be able to see change in the pics that I'm not seeing now.) and I will get the rest of the molar bands and a new archwire. I am more excited now about this journey--because I think things have been worked out with the ortho and the office, and because I have been able to get my questions answered, and because I am actually having things done...

Even though I have had some problems, I am still so happy that I am able to have braces