Tuesday's Grand Ortho Journey :D

[Tuesday]

Well, I am finding TONS of encouragement reading these experiences!! So, I decided I might as well share my own

I am 26 (nearly 27 LOL) and have been in SEVERE need of braces since I was, well, since I can remember.

It has interfered with my self esteem, with my confidence, and a whole lise of other things.

Long story short, my parents couldn't afford ortho, and didn't (apparently LOL) care to look into options for me...so fast forward, I have been married 7 years this month, given birth to two children with no medication, and the process of getting braces has scared me more than anything else!!

I suppose because it's your *Teeth* LOL. I have never smiled with open lips, and look forward to the day when I feel I can. I tried practicing in the shower, and as sad as it sounds, I don't know "how" to smile without hiding my teeth, it just feels so fake.

Nevertheless, I bit the bullet...got <shying away> all 10 fillings I needed and got the braces on, all within 2 months time (I think both my General Dentist and my Ortho were scared I'd back out LOL.

So, I got the braces on it September...went camping for 4 days the day I got them on and couldn't BELIEVE how fast I could FEEL and SEE them moving...I got them on Thursday, and by that Saturday morning, I could "pull" air between my two front teeth...THAT never happened before LOL.

So, I have seen a TOUCH of progress visually, can feel quite a bit...my crowding is SO severe that I'm sure it's going to be amazing to watch once I get the extractions done!! That's when, my Ortho says, the movement will get faster!!

I'm just completely hung up about posting a picture of my teeth, even though, the transformation from now to the end, is going to be HUGE, just ENORMOUS...Maybe I'll get the gumption soon LOL.

Anyhow, I go in next Tuesday to have the top two first bicuspids (I think that's what they are), and then in a bit, I'll get the second bicuspids on the bottom....I don't even have the bottom braces on yet...something about my bit being such that I would pop them all off at this point, so he's working on the top first for a few months

Anyhow, that's my story up to now...and once I get these extractions over, life will be grand, because THAT is my singular source of anxiety right now LOL

Thanks for listening everyone

[Guest]

Hi Tuesday, Thanks for sharing your story. Maybe when your teeth get a little straighter you will be able to show your past.... When you make up your mind, you make up your mind - 2months time! WOW

[bbbsq11]

Thanks for sharing your story! Is that you in your avatar?? Beautiful!!!!

[Dodger(UK)]

Hi Tuesday (is that your real name?)

I found myself drawing many parallels to most of what you said in your story above, you hit so many nails on the head. lol I had very crowded, crooked teeth and proceeded to have the 4 bicuspids extracted. I've been in braces for 9 months now and the transformation has been very good, I'm still working on my website to show the pics - I know what you mean about showing those before pics, not very attractive lol. (certainly holds true in my case) Maybe when your reached the stage were you are happy with the improvement your teeth are showing you could post pics, and then I will.

[Tuesday]

Hi Tuesday (is that your real name?)

I found myself drawing many parallels to most of what you said in your story above, you hit so many nails on the head. lol I had very crowded, crooked teeth and proceeded to have the 4 bicuspids extracted. I've been in braces for 9 months now and the transformation has been very good, I'm still working on my website to show the pics - I know what you mean about showing those before pics, not very attractive lol. (certainly holds true in my case) Maybe when your reached the stage were you are happy with the improvement your teeth are showing you could post pics, and then I will.

I am thinking that I will feel better about it since it's not "ME" anymore after the teeth start to line up LOL. I told my friend not to long ago, that as I'm growing older, I am more comforitable with who I am, comforitable with my own "skin" as it were, and that the single thing that holds me back from feeling like a 'beautiful woman', is my teeth :/...Most people don't even realize I need braces now that I tell them I have them, because I have become a CHAMP at hiding my teeth, when I talk, laugh, smile, lol...I would love to see your website as you go...and I'm seriously considering starting my own online diary/journal/photo progress...but, ACK, I don't know ROFL.

Thanks so much to all of you for the support and kind words...and, yes, that is me and my CLOSE-LIPPED smile in the avatar LOL!!!!

[sunflr7]

Congratulations on taking the first steps. I'm sure you'll be amazed by your progress in no time.

[Tuesday]

Well, today is the day!! I'm going in at 2:45 to get the wires taken out of the brackets so that the Dentist can get to my teeth easily to extract them. Then, at 4:00 I'll be in the Dentists chair getting my top first bicuspids pulled!! I'm realllllllllllly hoping that it's a breeze so that when I go in later to get the bottom second bicuspids pulled I won't be freaking out NEARLY as bad as I am right now about these two WHYYYYY does this have to be such a huge source of anxiet for me? LOL I was talking to a NINE YEAR OLD girl yesterday who had just had teeth pulled, SURELY if she did it without a hitch I can get this over with in a minimal amount of excitement LOL. My husband is taking off work early to come with me/drive me home...which is comforting. Anyhow, I'll post after I recover, how WONDERFULLY easy it was, and how SILLY I am for freaking out like this...BAA HA HA HA....I hope anyhow!!

Oh, and last but not least, yes, to answer a previous question:

Hi Tuesday (is that your real name?)

Yes, that is my true given name LOL. My father was clearly THE biggest Lynyrd Skynyrd fan of 1978, having named his DAUGHTER, his FIRST CHILD "Tuesday" after the song "Tuesday's Gone"... LOLOLOL.