The start of my journey!! With pics

[teambathmat]

Hiya

Thought I would keep a diary with pics of my journey.

My name is Liz, 34 years old from Leeds in the UK.

Was supposed to have braces on when I was younger but was never got round to it. Went to all the appointments but backed out at the last minute.

Here I am 20 years down the line and hating my teeth and scrutinising every photo taken of me.

My Mum sadly passed away 5 months ago and left me some money, So now I can afford to go ahead get my teeth sorted.

I had fixed upper braces put on 3 days ago. I have big gaps in my teeth and also 2 twisted back teeth on left hand side that makes me have a horrible smile. Am aching a bit at the moment and still wondering if i have done the right thing or not!

After I have had braces removed I will then have a crown fitted on the small tooth (already has a crown over an abnormally small adult tooth) and have the gum 'shaved' off a bit so it looks longer. But will worry about that in 18 months time!

Heres me on Thursday before the braces being fitted



And heres me again just after braces have been put on Nov 9th 2012

[catj1981]

Welcome!! I had my braces put on 10/30...so we're only a few days apart! As far as pain goes, I was ok for the first few days then WOWZA! I hurt and I hurt bad. I'm a few days shy of 2 weeks now and they aren't really sore at all anymore, I'm just still trying to get used to it. Are you only getting upper braces or a full set? I'm looking forward to seeing your progress!!

[teambathmat]

Hi cat!

I guess its going to get worse before I feel any better then?

Glad that you are feeling a bit better after 2 weeks though.

I am just having them on my top teeth. The Ortho said I can just about get away with not having the bottoms done. I really didnt want them on the bottom and also couldnt really afford to aswell x

Liz

[teambathmat]

Well its day 5 for me today.
They still feel strange and very awkward, am struggling to speak and eat.
There is a bracket on one side of my face that is digging into my cheek and no amount of sticking wax on seems to help.

Hoping this is all normal and is like a pair of new shoes and should ease eventually?

[Angel269]

Hi Liz

Welcome to the board. I'm also in the UK and have upper arch only for a midline diastema too, with ceramics and coated archwire

Hope you see progress quickly like I have done-feel free to read my story and check out my progress pics.

Look forward to seeing your progress too.

[teambathmat]

Hi Angel!

Just read your story!,Wow, what progress eh!?

Now I know what a 'diastema' is!

Think I will have mine on for 12-18 months, omly because I have 2 very awkward teeth at the side that need 'twisting ' into shape.

Liz x

[Dee17]

Hi Liz,
Welcome to the board and best of luck on your journey.
I also just had my braces put on recently (October 25th). The first five days were fairly painful but nothing unbearable. Since then, in just three weeks, I'm starting to see some closure of the space between my two front teeth. I am hoping when I go back to see my orthodontist in mid-December that he will tell me that I'll be able to get them off long before the original two years he estimated is up.
You'll find lots of very supportive and encouraging people on this site. Feel free to complain, moan and groan and whine as much as you need to. Everyone here has been through it and will support you with whatever you are going through!
Dee

[teambathmat]

Hi Dee!

Thanks for your reply.
Well I am on day 9 now and feel so much better than I did last week. I am stillself concious though and tend to go 'look,look at my brace' when I see people who havent seen them on me before they get a chance to mention it first!

A good thing about them is I have stoppped snacking and just stick to 3 meals a day, so its doing wonders for my weight loss!

[Dee17]

Hi,
Maybe that's a good thing -- to be a bit proactive and point out to others that you have braces instead of being like me and just feeling like I want to fall through the floor whenever anyone says anything about them.
I know what you mean about just sticking to three meals a day. Whenever I eat anything I have to go and brush my teeth almost immediately afterwards because I can't stand the feeling that there is food caught in my brackets. It's really decreased the amount of eating out I've been doing so it's helped me save some money, too. I hope that it will also help me lose some weight. That would definitely be a nice, unexpected, benefit!

[concorde]

Incredible results! In one day your teeth are almost perfect!
I'm 38 from Italy and I started my treatment on September.

[Tobilei]

Hi Liz Glad to hear it's getting a bit better for you! I can't wait for that stage (have an ulcer on the right side that goes from the front of my mouth, all the way up my toothline to the back-yowch!).

Hi,
Whenever I eat anything I have to go and brush my teeth almost immediately afterwards because I can't stand the feeling that there is food caught in my brackets.

Oh I'm so glad I read this! I have this feeling too. While I've only just started, my interest in food (I'm generally a huge foodie! I miss my food!) is currently at zero. I don't think it's because it hurts to chew, but more the icky feeling of anything coating my brackets. Even the thought of chocolate swishing around in there grosses me out and I can't imagine eating it (and before I was a chocolate a day kind of girl ).

[Dee17]

I'm totally sympatico with this. I have also found that I am much less interested in eating these days. I just can't stand the feeling I have after I've eaten. It's really pretty yucky. I'm about a month in now and I really hope this gets better. I've lost a little bit of weight though and I think it's because of this. So, that's not a totally bad side effect. Hang in there and stay in touch with us on this forum.

[AnnieLeedsUK]

Hi Liz,

I'm also in Leeds and getting my brace fitted tomorrow, nice to find this forum and know that I'm not alone on my adult brace journey! I have also prepped quite a few friends and predict I will be getting in there first with the 'look, I have braces!' comments with those I haven't been able to pre-warn!

Hope it's all going well for you- would be good to hear how the first couple of months have gone xx

[Dee17]

Hi AnnieLeedsUK,
You might be pleasantly surprised to find just how few people will comment on your new braces. I had a few people say something to me which I found very embarrassing. But overall, most people did not seem to notice or if they did, had did not say anything.

[teambathmat]

Hiya,!

Gosh, not been on here for a while!, hello fellow brace wearer from Leeds!....Just had my 2nd visit for them tightened and I am Suffering at the moment, my gums feel all inflamed and tender!

Liz