Metal Mouth Message Board

***NB: What I'm doing each "progress" photos session is updating this first post each time with one most recent comparison picture. Further pictures and notes are in new posts below***

Got the top braces fitted on Monday 17 October 2005. They are ceramic with clear ligatures. No extractions are needed, but rubber bands will be used later. The bottom brace will not go on until another month at least.


Starting pics


Three months later

Day One - 17 Oct 2005

PAIN: The pain got quite bad by the first night, but it was a dull ache, not sharp.

FOOD: Teeth were so sensitive that even drinking room-temperature water was uncomfortable. Biting into anything is impossible.

BRUSHING: The orthodontist-prescribed V-brush seemed horrifically stiff and hurting, so a normal SuperSoft toothbrush was used instead. Its flexible bristles flicked under the brace quite well. The wirebrush was also nasty, as its end was sharp and seemed that it might damage the tooth surface.

Day Two - 18 Oct 2005

PAIN: It was no worse on the second morning, but teeth were ultra sensitive, it hurt to touch them with the tongue, though it was hard to resist doing this! By night, the pain had lessened noticeable.

FOOD: Stuff has to be pulled apart by hand or chopped up first. The crush-and-mush method is doable (using the tongue to smash stuff up against the roof of the mouth) which meant that potato salad was OK.

Liquids are better through straws, it avoids getting stuff on the front of the teeth/brace.

For soft things like mousse, it's better to invert the spoon as you put it in your mouth, so you kind of lick it off with your tongue, rather than get any on your teeth.

Good news! It's possible to chew very, very carefully on the very back right tooth.

Day Three - 19 Oct 2005

PAIN: Pretty much gone, mild ache is about all.

Top lip appears to have got a bit rubbed and is slightly swollen. Wax is worn just on the back left bracket.

A mouth ulcer has appeared on the top gum, though nowhere near where the brace might be rubbing. By happy coincidence, it turns out that my fluoride gel (Emoform, to treat sensitive teeth) beautifully numbs the ulcer.




Future updates will be when new/strange things occur, or there are more photos.

EDIT: It looks like the gaping maw of Hell

It's great to see how you are coping with the soreness of your teeth!! Even though I don't have my braces on yet, but as of 2day, I have just 7 days left until I do. I'm so ready to het myself braced. Me and my younger sister are getting our braces on. I'm excited to be going through this with someone close. But thats enough about me, I just want to let you know to enjoy your journey!

KK - thanks for the salt water advice! I will try it.

SweetSheena - the pain really isn't unbearably bad. I took a few paracetamol, that's it. The reason I detailed it for each day was because I am quite a coward, and I thought it would be useful for others to know the kind of types and level of discomfort. Although of course it varies for everyone - some people may have it worse, others better, than me.

First check-up appointment today: the orthodontist was very surprised that the ligs weren't stained (I've been paranoid about curry!) but he changed them anyway.

Things should be ready for the bottom brace to go on for the 15th November. The bottom brace will be four small metals at the front, the rest ceramic. This choice has been made so it works as quickly as possible, even if it looks less nice, though my lower teeth don't show much when I talk, luckily.

Some pics - with sparkling raspberry lip gloss! The distortion taking close-up pictures with my Zire makes my lips look like Jocelyn Wildenstein: in reality, they're much slimmer.

Hey werid_ wired!
I really like the lip gloss its very pretty! Looks like you're making some good progress! Good luck with your bottom braces! I get mine after 1.5 years on November 16!

-Hannah

Thanks! I put the lip gloss on so at least the pic would look different - it has only been just over a week after all, so I can't really expect miracles yet

Day 31 - Thursday November 17th 2005

1. The snaggle tooth has really come in line! (see pics in first post to compare, it's this one of the front four as you look at the photo:
[*][ ][ ][ ]

2. The bottom brace is one!

More pics:

Hey Weird_wired!
Congratulations on getting your lowers braced! I really like your pink ligs! They are awesome!
I got my bottom braces on yesterday! I think they feel really awkward and big. They hurt so bad! I also got a new wire on top for the first time in 4 months! I can't eat anything! I think thats because of how my back teeth don't meet anymore at all! Only my two front teeth touch the bottom teeth!
Hope you aren't in too much pain! Good luck!

-Hannah




Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05

Thanks! It's hard to tell because my start picture is so blurry, but one of my teeth at least has moved, so I am very excited

Well, I think there has been a litte movement in my lower teeth.

Before:


Four weeks later:


It's tiny, I know, but it's something. The front two lowers are quite loose, I think they would be able to move much more if they weren't being blocked by the ones either side. I don't quite get how they are supposed to force themselves out, but at least they have made a start.

The upper teeth aren't showing so much change, at least in the pictures I am able to take. The main defect I have (in my opinion!) is that the teeth arch on the right side is concave rather than convex. I have felt pressure there, and I think it is starting to move out a little, but perhaps elastic bands will speed things up here?

Spot the difference (other than the horrific yellow ligs!):

Before:


Four weeks later:

Great smile! your upper look great and lowers soon to follow!

Thanks KK and p7atrick! I do hope the progress will continue. I have my monthly appointment in an hour, so may post more pics after that

AGONY!!!

On the upside - the elastics that I got fitted today are fine. I even kind of like them, and missed them when I took them out to eat. The orthodontist wants me just to wear them for 12-14 hours a day, to "see if that is enough to make a difference."

On the downside: shaving. This was absolutely agony - not so much for the bottoms-either-side-of-front-two that got filed, but the agony of the teeth around them that were getting pressured and shifted while the filing took place. They are all really soft and sore, really sensitive roots right now, so it was hell.

Both wires were left unchanged, just new ligs put on, same colours (clear top, fluorescent pink bottom). This is because the top wire is still working, and the bottom teeth: "are very small and fragile" so need gentle treatment. After the pain of the shaving it's a huge relief: they really couldn't take a tougher wire right now, poor little things

So, without further ado, some pics:

Before shaving:


After shaving: