princess fang's metal mouth adventure WITH PICS!

[princess fang]

Today I got 2 teeth ripped out, I guess thats extraction to most people but hey, lets be honest. I was a total sooky-baby and showed not an ounce of bravery through the whole ordeal

I'm 27 years old and it was my first time at the dentist since I was pre-pubescent so of course I was mortified and panicky for days before hand. I must say everybody was very kind and tolerant and patient with me, my orthodontist even came along to my dentist appointment to talk me through it and give me pep talks. I got a shoulder massage from the nurse too to calm me down... sometimes its soothing being treated like a little kid (and acting like one!)

I decided to take the plunge to get braces maybe a week or so ago, after lurking on this site for a while, searching for an orthodontist, having many many consultations and x-rays and casts and generally being indecisive. I'll save the long story of why now and not then for another time when I'm feeling more introspective

I am missing the two adult teeth that should be next to my two front top teeth, so my canines decided to problem solve by filling in the space, albeit protuding a bit for a neo-vampire look. This means my baby canines were never pushed out and I had them to this day (quite a feat really, no cavities or decay). Sadly my baby teeth had to go, the root was very short and no one knew how long they would last, especially while teeth were being shifted with braces. Right now I look straight out of Night of the Undead, prominent canines with bloody holes next to them (fortunately for me I'm a horror movie fan!)



Tomorrow I rest and then the next day my braces go on to my top teeth, followed 8 months or so later by braces on my bottom teeth. I'm not too anxious about that now, possibly just due to the relief of having the ripping over and done with, ask me again an hour before my orthodontist appointment and no doubt I'll be a jelly ball of fear again!

In the meantime I am searching for someone to drill holes in my ripped out baby canines so I can make necklaces, one for my mother and one for my father... yeah I know, I have a twisted sense of appropriate gifts

[hannah164]

Hi Princess fang!
Congratulations with getting your teeth ripped out! I had 6 teeth ripped out and 2 canines exposed and bonded all at once! Sounds like you had some nice people to help you thru it! I love your sense of humor!
Good luck with getting your top braces!

-Hannah

[princess fang]

Thanks for your replies and support! Hannah that many teeth pulled must have been horrible... I feel like a total drama queen having panic attacks over two baby teeth!

Well I have 2 hours left without a mouth full of equipment and I'm using them very poorly: chainsmoking and sending friends pictures of the bloody gaping holes in my mouth

I'm not too scared, more excited really. I conveniently have a one week holiday off from work and I've made sure the next few days are completely free so if it hurts like hell I can sulk in bed drinking hot chocolate and watching DVD's.

Today my inbox was full of supportive emails from friends and family, even my boss called me to see how the teeth ripping went and wish me luck getting the braces on... I know I have a lot of good people in my life but wow! They are really really good people

I'm having all my toothy stuff done in Japan so it's kind of extra scary in a language that is mostly gibberish to me (I'm Australian) but my ortho (despite looking exactly like the mad doctor in Rocky Horror Picture Show) speaks English pretty well and has been excellent. I'll add a picture of him, as well as my gaping holes, and my equipment as soon as I figure out the image thing (imagine a "ditzy" emoticon)

Well... here goes...[/b]

[princess fang]

and its done. It took about an hour, pretty much painfree except for those weird speculum-for-the-mouth gadgets they use to keep your lips out of the way... I wish I'd never seen those dodgy swedish THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR movies!

3 hours later and so far so good. They don't hurt ... yet! I had some painkillers before, after, and regularly just in case though. Feels very strange inside my mouth, like I can't decide whether to close my mouth or open it... still, it's not that bad. Mind you I havent tried to eat (or kiss!) yet.



I stocked up on DVD's, I even got all 3 Harry Potter movies (although I swore a while ago I'd never watch them on the grounds that the Harry Potter character in my head looks nothing like the boy they cast... MINE IS BETTER!) I figure they will be good sulk in bed movies if my teeth start to agonize me.

The good thing is that I decided to treat myself with a bit of retail therapy so I now have a new jacket, new skirt, new hat, and my cat and my hedgehog both got new blankies

Well... until I have something to complain about...

[princess fang]

well I woke up this morning and my braces were still there... go figure!

They are feeling a little bit tender, I had a painkiller and as long as I dont attempt to chew anything they are okay, I'm thinking of it as a new form of dieting.

My list of things I hope I get used to:

1. Having to look in the mirror while brushing my teeth and spattering myself with toothpaste

2. Having to slowly ease my lip back over my braces after smiling, talking, or eating.

3. Sucking drool to make sure I dont drizzle saliva out of the corners of my mouth (I know I know... charming!)

And that's it for now. Not too bad really as far as metal mouth horror stories go. I am glad I could have my top braces on first though and have a few months to learn to live with them before my bottoms go on, it's very reassuring to have one row of teeth I can still brush normally and run my tongue over when I'm freaking out

Meanwhile, today is the day that my boy sees the new and technologically enhanced me (I banned him from visiting while I had my gaping bloody extraction holes ) He has been forewarned that I may be sooky and sulky and unable to kiss him without drooling on him but he claims its a price he's willing to pay... awwww.

BTW: Yes I do have a real live hedgie He is still just a baby, maybe 4 or 5 months old, his name is Fluffy (of course) and he hates everyone except for me (me he sometimes tolerates ) He is an African Pygmy Hedgehog, not the European kind that hibernate although closely related. I'll put a pic up of him too, he's a hottie! I have to wait till I get back to work because my home computer (on loan from a friend) doesn't seem to want to work with my images so hopefully next week my pics will be up.



Well, until my next post describing my boy's reaction...

[princess fang]

I was going to update after my boy left... but he ended up staying the night and I was kind of busy

He came with flowers and hugs and comforting words (I was all "nooooo... dont look at me!!!!" I dont really care what other people think but I care what he thinks) he was very sweet. Ran off to the supermarket for cooking supplies because I hadn't eaten anything and got busy in the kitchen. The end result was Japanese comfort food, rice and egg and little bits of meat ... delicious and no chewing necessary. (I'll get the recipe if anyone is interested).

I was really nervous about kissing him (I've lost all sense of where my teeth begin and where they end so I keep accidentally banging them against glasses and cutlery which hurts like hell!) but he was sweet and patient and gentle and lovely ...

So far it's still not too bad... my teeth dont really hurt unless I bite on something or accidentally whack them, but none of that baseball bat in the face feeling. The inside of my lips is getting slowly torn to shreds but it's not agony... yet!

Today I head into work so I'll report on my colleagues and friends responses...

[princess fang]

Well I finally rejoined the world of the living today after my 1 week holiday and I think about half the staff and students didn't even notice I now have a mouth full of junk... it's almost disappointing since my braces feel so huge and major to me I almost wish I had gotten some gasps or something!

Some of my 6 year olds were quite curious so we had a quick mini-lesson on what braces are and what they do, they said:

"Oh! My grandparents have those!"

"Can you take your teeth out?"

LOL! I gave up trying to explain the difference between braces and dentures, so we spent some time sharing gripes about the difficulties of eating when your teeth are bugging out on you. Nearly all my students currently have numerous baby teeth missing and gaps all over the place so they could sympathize with having to use back teeth and being unable to bite into things.

Also I treated myself yesterday to a new Sonicare (I got the 7300) which I love, my teeth finally feel clean, except I haven't figured out how to stop the splatter effect when doing around my braces, they say to close your mouth around the toothbrush but thats kinda hard to do... I dont think there's space in my mouth for my teeth sticking out, braces on top of them, and a toothbrush whizzing around on top of all that... any tips much appreciated!

[krzysiek]

Today I got 2 teeth ripped out, I guess thats extraction to most people but hey, lets be honest. I was a total sooky-baby and showed not an ounce of bravery through the whole ordeal

Hi

I can see you have Class2/div2 bite problem? Have you got your X-rays in a file maybe? Please post them on the web...I'd like to see them.
You must have them, in Japan everything is connected to the computer I think
Good luck!

[princess fang]

I can see you have Class2/div2 bite problem? Have you got your X-rays in a file maybe? Please post them on the web

Not sure I can be much assistance... I dont have any x-rays in digital form, and the x-rays I do have probably wouldnt be of much interest to you as they were taken to figure out what was going on with my baby teeth rather than to assess my bite (mainly close-ups).

I dont know if I have a class2/div2 bite problem... I dont think so though. I have a slight overbite, its hard to see the angle of my teeth in my pics because my canines protrude quite significantly making my other teeth look more inward leaning than they actually are. My reason for getting braces is largely because of my protruding canines rather than my bite, and this is what my ortho is focusing on. I've never really had any problems from having a slight overbite and none of the people I've seen seem to think it is or will be a big problem either.

I'm sorry I cant be of more assistance, I dont really know a lot of the technical details since my ortho is Japanese and the language is different. As far as I know my treatment consists of 2 extractions (because they were baby teeth, not because of crowding), regular braces on top for 18 months, and regular braces on bottom for 12-14 months. No chains, arch expanders, bands, spacers, or any of those other things that seem to make braces even more traumatic

[butterfly]

Hi princess fang

We are braces twin sisters - we were braced the same day!!!
Hey let's follow each other's progress.

[Eleni]

well I woke up this morning and my braces were still there... go figure!

Don't you hate when that happens.

I had one baby tooth "ripped" out, and I was all drama as well.

So, if I read things correctly, your adult canines and baby canines were both erupted, and your adult laterals (the teeth that should have been next to your two front teeth) were missing/never there?

Ok, so now that your baby canines are out, are you going to get implants, or move all the teeth over? And just because your ortho is Japanese, doesnt mean he makes any more/less sence than an English speaking one. I have this feeling you may be at a slight advantage.

Lastly, I love your writing style, and its cute how much your friends, family and collegues have been supporting.

And I would love to know the recipie for the Japanese comfort food!

Best of luck with your progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[princess fang]

Thank you all for your messages! I haven't written for a while but there hasn't been all that much to say (usual drama's with lettuce lodging itself in previously non-existent holes and crevices and no end of digestive dramas from an inability to chew pickled bean sprouts and hence swallowing them whole... ) plus I've been busy as a manic marmoset with parent - teacher conferences

Although my jargon savvy is minimal, I think you are right Eleni, and no I'm not getting implants, everything is being shifted around to close the gaps (I HOPE!) My ortho asked me what my desired outcome was and I said I quite liked having fangs on prominent display at the front of my mouth, I just wanted them all to line up beautifully, so that is what we're going for... an aesthetically balanced vampire effect

Meanwhile, my fakies which were covering my monster holes have shifted along with the teeth next to them, which is good in theory since it means my braces are definately working, but in reality it means they have shifted to the side so there is like a 2 mm gap where you can see the holes behind them. So now the end result is like when you try to cover a bad toilet smell with cheap perfume and the stench mutates into new and unheard of vileness... if you follow the analogy...

I tried to take a pic to add visual reference to my description but it doesnt really show the dilemna, I think I'll put it up anyway cause it catches me at a rather striking angle

Well tomorrow is my first adjustment, 3 weeks since I had them put on and hopefully my ortho will be able to do something about my fakie situation... I'm actually kind of looking forward to it even though it may throw my teeth back into mush food status, I'm impatient so any change is a good change!

And finally, here is the recipe for Japanese Comfort Mush courtesy of my boy (I've added a western version just in case)

Japanese Comfort Mush

2 cups cooked Japanese rice
2 cups Dashi stock
Shoyu
2 eggs
1 can chopped shellfish

It's super quick and simple, heat the dashi stock till its simmering, add the rice, and drained shellfish, cook about 5-10 minutes till mushy, beat in 2 eggs and stir for one minute, turn off the heat and add shoyu to taste. Voila, mush!

Western Version:

2 cups short grain rice
2 cups chicken stock
Soy sauce (or salt and pepper)
2 eggs
1 small can of tuna in brine

Pretty much the same method. Voila, westernized mush!

It should end up looking like an unappetizing risotto, but its very yum and full of carbs and protein to keep you going when eating is a trauma.

[Helen]

In the meantime I am searching for someone to drill holes in my ripped out baby canines so I can make necklaces, one for my mother and one for my father... yeah I know, I have a twisted sense of appropriate gifts

That made me smile, Princess. Did you put that into action?

It remembers me of a patient whom I once removed a crown. He insisted in keeping it close to his body after wearing it for 20 years in his mouth. He asked me to drill a hole into it.

I did it, and since then he is wearing his former molar crown as a necklace.


Helen

[bejay23]

Ok, I'm dying to hear how the adjustment went!!

[princess fang]

OHMYGAWD I know I haven't written for ages but I figure I better post something before I die from the agony in my mouth

I just came back from my second adjustment (yeah yeah, I know I still haven't gotten around to writing about my first...) and it hurts already and this is after taking the painkillers! Last time I woke up in agony but I had at least one leisurely night before the pain kicked in, no such luck this time it seems.

I vaguely recall saying I didn't have to have power chains, well, it appears I lied, those got popped on my first adjustment, and everything you've heard is true, they hurt, and they suck, and then they hurt some more. My ortho, who has a sick sense of humor, described them as a 'gentle spring breeze'... ha ha har!

But despite the complain, my teeth have moved! My fangs are coming into line with my other teeth and the gap between my real teeth and my falsies is closing at top speed. I'll post some new pics as soon as I get my booty onto a computer that works better than this...

That's all, I got cooking to do and my hedgie is hungry too, just needed a quick vent before I O.D. on painkillers...