I never thought much about what it meant to have an "open bite" until this year. I had an orthodontic consult when I was 13, but this ortho made the mistake of telling us that braces for me would be "purely cosmetic". 13 years later, I learn not only that most of the rest of the world is perfectly capable of biting into a BLT without having the lettuce and tomato slide out onto the plate in one big pile, but also that untreated open bites can lead to further jaw and chewing problems, as well as unnecessary wear and tear on other teeth, later in life. I'm so glad I decided to get braces! When I went to the orthodontist this year, I thought I was going to get my impossibly crooked bottom teeth all straightened out so plaque would stop gathering there. But now I'm hooked on this sandwich idea--honestly, I have never been able to shear through foods. I don't bite into apples with my front teeth, sushi falls apart the second I look at it, etc. I love food, so if there's one thing that excites me most about braces, it's the idea of eating properly for the first time in my life!
Of course, ironically, eating WITH braces is quite a challenge--every time I successfully chew something besides soup, I do a little jig.
Enough blabbing--time for some pictures!
Here's a picture of my mouth, pre-braces, with an open smile so you can see all the teeth (you'll notice I am also a victim of crowding!)
These are from my first adjustment in February. It's probably not very easy to see in a small picture, but my top teeth no longer cross over eachother so drastically, and even that deeply impacted bottom one is starting to edge its way out of hiding!
Here's a direct link to a bigger version of the pictures above:
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8533 ... t1b0jz.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4991/a ... rop8kr.jpg
I always smile when I see it.[/b]
We'll see how it progresses-- I will post again in mid-April! Thanks for all your support!
