Nawners ~ 2nd Adjustment ~

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#1 Post by **Nawners** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:34 pm

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved the look of a metal mouth. I begged my mom throughout my childhood and into my teen years to let me have braces, but financially it wasnâ€™t really an option and she was always quick to point out that I didnâ€™t need them. She was right. I had straight teeth, and minimal gapping. I eventually moved on, and the desire waned for quite some time. I got married, had my wonderful kids, and even though it was always in the back of my mind, I quit OBSESSING about it.
When I was 19, I began to have trouble with a wisdom tooth, so it was decided that all four would be removed. Afterwards and over a fair period of time, I could tell my teeth were shifting further apart. Even my lower teeth, which had always been very tight, almost preventing floss from getting between them, had small spaces. But, being busy with married life with children, I didnâ€™t have a lot of time to think about it.
Fast forward to the year 2005. My marriage went sour and the kids and I moved in with my best friend. Things were tough, but after a short adjustment period, I came to realize that I was happy for once. And the best part was I wasnâ€™t struggling financially! Things were great!
Moving right along to 2007. About a month ago, my friend and I were watching that charming show â€œUgly Bettyâ€

#2 Post by **manglemouth** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:52 pm

So ugly Betty was your final motivation! Cool! Mine was my husband's niece - who I always thought had very straight teeth - getting braces at 13 years old. I thought "ok, hers weren't even bad AT ALL, why do I STILL not have mine?". I was so jealous of her that day, that ever since then I could not stop obsessing about it! But anyway, I will post my own story soon =) Was great to read your diary! I am looking forward to going through this process with you, as you know our spacer and brace days are identical (well, spacer day is one day off but who is counting!). I am waiting for these two days SO anxiously, and I know you are running in circles already too LOL which makes the waiting a bit easier =)

Can't wait for pictures! Good luck with your treatment, let's keep in touch, and here's to a FANTASTIC ADVENTURE and a MILLION DOLLAR SMILE when we are done!

#3 Post by **Nawners** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:47 pm

Yes, I would love to read your story! I am so happy to have someone to share these anxious days with.

I will post some pictures for sure!

#4 Post by **OBG** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:49 am

Exciting times!

congrats on your decision and I'm sure that you will never regret it. They will be times when you might wonder if you did the right thing, (trying to eat after adjustments) but the minor inconvenieces will quickly fade when the beautiful smile emerges.

Enjoy the journey and we look forward to watching your progress.

#5 Post by **Nawners** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 6:48 am

Thank you all for your supportive comments! This board had definitely helped me pass the time. I have learned a lot and reading everyone else's stories is an insipiration!

#6 Post by **Nawners** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:44 pm

I finally took some pictures pre-treatment...

This shows the "approximately 50% overbite"

This shows my bite closed. I can barely get my lips open enough to show the teeth! (I hope braces help that!!)

This is my bite a little more open. Look at how much the lateral incisors are flared...

I tried to take some pictures of my arches, but had no luck. I get spacers in two days so I will take more pics then! (sorry the pictures are so big!!)

#7 Post by **Nawners** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:01 am

I went to the dentist for a 'cleaning' yesterday, and since I have neglected my dental care for 16 years, ended up having a debridement. For those of you who don't know what that is, they take an ultrasonic, high powered water pik, and blast the tarter off your teeth and out of your gums. Then they take the sharp tarter scraper and scrape underneath your gums and around your teeth. My mouth kept filling up with blood. Not a fun experience.
Then I had to go back and get fillings. I have never had fillings before, but I knew the dentist didn't numb me well enough. And I was right. OUCH. I finally got good and numb, and got my fillings. After the novacaine wore off, I was in pain. I could feel where all the injections were put, and my jaw killed me. I began to wonder if I couldn't handle a couple of fillings, could I handle braces?
The dentist also made a comment; "Did the ortho say he would be able to close all those gaps?" I said "uhm, I think so". And he replied "well, those bicuspids are pretty small, I'll be curious to see if he can."
GREAT!!!
My question is, do dentists and orthos usually work with each other, or against each other? I'm wondering if the dentist wanted to sell me on veneers......
I get spacers in 3 hours!
Will update later.

#8 Post by **Nawners** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:32 pm

Spacers are IN. I assumed since I have pretty significant spacing, it would be a piece of cake. I was wrong! Apparently my molars are pretty tight. I almost wasn't able to get them today because the new patient coordinator was the only one in the office to do them, and she was having a lot of trouble.
Anyway, they are in. Quite annoying, and somewhat painful. I almost feel like I had extractions, but I think that's from the debridement and fillings yesterday. My gums are still a bit sensitive.
I hear the 2nd and 3rd days are the worst, and thankfully that will be over the weekend so I won't have to work through it...

#9 Post by **manglemouth** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 7:23 pm

Ok, somehow I missed the update with the pics! Nawners, your teeth look fantastic! You have the kind of teeth that will look absolutely fabulous when they are all aligned correctly!

I am starting to not even wanna post mine after seeing all these before pics

Somehow I think my teeth can only be helped so much and with some people you can just tell that they are in for a Hollywood smile!

I say you will be one of them! And I am sure that gap can be closed...it doesn't look that big to me...but certainly like KK said, I would ask the ortho for sure!

#10 Post by **Nawners** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:42 pm

Thanks, everyone!
Here are the rubber rings o' irritation, in all their teal glory...

I have four in all, but you can't really see the ones behind the tooth.

#11 Post by **Nawners** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 3:20 pm

The spacers have been in a week, and the past two days have been utter misery.
I woke up yesterday with the right side of my mouth throbbing and hurting like crazy when biting down. Then, in the midst of my clam chowder at lunch, I lost a spacer from the afflicted side. Although it was only one, the relief was immense. I was able to get through the rest of the day and night, only feeling pain when I bit down.
I had the spacer reinserted today and I just want to punch the left side of my face to take the pain away from the right side. I know, rather dramatic, but damn if these aren't horrible.

I have no problems whatsover on the left side, which is strange. And I just wish I could have got this part out of the way the first few days, instead of it creeping up on me after a week.
Anyway, just wanted to whine a bit. It's almost over! I hope it's true what they say, that this is the worst part of the treatment...

#12 Post by **manglemouth** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:09 pm

Hey Nawners, my ONE rubber spacer is the same color! Now neat! It's like we are brace soulmates LOL.

Hang in there my friend, I felt exactly what you did. I know what you mean by wanting to punch your face just to feel a stronger pain to numb the tooth pain! It's so miserable. Hopefully this weekend will be much better for you. IT'S GOT to get better soon now!!!!

#13 Post by **cssteam904** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:08 pm

I ended up with 8 spacers 2 on each side, top and bottom. I was never so much happier when they took them out to put my braces on. It was instant relief. To me, the braces and the metal bands were no where near as bad as the spacers.

#14 Post by **Nawners** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:01 pm

Hey Nawners, my ONE rubber spacer is the same color! Now neat! It's like we are brace soulmates LOL.

I know!! It's crazy! We even needed spacers replaced on almost the same day... If yours was the first one on the right that would be just too creepy!! I wish I had the pretty blue ones, though lol

FIVE MORE DAYS!!!

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words. I woke up today much better! *whew* Just a little pain when I bite down...

#15 Post by **manglemouth** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:20 am

We even needed spacers replaced on almost the same day... If yours was the first one on the right that would be just too creepy!!

IT WAS