Roxxie's Journey! at a low point mentally...

Message

#1 Post by **roxxie** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:31 pm

Hello. I'm roxxie, I'm 19 years old and going into my second year of university here in Ontario. Technically I'm an adult, but still a teenager too!

I get my braces on tomorrow!! I have both my consultation and my bonding tomorrow, hopefully, as we're trying to get it done before I move back to school Sept 1st. My ortho told me that my teeth aren't all THAT bad and that it was up to me whether or not to go through with it.

Anyway, we got the quote the other day, and man alive did my dad hit the roof! $6300! Hopefully his medical insurance will cover some or most of it, but the jury's still out.

I'm getting the speed braces (I think you all seem to refer to them as Damon, so I guess those, but a different brand name). I was told at the first consultation (before xrays) that I have an underbite, but it is not severe; my top teeth still overlap my bottom ones, just not enough. My molars also do not line up properly. It feels awkward when I close my mouth, like my teeth don't fit together the way they should. Hopefully that will be fixed! My top "fangs" jut out and there are gaps between my upper and lower teeth in the front.

As far as I can tell I won't need surgery or headgear, but I will need all four second bicuspids pulled (next tuesday). I'm dreading that more than the braces (I'm not a needle person)! I've also been sentenced to two years in the braces. I'll come back tomorrow to let you know what my treatment plan is for sure, and how the braces feel!

I also have pictures but I'm too incompetent to figure out these file sharing sites. Hopefully my descriptions work for now.

Thank you for this community!!

Question: are the gaps from the extracted teeth really noticable and ugly while they're closing?

Edit: one very poor photo now available at http://roxxiebraceface.blogspot.com/

#2 Post by **roxxie** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:24 pm

I don't know if "consult" is the right word. I've already met with him twice; the first he examined me, took photos and told me what I would likely need. The second he did xrays and impressions. This will be the third and fourth visit pushed together (1pm and 1:45pm). At 1:00 he will tell me what he has planned and I guess that's when we'll sign stuff; then at 1:45 he'll bond me.

#3 Post by **AmybettyB** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:03 am

Congrats on deciding to get braced Roxxie, I hope it all goes smoothly for you!

good luck!

#4 Post by **roxxie** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:43 pm

Ahhhhhh!

So I got braced today. Hooray? They hurt a little, pressure and I know I'm getting sores so there's wax everywhere. How do you eat with these things?? I haven't eaten since my appointment, I don't want the wax to come off and I just know it will be awkward.

I got brackets put most of my teeth; they skipped the upper 5's (second bicuspids) and lower 4's (first bicuspids) because they are coming out next tuesday. The wisdoms they're just ignoring all together, and the back molars (7's) they will bracket next time. I only got archwires on my front teeth, up to the ones being extracted. Wish me luck with the extractions, I'm scared!!

Did everyone else go to offices where they do almost only children? The woman putting my brackets commented "wow... you have a lot of teeth. Like, all your teeth. Even your wisdoms! We don't get that much!"

P.S. I thought braces would be cute. They're not. Yet.

#5 Post by **Rainy** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:34 pm

Welcome Roxxie

Well I got mine put on last Friday and let me tell you, you will eat, sleep, drink do everything with the wax on. If I dont I hurt. My teeth are not sore just the insides of my mouth where the brackets rub. Sometimes the wax comes off when I eat, usually it dosnt.

Remember to drink lots of water and the salt rinses. Everyone says it gets better soon and thats what I am holding on too right now.

Remember you can come here and vent or just talk.

Rainy

#6 Post by **hannahwebbo** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:25 am

Congratulations on being braced Roxxie

I hope everything goes smoothly for you

Hannah x

#7 Post by **Laurie** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:17 pm

How do you eat? Well you just cut things up small and dive right on in.

#8 Post by **roxxie** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:15 pm

Thank you everyone for your support!!

I am holding on to your promises that it WILL get better! I ate so much ice cream today, haha. And I consider myself very lucky, because I don't have the archwire on my molars yet, so I have only half the pain. But the other half will come in October!

Everyone assures me that I look perfectly normal, but I still feel like a six year old. Why oh why did I wait until my adult years?

Oh and we found out that my dad's insurance will pay $4000 for this. So it's still going to cost us $2300 plus whatever the extractions cost, but I guess that's better than paying the whole thing!

I haven't gotten any mouth sores yet, but I've been using the wax pretty religiously. My ortho's assistant told me to wait as long as I could before putting it on, so my mouth would toughen up, but I hate the feel of the braces and I hate canker sores!

So I use the wax constantly! Thanks for the advice, that I can eat with it on, I've been taking it off.

Did any of you have problems with cavities or stains on your teeth? I'm terrified of getting stains!!!

#9 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:27 pm

Well done on taking the plunge and getting braces! It takes a lot of courage to take that step. I have my braces put on on Monday so I am a small step behind you

I know what you mean about the dental nurses etc talking to you like you're a child. I'm 24 and when I had my spacers and moulds done earlier this week the dental assistant kept saying in a really baby-talk voice 'well done, well done' and kept calling me 'sweetie'. I mean, there's no need to congratulate me- it wasn't that hard for me to lay back and have something that tasted mildly like bubble-gum put in my mouth.

I think that they must come pre-programmed like that as I have had a lot of nurses (both dental and doctors) speak like that, hehe.

I just find it amusing! Hehe

Good luck on getting used to your braces- cant wait to see your progress!!

#10 Post by **kim22** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:34 am

hey roxxie. i just read your story. i have speed braces too. you dont realize how much smaller they are compared to regular braces until you see them beside someone with traditional metal braces, with the o-ring and stuff. i'm also from ontario lol, where abouts are you from?

anyway don't worry this braces stuff gets alot easier. but even with just those front 6 teeth connected, you'll still see lots of changes and movement. mine we're pretty much straight before i even got my teeth pulled. good luck withyour new braces! try and get some pictures up, it's good to see progress

#11 Post by **cwatt1** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:31 pm

Welcome to the forum, Roxxie! Always great to hear from another Canadian. My wife and I love your country and drove from Illinois clear across Canada to the Rockies just a few years ago. Breathtaking!

I'm sure you won't regret your decision to be braced even if your ortho thinks it was marginal whether or not you should go that route. You want the healthiest teeth possible as you get older!

Best of luck

#12 Post by **roxxie** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:27 pm

kim22, I am south of Toronto but I go to school in Ottawa!

I bought Listerine fluoride mouthwash today to try to prevent some of those cavaties.

I am going to attempt some pictures! But no promises. I do apologize for the terrible picture quality.

Day before braces were put on (Tuesday Aug.14/07):

You can see I have a slight underbite (my lower jaw is too big), and a crossbite where my 2nd top teeth go behind my bottom. I've always had those white spots on my two front teeth (decalcification?). As far as I can tell with internet research, the only way to get rid of them is cosmetic bonding...

I also have an overjet and a narrow upper jaw.

2 days after bonding:

Only the front teeth have been wired, 8 on top and 6 on bottom. My lower 4's and upper 5's will be exctracted (gasp!) on Tuesday.

It's hard to tell, but you can kind of see how my "fang" teeth poke out so much farther. It's much more obvious in person!

Bottom teeth. They're decent, but the arch is too "square" in front according to my ortho; I don't know if that's just cosmetic?

Annnnyway, the majority of my problems are with my bite, so I'm not going to see the progress as much as feel it. I'm also looking forward to cosmetic dentistry after!! De-sharpening my fangs, whitening and maybe some bonding! Y'all are starting out with nice pretty teeth that are just in the wrong spots, my teeth are ugly to begin with (though not as yellow as they seem in the pics).

#13 Post by **cwatt1** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 5:24 am

Roxxie, I agree with Karen -- your teeth are most certainly NOT ugly. They look very nicely shaped and very even in terms of size. Once your bite and alignment are fixed up you'll look stunning!

Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:30 pm

I just read yoour story:) So forgive me if I am back to far. This is repilies to your posts.

4000 is not bad, my dad only covers half. its 14k for me, as in thousand. So 7k is covered.

having wax is not big deal but annoying to apply it perfectly all the time. i have it in when I eat.

I am 6 months in but still need wax lol. I hope your journey is a pelasant experiance.

#15 Post by **Laurie** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 8:29 pm

I agree with KK, your teeth look nice to begin with so once the bite situation is sorted out you'll be doing great.