KiwiGirl's Journey- Two Weeks with Braces!

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#31 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:01 am

Hi there, thanks for the lovely supportive comments everyone!

KK: Apologies for the size of the photos. I will try to shrink them tomorrow

WiredSkull: Yeah, goes to show that a lot of people don't actually notice if you have less than perfect teeth....Mindyou, like many people on here, I'm not doing it for other people

I also know what you mean about the bent arch wire on my bottom teeth- I knew those teeth were scrunched up but didn't realise quite how much until that wire came along! lol

MommaDucky: Thanks for the encouraging comments and for the kind words about my writing! I love to write which adds to my enjoyment of this forum.

Actually, all the lovely comments have made me feel a bit guilty about not commenting that much on all the other threads. I must put aside some time tomorrow to go through some of the topics and catch up on what people are up to. I try to look at/comment on a few every now and again but it's hard to keep up!

Anyway, back to the teeth.....I don't have much to tell today. I went to my event management workshop today and it went pretty well. I was quite nervous about introducing myself to the whole group (you know, when you have to tell everyone who you are, what company you work for blah blah blah) but I don't think that had much to do with the braces! I'm always a little bit nervous at these things at first until I warm up and get going. Not sure why as I've been to a about a million of them, should be used to it by now!

The good news is that no-one mentioned my braces! Some people were interested in why the only thing that I consumed all day was a yogurt that I had brought myself, rather than the lovely slabs of chocolate cake, yummy looking sausage rolls and other things that I couldn't eat that were on offer. They thought I was on a diet! When I explained that I definitely was not on a diet and was dying to dig into all the fat laden treats that were on offer and that the only reason I wasn't shoving them out of the way to get to said treats was because I had just had braces put on, they were all very positive and lovely. My mouth felt a bit tired by the end of the day and I have developed some sores but I have whacked some wax on the sharp bits and that seems to be doing the trick

Right, that's all I have to report- sorry for the loooooooooooong post. I hope you're all well and happy. I look forward to checking in on some of you tomorrow and seeing how your progress is going

Night night xx

#32 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:52 am

Hey jtlang- thanks for checking up on me!

I've been doing ok. My teeth are still pretty tender so I'm not back to eating normally yet. However, I am trying to chew things as much as my pain threshold allows as I read on here that it's good for your gums etc

I've been using quite a lot of wax (will actually need to restock supplies pretty soon!) but it seems that as soon as I put wax in one place another sore pops up somewhere else! I'm looking forward to my mouth accepting that this shiny foreign object is going to be sticking around for a little while! lol

Saw my first client since I got my braces on today and when I said hello and smiled at him he boomed out in true Australian style:

'My God- braces! No wonder you didn't want to open your mouth!'

He then had a go at my dad (who works with me) for 'forcing' me to have braces when I'm at the peak of my 'pulling' prime, hehe. I pointed out that I don't need to pull as I have a very gorgeous boyfriend and I also informed him that there are quite a few guys out there that actually have a thing for ladies in braces- that soon shut him up

Funnily enough, I kind of liked his reaction. He wasn't horrible about the braces and I prefered him just coming out and saying what he thought rather than skirting around the subject and avoiding looking at my mouth. Anyone get what I mean?

His final words on the matter were: 'Well, at least you won't look like Helen Clarke when you're older, eh?' Google Helen (NZ's prime minister) and you'll understand what he meant!)

Anyway, I've had a lovely day in the Auckland sunshine (although I have had to turn down many a yummy looking cake today, grrr

Mindyou, maybe that's a good thing!)

Can't wait to the day I forget that I'm wearing braces

#33 Post by **David** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:35 pm

Dont you love our Aussie mates?

I do like your attitude, though.

I'm in Auckland too, just wondering who your ortho is.

#34 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:28 pm

Hey- great to find another Aucklander! (well Brit turned Aucklander)

My ortho is Max and Beresford in Remuera and my jaw surgeon is Lance West

What about you?

#35 Post by **David** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:37 pm

They are one of the best, long established ortho practices in Auckland. You made a good choice there.

I've been out of braces for a while now, I'm one of the "oldies" on the board who have been around forever and still comes back from time to time to catch up with what's happening with some of the people I knew here.

I had Forbes Leishman as an ortho, he has now retired. He had offices in Mt Albert and Henderson.

Like you say, it's nice to see another local. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat.

#36 Post by **cwatt1** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:43 pm

Hi Kiwi,

Sounds like you're continuing to progress well. I think that tenderness is to be expected -- at least for me I found it subsides gradually, although even a month later they still feel a little tender and loose (but no pain).

'My God- braces! No wonder you didn't want to open your mouth!'

He then had a go at my dad (who works with me) for 'forcing' me to have braces when I'm at the peak of my 'pulling' prime, hehe. I pointed out that I don't need to pull as I have a very gorgeous boyfriend and I also informed him that there are quite a few guys out there that actually have a thing for ladies in braces- that soon shut him up

That's HILARIOUS!!

#37 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:10 pm

I haven't posted on here recently as I was going to wait until my first adjustment before I let people know about my progress.

However, work is a bit slow so I will fill you in a little bit on how I have found my first two weeks in brace-land!

Well, things are going really well. My teeth aren't aching anymore and I don't think about my braces too much apart from when I'm eating.

The only thing that has been annoying me is that the two ends of my top archwire have been cutting up my cheeks a bit. However, I went out this lunchtime and got two huge rolls of wax from the ortho so that should sort that out.

I have noticed some definite changes, particularly to my lower teeth, even after just two weeks which is really encouraging

I will post some progress pics sometime this week if I can get round to it

#38 Post by **iBorg** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:43 pm

Found your blog.....absolutely love your writing! Guess no car park is safe for a girl with a great attitude! You've already done the one thing I suggest to newbies, take pictures. I think you'll be able to do the other thing I recommend, HAVE FUN! This is a great thing you're doing for yourself. You'll quickly see a difference and realize how good of a decision this is.

Good luck,

Mike

#39 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:39 pm

So, I went to get my poky archwire trimmed today (as suggested by KK!). Also, the end of my bottom archwire had popped out of its bracket and was flailing around so I needed to get that seen to as well.

I expected to be in and out in about five minutes......but no. Things never happen as you expect them to do they?

First of all, my ortho took one look at my mouth, tutted and said that the bottom archwire was far too short. So the assistant took the entire wire out and put a longer one in.

Then, he looked at my top wire and decided that my top teeth were ready for a stronger archwire. So, I was presented with a very menacing looking, thick metal wire to replace the nice, thin, delicate one that was there previously. I guess this must be a good thing? Hopefuly it means that my top teeth have done some moving in the last two weeks

Oh, and I have to say (close your ears...erm, make that eyes...anyone yet to have their first adjustment!) that taking the old wires out and putting the new ones in hurt like *insert expletive*!!! I can't remember it hurting so much the first time I had braces. It hurt when the assistant was 'opening the door' on the brackets, as she put it, and pushing the new wires in. My leg was my official pain outlet- it kept lifting off the chair and jumping around every time the assistant put some pressure on my teeth. I kept laughing everytime it hurt as well, just because I was amazed at how much it did hurt and because laughing was better than crying!

She must have thought I was nuts. There was a poor young boy sobbing in the chair next to me too- we must have looked a right pair.

Anyway, contrary to my fears, that was the only painful bit. My teeth don't even ache a little bit even though I have a stronger top archwire in.

I tried to take some update photos by the way but I'm terrible at photographing my mouth so you'll have to wait a few weeks for my ortho to take some. Sorry- I know you'll all be devestated

Right, no more news so I'll be off to get my dinner. Hope everyone's progressing really well with their dental treatment!

#40 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:45 pm

p.s. Can anyone else see my avatar or is it just my machine that's misbehaving? lol

#41 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:52 am

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I was sitting in front of the TV this evening, quietly minding my own business, when I heard a little ping and got a really weird feeling in my mouth. I looked in the mirror and saw that the bracket on one of my front teeth has come off. Wonder if it has anything to do with getting a stronger archwire today?

Anyway, this means that I will have to book yet another appointment with my ortho first thing tomorrow morning. Grr

I'm usually quite positive about this process but I do not want to go back to the ortho tomorrow- I feel like I never leave the place recently!

Ah well, cest la vie- at least it gets me out of the office for a bit

#42 Post by **cwatt1** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:49 am

Oh, and I have to say (close your ears...erm, make that eyes...anyone yet to have their first adjustment!) that taking the old wires out and putting the new ones in hurt like *insert expletive*!!! I can't remember it hurting so much the first time I had braces. It hurt when the assistant was 'opening the door' on the brackets, as she put it, and pushing the new wires in. My leg was my official pain outlet- it kept lifting off the chair and jumping around every time the assistant put some pressure on my teeth. I kept laughing everytime it hurt as well, just because I was amazed at how much it did hurt and because laughing was better than crying! She must have thought I was nuts. There was a poor young boy sobbing in the chair next to me too- we must have looked a right pair.

I don't want to hear this

-- my first adjustment is coming up. Guess I'll just have to try and grin and be Mr. Cool

But quite seriously, sorry about the discomfort -- sounds like great movement, though!

I can't see your avatar, either -- it's obviously not your machine. My suggestion is to try and reconstruct the link if you haven't already done so.

#43 Post by **kiwigirl83** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:43 pm

I don't want to hear this -- my first adjustment is coming up. Guess I'll just have to try and grin and be Mr. Cool

I honestly don't think that this is the adjustment experience for everyone! I do not remember adjustments hurting like that when I was a teenage brace wearer and other posters, like KK, comment that their whole time in braces has been pain free.

I can't explain why my wire changes hurt so much! The only thing I can think of is that maybe it was because I had the wire change very soon after my braces went on (they've only been on for two weeks) and my teeth are still very tender. Usually you don't have your first adjustment until about a month into treatment do you?

Anyway, I'm sure you'll be fine! Sorry for scaring you!

#44 Post by **Rainy** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:33 pm

LOL Like cwatt1 I didnt want to hear about that first adjustement either. You did warn us though to close our eyes. I think I will take some Advil before I go.

Grats on the movement and new wires. I too had the pleasure of having a bracket pop off for no apparnet reason. Oh well they will fix it up right for you, maybe go a little lighter on the wire for awhile?

Rainy

#45 Post by **Beana803** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:33 am

Kiwi,

I actually suffer pretty badly after my adjustments too. Usually for approx. 3 days I have pain to some degree. I have to take meds those first three days and can't really chew anything too hard. I attribute this to movement of course, and keep telling myself that it will subside...because it does. I have read that KK doesn't have any pain....and god bless her Ortho! Unfortunatley, she lives a little FAR from me, so I can't go to him/her. I don't know...maybe her pain tolerance is higher than mine/ours. But my Ortho is HIGHLY recommended, and I have seen a lot of improvment over the last six months, so he must be doing something right. Check out my blog and you'll see! Good luck to you, and stay positive, that's the most important thing!