Finally Braced - Michelle005's Story! ***Update 5/2/08***

[michelle005]

Hi everyone! I am 25 years old from California. I've been doing a lot of research and all of your posts have been so incredibly helpful. Thank you all! I have to warn you that I am VERY detailed so if you intend to read this whole post please use the bathroom, get yourself a nice snack and beverage to enjoy and get comfy.

The Intro
I've been wanting braces for as long as I can remember mainly to close the gap between my two front teeth but also to straighten the slightly crowded lowers. There are no issues with my bite, therefore when I was a kid the dentist told my parents braces were not “medically necessaryâ€

[Bekah]

Wow Congrats on getting started so quickly! I feel so much better knowing that others are happy with thier decision!

[*melissa*]

Hi Michelle! I loved your story, I read every word!
Welcome to the world of braces haha.
They put those stupid molar build ups on me too! And yeah, one side is higher than the other as well. It's to fix your un-even bite. I HATED them in the beginning, but after a week you *kinda* forget they are there. But yeah, it's impossible to chew, since youve got no chewing surface. It gets better though and just keep in mind how worth it it will be in the end!!

[jenny101101]

Hi Michelle,

I, too, read every word (and I didn't even need a snack ).Wow, that's quick to get them on . Glad to hear you're doing so well and I look forward to following your progress and pics!!!

[SGPWired]

Congratulations and good luck on your journey!

[michelle005]

Hi guys! Thank you so much for your responses! I feel very welcome here. As promised, here are the pics from my first day in braces!

Note that in all pictures (with exception of the two open-mouthed ones, obviously) I am biting down as much as I can. Darn build-ups. *grumble*

Hopefully the colored placement dots will brush off soon...how long does it normally take?

He said when we're done all the front teeth will be lined up all nice and even lengthwise.


My right side. See the little clipped pokey wires. Those are normally covered with wax...


My left side...


Lovely spacers (still don't hurt )...


Lower spacers and the cursed build-ups...


My natural smile. I don't normally stick my tongue out like that, but for some reason I do with this open bite...

[michelle005]

Good morning all!

It's day 3 in braces and I woke up a teeny bit more sore than yesterday, mainly in the front teeth, but still not that bad really. I took two Ibuprofens and am feeling great! I'm already starting to forget they're in there.

Still no spacers pain, but I know the molars are moving. I tried flossing the unwired molar in front of one of the bottom spacers (right in front of where the build-up is) and could not get the floss in for the life of me! I threaded it through the bottom of the tooth and then tried to pull it up and out but it got stuck and shredded. Man, that tooth is tight!

I have developed a little habit...when my mouth is closed I'll suck in the inside of my lips. Once I realize I'm doing it I can feel little grooves in the inside of my lips top and bottom from the brackets, but I'm still fully raw, cut, and sore free which I'm very happy about. Does anyone else do this sucking in thing or am I just a weirdo?

[Bekah]

They look great!

[*melissa*]

Oh they are purdeee...you cant even see the top ones, only the wire...

[Devushka]

Ah, a fellow gapee! Thanks for posting!

I know exactly how you feel about everyone saying it "adds character"and I couldn't be happy unless it was closed so I am working on that right now was well.

Wow, that is so great that you got it done so quick too, helps calm the nerves I bet when you don't even have time to get them. Sounds like you found a nice place to get treatment with the payment plan and offering to get you braced before you even payed.

The ceramics look great and the purple ligs on the bottom are cute!

Good luck!

[michelle005]

Aw, thanks guys!

Devushka: Good to hear from someone who is as anti-gap as me. Funny thing is, those who give the whole "adds character" crap don't have gaps so they know nothing of how it is. Now I'm getting the "I didn't think you needed braces in the first place....you had a great smile." line from a few. Again, not doing this because of what others think...doing it for ME, people!

Everyone's telling me you don't really notice them when I talk. One girl from work was looking at them and goes, "So did they put the top ones on the back of your teeth or what?" I pointed out my upper brackets and she goes, "OH!! Wow, you can't even see them!" Very nice. Not that I'd mind if they were highly visible...but nice to know the ceramics are doing their aesthetic job.

I did get a bit more sore tonight. I broke a rule and tried chewing a piece of gum (one assistant told me as long as it's sugar free, go for it but be careful). Wow, now that was painful but I kept at it for a little bit and it got a little easier. I made some Tilapia for dinner tonight. Chewed it with no problem. I've figured out how to do that with the build-ups...gotta slide them side-to-side instead of biting down. Works for the most part...and good news, I'm getting somewhat used to them! Well, the Tylenol PM is kicking in so goodnight everyone! Hope you all have a great Friday!

[michelle005]

Well now I've gone and done it. I stained my clear ligs. Damnit! I was being so careful, too! For dinner I had this Moroccan-inspired apricot currant whole wheat couscous & chicken thing (Archer Farms, from Target, goooood) and I had looked in the ingredients for 'curry' and saw none so I figured it was safe. Now that my ligs are stained a nice shade of light clear-yellow, I look again and turmeric is listed. DOH!! Even while I was eating, since I'm all paranoid, I was swishing water after every other bite and I brushed immediately afterwards. But nope, the damage was done. Check it out:

Before...


And now. Can you see the especially yellow ones towards the back? And the back lower purples are kinda greyish. *tear*


My blue spacers are now a lovely shade of green, heh.


Ooooh well. My next appointment is in a little over a week so I think I can handle it until then. You live and you learn.

[Miss Smiley]

I love how straight your wire is! Stained ligs from foods, I totally understand. You'll get used to it and then start to use colors on the clears too. Oh yeah, welcome to the club, I just now got to read your story, made me smile the whole time I read it.

[michelle005]

Thanks, Miss Smiley! I'm just a little bummed. Since this is my first week I'm still showing them off to everyone and I don't wanna show off dingy yellow looking teeth. My dad has been out of town the last week and wont be back until next weekend so he hasn't even seen them yet (besides emailed pictures). I guess it really doesn't look THAT bad from the front...I'm probably the only one who really notices. I'll just have to be cautious not to stain them even more before my next appt.

My routine breakfast is a bowl of cereal with mixed berries added. I'm afraid to use the berries now...think they'll stain them red? Or purple since there are blueberries....or orange since they're already yellow! Ah, forget it. Not gonna risk it. I probably will go with colors down the road...or maybe I can see about getting wire ties. Ooh, does anyone know if balsamic vinegar will stain?? That's all I need...brown teeth.

Aaaanyway...other than the discoloration, everything is still going great! I was more sore than ever yesterday and had to really keep up on the pain meds, but today I woke up nearly pain free...which is why I'm going to attempt cereal for breakfast. Okay, so I'm a popcorn addict and didn't know how I would be able to give that up for 2 years, but after reading some threads on how many people still eat it, I tried it last night. I was too scared to chew it though, it would be my luck something would get wedged waaay up there and cause some sorta infection that would result in all my teeth falling out or something equally tragic, so I sucked it all down and then spit out the remaining hulls....haha, how gross, huh? No public popcorn eating for me!

[Bekah]

I don't know if this helps but I saw the new pics and had to really look to see the staining! I know that if you are anything like I am you have become hypersensitive about your teeth and will notice things that none of the rest of us see.

It isn't near as noticable as you think it is! I like the pretty green btw!

Keep smiling!