MY Braces Journey, 02-16-09 --> ??

Message

#1 Post by **Takako** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:17 pm

Hey guys! So I've only just begun my *official* journey with braces, although the prep work has been going on for over a month! I had to get spacers, and 3 cleanings, brackets put on, and extractions... whew! But as of today, I finally finally have my arch wire on! I've got it on both the top and the bottom. A bit of power chain was used to loop around the wire where it couldn't reach my teeth, but surprisingly those aren't the teeth that are hurting right now haha. Also, the ligatures in my front two top teeth are looped in figure eights, I assume to hold the wire against them more tightly. But here's my picture; that's the fun part right!?

Wow! My wire is sooo crooked! Oh, by the way, some info about me. I'm 24 and I work as a paraprofessional in an ESE pre-k classroom. Basically I'm an assistant in a preschool room for special needs children. It's hard work but I love it!

#2 Post by **Takako** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:20 pm

Hm, let me try that picture again. I'd love to edit the post but I don't see the button to do that.

Boo; the forum doesn't like LJ links. Oh well, good thing I have a photobucket!

#3 Post by **tinnygrinny** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:58 am

Hi! I just got my braces on yesterday, too! How long is your projected treatment time? I'm looking at 18 months.

Anyway, congrats on the braces! I'm still getting used to mine but I am sure I'll manage here in a couple more weeks

Good luck!

#4 Post by **Takako** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:19 am

Ak! I moved the picture after posting lol. It's back again...

Thank you, Grinny! My ortho said about 2 years total for treatment, and I believe that includes time in 24/7 retainers.

I'm pretty used to the feel of the brackets and the wire isn't too bad. But my front teeth hurt so bad right now! Aooow... XD They feel painful like they do when they get cold, it's weird.

#5 Post by **brika** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:07 pm

Hi Takako, and welcome!

Your wire may be crooked now, but you'll be surprised how quickly it starts straightening out! The soreness of your teeth is a sign that things have already started moving. :D

I can't wait to see your progress! Best of luck!

#6 Post by **real2** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:04 pm

Within 6 months, your teeth will straighten out to their desired course of sitting for the rest of the 1.5 years

#7 Post by **tinnygrinny** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:21 pm

I hope you are having a good second full day braced!

#8 Post by **Takako** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:05 pm

Thanks guys! I can already poke my floss threader all the way between many of my teeth at the gum line. I could never do that before! There's really no purpose behind doing that, but it sure is neat! Heck, before I had my extractions, I could barely floss at all, things were so tight.

#9 Post by **Takako** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:10 pm

Oh, I should add...

I am hitting a bracket at the moment, on my remaining right premolar on the bottom. This doesn't really bother me since I can almost close my mouth all the way, and I'm hoping that as that tooth and the premolar above it fan outwards, they'll separate. Right now they bite inwards, and so obviously they aren't lined up right at all. Actually... feeling around back there, the bottom premolar is tipped so far inwards that its crown isn't underneath the premolar above it at ALL! That could be why I'm biting the bracket

Get up, you lazy tooth! No laying down on the job! lol.

#10 Post by **Takako** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:26 pm

Hey! Something I'd like to mention to people who haven't had their extractions yet... mine bled a LOT it seemed like! I drooled blood all over my pants in the car on the way home, and I completely bled through the entire package of gauze they gave me! There were like, 12 pieces in there! And it hurt so much to put pressure on the sites, especially as the anesthetic really started wearing off. Thankfully around that time the bleeding subsided enough I could take the gauze out. I was mostly worried about making "good" clots so I wouldn't get dry socket!! Well I bled enough to make about ten "good" clots I feel! hahah.

That was two weeks ago on a Tuesday, and by now obviously everything has healed up nicely. I feel like there's a "bubble" over one of the sites on my upper gum, but it doesn't hurt so I'm not going to worry about it, especially since my ortho didn't say anything about it. Also, I think a fragment of bone broke loose on my bottom right socket during the extraction, and the gum now looks like it has a jagged piece right under the surface. I didn't notice until the morning after. But again, that doesn't hurt either, (unless I poke it, and then that's just because I'm pressing something pointy against my gum from the inside!) and the gum isn't broken so there's no way for germs to get in. My ortho didn't mention that at all either, so neither will I!!

#11 Post by **sdawdy** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:32 pm

It never hurts to give a call and ask!!!!

#12 Post by **Takako** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:29 pm

So, the bone fragment finally fell out 2 weeks ago. It was barely the size of a grain of sand!! And here I thought it was so big ahaha!

My teeth have moved over the past 5-6 weeks! I can tell in before/after photos.

#13 Post by **Takako** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:37 pm

Moving gif!

#14 Post by **brika** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:23 am

Love the gif, Takako! You've had a ton of movement in your first month. You must be so excited! :D
Congrats!

#15 Post by **Takako** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 2:14 pm

I know!! I've been thrilled with all of the movement so far ^^ Well, the 15th is my next appointment so I'll take another picture right before and after!!