Officially a tin grin -- my braces story!

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#1 Post by **tinnygrinny** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:13 am

Hello, everyone!

Yesterday, February 16, 2009 was my brace day. I have Damon3's on my teeth now. It was quite the experience, I'll tell you. I have never seen so many instruments to be used on a mouth before! It overall went well. I'm still adjusting and a little uncomfortable today. It feels really odd to eat and even to kiss my husband lol. I'll get used to it, just need some more time.

So I am looking at an 18 month treatment. My husband and I are having a second wedding in August of 2010 (first was a small magistrate wedding prior to his deployment) and I was told they will be off and my teeth will be good to go by then! Wahooo.

My main issues with my teeth are:
Crowding in my top, front teeth
Crowding in my bottom, front teeth
HUGE overbite.

I can't wait until I start seeing the results. And I REALLY can't wait to get these things off! However, I'm remaining patient for now.

I have to say, I feel funny with them on at work. It feels odd to smile and talk still, and I know people notice them. Oh well, I'm doing it for me, not them!

Anyway, so I'll be updating as my progress is made. I'll post pictures when I can

#2 Post by **Bekah** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:25 am

You will be shocked by how fast the teeth will move! Welcome to the club!

#3 Post by **tinnygrinny** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:43 am

Thanks, Bekah! I'm really excited to see the results. That's what I keep telling myself now because of my discomfort today. I'm not in much pain, but I feel a lot of pressure and I am not enjoying my elastics.

Also -- I had to have some kind of goop stuff put on my back molars to prevent me from biting down completely because of my overbite. Without it, my top front teeth were hitting my bottom front brackets. I'm not a fan of that, but just like everything else, I'll get used to it!

#4 Post by **Andromeda** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:07 am

Hey tinnygrinny! Contratulations on starting your braces journey and your second wedding coming up next year! Looks like we have a few things in common - braces, of course, and my hubby is also in the military! I just wrote a post about how I wished I could have had my braces done before the wedding but it didn't work out that way. We got engaged in college and were gonna wait a couple years to do the wedding, which I figured would also give me time to do the whole braces thing. We decided to move the wedding up though to a week after college graduation so that it would be before he had to leave for training and possible deployments. We couldn't figure out how to pick a date a year or 2 into the future not knowing if he would be on deployment or what would be going on, so we just sucked it up and had it early.

I'm glad we did but boy would I have liked to have nice beautiful teeth on my wedding day - it was always my ultimate dream as a teenager knowing my family could not afford braces to one day get them for myself and have them off in time for my wedding, but I couldn't have imagined I'd be married by age 22, hehe.

Well I wound up getting the braces about 10 months later in March 2008 and I'm now nearing the finish line. If all goes as planned, I should have them off in time for my 2 year anniversary which is in May, and maybe even before my birthday in April, but we shall see.

18 months is not too bad at all. I originally had 18 month estimate and now it's down to 13 months

I really hope your treatment goes well and then you will be cheesing like crazy next summer, hehe.

I know what you mean about feeling funny at work. I started a new job mid treatment and everyone kept thinking I was an intern or something bc I guess I look really young especially with these bad boys

But it goes by fast, especially when you stay busy and taking pictures to compare and see progress helps to stay motivated.

Looking forward to seeing your pictures when they are up!

#5 Post by **Takako** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:23 am

Hi Grinny! I found your topic!

It's great we both started on the same day! Today is pretty painful, even extra strength Tylenol isn't helping much.

#6 Post by **Rachel B** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:31 am

Hi Tinny Grinny,

Congratulations on your brace day

I've had mine on for 2 and a half weeks now and I can tell you two things, 1. It gets so much easier and more normal feeling and 2. Your teeth will move really fast, mine have in just 2 weeks.

Rach x

#7 Post by ***tap*** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:12 pm

well done on taking the plunge, you'll have a gorgeous smile for your 2nd wedding day. take full advantage of the camera hehe!! hope you dont get to much discomfort!! after 3/4 days they will feel ok. i've had them on for just ova two weeks and keep getting little spurs of aching seems to transfer from left to right its great cos i no my brace is working

cant wait to see your progress ova the months.

sophie

#8 Post by **brika** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:46 pm

Congrats on your bracing! It's great to hear your treatment should be finished in time for your wedding...what a dream come true! :D

It took me about a week to get used to mine, but since then I hardly take notice of them. Hopefully yours won't cause you too much discomfort!

Best of luck to you!

#9 Post by **tinnygrinny** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:19 pm

Thanks for all of your sweet responses! I am, of course, at work again and have yet to get pictures to put up. No worries! I am documenting it all and will have some to share soon.

Today is okay. I am still in a little pain. I can feel my lower front teeth aching. I think they are mad that I am making them move from the nice crowded position they have gotten used to. Tough! They will move!

I still hate elastics. I think that will be the WORST part of it, except for limiting what I can eat. I can't chew still, I need to get used to that solid goop on my teeth in the back. I cannot close my mouth completely and it sucks.

Andromedia -- well we most certainly DO have a lot in common! That is amazing that you get yours off soon, and sooner than planned at that! I'll be 24 on April 16. When is your April bday? Also, I do feel your pain with looking young. I said to one of the orthodontic assistants that I looked 15 when I saw myself in the mirror and she responded, all enthusiastic, "Yes you do!" as if it is a good thing. I'm trying to be taken seriously here, people!

takako -- How are you holding up today? I'll have to pop by your story to see if you updated.

Rachel, tap and brika -- thanks to you guys for your encouraging words! I am positive the discomfort will lessen and soon I will not even notice them. I'm actually not feeling strange smiling today, so that is a step!

More to come later!

Oh, PS, my real name is Bridget. I got the tinnygrinny name from my best friend who, when I told her I was getting braces said, "Does this mean I get to call you tin grin!" Really sweet, right? Anyway, it kinda stuck!

#10 Post by **tinnygrinny** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:26 pm

Alrighty, as promised... photos!

Before -- you can see my huge overbite:

And now, braced! They still have their little color coding spots on them lol

More updates to come!

#11 Post by **Takako** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:10 pm

Some of mine had color coding spots too lol! I don't know if they still do; they're way back in my mouth.

#12 Post by **Andromeda** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:01 pm

Wow tinny, I bet your teeth are going to get into place in no time! Thanks for putting up the pics - I love seeing the pics

Haha you know what is funny though, I was looking at your pics thinking "wow I wish my top teeth covered more of my bottoms like yours" and then I went back to read what your "problems" were and you said overbite was one. Haha I didn't even consider it a problem but something to admire because the only top teeth that cover any of my bottoms are my front two longest ones. So funny how one person's problem is another's aspiration, heh.

We are very close in age - I'll be 24 on April 24th so just about a week after you!

Happy birthday to us!! And I agree, I want to be taken seriously and do not consider "you look 15" to be a compliment either

haha