PrincessPeach's brace Story

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#1 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:38 pm

I'm 19 [yeah still pretty young to be having braces] & today, i finally got my lower braces.

I suppose my brace story started somewhere around 4 years ago. All my life i've had a massive phobia of dentists, so much so that for a long time i refused to go.
Luckily, i've never had any problems with my teeth, other than cosmetic, so it wasnt until i felt soo self-concious about them that i knew i had to face my fears and get it sorted.
I had severed over-crowding, a 2 "fang" teeth on my uppers, with some "wonky" ones on my lowers that just couldnt fit into any gaps.

I started seeing a specialist who decided it would be best for me to actually get used to dentistry and try to stop having panic attacks at even the thought of going near a dentist. I had 2 specialists, both of whom were amazing.
As time went on, i felt better about dentists and agreed that in April 2008 i would have 4 teeth extracted, but only under general anaesthetic, as i didnt think my nerves could take local!
However, my nerves still got the better of me, and after 4 hours of waiting in a hospital and having a major panic attack, i was sent home, still with my teeth in

After that, i decided i would leave it for a while, i just felt at a dead end, i was very low & thought i'd never get them sorted, no matter how much i wanted it.

Even after hynotherapy i still didnt feel ready, until one day i just sat down & thought "why am i letting this rule my life? i can get this sorted, i am stronger"
So a few more visits to my specialists, i went back to the same hospital, and after last time they understood my circumstances and gave me alot of calming pills and made me wait at least half the amount of time of last time.
& amazingly, i did it. I dont think i'd ever been prouder! I felt like i'd conquered my biggest phobia and that nothing else would ever stop me if i could do that!

After that, i loved my teeth, but as time went by i felt myself becoming slowly obsessed with wanting them to be perfect, if i could face all my other dentistry phobias, why couldnt i get braces to?

So after much thought [and alot of help with this website, reading your stories has been such an inspiration to me] i knew it was the right choice.
First time i went to get them fixed, panic struck again. So i rescheduled for June 22nd for my lowers to be fixed, and today i did it!

So today was brace day, luckily no pain but i can feel that there is movement happening, which excites me!
Uppers might be going on on August 10th, but its totally up to me. But for my own confidence reasons i might wait until i've left my job to get them fixed, which could be a couple of weeks after.

I'll post some pictures up soon!

Well done if you read my essay!

#2 Post by **Miranbrady20** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:57 am

i was so scared of the dentist that as a child i would hide under my bed when my parents would say it was time to go! but boy do i regret it now!!! lol but its all coming together now that I have a chance to fix the mistake of not getting braces earlier in life!.. i wanna see pics soon! and i hope you get over you phobia soon and have good luck with your treatment!

#3 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:06 pm

Thank you! I'm feeling much better about dentists now, luckily people have been very patient & understanding with me!

I'll get my pics up asap, just trying to figure out my new camera

Day 2 isnt going so well, but no pain no gain eh? I think things are moving pretty fast already, i can tell a few of them are already making big leaps to being put where they should, which excites me!!!

#4 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:04 pm

I cant believe i'm actually posting these

I hate my teeth, my only consolation is that i'm now doing something about it!

Day 2 in braces

Sorry they're not great, i took them on my webcam, i cant figure out my camera, too complicated

Top braces should be going on on the 10th August, i think.

#5 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:50 am

Day 3, i cant tell if i'm getting used to it or not, as today i upgraded to some stronger painkillers, so i'm not sure whether its them or me just getting used to having something in my mouth

the only thing i'd say thats bugging me now is the weird tickling feeling from my teeth, but i suppose thats cos they're on the move!!! But its still driving me insane

But overall, as much as i keep thinking this soo isnt worth it, i know it is, i just have to keep hanging on in there. Though after only 3 days, 18 months of treatment does seem forever away till i get these damn things off!!

#6 Post by **sarahlynn** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:01 am

Congrats on getting your lowers on! It is a weird feeling (although I only have tops on at the moment

). Two weeks in and I am getting pretty used to mine already.

I know what you mean about the pictures - I hate for anyone to have a close look at my teeth so posting closeups and inside views was mortifying, but I do want to have those down the road and be able to look back at the horrible beginning of this journey

It will all be worth it in the end. Congrats on working through your phobia!!

#7 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:27 pm

Thank you Sarahlynne!
Are you getting your lowers soon?

Glad to know it's going to get better, eating is already getting much easier, i think i've finally eaten my first proper meal!

I'm the same, i'm posting my pictures just so i can look back & see the changes, hopefully they'll be dramatic

#8 Post by **Miranbrady20** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:00 pm

after having them on for a couple days you will notice your teeth clicking! its weird but that means movement!!!

#9 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:14 pm

Yes they're clicking already!
I cant stop doing it! It's probably not a good thing that i'm clicking them backwards & forwards though

#10 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:08 pm

Day 4 & things are getting much easier, i'm hardly noticing they're there, already! & 2 days ago i thought i'd never get used to them

eating is easier, though biting isnt! But i suppose thats cos its my front teeth are the ones that are trying to move the most!

#11 Post by **PrincessPeach** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:25 pm

well i'm on my 1 week brace anniversary [ok well it was yesterday but i forgot

]

I'm not really sure i'm seeing much movement yet, but fingers crossed!
Plus, eating is soo much easier now, as long as i've got somewhere to brush my teeth afterwards hahahaha

#12 Post by **sarahlynn** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:27 am

Congrats on making it through the first week!

My lowers aren't going on until 6-12 months into treatment - or so my ortho said at my consult, but I have a feeling it might be sooner. He said once my 2 teeth in crossbite come forward that the lowers can go on, and they are already moving a little. Hopefully at my first adjustment tomorrow he can add something extra to pull them along more into the arch.

My bite is always annoying me. Some days it feels ok, but others my teeth never feel like I'm biting down properly. My bite is very messed up to begin with, and I just remind myself that my teeth are trying to move into the proper position. I don't think that the bite will start to feel right and normal until I'm fully braced, but I'm just guessing.

#13 Post by **Margie** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:05 am

Congrats on making the decision to get braces!

I found the first week was the worst, now that you are past that it will only get easier!

I have only had my braces for just over a month and I still have a little trouble biting into things but chewing isn't bad at all.

#14 Post by **mwic1985** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:43 pm

Well done! I can completely sympathise with you, I am OK with dentists, but anything beyond a checkup was a big no no. I started having orthodontic treatment when I was about 13, the surgery was rubbish (and closed down a few years later) and the guy very roughly put some soft stuff in my mouth and held it there while I gagged. That was it, I was straight out the door and didn't return.
So finally at the age of 23 I decided to do something about it, and yesterday I had 3 teeth out. Can't believe I did it, thankfully my dentist is really good and talked me through the whole process. I used to hate even my milk teeth being pulled out, while other kids in their class would be pulling theirs out or wobbling it backwards and forwards, I would leave well alone.

So glad to hear of someone else with an irrational fear who overcame it.

#15 Post by **xTc** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:52 pm

Ooo a fellow Manc! May I ask where you are being treated? PM it to me if you want it to be private, or just ignore me if you don't feel like sharing!

Your teeth are nowhere near as bad as you think! They'll look amazing when they're done. I'm getting treatment by Chris West at Lotus Orthodontics, 4 weeks in now!

Good luck and keep updating with pics!