Leahmb ... down with the snaggle!!! braces @ 22 ...

[leahmb]

Hey all,

Well, let me start off by saying ... spacers suck ... i just got mine in last thursday and the left side of my mouth feels like i got hit with a baseball bat! (least i assume thats what it feels like haha)

Anyways let me give you a brief blast to my past!

I had the works when I was starting grade 3 so I think that puts me at around age 8. They started with what I think is considered Phase 1 ... they cemented a retainer like device over my top teeth which was equiped with arms that attached into a detachable bottom retainer (from what i can remember it was not an enjoyable experince ... i couldnt eat or speak properly for weeks and let me tell you ... the drool that accumulated ... disgusting!!! ) anyways moving along ... they were trying to fix my bite and my jaw alignment and once that goal was reached i shed my retainer for some flashy braces ... those were on for about 3 years and came off when I was 13 ....

funny thing is i cant remember ever having straight teeth ... i feel like i've always looked the way I have! that aside ... obviously something went HORRIBLY wrong i wore my retainer like a good little girl and they even put those permanet retainers in on the bottom of me teeth. However for whatever reason that whole terribly painful ordeal did virtually NOTHING as i have this hideous snaggle tooth .. 2 to be exact .. both on my left side .. it has not been fun and has been a huge issue for me as far as self esteem comes ... I horribly dislike smiling too big in pictures in fear the snaggle will poke its uglieness through .. i have literally taught myself to smile in a certain way to prevent that from happening. My right side is virtually flawless which gave me a slight advantage as per smiling goes. However even laughing and talking to people started to become a bigger issue for me as I got older. I have this bad habit of using my tongue to cover my snaggle whenever i smile ... or if im laughing i cover my mouth with my hand ... my dad wanted to get me braces again ... but being self employed he didnt have the resources when it came to benefits! so I stuck it out for a VERY long time!

Well i decided to finally end my self esteem issues at 22 years young and take this into my own hands. Luckily for my my company benefits cover half the cost of braces ... which I am SO greatful for!! every little bit counts! not to mention monthly payments sure come in handy when your just starting out in your career!

So i went in for my first consultation in Feb 2010 hoping for invasalign (figuring i probably wasnt eligable but hey a girl can dream right?! ) but to no avail braces was indeed the answer he was nearly mortified at my story ... especially since I had, had braces in the pasthe didnt understand how this could happen! so since he felt sorry for me and stated that the people that did my braces previously were a "disgrace to the profession" he gave me a generous discount and the ceramic braces at no extra charge. Lets just say i was extremley happy!!! and booked all my appointments that day!!

It is now almost a month since my initial consult and have already had my pre-braces visit as i stated earlier those darn spacers are killer! i wished they would have warned me so i could have eaten my "last meal" if you will haha. However i just keep reminding myself that it just means the process is that much closer to being over!!

This coming Thursday April 1st I have to have 2 teeth extracted ... i think that is the only thing thus far that is concerning me! I have never had any teeth pulled before so I just dont quite know what to expect!! they have to take out 24 and 34 which are my upper and lower pre-molars (the ones beside the fangs) im hoping that with the help of gravity and the braces that the snaggle will fall into place sooner rather then later ... im not looking forward to having gaps in my mouth .. eeek

However I'm scheduled to get the braces on Thursday April 8th @ 10am im pretty nervous but also ridiculously excited!! all i can think about is the end result! and i know it will go by much faster then I think it will!! i just hope i can pull them off?!?!?! haha

So this is where my story begins ... I will post pictures ASAP and update my progress as much as possible!!

Leah

[leahmb]

Here are the pictures I promised ...

[wildtoo11]

I had teeth pulled as a kid and I don't remember it being that bad. My baby and adolescent teeth never wanted to come out on their own. I had my wisdom teeth out in late December in anticipation of braces and I know it was a lot different, but I don’t think pulling erupted teeth is all that bad.

I’m having all four of my premolars out on Friday, April 2nd, so let me know how yours goes. I just don’t like the shots that come with them but my oral surgeon is really good.

Good luck to you!

[LeahRuth]

Hi Leah, I'm Leah also =D

You've been through quite a lot =|

Don't worry about teeth extraction. I had 3 wisdom teeth out in September, and the one that had already grown through didn't hurt at all when they took it out (with the help of oxycodone of course! lol)

I'm sure you'll be able to pull braces off too. The first couple of weeks I had mine was like... What have I done to my face?!... but then people started telling me they were cute and i got used to it =)

Good luck! Keep us posted

[leahmb]

Thanks guys!

Your making me feel a little more at ease with the whole extraction ordeal! I'm hoping for the best!! I just have to make sure my nerves dont get the best of me haha!

I have to get my wisdom teeth out eventually as well =( but they said it wouldnt effect my braces so i get to mentally prepare myself for that one still haha ... but in the near future those bad boys will be gone!

[LeahRuth]

lol, again, don't worry.
I had my wisdom teeth out with my braces on and it was fine.

I also have a really bad anxiety disorder, so if I can manage, anyone can

[leahmb]

UPDATE!!

Well yesterday I got my 2 premolars on my left side pulled. To say the least I was not a big girl about the whole ordeal and was quite nervous! However the pain inwas expecting during the procedure never really occured! However the look of those needles are not very inviting!! And that was probably the most painful part of the entire procedure! That one that shove in the roof of your mouth .. Ya not fun! Haha. I went home from the dentist last night and basically passed out. I figured I may as well try and fall asleep while I'm still numb and not in pain! My darling bf was such. Sweetheart and suprised me with some cookie dough ice cream .. Fruit Popsicles and jello ... It was very sweet <3. I thought to myself ... " hmm maybe I should get teeth pulled more often" haha! Ya no.. Lol. I woke up in the middle of the night last night and I could feel my heartbeat in my cheek it was not fun ... That tooth that I have out of place on the bottom is not happy .. It is no longer under pressure so it feels like it's floating around doing it's own thing .. It hurts! The top isn't too bad .. I barely notice it ... The bottom is what is bothering me the most .. But I took a pain reliever and was able to fall back to sleep. I suspect I'll be living off those for the next couple days! The nice thing is that you can't notice the holes so i do t look as hideous as I thought I was going to haha. Anyways time to let this mouth of mine heal .. Only to go through more pain in about 6 days! Oh and the worst of it all .. Yesterday was the first day my mouth didn't hurt anymore from the spacers and of course that had to be the day the teeth had to come out haha just my luck ... !

[leahmb]

Wow. Okay so day 2 of extractions ... Not fun! I caught the flu ... Talk about impecable timing eh? So I was basically throwing up the entire night last night, so all the babying I did for my extraction sites were useless! I went back to the dentist this morning because my jaw, the extraction sites ... You name it .. It hurt! So I got him to check and make sure I wasn't developing a dry spot or anything because I've read so many horror stories about that, that I needed some piece of mind! So the dentist gave me this medicated rinse and T3s and said all my blood clots were still where they were suppose to be! So thank god! Now I can finally sleep with the T3s so I'll let you all know how I'm doing asap! What a pain tho ... Let me tell you!! And the long weekend too ... Blah oh well ... The price of vanity I suppose!!!

[jensceana73]

Sorry to hear of your misery. I'll be sending you happy, healthy metal vibes for your big day!!!!

[leahmb]

Well my extraction sites are healing quite nicely ... I think my bottom tooth hurts more then anything because it has moved quite a bit since the bottom premolar was extracted, it obviously was not a happy little tooth being squished like it was! haha oh well ... so tomorrow is my big day! ill be sure to post some pictures as soon as i can! I'm pretty nervous but really excited all at the same time!!! i cant believe i'm so much closer to straighter teeth already and i dont even have them on yet! this forum is such a huge help! I feel so much better about getting them knowing that there are so many others my age getting them as well! not to mention seeing others photos and watching the progress! makes me excited to watch my own teeth become beautiful =) so thanks to you all for the support!

[wildtoo11]

Hi leahmb,

I'm gald to hear that your extractions are healing well. I think mine are too though they are still bothing me sometimes. I also notice that I can't hold water in my mouth as well anymore.

I think I feel what you feel with the teeth that used to be squished. I keep pushing on one of them with my tounge to make it feel better. My gums are starting to bug me but I think that's from the braces.

Good luck tomorrow!!!

[leahmb]

Well yesterday was my big day! I was kinda of nervous at first because i wasnt entirely sure i was going to be happy with my appearance after! The whole process wasnt that bad ... they only put braces on the top because they said my bottom will move faster so there is no point in bracing them now because no matter what all the braces will come off together so the decided to wait. They said at my next appointment (may 27th) they will give me an idea as to when the bottom will be braced.

I am in a little of discomfort today but nothing that has really stopped me from eating too much. I guess i can consider myself lucky in that aspect ... my extraction sites dont hurt anymore, and i also got the stitches taken out of them yesterday! First day without having to take T3s .. its kinda nice =)

I took yesterday and today off work, gave me some time to just relax and get used to my new grill ... i took my puppy to the dog park today for my first public appearance ... it wasnt so bad ... i find myself slightly self conscious ... but im sure that will dissipate in time ... i met my bf for lunch yesterday right after getting them and he even said they werent that bad .. and for me not to worrie because i'll look great after ... made me feel good =) ... i must admit its nice already having someone around ... makes me a little less self conscious knowing i dont have to attract anyone hahaha and also that he is so supportive ... he is always the one telling me to think about the end result!! haha =)

OH OH OH! also before i forget ... i have noticed some MAJOR changed with my top snaggle tooth ... not since braces but since the extraction ... tell me if im crazy but i am pretty sure its moveing into place quite nicely all on its own!





do you see what i mean? or am i just going crazy hoping for the best? aha here is another shot ...





and here are just some other pictures from Day 1!

fully biting down on back teeth



brace face smile =)



so apparently these pictures suck .. so i will try to find some better ones asap! but that should give you all and idea ... you can click on them to make them bigger and see the lines i have drawn ... but anyways i will update soon enough!

Thanks again everyone =)

[cheyeaitsxchelsea]

You have beautiful white teeth. Your new smile is going to be like the spokes teeth of teeth! Theyre gorgeous. And they still look great with braces. :]

I see some tiny changes in your pictures. Trust me, youll see movement soon!

[leahmb]

Awe thankyou! I appreciate the compliment =) I CANT wait to see movement!!! I am going to be the happiest girl when that tooth falls into place!!! I've been flowing your story as well and I bet you feel just the same as I do!! Haha it's funny because I find myself checking ot my teeth so much in the mirror!! It's like everytime I'm expecting this huge change lol. I'm pumped for my first adjustment!! =)

[cheyeaitsxchelsea]

I try not to look too much because I get disappointed easily, but movement is always great!