If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!
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Doug wrote:Hey good going, looks great!
You have the worst part behind you now, after a few days all that new hardware will start to feel "normal".
Don't forget to keep taking pictures regularly, you will be amazed at your progress.
Congratulations on getting started and best luck on the rest of your treatment!
"Normal" I can't imagine right now! But I will trust you. I have read your story and was/am really inspired to keep focused on the end result.
I plan on taking regular pictures, I need to see that things are moving. Right now my teeth don't hurt so I am wondering if anything is happening. Of course it is only my second day in braces so I am sure things will start happening. I guess it is a good thing that my teeth aren't hurting cuz it is enough of adjustment with all this stuff in my mouth for the moment. Thanks for the encouragement!!
Congratulations on starting your braces adventureNikkie.....I am so anxious to get mine on 9/29/05..i can relate whle heartedly to what you've written in your posts about "realizing what a big deal it really is" That post actually made my eyes water..I, too, like many on here, have been through years of avoiding cameras and also am experienceing lots of mixed feelings...Continue to be proud of your very brave decision to go forward with bracesl! You will find an abundance of support on these boards![/quote]
crowding, mild overjet, and crossbite
SARPE AND R.P Expander: 7-14-05
extraction : 9-15-05
Brace date: 9-29-05
Expander out! 1-12-06!!!!! after 6 long mos.
Taking them off!!! Feb 26, 2007 http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=5209
Had the number 2 molar extracted. Still on a lot of drugs. I was given Halcion 2 tablet an hour before the proceedure. Plus Nitros while in the chair, It was painless and fast just what I hoped for. Downgraded from Surgical extraction to simple extraction. Currently have my mouth full of the nastiest tasting guaze due to some bleed, I did have it out for a while so I could eat some oatmeal I was really hungrey. They gave me percaset (sp?) for pain. That should be fun. Glad it is over.
In 10 week I go back to the ortho for more molar bands. About 4 adding to the 3 I already have. and he will change my wire.
MY close friend says that she already see movement. I could too but wondered if it was my imagination. My hubby made an unusual commment the day got my braces. He actually said that I looked cute with braces! Now that is something. He's normal complment is 'you look nice' NEVER 'You look cute' WOW I will take it.
Anyway just a note to let you all know I am still alive and things should start to get better.
Today was my day for my extraction of the number 2 molar. Boy was I a nervious wreck! I was given Halcion to take an hour before the appoinment. I didn't think they were doing a thing for me until I stood up to go into the dental chair than BAM is was looped. They add Nitros oxide to the mix so it was time to party. Didn't feel a thing only the pinch of the novicane shots. Feeling pretty good this evening no pain to speak of just when I yawn I can feel some soreness. Boy I am so glad this is over.
The next step in 10 weeks is adding four more bands that will bring me up to 7 bands in the back. Of course that means spacers again, yuck, like I handled that very well. Also I will get a new archwire.
I do believe in the short 5 days that I have had these braces on that I see some movement! I feel it more than anything. My bite just isn't fitting right (makes eating interesting) My close friend noticed a little bit of a change today. I didn't even ask her if there was she brought it up by herself. BTW did I mention that my husband told me that he thinks I looked cute with braces? MAN that is from a man whose biggest complement is 'you look nice'....I never got 'you look cute'!!!!
Also, I am beginning to feel more comfortable with the braces, the mouth sores are subsiding. I think I can do this now.
I will post picture of progress soon. I have some pics. where you can see ever so slight of a difference. Kind of remarkeable for not having them an entire week yet!
Today marks one week since getting braces. I am beginning to get use to them a bit. My teeth are definitely moving! Nothing really visible but my bite is really different. The front tooth that was pushed back and would sit behind my bottom teeth when my teeth are closed has moved enough to make it to where I can not bite my teeth together. Consequently, I can't eat anything solid. The up side I have lost 4 pounds this first week! I am well on my way to being skinny with straight teeth!
I also bought a Waterpik this week...oh wow does that feel gooooooood and boy does it get the yuckies that were stuck that I THOUGHT I got out!
Anway, I will update the pictures as soon as the progress is more visible.
It has not quite a month yet. This Thursday will be the one month point. I do see some slight difference on the bottom.
This pic. was taken the day I got the braces. See on the bottom the wire is kinked....
Here is a pic. this morning. The archwire doesn't have the kink in it!
That is the only visual difference as far as I can tell. I can feel a bigger difference in my bite. My bite is still way off but my top tooth that is set back from the rest is trying to move forward so I am not able to bring my teeth together cause that tooth is in the way. I think once that tooth moves forward things will be much improved with my bite.
My next appointment is Oct. 18 for spacers again, yuck. I have to have bands put on the back molars. I couldn't get that done on brace day cuz I needed an extraction done. Then I go back on Oct. 26th for the rest of the bands and a new wire.
I will send pics. as I start to see more progress.
Yes, I can definitely see the movement in your teeth. It's only been 1 month, imagine your smile after a year I had my braces for 1 month now and I see a big difference.
Keep taking pics. You'll be amazed at the difference month to montlh.
ToothofTruth wrote:Yes, I can definitely see the movement in your teeth. It's only been 1 month, imagine your smile after a year I had my braces for 1 month now and I see a big difference.
Keep taking pics. You'll be amazed at the difference month to montlh.
I know! Since I am able to see some visual changes I find myself thinking more about the final outcome. I can't even begin to imagine what my smile will look like. When you've lived with crooked, crowded unattractive teeth for so long it is really hard to wrap your mind around anything different.
I have a long way to go but small changes really help keep my eyes on the prize.
I bent my archwire while eating bacon on Thurs. The end of the wire was wedge in the last bracket when it bent. Called Friday but ortho was out for the weekend. OUCH it was really hurting, so I pulled the wire out of the last bracket and felt instant relief. They called me this morning to make an appointment to get the wire back in. I went this afternoon, the assistant decided to replace the wire with a little heavier one, I had I believe .04 now a .08, so it wont bend as easily. The archwire has to go accross an extraction site unsupported so it is bent with out much effort. She also put on a little plastic sleeve to make that exposed wire more comfortable. While she was opening the doors of my Damon's one bracket popped off. It was expected since it was on a crown. So now when I go in for the rest of my bands that tooth will be banded also. So I guess I had a mini unexpected adjustment with getting a slightly heavier wire. Even tho' it is only a step up from the previous wire I can feel the differnce!
Spacers are planned for Oct. 18 new wires and bands on Oct. 26th.
Yesterday I had an ortho appointment to get spacers put in. NOT a pleasant experience in fact worse than the first time 9 weeks ago! The assistant couldn't get them in so the ortho had to do it. When the ortho was forcing the spacers in his hands were shaking from the pure force he was having to use to get them in. NOW that is painful. The pressure along my jaw was horrible. I was trying to be very 'grown' up about this but couldn't keep back a small tear from appearing. I hope to never have to go thru' that again. I got 6 spacers this time around, had 6 the last time too. I had to have spacers again because they are adding bands to my back molars and one on a tooth that has a crown that had a bracket previously. I go in next week for the bands and heavier wires.
I don't have any pics. to share because there hasn't been much happening visually. I can feel the difference more than I can see it. I will post pics. when there are more changes.
KK wrote:Ouch ..... That doesn't sound very nice at all Nikkiekoala ... hope you'll feeling heaps better today! to make your day a bit brighter!
Thanks KK! One of those nasty spacers got pulled out by my toothbrush the day after it was brutally forced in so I had to go back and get another one put in. I was really upset, I just couldn't go thru' that again. Fortunately, it went in very very easily!!! Now I am just dealing with the achy teeth and doing much better. 3 more days until my first offical adjustment and finsh getting all my bands on.
Well I had my first official adjustment yesterday. It wasn't comfortable since at this adjustment I had 5 bands added. Since I have all crowns in the back it is difficult to fit bands on them because of the crowns 'un-natural' shape. After the bands were finally fitted and glued in place a new wire was put in on top and bottom. They put in a 14X25 rectangle wire. I have read some posts that was questioning whether going to the rectangle wire was a sign of the end of treatment well in my case NO I am only 2 months in, my expected treatment time is 24 months. Anyway, my ortho said subsequent adjustments will be easier. I hope to shout! This first adjustment was very difficult. My next appointment they will take an xray to make sure the roots are moving like he wants and not tipping into each other and will be giving me a new wire. My second adjustment isn't until Jan. 4th 2006! That is the benefit of Damons your appointments are spaced out 8-10 weeks. I don't have time to go in every month to six weeks.
Today, I feel like I am at square one in regards to the new bands. My tongue is getting sliced up again plus there is some kind of spring thing on the arhwire between my 2 lower front middle teeth that is catching the inside of my lip. So back to salt water rinses and wax. I woke up this morning with my teeth being very sore too.
Here are a some of pics.
This first picture is pre-braces. You can see my crossbite
This pic. is a pic. of the first day in braces
This pic. is 2.5 months after my first adjustment on 10/26/05
Not a whole lot of difference. You can tell the wire size is larger and some movement but nothing dramatic. The crook in the lower wire is gone and the space between my top front teeth is closed up. Still have a crossbite with the front teeth but that is starting to sift. When I close my teeth together the tops/bottoms of the front teeth are touching. Before I had a weaving affect with the top and bottom front teeth. I think in the next month there may be more of a noticable difference judging by the current pain I am feeling.
I know that I am having a lot of movement. My bite is more screwed up than ever! For the life of me I can't bring any teeth together with the exception of my lower right central scraping the back of my upper right central. It is driving me nuts. I just want to bite something. In order for me to bring my teeth together enough to chew I have to sift my lower jaw back but that is when the two above mentioned teeth get in conflict. Good grief tell me that my bite will come together someday. I can't take this much longer!!!! I know it will but I wish I had been warned. All my ortho said was your bite was going to be really different once you have braces. I thought OK I figured that but never imagine this kind of different. Just thought he was referring to all the metal.
Sorry for complaining. I am trying really hard to think of this as progress. I know it is, it just stinks right now.
I had my first cleaning since getting braces. I didn't have to have my wire removed. My Dentist cleaned around it. He did a little scraping off tartar and removed some staining I had. For the life of me I don't know why my teeth were stained I NEVER had staining before. Maybe it could be due to switching toothpaste. I use to use Colgate Baking soda w/ peroxide before my braces. I was afraid to use it with braces for fear of it whitening my teeth too much therefore leaving darker marks on my teeth from where the braces were once they are removed. I have been using Colgate Total but I think I will go back to the Baking soda w/ peroxide and deal with any staining left under the brackets when they are removed.
Anyway, my Dentist said my teeth look really good and to keep up with my current cleaning regimen. He was also impressed with my progress in the short 3 months I've been braced.
My next adjustment is Jan. 4 2006.
to make your day a bit brighter!
