BRACE yourself, its Tin Tooth's journey! ;)

[Tin Tooth]

Thanks so much Oktobergoud!!!!

That's great to hear Dee! I have also heard that teeth will look worse before they start looking perfect. I too have had spaces! One day there is a space beside my central incisor and left lateral incisor and next day is my right lateral incisor and right central incisor. It's crazy but I love seeing any kind of change with my teeth. It just means they are doing something and these braces are working right?
I will definetly let you know how my adjustment goes. I'm sooo excited to see my ortho and hear what he has to say about my teeth!

My bottom teeth have been hurting like a son of a b*$ch lately and I couldn't be happier!!! They are MOVING! Yes yes yes yes!!!

[Tin Tooth]

Wow, I think my teeth need a good cleaning with some baking soda and hydrogen peroxide!! They are lookin' a little yellow.

[Dee17]

Hi Tin Tooth,
Yes! I definitely see a HUGE difference this time. They look amazing! You are so funny. I don't think your teeth look yellow at all. I wouldn't even worry about that. Just enjoy this fantastic progress you've had so far! Yay for you!!!

[gramma2xander]

I know what you mean, when my bottem front teeth started moving I felt like I got hit in the mouth with a baseball. But I loved the fact they were moving!

[Tin Tooth]

My teeth feel the same way! I bet they will feel like this for the whole 2 years too.

So I had my first adjustment on Monday. It went great! I now have a square shaped archwire for my uppers, and went up in thickness for both top and bottom wire. I also have a coil to make room on my lowers. YAY!

Here's a pic!

[Dee17]

You're having some amazing progress, Tin Tooth. Looking good!

[Tin Tooth]

Thanks Dee!!!
I am really excited with the changes I have seen on my lowers! To keep myself motivated, I give myself a date to look forward too. Christmas is the date where I will take another pic to see if I had more changes. Fingers crossed! It's only 19 days away!! And we all know how Decemeber flies by every year!

I wish now I would have taken some more angles of my teeth before braces. The bottom teeth have moved forward soo much but it's hard to really see the difference just looking at them straight on. Oh well. I am really excited with the changes I have seen so far!

I am back to eating pasta and soup. My molars and bottom teeth are so sore. I asked if the ortho could reposition a bracket on one of my top central incisors to bring it down so both teeth are the same length and I was told they do that after they are all straight... Are my top teeth going to keep moving?! I thought they were straight! LOL

[Dee17]

That's weird because looking at the pictures, I would say they look pretty straight to me, too!
Hope you're enjoying your soup Have I told you yet how utterly sick I am of pasta!?? I think when this whole thing is finished if I NEVER see another plate of linguini I will be very happy indeed. Hope it settles down for you quickly.
Just about two weeks and I go back for my first adjustment. I'm nervous but looking forward to it. I'm hoping he will tell me that my teeth have made such amazing progress that I should be able to get my braces off much sooner than the originally anticipated two years! At any rate, I'm going to ask him how long he thinks it will take to close the space between my teeth. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[Tin Tooth]

I thought so too! Oh well, better listen to the professional right?!

I am so sick of soup and pasta too! All I want to do is eat a steak. A big and juicy, medium rare rib eye steak! Can I do it? Have you tried eating foods that are on the 'no' list Dee?
I don't see why your estimated time is 2 years? Maybe your ortho is estimating high just to be sure. One thing I regret doing is not asking enough questions when I'm talking to my ortho. As soon as I leave, I remember all I wanted to ask and dammit, too late now!

Good luck with your first adjustment.

[Dee17]

Hi Tin Tooth,
Yes, I suppose that we really should listen to them. Why else would we be paying them the big bucks that we are, right?
I went out for a wonderfully juicy steak in the week just prior to getting my braces put on. It was delicious. I usually only eat steak about once a year so I've not been craving it too much. I've tried to be careful about not eating food on the no-no list but I am really missing nacho chips. I haven't been to my favorite Mexican restaurant since I got my braces and I've been feel VERY deprived. I just don't think I'd be able to resist their nacho chips if I went so it's best for me to stay away.
I don't know if you'd be able to eat a steak, though. Honestly. I guess it depends on whether or not you have any trouble chewing food. I've pretty much been on a soft food diet since I got my braces because I got molar buildups and I can't chew very much. It really stinks and I'm hoping he will take them off when I go back in about ten days. I just hate not being able to chew food. I think I've lost some weight though, so that's a nice benefit.
As for him estimating two years, yes, it does seem like a long time. But the space between my front teeth is quite large. He also said that I can expect to have both powerchains and elastics. Ugh. I'm hoping when I go back next week that he'll say my teeth have made such remarkable progress that he's changing the time estimate!
I keep a running list of questions to take stored in my computer. That way when I think of another one, I just open the file and add it. Then print it off before I go. I did this before I had my first and second consultations and I've got another list with about five questions to take with me to my next appointment. That's really the only way I would ever be able to remember everything I want to ask him. If I depend on my memory, I'm shot.
Thanks for your kind words about my first adjustment. I'm sure it will go well. I'm just hoping he doesn't put a powerchain on my teeth. I'm completely dreading getting those. I told him at my second consultation that I didn't want to have ANY. He listened to me, of course, but I don't think it will make any difference.

[Tin Tooth]

Well, I have ate nacho chips. It wasn't easy, but like you, I loooove nachos and couldn't resist it. My mom makes the best homemade salsa in the whole world and I had a few jars still in my pantry. There is pain when I chew, but I just put up with it. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, especially when it comes to delicious food! Imma try a steak!

I am not sure what a powerchain is? Sounds... painful and powerful! Would it speed up the time it takes in closing your gap?

[oktobergoud]

I am not sure what a powerchain is? Sounds... painful and powerful! Would it speed up the time it takes in closing your gap?

A powerchain isn't that bad! It definitely speeds up the closing up process! I have had a powerchain for half a year now or so, I guess it's inevitable.

There are different kinds, I have elastic ones (and one of steel or something once) and yeah, it does hurt, but that goes away after a few hours It just makes everything feel a bit more tight? But it's really not too bad!

Here's a picture of mine (sorry for the size, could only find this one)



So on the top picture there's a powerchain on my bottom teeth Hope this helps! Pfft my teeth are nowhere as white as yours!

Also, just came by to see your progress and I must say that it's looking great!

[Tin Tooth]

Thanks Oktobergoud!! Your teeth look AMAZING and they look pretty white to me!

This may sound weird, but I can't wait until I can get a powerchain.. No pain, no gain!

[Dee17]

Really? You can't wait to get a powerchain? Oh, my goodness, I wish you could take mine when I get it! Yuck! Am totally dreading that day. I know it's coming, though.

[Tin Tooth]

Hi Dee, I know I sound nuts! But I can put up with the pain. It'll only be 2 years. My bottom teeth have hurt everyday since getting braces. Somedays are so bad I can't even brush my bottom teeth and I love those days. I want straight teeth and I will literally do anything to get straight teeth. That's why I am paying thousands of dollars!!