This is the place to post general questions and comments about all areas of orthodontic treatment. Before you post a question, use the forum's SEARCH tool to see if your question has already been answered!
New Members: YOU MUST MAKE A POST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REGISTERING OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED. In other words, don't sign up unless you plan to actively participate in the message board immediately. This is necessary to keep out spammers and lurkers with bad intentions. Of course, you can read most forums on the board without registering.
DO NOT POST FULL-FACE PHOTOS or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
That's how it seems. I guess I am going to take these next two years to really make big improvements in my life, even if it means giving up a lot of social activities for a while.
I guess it just takes some adjusting to. I will probably be fine in a few days. even if you freak out on monday, just take it one day at a time
Have you tried smiling yet? I don't know if it's just me and my overbite but I'm convinced I look certifiably crazy. Sigh...we will be so happy in the end, right?
kiwibug wrote:Congrats and good luck
The first few days are rough, but it gets better. Best advice I got was to keep the pain killers topped up the first 3 days and keep eating the food you normally would. The chewing will help everything heal up faster. Make sure you out a good layer of lip balm on before you go in.
What kind of braces are you getting?
I'm 6 weeks into a 3 year sentence. All metal and so glad I did. I debated clears for a while but decided against it in the end
Thank I got metal but was on the fence up to the last second. Just didn't want to spend more dinero.
KatrinkaNoir wrote:Have you tried smiling yet? I don't know if it's just me and my overbite but I'm convinced I look certifiably crazy. Sigh...we will be so happy in the end, right?
Yes, I think I look crazy too. braces, gap, one unbracketed tooth.
i can only speak for myself but I was surprised to not have any discomfort after getting top braces - actually, they made me forget about the upper n lower appliances behind my teeth. braces themselves havent hurt one bit, tho I was expexting excruciting pain.
I had my first adjusment today, 10 days after getting uppers on. I love showing my braces off :-p
I was convinced I looked crazy too. When my brackets were bothering my inner cheeks I'd kind of pull my lips over the top for a few seconds. Caught myself in the mirror one day and realized no one could see the braces, only the monkey face I was pulling
Take heart, the puffy lips do settle down and you look less duck faced and you do get used to seeing appliances on your teeth (mine are clear but they're not invisible).
I don't know that time will ever pass quickly while in these things, but pass it will and then we get to spend the rest of our lives with gorgeous smiles
Tobilei wrote:I was convinced I looked crazy too. When my brackets were bothering my inner cheeks I'd kind of pull my lips over the top for a few seconds. Caught myself in the mirror one day and realized no one could see the braces, only the monkey face I was pulling
Take heart, the puffy lips do settle down and you look less duck faced and you do get used to seeing appliances on your teeth (mine are clear but they're not invisible).
I don't know that time will ever pass quickly while in these things, but pass it will and then we get to spend the rest of our lives with gorgeous smiles
Amen to that!
Smiling is some what impossible for me right now. My lips and cheeks get caught up. But I guess that will settle too.
Hahaha, yes, it does! The first couple of weeks every time I smiled my lips all got stuck on the hooks on my brackets leaving me looking like the joker from batman......now it only happens when I've talked too much and my mouth is dry
Hi Junglejulie,
Just wanted to wish you the best of luck with your journey. I got my braces at the end of October. It has taken me nearly this long to feel even remotely comfortable smiling at people when I'm out in public. But I'm getting there. I also opted for all metal mostly because my orthodontist told me that he gets better results with them. I also have a diastema between my two front teeth and am probably getting a powerchain when I go in for my second adjustment which will be on Monday, Feb 25th. Man, oh, man, I am really dreading that!
Anyway, keep us posted on your progress.
I have been pretty lucky up til now, I think. I have only had minimal pain and discomfort. So, maybe I've been a little bit spoiled. I'm bracing for this to change on Monday though. Ugh.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take,
but by the moments that take your breath away.
-- Maya Angelou
[
Dee17 wrote:Hi Junglejulie,
Just wanted to wish you the best of luck with your journey. I got my braces at the end of October. It has taken me nearly this long to feel even remotely comfortable smiling at people when I'm out in public. But I'm getting there. I also opted for all metal mostly because my orthodontist told me that he gets better results with them. I also have a diastema between my two front teeth and am probably getting a powerchain when I go in for my second adjustment which will be on Monday, Feb 25th. Man, oh, man, I am really dreading that!
Anyway, keep us posted on your progress.
I have been pretty lucky up til now, I think. I have only had minimal pain and discomfort. So, maybe I've been a little bit spoiled. I'm bracing for this to change on Monday though. Ugh.
I am grateful even for the pain at this point. I have been waiting to fix this for my whole adult life. Even though I think I look hideous, I can already see that it will pay off big time!
junglejulie wrote:Ok so here is my experience today.
.
Forgot to add, I was supposed to go into work for a half day but I am actually in too much pain and sort of nauseous...
I am getting my Braces put on Tuesday morning and have to go to class all day on Tuesday. I am SO going to feel your pain! I am terrified about not being able to smile or eat or workout because of the pain. But like you said trying to better yourself.
It WILL be worth in in the long run )
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. -Alan Watts
Heather,
You may be pleasantly surprised. I don't think that everyone has pain after they get their braces put on. I only had a minimal amount of pain. Wishing you all the best on Tuesday!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take,
but by the moments that take your breath away.
-- Maya Angelou
[