Tams' Braceface Journey :)

[Tams22]

Before I start…here’s a link to my introduction where I posted some before pics. I figured I’d move things on over here.
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =3&t=44427

2 weeks until Brace Day!!!! Whoop whoop! I’m excited and nervous at the same time. So many anxious questions keep scrolling through my head. I feel like a child counting down for their first trip to Disney World. (I even have made one of those Childhood countdown chains that I have hanging in my work cubicle!) I’m just ready to get this journey started.

Last week, the gums around one of my lower wisdom teeth swelled up like a balloon. It got to the point where I couldn’t close my mouth all the way to eat or to talk. The same thing happened about the same time last year, and my dentist referred me to have my wisdom teeth taken out. Being the procrastinator that I am, I put it off after the antibiotics he prescribed me last year took the swelling away. Well I figured this time, that this was a sign that I better get this taken care of before I get my braces on. I’d hate to have to go through the pain of having braces, and the pain of oral surgery at the same time. So…last Thursday they knocked me out and cut those bad boys out. OUCHHH!! That was my first form of dental work I have ever had. I’ve never even had a cavity. I was hoping to return to work the day after, but immediately after waking up I knew that was a joke.

The first thing they told me when I opened my eyes was, “Did you know you had a cyst under one of your teeth.” How the heck would I know that? I was a little loopy, and other than saying that to me, nothing else was mentioned of the cyst. Being the internet-doctor person I am googled it on the ride home, and it seems to be semi-common. I guess I’ll assume that if they don’t call me or mention anything else to me about it that it’s nothing to worry about.

The recovery has been poopy. Can I say that word? I developed a rather large mouth ulcer on the left inside of my cheek by where the initial swelling was. I’m assuming it’s from biting my cheek when my face was swollen? That baby hurts more than the surgery sites themselves did. Oh, and of course, I couldn’t take the good pain meds as they made me upchuck what little food I was able to get down. Here I am, a day shy from a week from my surgery date, still struggling to recover. My main hope is that this mouth ulcer is gone before my brace date. If it’s still there, I may just have to reschedule, which I really…REALLY don’t want to do. Sooo, send me those healing vibes so I can get this party started on time!

[Tobilei]

Healing vibes on the way. I didn't realize they'd postpone braces because of an ulcer?

Hope those gaps are feeling better soon

[rhibee83]

oops! i posted on your other thread!

Wow a cyst, that would of been painful! I hope you heal up soon and your ulcer goes away in time for your braces! I am sure you will be fine

~~~~SENDING HEALING VIBES YOUR WAY~~~~~

[SunshineRay]

Hope you are feeling better!

[Tams22]

Thanks guys. I don’t think that the Ortho would postpone, but I couldn’t imagine the pain of the ulcer with new braces on. Luckily, the mouth ulcer does not hurt anymore and is slowly disappearing so I’ll still be getting braced next week.

I’m debating on colors right now. I don’t know if I’m going to go with silver bands, or get a color (like light blue or light pink). I have a government job, and want to look at least semi-professional, but at the same time, if I’m going to have braces I might as well have a little fun with them.

[Tams22]

Brace day was yesterday!! I’m officially one day in to my brace-face journey. And what’s a journey without some bumps in the road?

First, the dental lip thing they put in my mouth…ouch!! I have a very small mouth as it is, but I also still have the surgery sights in the back of my mouth where they pulled out my wisdom teeth a few weeks ago. The device was digging into an area that was already a tad sore. Then the dental assistant pulled the overhead light down too close to my mouth as she was placing the brackets, and cured the glue before the ortho could reposition them. They had to pop the lowers off, scrape off the concrete (which she was not gentle about) and put new ones on. The whole procedure took twice as long as it should have.

Then I was braced  I wound up going with a color they said was called pearl, but to me it looked like a grayish-clear. Maybe next time I’ll be a tad more courageous and go with a color. It seems that my ortho carries a lot of bright colors, and not too many lighter ones.

Now back to my exciting Day 1 journey…

I leave the orthodontist office and start my commute to work. Luckilly I didn’t get too far when I realized I had something stabbing me in my cheeks. The assistant forgot to cut down the upper wires all the way. They were over a cm long sticking out the back on both sides. I headed back into the office to have them cut them back. There is no way I was going to deal with that for another 4 weeks! Then back to the commute…

I called my mom on my way to work, who was eager to hear about how it went. As I was talking to her and hopping on the freeway I felt a small pop in the back of my mouth. I tried to look in my rear-view mirror to make sure everything was in place and everything looked fine. (I thought it was a wire that had popped out or something.) I went to work, where I immediately got teased when I walked in the door. Got super-duper slammed with things to do the second I sat down and didn’t even get the chance to get up and use the restroom, or eat the entire time I was at work.

I left work and started on my commute to pickup my youngest son. I got stuck in a bit of traffic on the way to get him, and finally got a second to take a good gander at my teeth, and put some wax on the back where they had been starting to irritate me. As I was putting on the wax I noticed that one of my brackets was not adhered to my tooth!!! Of course, the office was closed…and my ortho is only in on Wednesdays.

I picked up my kiddos, and headed home to cook dinner. I was STARVING at this point, as I hadn’t had the opportunity to eat all day. Made some mushy ravioli’s w/alfredo sauce, and after a half a bite. I smashed them up pretty good to where I didn’t have to chew. (I got pretty good at overcooking and smashing things after the wisdom tooth surgery.) It felt SOOOOO good to eat. Then it was off to brush my teeth…

They weren’t kidding when I read somewhere before that no matter what you eat with braces, there is still about a spoonful of food left in your mouth that your braces want to save for later!! I started brushing, remembering the assistant’s instructions and “POP!!”. Another bracket popped off!!! I wasn’t brushing hard or anything  I can tell that this adventure is just not starting off on the right foot. They also better not charge me for these brackets, as they obviously didn’t put them on right.

I’m not going to lie, sleeping last night was interesting. I didn’t expect my teeth to be so uncomfortable. I was more worried about getting sores in my mouth, which I haven’t gotten yet (thank goodness!) I have my meals allo ready to go for the day…yogurt, applesauce and 2 cans of soup. Yippee!! I better have a movie star smile when all is said and done!

I'll post a picture later when my phone decides to cooperate with me

[rhibee83]

oh my, you poor thing

what was that assistant thinking!!? I hope she gets fired after all she put you through. Clearly was not on the ball... And two brackets pop off, i love how you sound so calm and in control about it all, i would be a mess! I am scared of that happening!

what kind of braces did you get? metal or ceramic or both? The brackets that fell off were they on a crown or anything? I have heard if you have crowns you will need molar bands around those teeth as the brackets do not stick well on those. I don't have crowns but have molar bands anyway!

I hope your braces journey only gets better from here on. I hope you haven't had much pain either.

Keep us posted

[Kipepeo]

Omg, you have a booger face assistant too! Klobird had one.

I can't believe about the light and pre-curing the glue. I was also going to ask about crowns. I've had several pop off mine, a couple because they didn't prep them for a crown when the glued the brackets on. I've also had the ortho pop a couple accidentally. I hate it when they come off, because it can mean an extra month or two in these things.

My ortho asks me after each visit to sit up and feel if anything is poking.

[Tobilei]

Aww no, I'm sorry the start has been rough for you! And boo to booger assistants! All of mine have been lovely so far.

Brackets popping off isn't uncommon (albeit very annoying as they flap about and dig into your cheeks). It kind of sucks that your ortho is only in on Wednesdays. Is there another ortho at the office? I see one of the other one's for emergencies when mine isn't available.

And yes, brackets often pop off crowns, but I have a molar that popped one and my ortho said the enamel on that tooth is different so they used a tonne of adhesive to make it stick. 3 months later and so far so good. Hopefully you can get them fixed soon!

[Tams22]

I got the traditional metal braces. And no crowns  I’ve never even had a cavity. It was definitely their boo boo. There are no other ortho’s in my office, so I have to deal with the lose brackets until Wednesday morning. Luckily they were both on the bottom, and my top is what needs the most work. Just keeping wax on them and hoping they don’t pop off the wire and I don’t swallow them by then. Lol.

[Tams22]

And here's a pic from Day uno

[oldfart]

Nice Smile!

#1 rule on every apt.

Always check your wire ends with your tongue. That and don't bite the assistants. It gets them cranky when that occurs.

of

[NeilH]

Good luck! It was great reading your story and sorry to hear you had a couple of brackets pop off so soon. Traditional metal brackets is a great choice (I had mine fitted today and I can't stop smiling!!) so hope the rest of your time in braces goes well.

[Tobilei]

They look great! And OF is right, you have a nice smile

Lol @ biting assistants. I've bitten my ortho once or twice

[Tams22]

Lol @ biting the assistants. I go in tomorrow to get my brackets fixed. I’m able to eat just about anything now, so hoping her taking off the wire, and putting it back on doesn’t change that. Wishful thinking? Probably…