I'm going to get braces this year!

[NeilH]

I'd say if you can bring it up in the conversation because of a related topic, then sure... like if you are talking about food or something, you could say "Ughh I so miss eating "insert some crunchy food or something" because of these braces but I'm so glad I did it!" Then if they have questions, they can probably ask then without feeling awkward. But otherwise, meh...

I took your advice yesterday... I met a colleague from a different part of the country at Gatwick airport yesterday, we both had an hour or so before our flights so had dinner together. She went for something that would be incompatible with braces so I said "I was going to have that but didn't want to risk damaging my braces (or something like that..) and then we had a very pleasant conversation about them which I'm sure wouldn't have happened if I hadn't mentioned anything. So thank you for your advice.

[rhibee83]

I know it is frustrating when people see your braces and just stare and don't say anything, and you kinda wanna break the ice and just mention them so that then they stop staring haha.

That is a great way of doing that! Well done

[Tobilei]

Sorry I haven't been in checking on how you're going! Things have been a little crazy on my end. Glad you're settling in so well though (and just a little jealous! - In a good way - I'm still not at the stage where I ever forget about mine!).

I agree with bringing them up with people. I brought them up at a lunch with my extended family (aunties/uncles/cousins etc) a couple of weeks ago and it turned out my Aunt had some great advice about bridges and implants (which I needed to hear). No one looked at me funny though and most of them seemed interested (and most could relate, if they hadn't been there themselves, they'd been there with their kids-obviously my family aren't blessed in the tooth department!).

They're looking good

Also a happy birthday for the other day! Sorry I missed it

[NeilH]

Thanks Tobilei, yes, it's still going well. Nothing exciting to report apart from a few clickerty teeth which I can't stop playing with. I'm hopefully getting a filling put back later in the week which is likely to be a bit sore as I'm not sure if I'm brave enough for an injection to numb it! How are you getting on?

[beckyboo0205]

Oh good! Glad that icebreaking method worked!

I've had a few clicky teeth lately too and I can't stop playing with them! Actually, even teeth that mildly hurt, I tend to bite on them or play with them more too! Like "Humm does it hurt now?" yep... "NOW does it still hurt?" yep... So weird. ha

[NeilH]

Had the filling replaced on Thursday. It was over and done with in a matter of minutes, I didn't feel anything and didn't even realise he was finished. And to round it off, no charge!

I'm going in for a quick ortho appointment next week to see if the wire tie on the front tooth needs tightening. I'm also thinking about mentioning something that has been bugging me but will see how busy they are. My top teeth keep clattering against the bottom brackets and I'm constantly worried about breaking a bracket or chipping a tooth. I'm also waking up a few times most nights with the inside of my lower lip tightly clamped between a bracket and an incisor which can be quite sore. We had spoken about bite turbo's before and he decided against fitting them when I first got my braces to see how I got on but think it is about time we re-visited this topic.

Will keep you posted...

[Chaaguila]

Any photos I'm getting braces on Sunday . I considered lingual braces but to expensive.

[Tobilei]

Hi Neil, sorry, I missed your previous post (sometimes I log in then have to run off and it marks everything as read while I'm away ). Glad things are still going well and the filling is over and done with.

I had my teeth clattering on the tops of my brackets for a while, my ortho checked but said it was fine so long as my bite didn't get any deeper (which it didn't) and that it would pass as more of my teeth moved (which it mostly has). I also spent quite a while biting my front inner lip at night. Drove me nuts, I thought I was going to do it forever, but like everything else, it passed and I haven't done it in a while.

Things are going okay for me I have a chipped bracket which has broken my powerchain and I've developed an almighty ulcer where it's rubbing (and another 2 on the other side from pokey wires). Mostly I think because my ortho had a baby and it's been about 8 or 9 weeks since my last adjustment. I'm off tomorrow to hopefully get it all snipped and fixed though Thanks for asking

[NeilH]

Had a really quick appointment this morning and was in and out in less than five minutes. The wire tie was removed and replaced with a grey lig just like all the other ones, only this one is new and grey whereas the others, in comparison, which have been in for almost two months are more olive grey. Back again in five weeks when a bracket may be repositioned on one of the Pre-molars he is rotating and the first proper adjustment takes place. That's about it... Boring...

[NeilH]

Hi Neil, sorry, I missed your previous post (sometimes I log in then have to run off and it marks everything as read while I'm away ). Glad things are still going well and the filling is over and done with.

I had my teeth clattering on the tops of my brackets for a while, my ortho checked but said it was fine so long as my bite didn't get any deeper (which it didn't) and that it would pass as more of my teeth moved (which it mostly has). I also spent quite a while biting my front inner lip at night. Drove me nuts, I thought I was going to do it forever, but like everything else, it passed and I haven't done it in a while.

Things are going okay for me I have a chipped bracket which has broken my powerchain and I've developed an almighty ulcer where it's rubbing (and another 2 on the other side from pokey wires). Mostly I think because my ortho had a baby and it's been about 8 or 9 weeks since my last adjustment. I'm off tomorrow to hopefully get it all snipped and fixed though Thanks for asking

Hi, sorry to hear you have a chipped bracket and its causing you ulcers, hope you get it fixed soon. I can't seem to get out of this biting my lip at night habit, in fact, it's happening during the day too now! Ah well, all part of the rich experience I was hoping for!

[NeilH]

Trying to find somewhere to clean your teeth in an airport after having a meal is a nightmare. You can't get any privacy, the water's too hot, it trickles out, movement sensitive taps don't seem to recognise toothbrushes or hands holding toothbrushes and there's never any paper towels (have you tried drying your face in a Dyson Air Blade?).

Should I start a campaign for the installation of braces friendly bathrooms?

[Tobilei]

I'm sorry but the image in my head of you trying to dry your face in one of those Dyson hand dryers made me laugh! I cannot imagine!!!

Chipped bracket is all good I have a new and shiny metal one in it's place (we decided seeing as that's my chewing tooth that getting a steel one was probably for the best).

Sorry your checkup was boring, I like to get new stuff so there's something exciting to think about for a while!

Hope the lip biting passes soon! I think I did it for a few months (I still eat the inside of my cheeks when I try to eat certain things like salad and steak).

[NeilH]

I noticed a very small black mark beside one of my very crowded bottom teeth yesterday, explored further with an inter-dental brush and was absolutely delighted to find I could push it through the tiny gap that appeared. These front teeth have been overlapping for as long as I can remember and to see progress like this was brilliant. Only a little bit more movement to go and they will be on the way to being nicely lined up. It just shows, even a quick ortho appointment when you think very little has happened can yield great results.

[Sheryl 54]

I noticed a very small black mark beside one of my very crowded bottom teeth yesterday, explored further with an inter-dental brush and was absolutely delighted to find I could push it through the tiny gap that appeared. These front teeth have been overlapping for as long as I can remember and to see progress like this was brilliant. Only a little bit more movement to go and they will be on the way to being nicely lined up. It just shows, even a quick ortho appointment when you think very little has happened can yield great results.

That's so exciting to see improvement. I'm looking forward to seeing some myself soon.

[beckyboo0205]

I was just in the airport too and on my way to my first "public brushing" I thought to myself "ok I'm gonna just go in a brush... who cares if anyone sees me." Then I got in and there were a bunch of people and I felt weird. But then I found a little baby changing area in the bathroom with a sink and it worked out perfect and was private! But I'm not sure if they have baby changing places in the mens' restrooms. Eventually I just felt ok with brushing when others were around... though I did try to find the more hidden bathrooms to go into.

Thankfully I found paper towels in every bathroom! A Dyson hand drier... that's awkward! ha The automatic sinks are definately horrible!