Katt's Journey to pretty teeth - with a minor set back!

Katt · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:20 pm

So all my life pretty much I have known I need braces. As you can see in my picture I have a k-9 that is OBVIOUSLY not where it is supposed to be and I have slight crowding on the bottom.

Well my mom being a single parent of 3 kids simply said tough I can't afford it. So here I am at age 26 with braces. 2 weeks ago I had my spacers put in and while the first day wasn't bad the next 3 days after that were terrible. THere's nothing like having the feeling of a HUGE chunk of meat stuck in your teeth and not being able to eat anything. So then a week later I went to the dentist and had my first bicuspid (sp?) pulled and that didn't go too bad at all just minor ache the day of and some getting used to eating on the opposite side. Well then 2 weeks after the spacers (2-6-2008) I went in and got my braces put on. I was so glad to have the spacers out but the cheese grater feeling on the inside of my mouth isn't exactly pleasant. But it's ok because I know it will be worth it.

Surprisingly everyone has been very supportive and I actually want to smile a lot more just knowing soon I won't have to cover my mouth or do a closed mouth smile. I can't wait until my 18 months is up and I have the beautiful smile I never thought I would get. :lol:

Miss Smiley · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:47 pm

SMILE AWAY!!

And thank your lucky stars that you can afford the treatment now. You're lucky just having had one tooth pulled, I had all of my bicuspids pulled in one sit. Now tell me how I was supposed to eat. Hehe well hope the cheese grater feeling is wearing away. Keep hydrated and use wax whenever you start to feel a pokey spot getting sore.

Katt · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2008 9:48 am

So I am on day 3 of brace face and so far things have been a little frustrating. My poor cheeks are so sore and I want nothing more than to eat real food again. I am toughing through it though and I know that they are moving and soon I won't even notice them but for now I'm trying to stay as hydrated as I can and talk as little as possible to avoid irritations. :cry:

kittymeow84 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:34 am

Oh yay we have a fairly close brace day - sorta - a week out isn't much is it?

Cheese grater huh - I'm not looking forward to that. I hope your mouth doesn't get shredded too much? Are you doing the salt water rinses?

I wonder if its good to start doing them BEFORE brace day? Might need to go buy some salt cos I only use rock salt at home! Tehehee

Lisa65 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:12 pm **Posts:** 3490

Sorry your mouth is so sore Katt. Probably a stupid question but are you using your wax? Toughing it out without using it will just prolong healing time and make you miserable! Your teeth look lovely and white and I'm sure they will look fabulous when you're finished.

Kitty - salt water rinses can help soothe sores which have already developed but they don't have a preventative effect. You can start using them early if you want, but any myths about salt water "toughening your mouth for braces" are just myths. :wink:

Katt · **Posted:** Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:53 am

Kitty - I do the salt water rinses frequently and it has helped a lot. But no you can't do preventative with it. and just an FYI Listerine really hurts, but it's helping to clean it too so I just deal with it for the 30 seconds and I'm good.

Lisa - Yes I am using the wax like nobody's business and today it's much better. I have a different bacnd on one side that is tearing up my cheeck because the tube sits right where my mouth has to move to talk but it's finally healing and toughening up.

Oh good news too. I have had a lot of movement already. I was flossing last night and when I went to floss a space that is normally really tight, was nice and open and easy to get in and out of. I am so excited to know there is already progress in just a few days.

Miss Smiley · **Posted:** Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:26 am

Katt, you may want to dilute the Listerine with half water if it has alcohol in it. The alcohol can be a bit much on your sores and dry out your mouth, making it a breeding ground for bacteria. Probably not the best thing if your sores are trying to heal.

Katt · **Posted:** Tue Feb 12, 2008 4:53 pm

Today has been absolutely great. Finally my teeth are not sore (ok except my fronts) but I can actually eat really well and can tear with my fronts as long as it's not a steak or something. My cheeks have finally toughened up and I am not wearing wax all the time.

The only funny thing is cutting everything up to eat and believe ot or not chewing with my mouth closed because I keep catching my tongue on my cleats every once in a while

Which is not so great because I work with kids and I'm always telling them chew with your mouth closed. So now they think it's funny to tell me that but all in good fun right?

Alright kinda has nothing to do with my braces but since having braces, I now find myself STARING at other people's teeth. And it's not just a glance I really have to look at them. Most of the time it makes me glad that I chose to have them fixed.

kittymeow84 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:41 am

Katt wrote:

Alright kinda has nothing to do with my braces but since having braces, I now find myself STARING at other people's teeth. And it's not just a glance I really have to look at them. Most of the time it makes me glad that I chose to have them fixed.

Lol!!! I do EXACTLY the same thing. I'm checking peoples teeth out all the time!

Glad you're feeling better so soon!

missfashionista · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:29 pm

Katt, I can't believe you had a cheese burger today!! I am not as adventurous yet...still sticking to semi soft foods...But maybe on the weekend, I shall venture out and have a juicy burger...mMmmMMmm...that totally sounds delish!!

chillin-in-grilz · **Joined:** Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:34 pm **Posts:** 864

lol I have the same canine problem as you and o nthe same side, heres some inspiration for you

This is day 1

This was week 28, I am 56 weeks in

kittymeow84 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:03 pm

K, now that I'm braced I know what you mean about those cleats!!! Woah!!

And the outsides of the bands are HUGE with the sticky-outy tube things. I managed to catch a piece of cheek between the top and bottom ones precisely two seconds after the ortho put them both in!! Haha.

How are you going today with more adventurous foods? A burger sounds mighty fine.

Katt · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:32 am

thanks chillin. I know it'll happen soon. I am very excited to hurry up and get on with it though.

And I think on today's menu Kitty will be some soft tacos. I am so glad to eat real foods again.

Katt · **Posted:** Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:51 pm

I love my waterpik! It has been a real life saver because I don't always want to immediately brush my teeth after I eat and this saves me so much time. I only wish I had a portable one.

I decided though that on Tues (cause my dentist is closed Mon) That I will call and have an appt for an x-ray because my top 2nd molar is still hurting like crazy. I really think it may be a cavity or something and I don't want it to go on for too long before having it taken care of. Good news though, my bottom arch is already making some decent progress. It's always been pretty round but my one turned tooth is starting to slide into place. The top however is still slow going. I think it's because my power chain wasn't put on too tight. Whatever I'm still sentenced to 18 months of these things. The gap from the extraction is slowly healing but still as annoying as ever. I'll be so happy when it closes up and it's just a gap and not a crater for food to collect. But I guess that can take up to 6 weeks for that to close up. (3 more to go, hopefully)

All in all though everything is well and I don't even notice these things for the most part, except when I decide I need to bite the inside of my cheek instead of my food on occasion.

kittymeow84 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:06 am

Oooh waterpiks sound awesome. I don't even know where I could get one in Aus. Haven't seen many around. Are they really worth it though?

I know how you feel about the painful molar. One of mine is giving me grief - hurts right down near the gumline. My dentist said I had no cavities though....so I don't know what to think. I hope yours isn't a cavity and is just pain from your teeth moving.

Katt's Journey to pretty teeth - with a minor set back!

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