LEtranger 31 & braces

LEtranger · **Joined:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:17 am **Posts:** 33

Several months to go but now it has begun. Earlier today I got my upper metal brackets. I'm getting the lower brackets and wire next week. It only took 10 years to work up the courage to get the treatment. Still scared of what will happen during the treatment and what the end result will be.

My smile and teeth has been a big issue for me since I was young. I have always felt awkward about how I look and often avoid social situations. Unfortunately because of the social stigma and my phobia for hospitals, dentists and needles I just couldn't get my self to make the tough decision and get braces.

Six months of CBT therapy and two years getting my case approved by the hospital board later I have finally started my treatment to fix the crowding and overbite: 1½ years with braces, followed by jaw surgery and then six more months with the braces. Haven't started to worry too much about the surgery yet, I actually think I'm in a bit of denial about what this whole treatment will require of me but I will have to solve one problem at a time.

Day 1
The process of getting the upper brackets fitted was a breeze, only took 15-20 minutes. Next time will be worse I assume. A bit worried about meeting my friends at work tomorrow. Today I have only talked to my girlfriend, my mother and the old guy at the post office (had to retrieve a package). Talking and meeting people that already know about the treatment feels OK. I keep thinking about the brackets but then again I was always thinking about my crooked teeth before so it's not that big of a difference. Nervous about meeting people that I haven't had a chance to tell about the treatment before but hopefully most people will have a positive reaction.

kellyb · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:43 am

hey, thanks for sharing

i was abit worried as well when i got mine. in fact the only people i told was my bf, a friend and my sisters. i told no one at work beforehand. in fact i was already wearing my lower braces for 3 days before anyone at work noticed and this was only because i was the one who told them. i could not join in with a group lunch because of tender teeth so that's how i broke the news to them. still at that point they had to come up close to see the braces. yes, it was the talking point for about 10 mins and then it was old news. it's now 5 days since i have been wearing the uppers and my work colleagues have not noticed them either. i only told one person yesterday because i know she is interested in getting braces as well and she wanted to see them.

LEtranger · **Joined:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:17 am **Posts:** 33

At work right now but haven't really had any longer talks with anyone who didn't already know I'm getting braces. Thinking about them all the time when I talk but I don't think it really shows that much so hopefully I will get used to it and forget about it. Worried about next week and how bad the speech problems will be. Woke up at 2 in the morning, was awake for about an hour just thinking about everything that needs to get done to fix my teeth. Felt a bit better waking up today. Think I will need to get used to the ups and downs of this process.

Was thinking about sharing some photos but got cold feet when I saw some of the other photos on the board. Some has such minor issue that I don't think I would have even thought about it if it was me. Then again you always think you are worse off then everybody else. Might reconsider and post some tonight.

kellyb · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2012 4:33 am

hi there

we would love to see some pics when you are ready. it took me a while to post my story and photos as well and trust me, my teeth need alot of work (as you can see in my story). we are not here to judge so don't be worried. however, do it when you feel fit and ready

tmroy79 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:49 am **Posts:** 57

My teeth are pretty bad and it was hard for me to post. But the way I see it is that they won't be my teeth for long and its nice seeing all the changes from photo to photo. Plus I love looking at everyone's pics on here. It really helps keep me excited for my braces when I see how everyone's teeth are progressing.

LEtranger · **Joined:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:17 am **Posts:** 33

1 week (almost)
Tomorrow it has been one week since I got my upper brackets put in. I don't think about them as much and I already sometimes forget them if I'm doing other things. Still very aware when I speak to other people but even that is starting to feel more natural. Tomorrow I'm going to the hospital to get the lower ones fitted and also, what I believe is, some kind of plastic bite turbo. Nervous about any speech problems but right now I'm mostly concerned about my doctors plans to remove one of my front teeth. Even with the needle therapy the idea does not sit well.

Pictures are on their way.

kellyb · **Posted:** Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:46 am

wishing you good luck for tomorrow

LEtranger · **Joined:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:17 am **Posts:** 33

Thank you kellyb.

Upper wire in place since a couple of hours. My dentist (who looks a lot like Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown from Back to the Future) was in a good mood today but he keep letting me get used to one thing at a time. In other words no lower brackets as previously planned. Only got the lower rings (not sure what it's called in English) around my molars to hold the wire. Didn't get the plastic thing behind my upper teeth either, he said it would come on next time. Walking home I was a bit disappointed that I'm still not 100% fitted, I just want to get going with the full treatment.

Right now I think it might have been a good idea to take it slow, my front teeth are starting to feel a bit and biting down on the molars hurts. Still no kicked-in-the-teeth-by-a-horse-pain but as I said it has only been a few hours. Drank a smoothie for lunch and dinner will be Caribbean soup with shrimps. Not taking any risks.

kellyb · **Posted:** Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:49 pm

Aww,dont b disappointed,i am sure ur ortho has a valid reason for doing things in stages

LEtranger · **Joined:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:17 am **Posts:** 33

kellyb wrote:

Aww,dont b disappointed,i am sure ur ortho has a valid reason for doing things in stages

Yeah, I think so to. I'm worried about what will be done (extractions) and how the end result will look. You want to keep yourself motivated on how it will look when it is all finished but at the same time you don't want to expect a miracle ending up disappointed after two years.

Some pain in my front teeth today, was really wanting a sandwich when I got home from work but had to settle with some soup. Tomorrow I'm going to buy a bottle of nice Scottish whiskey. If I can't eat well, I will at least drink well. How do you reward your self?

After one week with metal in my mouth I have realised that biggest issue for me is not really having braces and people knowing about them. What I find uncomfortable is how the braces brings focus to my twisted teeth. I have always avoided the subject and tried to change the topic of conversation if people start talking about dentist or teeth. The good part is that now I don't need to be ashamed or make excuses for not getting it fixed and hopefully most people will recognize that.

Promised pictures, so here it at least one to start with. Does not show the overbite that they plan to fix with surgery.

stevo1985 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:15 pm **Posts:** 29

Good look, you will have a great smile after all this.

I'm on ceramics but have no issue really with the visual change or people's perceptions, it shows you are doing something to improve yourself and whilst it doesn't matter monetary wise but you can afford to invest in yourself.

No ones a big fan on the dentist, but when I had the needles for my extractions I just totally relaxed. Getting them out was a breeze!

kellyb · **Posted:** Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:57 am

hey there

thanks for sharing the pic. your teeth are going to look awesome

good on you for planning to get that whiskey :-*

when i first had my braces fitted, i had tender teeth for about 3-4 days. i ate a mixture of soup and pasta, rice etc during those days. honestly, i ate through the tenderness lol. it was not unbearable at all. i have had 2 adjustments since and again i was tender for about 3 or so days. i was still able to eat a sandwich cut up and very slowly.

my reward so far has been eating things abit risky that i know will stain my ligs or pizza on the night before my adjustment so if anything breaks, at least i have an appointment the following day :mrgreen:

. so far i have been lucky

Bec There · **Joined:** Tue Dec 27, 2011 12:01 am **Posts:** 75

Welcome and congrats on getting braced up!! I know what it's like to worry about what you look like with braces, but trust me the results you'll soon see will be well worth the hassle. And before you know it you'll have a beautiful smile

LEtranger · **Joined:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:17 am **Posts:** 33

Almost 2 months in and haven't been at the forum for a while. Things have been going really well. A bit awkward socially but gotten quite used to it. Today I went to my doctor and got fitted with the lower brackets and wire which feels quite ok. The biggest issue right now is the plastic piece they have put behind my front teeth which right now is making me lisp really bad. I was worried beforehand about this but this feels even worse than what I had imagined. Anyone has experience with this (not sure what the plastic thing is called in English) and have any good suggestions on getting over it? My dentist suggested that I read the morning paper out loud so now I'm going to find a good book and start reading. Planning on meeting a couple of friends tonight. Hopefully it will be ok.

LEtranger · **Joined:** Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:17 am **Posts:** 33

Talking is really hard, got a mean lisp. Trying to read out loud when I can at home but last night I also realised that eating is going to be very hard. The plastic behind my front teeth means I can't bite down so my molars don't connect which means it's impossible to chew anything. Guess I have to find out a way to chew with my front teeth or/and canines. Had to get rid of my meal and replace it with soup. Oatmeal for breakfast and smoothies for lunch. So hungry but right now I just try and focus on the end result and hoping for improvement on my speech in the near future.

LEtranger 31 & braces

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