6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!

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Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#1 Post by Richo3000 »

I have just woken up after my first night in 6 month smile braces and it all feels a little weird. My reason for posting on this forum site is primarily as I stumbled upon it whilst researching what braces I could/should have and found a great deal of advice for my queries and concerns. The other reason for posting is that hopefully I can help someone else with a query as a result of my experience in braces. Currently I am just trying to get my head round actually wearing them. I never had braces as a kid so it is rather daunting as an adult to have them but I've decided to tackle it by constantly reminding myself 'short term pain, long term gain' and if that fails just laughing at the absurdity of what I look like with them on.

Right think that's all for now, am sure I'll be on here quite regularly asking questions during my treatment which will hopefully make the time fly by!

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#2 Post by Richo3000 »

So Day 2 almost over, think I've been lucky so far as have had no pain at all aside from an occasional dull pain on one of my front teeth. I am slightly concerned that I have had no pain as the braces are not tight enough or worst still not working? Apart from this though my thoughts are dominated by food, since the braces have been put on I have been existing on soups, yoghurts, water as I just don't feel like eating. I usually have a good appetite but just thinking about chewing or biting into something does not appeal at all. However, at night I have been dreaming about food - very weird indeed.

My other area of concern is sport. I play a lot of sport and want to know if braces hinder you in away? Running and football(soccer) are my two main sports so any advice on those would be great.

furrycoat
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: 6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#3 Post by furrycoat »

Hey! Well done on getting braces! I'm currently 3 months in, and completely happy, cannot believe that time has gone so quick since I first had braces put on... Well enjoy your pain free days, cause unfortunately soon it's gonna hurt real bad.. And not from actual teeth pain, but from wires rubbing inside of your mouth.. Well it will get better with time and especially when you will notice first result it's gonna be easier to put up with anything really. Keep posting here and upload some photos;) so curious to see some one going through this as well;)

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

Re: 6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#4 Post by Richo3000 »

It has been a week since I had my braces on and think I am slowly getting used to them. They are not the first thing I think of on waking up now and I can go through the day without thinking about them (apart from when brushing them after every meal) constantly. I've been lucky so far as had no real pain from the wires and so haven't had to use the wax. I keep looking for any signs of movement but it's early days yet. All in all not a bad first week but given the choice I would rather not have to wear them but it's a means to an end!

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#5 Post by Richo3000 »

Been at work with my braces for over a week and no-one seems to have noticed/commented on them which is a good sign although maybe they are being polite as I think they are quite obvious. Every day I am getting more used to them being on and the routine of brushing after every meal, flossing etc. I guess over time it will become as routine as just getting getting up in the morning at which point time will hopefully fly by as I become less and less aware of these alien objects cemented to my teeth! Eating is getting easier but then I find myself not choosing certain foods purely as I know they will end up tangled in the braces. I have also started exercising/playing sport with them on which so far hasn't caused any problems, I make sure i put wax on the back metal brackets though just to protect from any rubbing.

I have been taking photos throughout and comparing them against each other and even though it has only be about 10 days I think I can see some movement has occurred already albeit I could be wrong as I check them about twenty times a day. I have my first visit to the dentist booked in 2 weeks time for the first wire change etc. For me, as I am still very conscious of the braces, I think that's how I will focus my energy as find it easier to think short term i.e. get through each month to the next visit rather than focusing long term which could be anywhere between 6-8 months. When I find my mind drifting towards the long term I almost want to call up the dentist and ask for them to be taken off. Got to remain positive though and keeping busy which is vital as I don't spend time over thinking the braces, they are after all only bits of plastic and metal.

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#6 Post by Richo3000 »

So its been 13 days since I have the braces and over last couple of days I have been getting a little discomfort from the back left side of my mouth from the tooth with the metal bracket on it. It's obviously rubbing/catching on my gums every so often so lately I make sure I put wax on it especially at night. The only other area where there's irritation on the gum is from my protruding front tooth and the bracket there (as its placed quite high on the tooth) but again it's not constant and wax is helping.

After a couple of weeks off from competitive sport due to the snow/ice in London I am returning to play football this afternoon, having trained in week with the braces on and all going well I am hoping today will be pain free also. Not much else to say today, eating is getting easier, brushing becoming more routine like and colleagues in work have yet to notice. However, I am off to friend's wedding next weekend with many old university friends attending so will be interesting to see if they notice as they are far more likely to speak up if they see it and no doubt give me some gentle banter about them!

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#7 Post by Richo3000 »

Been 3 weeks since I have had the braces, attended a friends wedding with them on yesterday, lots of old uni friends there and only one noticed I had braces and that was the girl I was sat next to at the wedding reception. A bit of pain this morning on the gums at the back of my mouth where the metal bracket has been rubbbing.
Will be heading back to the ortho in a week to get the wire changed and everything checked out. Hopefully she'll be able to confirm if there's been movement as I cannot see any as of yet!

Tweetypie
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2012 2:11 pm
Location: UK

Re: 6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#8 Post by Tweetypie »

Hey :)
Interesting to read your story.... I too had my brace fittef recently (only been on 5 days) and finding it very strange to get usef to. I feel as though its huge and everyone is looking at it!!! :( although there not and its just my mind. Hehe.
I'll be following your posts to see how your getting on
X

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Harriet
Posts: 100
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 4:54 am
Location: UK

Re: 6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#9 Post by Harriet »

Congratulations on getting your braces! I've got 6 month smiles too (getting them off in 2 weeks!) and found the top ones weren't too bad but had more problems with pain and irritation from the lower braces. I hope your adjustment went well!
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Read my six month smiles story here: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=39363

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#10 Post by Richo3000 »

Okay time to witness the knowledge of this community! This morning after I had brushed my teeth I was flossing and after finishing saw that the portion of wire between my left front tooth and the one next to it had bent upwards. Is this normal? I gently moved it back into position (it hadn't come out of the bracket) but the wire between these teeth now seems quite flexible (i.e. lost it's elastic limit). I think this could be due to the front tooth having moved in position and as a result the wire has slackened but not entirely sure. I am due to visit the ortho this Monday for a wire change so hopefully she will explain why his has happened but thought I'd check the board first just in case I need to act sooner.

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#11 Post by Richo3000 »

Haven't written anything for ages which I suppose is a good sign as means that I am not thinking about the braces as much as in the early stages of having them on. It's been just over 5 weeks since I had them on and thought I'd share a few photos.
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Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#12 Post by Richo3000 »

More photos....
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Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

Re: 6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#13 Post by Richo3000 »

So looks like there has been some reasonable movement so far. As you can see I have chipped my front teeth and they are twisted this came from a result of a sporting injury to the mouth. Once the braces are off the ortho is going to repair them with bonding etc.

Anyway hope this helps anyone who is considering 6 month smile braces to be able to see what they look like etc.

Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#14 Post by Richo3000 »

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted, all going well, as those with braces have explained many times on this board you kind of forget about them after they've been on your teeth for so long yet, even though its only been 2 months for me (a relatively short time) I think I've forgotten what's it like to have normal teeth without braces. So whilst I cannot wait until they're off I am in a better place than when I first had them on. In the meantime I will carry on brushing, flossing, cleaning, rinsing etc so as to give myself the best chance of having the braces off sooner rather than later! Only bump in the road was that a bracket broke off a back tooth a few weeks ago but I called my practice and went to visit the ortho the next day who cemented it back on very quickly. I've attached two photos to see the difference the braces have had, feels weird to see what my old teeth look like but so happy they are a thing of the past and am very much looking forward to having nice straight white teeth in 4 months or so!
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Richo3000
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:10 am
Location: LONDON

Re: 6 MONTH SMILE BRACES

#15 Post by Richo3000 »

Nothing to report, had a 2 month visit to ortho on Monday, she changed my bands and that was it. A few more photos showing the movement in my top front teeth:
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