Damon System - early 30's

[Alisonpv]

Hi!

I've been bopping around the forum for a few months, doing tons of reading and research. I finally got my braces on June 21, 2013, so I figured I'd start a thread.

I got the braces Friday. I had 4 appointments actually. First to the periodontist for a final check on my gum graft.. then to the orthodontist for brackets upper and lose, and he installed the lower wire. I also got hooks on the inside of my upper arch on the 1st premolars and 1st molars. More hooks on the outside of my lower arch on premolars and 1st molars. Third appointment to the oral surgeon. 2 premolars on the upper arch extracted.. lesson learned here -speak up and listen to your body. More info on that later. Final appointment, back to the orthodontist for the upper wire, and lessons on how to put in elastics.... I have cross bite elastics... Parrot I believe. (Inside upper to outside lower)

I am on day 3. It's Sunday. Friday was surprisingly easy... I took most of the day off work.. after the dental marathon, we stopped at Starbucks and I ate a soy vanilla bean frappacino with a spoon. It was soothing. That night we went to the movies, (monsters university.. it was cute!). Saturday, I slept almost all day! Like 16 hours! I had no idea I was that tired. I took a break from sleeping to go to a blues concert that we had purchased tickets to earlier this year. I ate creamy clam chowder soup and a piece of pizza that I cut into prices small enough to nearly swallow whole. Things are a bit more sore. I also realized that when my elastics came off as I was eating, I couldn't really fix them in the dark. So I went without for 2 hours. I slept a lot again last night, almost 12 hours. And again, a bit more sore today. Going to have to keep up with the ibuprofen and tylonol.

So there it is. Hoping this journey is smooth and as little pain as possible!

[Alisonpv]

Please excuse typos.. I'm typing all this on my smart (dumb) phone.

So at the surgeon... I had local anesthesia, which I am thankful for because I was awake and alert to feel what happened and speak up.

Firstly - the procedure is quick and easy and really nothing to be afraid of.. please don't read this and freak out.

The first extraction was a breeze, the tooth came right out. The second one I could tell he was struggling a bit more and having to put more muscle behind it. I started to hear a little cracking and then the tooth came free. (All this happened in like 3 or 4 minutes... Very very quick procedure).

I had suspicions the tip of the root broke off. So I asked to see the extracted teeth. I pointed to one of them where the root tip was blunt, (the other came to a graceful tip). The nurse said that's normal it looked ok to her. I pushed it a bit, and asked if they HAD left a root tip behind what would happen. I was told the body would absorb it, and no big deal. I was satisfied so I went along to recovery. A few minutes there and the nurse came to get me to take an x ray. She showed the surgeon the tooth root tip and he agreed it looked broken. Sure enough the x ray showed a tiny root tip left behind. I was still numb and so he took a teeny weeny periodontal file and fished it out. Took a minute or two. I asked to see it to make sjre it looked like he got it all.

All in all no big deal. It didn't affect my recovery at all. But lesson learned!... Listen to your body! If it doesn't seem right, speak up!

[Tobilei]

Glad you got that extraction sorted! And yay for being braced Hope the pain you have eases up soon. Good to know it's the bearable kind at least

[Alisonpv]

Day 5-

Still a bit tender... still taking NSAIDs, and vicodin to sleep (vicodin likely not needed, I am not in that much pain. But the surgeon that extracted the pre-molars said feel free to take it at night for a week... so I am doing that.)

The pain isn't awful, but eating is uncomfortable (I think the extraction sites are contributing to this discomfort) ... Flossing is painful . When I'm not eating or cleaning my teeth, I almost forget the braces are there. When I talk I feel like I'm talking with big chunks of metal in my mouth (how bout that??) ... I'm anticipating when talking doesn't feel "Weird" anymore. I feel like a slur like I'm drunk lol

The elastics are annoying... my tongue taste buds catch between the elastic and the teeth sometimes when I talk... that's not terribly fun. My upper arch is REALLY narrow so my tongue doesn't fit comfortably within it. It constantly rubs the elastics and hooks on both sides.

I am already seeing noticeable movement! (this makes me slightly nervous?? It's been five days... isn't that quick?) Top "social six" teeth are a little clicky. they've rounded into a nice arch and are coming in a little bit (closing the overjet). The bottom "social 6" are closer together.

I gotta try to get pictures up

[SunshineRay]

Ahhh the vicodin is why you are sleeping so much! I took some the day I got braced (same day as you and also from the extraction!) and went to sleep shortly after for a little bit. I havent taken any since because pain pills make me nauseous.

I told my husband and mom that I talk funny and both said I dont but Im not really believing them. I feel like to talk normal I would need to puff my lips out or something.

What? You have movement? I didnt feel any pain or pressure until yesterday and I described it in my story post earlier. I have read peoples stories of having changes in 1 week and hoped that would be me. lol

[Alisonpv]

Ahhh the vicodin is why you are sleeping so much! I took some the day I got braced (same day as you and also from the extraction!) and went to sleep shortly after for a little bit. I havent taken any since because pain pills make me nauseous.

Hmmm Maybe.. But 1 at like 8pm before bed wouldn't seem to cause drowsiness and fatigue the next day, would it?

And yeah, noticeable movement... my canines and lateral incisors are more in line with the incisors, and bottom front teeth closer together... top Incisors also closer together, can't really floss between anymore.. Believe me, I'm totally surprised.. I didn't expect it this soon!

[Alisonpv]

Been a week! After that first initial burst of movement, I can tell it's slowed down a bit. Things are much less tender. I don't need ibuprofen around the clock anymore. My premolars on top that have the hooks for the elastics on the backs of them are almost numb-ish feeling ? Its a bit strange..

Eating is getting easier. Elastics are annoying. (Really annoying). The braces without the elastics are totally a walk in the park comparitively. I'm not sure if it's a positive or negative that I was introduced to them on day 1. On one hand its a lot all at once. On the other hand I never knew it any other way...

I need to get off my tush and upload pics.

[SunshineRay]

Thats funny you mention numbness because thats what I think my front teeth are. I have power chains in the back and Im always touching them with my tongue.

[Alisonpv]

I am the worst updater-er ever.

The braces have sort of just melted into my mouth, I don't feel them anymore

I had my adjustment 2 weeks ago... I was sore for a day or so, nothing like the first week. And now back to not feeling much.

Occasionally I'll have a sore tooth here and there, (I won't notice until eating, or brushing or flossing)...

At the adjustment (#1) I got a square wire... nothing else changed... Still have (parrot) crossbite elastics... I had a TON of movement in the first 72 hours after the adjustment!