Rachel's journey - better photos

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#16 Post by **Rachel B** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:56 am

Hi Martin,

In answers to your questions...

I am 28 in two weeks.

Thank you for the compliment - made me blush

My teeth were ok until my wisdom teeth came through and then they all started to tip and shift and look horrid. Over the last few years, any photos of me properly smiling (like my current avatar) just made me realise how much I hated my teeth. So, as I really don't want to go much further towards being 30 with these knashers, I took the leap and now have a mouthful of ceramic - presto!

I only had one lateral incisor which was peg shaped and they extracted that (that's where the small gap is). I HATED that tooth - aargh! I called it my "white fang", well actually my charming sister called it that, so I was glad to get it out. On the other side I had my canine where my lateral incisor should have been and a milk tooth where my canine should have been - confusing I know! There never was a lateral incisor on that side. The plan is that I will end up with both canines next to my central incisors and then if I want some kind of veneers/bonding/reshaping then I can have that to make them look less pointy.

Thanks for the advice about the photo taking. I was using the little flower thingy but I'll turn the flash off.

Hope I have as much progress as you. I watched your u tube video diaries the other day and they made me laugh. Especially the teeth cleaning one, I can relate. My bathroom looks like the dental isle in Sainsburys!

Take care, happy brace days,

Rach x

#17 Post by **Rachel B** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:17 am

So I've finally taken some pics that look ok. This is where my significant change has happened - my lower incisors. Before they were all crooked and crowded but now they're straightening out well and after only 2 weeks! Sorry about the giant blob of wax - my canine is really cutting my mouth to shreds at the moment.
I'm pleased.
No other progress to report, except I accidentally must have swallowed one of the ligs from my pre-molars as it now had no lig on it - grr.
I'll have to ring my ortho and see if it is a problem.

#18 Post by **brika** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:17 pm

Wow, and in only 2 weeks?? That's fantastic, Rachel! :D

#19 Post by **Blake24** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:10 pm

Hey Rachel,

I totally relate with the lips and cheeks getting cut up in different spots. I thought my front lips were already tough enough considering I wasn't experiencing any chaffing. After the first week, however, different parts of my front lips started to get cut up. A slight movement of the bracket has that effect I guess.

I am now two weeks in as well! So I guess we should congratulate ourselves on making it this far huh? That's great that you can already see movement on your lower incisors!

Blake

#20 Post by **Blake24** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:11 pm

Hey Rachel,

I totally relate with the lips and cheeks getting cut up in different spots. I thought my front lips were already tough enough considering I wasn't experiencing any chaffing. After the first week, however, different parts of my front lips started to get cut up. A slight movement of the bracket has that effect I guess.

I am now two weeks in as well! So I guess we should congratulate ourselves on making it this far huh? That's great that you can already see movement on your lower incisors!

Blake

#21 Post by **Tommm** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:50 pm

Wow that's so fast Rachel. Congrats on the progress!

#22 Post by **Rachel B** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:14 am

I went to the orthodontist today to have my lig put back on (the one I accidentally ate when I was eating chicken SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM). He put a wire tie on it instead to avoid future breaded/fried food incidents.

I was sat in the waiting room surrounded by teenagers and their bracey smiles. I think they thought I was one of them because I'm small and teeny looking, in my boyfriend's words "You're two foot tall and weigh nothing".

The best thing about going to the orthodontist today was that I got more wax - yey! And it was in a snazzy purple boxes too, before now I've only been lucky enough to have red and blue.

I started going to the gym again today and had my "induction" which is always absolute rubbish. The guy kept making me smile, I'm sure it was only because he wanted to check out my braces lol!

So, not a lot more to report. Things are feeling a bit wobbly and loose so there's probably more movement on the way.

#23 Post by **pisceangirl** » Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:34 am

wow rachel......the improvement in your lowers is fantastic!

#24 Post by **Calistamay** » Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:49 pm

You hoped for shoes! ROFL! Can't blame you, though. If they would have let me keep my teeth I might have wished for purses

Little kids are sweet, aren't they. When I picked my son up after school the day I got braced, he said "Oh mom, I love your bracelets! They're so pretty" (he's almost 5). So he can always make me feel good about them.
Congratulations on getting started on this journey. The ceramic brackets look really good on you teeth.
Carissa

#25 Post by **Rachel B** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:44 am

It's my one month BRACEAVERSARY!

I have now been fully braced for one month. It hasn't been too bad.
My teeth seem to hurt differently every day depending on what is deciding to move.

I have seen lots of movement on my lowers. When I was first braced my ortho had to put a lig on half of one of my incisors, because my canine was overlapping the bracket. This morning, I used some tweezers to hook it around the other half because there is space now. Maybe I shouldn't really have done this but I know he intends to hook it round in 2 weeks when I have my adjustment anyway -

I haven't had very much change on the top teeth, which is annoying because I have very noticable gaps that I am desperate to close!!!! At this point, I can't really even see how these gaps can close but never mind.

I hate how my teeth look so dirty in photos and am going to have a very thorough clean next time I see the dentist.

I am struggling a bit at the moment and am feeling a bit "ugly" which I know is par for the course but it's still hard. I think it's the gaps that get me down most. I don't mind having braces at all, it's just the hideous teeth underneath!!! lol.

It's my birthday on Tuesday so I have treated myself to a new pair of uggs (5th pair). I'll make my feet look pretty if my face isn't - depending on whether you think uggs are pretty of course!

I am posting photos to show my teeth now. Thanks for all the support and I still love this place when I feel a bit pessimistic. xx

#26 Post by **Rachel B** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:05 am

For some reason my ticker doesn't seem to like February. I was braced on 30th January but my ticker says 1 month 1 week, 6 days......... weird. It's only 1 month really.

#27 Post by **missm10** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:37 pm

Hi Rachel,

Congratulations on your amazing progress. I'm 30 (31 in 1 month and 2 days) and a schoolteacher. Like you my students are loving the idea of me getting braces. They are so encouraging and make me feel good about the idea. I'm glad my job involves 8 year olds all day, instead of adults. So much more honest and less judgemental! I've got my spacers in now, top braces go on 3/12. Good luck on your journey!

#28 Post by **brika** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:54 pm

Your teeth are looking wonderful, Rachel!
They're looking super straight already, so hopefully it won't be long before your ortho has you in powerchains and closes up those gaps!
Happy Braceaversary!!

#29 Post by **Tommm** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:17 pm

Congrats on your 1 month braceaversary!! Your teeth are looking great. Keep your head up k?

Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:22 pm

Hey Rachel,

Congrats on one month in braces. It all gets easier from here on. Your teeth are looking so great and I'm so jealous of how white your teeth are!