Funshine's 1st Adjustment Update

Message

#1 Post by **funshine** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:53 pm

I am 33 and was just braced 3 days ago. My son will be getting braces in about a year and a half and he thinks it's totally cool that mom gets to go through it first!

I have Clarity ceramics on top and In-Ovation R metal on the bottom, both with self-ligating brackets. I was pleasantly surprised that they place all the brackets at once. For some reason I thought they did them one at a time. Getting braced didn't hurt. It was the lip contraption they put me in that was so uncomfortable. Good thing they were only on for about 20 minutes!

I am Class I Malocclusion with a deep bite. I have crowding of both lateral incisors on the top and on the bottom I have a rotated lateral incisor. The rotated tooth is the reason I finally decided to take the plunge. It's something that's bothered me my whole life, but I had learned to compensate for it by hiding it with my lip when I laughed. Most people probably never knew I had a rotated tooth.

Days 1 and 2 I was quite sore. Especially the night of day 2. I totally questioned why I was doing this! Then I woke up on day 3 (today) and the pain was almost gone! More of a slight ache than full on pain. I was able to eat something more substantial than yogurt, but man did it feel weird. My bite is really different and will definately take some getting used to. Oh well, loosing a few pounds because I can't eat well won't bother me any!

My first adjustment is 10 weeks away. That sounds pretty far out to me, but they say with self-ligating brackets you have more time in between (?)

I'll update as my journey goes on. This is a fabulous site and I'm so glad I found it!

#2 Post by **Pebbles** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:40 am

Welcome Funshine !

I just got my braces last Wed, Jan 9th. I got the Damon brackets, except for the 6 front teeth, which are clear Ice.

You are doing good! I have had terrible headache pain. Sure my mouth hurts, but it's the headaches that wake me up in the middle of the night and this morning I woke up with a headache.

I'm glad you joined Archwired!
We'll travel our journey together !!

Pebbles

#3 Post by **Mmmmuuaa** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:44 am

Congrats on getting braced. In the beginning you see results very fast!

Yes this site is very informative. Welcome here.

#4 Post by **funshine** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:36 am

Thanks for the welcome! Tomorrow will be a week and it's getting better. Although my first experience with a Waterpik was hilarious. I giggling so hard because it seemed so odd. And I think every square inch of my sink, vanity and mirror were soaking wet

I'm looking forward to the journey, Pebbles!

#5 Post by **rhonda30** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:43 am

Welcome to our select group.

Your teeth look very white and when you are through with your treatment you will have a beautiful smile! How long is the time estimate?

I have damon brackets and like you the appointments vary from 6 to 8 weeks. I did go 11 weeks once. I just finished an appt the other day and was fitted with a new elastic configuration. It has taken me several days to get over the new soreness and tightness but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I'm on the downside of my treatment and the time goes by very fast.

Look forward to watching your progress and smile with pride.

#6 Post by **funshine** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:16 am

Hi rhonda! My treatment time is estimated at 18-24 months. My top teeth will move quickly, but it will probably take quite a while for my rotated tooth to turn around on the bottom. Then I'll have a permanent retainer there. It'll be interesting to see it move! I don't have a bracket on it yet. Trying to make room for it first.

Your smile looks great in your avatar!

#7 Post by **EmbraceJCT** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 10:14 am

Hi Funshine!

Congrats on getting braced! You're five days ahead of me and it's good to know that for you day 3 got a lot better. I'll brace myself (no pun intended) for the worst pain tonight and hopefully a lot less tomorrow!

You have a gorgeous, healthy-looking smile already so I'm sure your end result will be fantastic!

#8 Post by **funshine** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:49 am

Hi, Embraced! Hope your days are getting better and less painful!

It seems like each day there is a different section of teeth that are a little sore. Last night one of my lower front teeth was so loose I could wiggle it a little with my finger. This morning it seems to have tightened back up. I've had quite a few other teeth feel loose, but not as loose as that one. It's such an odd feeling.

#9 Post by **EmbraceJCT** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:59 pm

That's good to know that sometimes the teeth feel loose. If you hadn't said that you probably would have seen a panicky post from me in a few days thinking that all my teeth were falling out!

#10 Post by **melliemoo** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:35 pm

Hi, I got braced on the 15th. I think it's amazing how both so many of our journies are similar. It's comforting. Tonight my pain in my teeth have diminshed significantly. I think I have self-ligating brackets because I don't have those O rings and my next appt. is on March 11 which will be 8 weeks.

I'm glad you are doing great!

#11 Post by **funshine** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:49 pm

Hi, melliemoo! Glad the pain is easing up. Your first adjustment is just a week or so before mine, which is on March 24th. We'll have to compare notes about how sore we are after them!

Okay...so I had a swanky business dinner to attend last night. It seemed like everything had spinach in it. I was super paranoid that I'd smile and have green slime all in my teeth. I barely ate anything. Just kept having my wine glass refilled

I slipped away to the restroom to check my grill out and all was well. So I just did a quick rinse and went back to have more wine!

#12 Post by **browneyedgrl** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:30 pm

It sounds like you had a fun night! I'm sure that you felt no pain!

#13 Post by **funshine** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:40 pm

Day 12 Update

So far, so good! And for that I'm thankful. I have no major soreness, only a slight tenderness in my molars when I chew. I must have a pretty tough mouth. I've had no really bad spots that have turned raw. I've used wax on one spot, which is the very back top bracket. I don't have to use it every day. Some days it rubs and some days it doesn't.

As I typed that I wondered if I should even speak it (or type it) out loud! I don't want to jinx myself!!

Eating is always a trip! It's like trying to re-train yourself from how you've always done things. It's a slow process. You can't just chomp into things like you used to!

I can see slight movement! YES!

One of my top teeth that was crowded is started to move out some. It's kind of strange to see teeth move from a position they've been your whole life. I haven't seen any movement on the bottom as of yet, but it's still only 12 days in. And I don't have a bracket on the rotated tooth yet. Not sure when that's coming. I bet it'll hurt like crazy when they do get that one bracketed!

Flossing is a joke! It takes like forevah! I've been trying to make up for skipping a day by using the waterpik really well. I feel like all my free time is spent brushing, flossing, rinsing...

...but I know in the end if will be SO WORTH IT!

I kind of wish my first adjustment wasn't out so far. I still have 8 weeks to go (it was set 10 weeks out). Has anyone ever heard of an adjustment that far out? I know when I go back I get a Niti 2 Arch - I saw that notated on my online account with the ortho. Now what does that mean? I have no idea.

"Smiles with braces are beautiful. I mean, come on, they shine!"

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#14 Post by **funshine** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:18 pm

Thought I'd post pics of the reason I decided to get braces in the first place. Here's my narly rotated tooth.

#15 Post by **kittymeow84** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:22 am

Woah that's one explorer tooth!

You're gonna see so much movement as you go along! Cool!

I don't know if you feel the same, but having a tooth that has to move so far seems all the more satisfying to me cos your smile will change drastically - along with your confidence!

My own explorer tooth has got a way to travel too and I'm itching to get my braces on. Even dreamed I had them on and was disappointed when I woke up - I just want to start already!

You're brackets look great too - the braces on the top row are very discreet and neat looking. They don't look overly huge either. Do they feel it?