Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi everyone,

My full story is in the Bracket Club section (pictures on the first page so no need to trawl through pages to find them):

viewtopic.php?t=24816

However, I now have a date for my braces, so though it was time to transfer my story to the 'Braces Stories' section I will be updating on here from now on.

Here is my current grin (from the non-wonky side!)....



SK

Hi SK and welcome to AW! Isn't it exciting how fast everything moves once you get the ball rolling?? From the looks of your mouth you are going to be so happy with the results! I'm having my teeth out on July 22nd as well, so I'll be thinking of you!

Hi SKSK

Happy belated brace day!! Hope all went well for you!! I cant wait to see pics them and hope they are treating you well and arent in too much pain... Your on your way to that perfect smile...

Thanks for your comments and greetings Nikki, Ken and Shannon

Shannon - I don't actually have my braces yet, so unfortunately no interesting pictures to show you yet, but thanks for your good wishes. The first pictures will be of the extractions (not looking forward to them!).

Nikki - Good luck with your extractions! I don't know how you feel, but I am in that dilemma of being so impatient waiting for the whole thing to get started, but at the same time, trying to remind myself that it's not a good thing to wish your life away! The 15th July feels like such a long time away.

Unfortunately, due to the ortho wanting more healing time following the extractions, I have had to move my brace day from the 8th to the 22nd August, which will be exactly one month after my last set of extractions. I'm disappointed about the extra 2 weeks I now have to wait, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not that big a deal.

It's my niece's first birthday party the weekend immediately following my brace day - better tell them to make sure they have some soft food there for me! (no birthday cake for me!). Anybody got any good suggestions of soft 'party food' ... or maybe I could just eat the same food as my niece

I'll keep you posted.

oopsie what a dork I am must have been looking at nikkis ticker thinking it was yours.. I hope your extractions go well... and as far as soft food goes ice cream and baked potatoes covered in cheese worked for me lol... but you know cake is pretty soft.. my husbands birthday was a week after I got braced and I loved eating the cake! I am sure they will have something there you.. keep us posted on the extractions..

Hello skss11,

Welcome!!!!! When are you getting your braces put on, and are they going to pull any teeth?


I'm sorry but I'm cracking up at work reading braces4astw22 post. I'm sorry Shannon that was to funny!!!!

I am having 4 teeth pulled - my upper and lower premolars on each side. The first 2 will be taken on 15th July, and the others a week later on 22nd.

My brace date is booked for 22nd August, when the uppers will be fitted, with ceramic on the front 6 for aesthetics.

Dreading the extractions, my dentist is lovely though, so he'll take it slowly.

oops, double post

Hi sksk
I've heard stories about how hard it is finding jobs as a Physio in the UK. You must be one of the really good ones if you work in a hospital. What field of Physio do you work in?

Don't dread the extractions
The only part that hurts is the needle to inject the anaesthetic and that only last for about 20 seconds.

Smile and shine.
d2t.

Hi again d2t,

I have been qualified since 2001, and back then the job situation was much more favourable (I was one of only 3 candidates going for 2 jobs!). The situation now is just dire - I have helped out with interviews for junior physios in our hospital, and reading their application forms and knowing there are just desperate for a job is terrible.

Personally, I work on a stroke unit, so I would class myself as a neuro physio. What field are you in?

Thanks for trying to make me feel better about the extractions, guess I will have to wait and see how they go

SK

sksk11 wrote:Hi again d2t,

I have been qualified since 2001, and back then the job situation was much more favourable (I was one of only 3 candidates going for 2 jobs!). The situation now is just dire - I have helped out with interviews for junior physios in our hospital, and reading their application forms and knowing there are just desperate for a job is terrible.

Personally, I work on a stroke unit, so I would class myself as a neuro physio. What field are you in?

Thanks for trying to make me feel better about the extractions, guess I will have to wait and see how they go

SK

What happened within this past 6 yr period that has made job opportunities so hard for current physios in the UK? Job outlook for physios in Aus are very good. I feel for the unemployed physios in the UK. I'm not yet qualified but I would stick with probably Cardioresp or Sports physio.

How come you gotta wait so long before you're teeth are pulled?

And so it begins......

Had two of my four extractions today! I wasn't really nervous until about an hour beforehand, so I popped some Kalms (herbal relaxation tablets) and sat with a magazine trying to forget what laid ahead.

I have to say though, the actual extractions part was a piece of cake! As many have said, the worst bit was the injections for the local anaesthetic, but once the numbness set in, we were all good to go. He even numbed the area to be injected with a topical anaesthetic which tasted of bubblegum He topped up the anaesthetic about 3 times too, just to make sure!

Then he set to his work. We had agreed that he would take the teeth on the right side of my mouth, as I thought this would release the crowded teeth more, and hopefully give them a little longer to start moving of their own accord. I was also worried that if we took the left teeth out first, the crowding and pressure from the right side might start pushing the midline to the left.

I'm pretty sure he used that little tool down the side of the tooth to loosen it from the gum, then it was a case of a few wiggles, and then some hard pressure against my gum and ..... 'POP'!!! Out it came! I was amazed, it was so quick and easy!

Then he moved to the bottom. This wasn't quite as simple as the tooth was more crooked and tilted forwards, and I had to have a little more anaesthetic as I could feel discomfort when he started to loosen deep around the root. Then, as I had suspected would happen, 'crack' - the root snaps. Cue more anaesthetic and a bit more digging, and apparently the loose fragment shot up the suction tube!

I didn't enjoy biting down on the gauze pads - I think it was due to the fact I couldn't judge how hard I was biting, and it felt very unusual.

I'm not enjoying the second stage of the process i.e. waiting for the bleeding to stop and for my face to come back to life. I now sympathise with my stroke patients as for the next 3 hours, I couldn't smile properly or talk properly - I was mortified, I'm not used to not smiling when people greet me! I thought the bleeding had settled quite quickly, but 4 hours later, I am still sitting here with a gauze 'cigar' sticking out of my mouth! Just when I think the bleeding's stopped, a little ooze starts again. Might have to get the teabag out before long.

As a result, I'm a bit worried about drinking anything incase it starts again, and that means I can't get any painkillers down me either

So for anyone preparing for extractions, trust me, the actual thing is a doddle, but be ready spend ages soaking up your dribble with a tissue (I even dribbled right down the front of my t-shirt because I couldn't feel if I was getting a good lip seal!).

Now all I have to do is get ready for the next two next week Pictures to follow.

SK

Congratulations on passing the point of no return!

For me, my extractions were by far the worst part of my experience to date. Waiting for the bleeding to stop is a real anoyance too.

It took a few days before I was comfortouble enough to brush my teeth without being extra carful about the extraction sites - just in time for my second round of extractions!

Are you hungry yet?

Yes, hunger is gradually creeping on!

The bleeding has stopped, and i have finally braved some water and paracetemol (waiting for my boyf to bring some ibuprofen home with him). Feeling a bit bruised around my cheek, and I have also noticed that my bite feels somewhat strange!

Like you say though, point of no return, and I can't wait for these bloody holes to heal up and the braces to go on.

Thanks for dropping in on my story.

Hi SK! I just stopped in to say CONGRATULATIONS on getting the first part over with! I know originally we were going to be having our extractions the same day but I got mine moved up to the 10th which was last Thursday, so I can give you an idea of how it goes afterward I too oozed and drooled like mad the first day and used up all my gauze on it - I found it felt better for me to have the gauze in my mouth even when I wasn't bleeding just because with four new holes in my mouth I had nowhere to put my tongue! So Thursday I layed around all day and then Friday-Sunday I was busy busy busy and in that time most of the healing happened. The extraction sites no longer hurt, I didn't experience bleeding after the first day, and at this point I am tentatively braving some some fruits, breads, etc - but I still have a fridge full of Ensure, yogurt, applesauce and pudding on standby

I can't wait to see pictures and I hope the healing process goes well for you too!