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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It´s really great to be here, the first board I´ve found, where so many people have experience with Invisalign.
My parents are separated since I was 9 years old. They were only fighting and they totally forgot me in their fight. I was a little girl with ugly teeth, it was horrible for me. But they decided that I should never get braces because they liked more fighting than going to a doctor with me. They were discussing who should pay my braces and who should go with me to an orthodontist ….until I were 18. I begged them to go with me and to lend me money. It´ s only frustrating to think about that.
The past few years I´ve developed something like a social phobie, I can´t laugh anymore, no I can´t!!! Some people are thinking that I am a boring shy women but Iam not. The only problem is that I don´t like opening my mouth ... for laughing and talking. I could/can really cry the whole day long.
I wanted to change the situation with my teeth for years. Now I am 28 years old and it´ s time for me to do something. The last year I visited my orthodontist and I decided to start my treatment with Invisalign. I got my molds before a few weeks and until I will get my first Aligners I have to wait until February.
Only one month, then my new life will start, isn´t that great?
The last days I feel really bad, frightened, nervous, ...and happy.. was this the right decision? Will Invisalign really work for me (my orthodontist promised that there is no doubt)? And I can´ t stop being angry about my parents.
I hope that the last month will pass by as fast as possible without thinking about everything…..
Last edited by Nanny on Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:53 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Good luck with your treatment. I am sure that if the orthodontist has said that invisalign will work for you then it should. There are a lot of people here on Archwired who didn't get treatment for various reasons when they were younger but it is good that you have the opportunity to do it now.
Regards
Joney
2 Extractions 2nd November 2006
Brace On 10th November 2006
Top brace off 26 June 2008 (19 1/2 months)
Thanks everyone for your feedback. You´ re helping me so much ! And it is really great to know that there is someone who will understand my problems with my braces and all the problems around….
Today I am feeling a little bit sad as the days before . I don´ t know why. Sure, I am happy about my decision, maybe I am only nervous and frightened. The past few weeks were also maybe too much for me, I had many dates with my ortho, the extraction of 4 teeth (wisdom teeth), the expensive treatment, the (for me) sad feedback of my family…. And suddenly everything is passing so fast
I hope I will have the courage to upload a “beforeâ€
Last edited by Nanny on Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
I know that the past can be so hard to leave behind... but keep in mind that you're going to take a huge step just for YOU, because you deserve to have a great smile and enjoy life and feel free to show your happiness...
Feel proud of yourself, because you have the courage to face something that it's hard for you, and make the decision to change it!
I hope that you'll be able to take your pics, because they are so helpful to keep you motivated, and to see how much your smile has improved...
Hi Nanny!! I am sorry that your journey to make this decision has been a tough one...I can certainly understand the family drama (as I'm sure most of us can). It's easy to let past anger take over our lives, but the challenge is in letting it go. We can love our families, but we don't have to like them sometimes! LOL.. You are now a grown woman who is taking charge of her health and happiness and you should be so proud of yourself for having the courage to take action and make this happen for yourself. By getting treatment, you are saying that you love yourself enough to look past all of the negative feedback you might be getting and the rollercoaster of emotions that making this decision has brought you. Kudos to you on that!!!
I have been trying to gather the courage to make this decision for a while. When I was born I had a heart defect which I have always had to go to the doctor to have checked up every year..It hasn't changed my quality of life-but I have always known that it was there. Earlier this year I went to a new doctor who told me I would probably need to have it fixed-which would mean open heart surgery! Of course, that was super scary, but the first thing that came to my mind was that now I would have to put off fixing my teeth. At my last appointment, they told me that since I have no symptoms we would just continue to keep an eye on it-no surgery any time soon. This all made me realize how badly I really wanted to fix my smile-i felt by not doing it I would be telling myself that I didn't matter-and I wasn't about to let that happen! Sorry for the novel, but the point of my story is to not let fear get in your way and don't let others put that fear in you. Only you can live your life and only you know what will make you happy. Congratulations, and I can't wait to follow your journey!!!!
Congrats Nanny!!! I hope all goes well with the correction of your teeth. However, it sounds like your "sadness" goes deeper than just teeth. I hope you are able to straighten out the issues keeping you "down" as you straighten your teeth. Please don't be afraid to get professional help if you need it. You sound like a wonderful person who has a lot to offer the world.
I think that I will never be able to leave the past behind. It makes me feeling really sad, thinking about the relationship to my parents …. there is no relationship anymore because to much happened in the past. And because of this treatment I remember often these bad times an things….I think this is the really reason I am feeling sometimes sad.
But, I am also looking forward to getting a great smile . Yeah, I am proud of me. It took such a long time until I was able to go to the ortho and now I can’t wait anymore to go there and to start my treatment. The last few days I am a little bit sad, that I won’t get metal braces, because now I really want to tell everyone about my treatment. I think I am a little bit crazy
Now I have 2 really huge challenges:
Learning to laugh
Well with my husband I can laugh from the bottom of my heart. We have always fun and I am feeling really good after laughing …I hope I can do that in future with my colleagues and friends. Smiling in front of a mirror? I really tried that but that doesn’t work . This doesn’t look like laughing. Well I have a lot to learn…
Taking “beforeâ€
Last edited by Nanny on Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Congratulations on taking the plunge. That's one of the hardest parts of the whole treatment and it will all get better from now on!
Smiling will naturally happen more as you go through treatment. I didn't smile very often before I was braced and now I have to look in every mirror I pass to check out my teeth; I just can't help it! By the end, you'll definitely want everyone to know you have straight teeth.
I would take the "before" photos soon, before you begin. Even if you don't wish to share them at the point, it will really boost your confidence by looking back at how they were before. Don't make the same mistake as me and take none until all the major changes have happened. I regret having no before photos, or anything before the one year mark. I've forgotten exactly how my teeth were before, it's sad.
Best of luck preparing for the journey!
Sim
Damon 3 braces for 22.5 months.
30th August 2005 - 13th July 2007
maybe someone knows how hard this day was for me. I have taken a few pic´s of my teeth I am feeling not really good. I don´t like them. I am shamed....
The last pic is the pic with my "smile" . I don´t like my smile because I really can´t do that and it doesn´t look relaxed.
But I am looking forward to my B-Day on 23.02.2007, yeah !!!!! On Friday morning next week I will get my first aligners. I hope everything is going well. For me it seems that my front teeth has moved after the extraction a little bit
Congrats for taking your well being in your own hands. Don't blame your parents, it is not worth it! Look ahead! Don't be ashamed of your photos! Actually you have big, bright teeth and beautiful lips. Teeth can be moved, and they will move. Just give it some time and you will be smiling for the first time. I understand your feelings, this is why I answer you. I felt exactly the same.
BTW I think it's great that you are able to use Ivisalign. For me this wasn't an option because my teeth were one behind the other.
First of all: it was a good appointment. I was 2 hours in the orthos office. They answered me every question I had and I had enough time to try to change my aligners.
Putting the attachments on the teeth was not really nice I got a lot of attachments, but luckily not on my front teeth .
Putting the aligners off and on was easier as I thought. In the orthos office I´ve had no problems, in the bathroom in my office I needed about 1 minute to get them off *puh* That was not great but I think it will be easier when I have done that a few times!
My teeth are feeling great with the aligners. About 30 minutes after my appointment no one of my colleagues asked me anything although I have lisped a little bit and laughed. And no one saw anything I think. I feel really good with Invisalign, better than I ever thought.
The only bad thing is my tongue, which hurts a little bit. Did you have such a pain? I hope this will be over in a few days. For sure my teeth are beginning to hurt, not much. I think this should be OK.
. I don´ t know why. Sure, I am happy about my decision, maybe I am only nervous and frightened. The past few weeks were also maybe too much for me, I had many dates with my ortho, the extraction of 4 teeth (wisdom teeth), the expensive treatment, the (for me) sad feedback of my family…. And suddenly everything is passing so fast
!!!!!
…. there is no relationship anymore because to much happened in the past. And because of this treatment I remember often these bad times an things….I think this is the really reason I am feeling sometimes sad.
. Yeah, I am proud of me. It took such a long time until I was able to go to the ortho and now I can’t wait anymore to go there and to start my treatment. The last few days I am a little bit sad, that I won’t get metal braces, because now I really want to tell everyone about my treatment. I think I am a little bit crazy 
. This doesn’t look like laughing. Well I have a lot to learn…
I am feeling not really good. I don´t like them. I am shamed....
.