Melissa's Journey - New update & pic pg. 14

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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*melissa*
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Melissa's Journey - New update & pic pg. 14

#1 Post by *melissa* »

I got braced 15 days ago, and I am finally getting around to starting a braces 'journal'...

I have known that I needed braces since I was 15, but I was a weenie head and put it off for way too long. I finally got my braces put on March 6th, 2008 at age 23 (going on 24 in a few days)!!!

Well, it all started when I was about 15. The dentist discovered several things in my mouth that were terribly wrong. Do you know how many times I have heard "WOW, never seen THAT before!" What can I say, I guess I am special haha. The biggest/scariest thing though: lower impacted canines, laying flat down in my jaw. So, shortly after that, I saw my first orthodontist. He told me I would need surgery to get those impacted teeth out. Soon after that, they would put the braces on me. So they gave me the referral to the oral surgeon. . I had my appointment all set up to go see him. The cost of the braces were all taken care of (I was awarded some kind of grant, we were really poor).....and everything was all set. EXCEPT, I never went to the oral surgeon or back to the orthodontist. I CHICKENED OUT. I really wish my mom would of pushed me to go through with everything...but she felt really bad for me and kinda just brushed the braces and everything else off. I didn't really want braces in the first place but was willing to get them anyways....well until they mentioned the surgery thing.

I had put all that in the back of mind and closed the book on it. Every single time I saw a dentist they would mention the braces thing to me. I learned to expect it, but always just shrugged it off, after all, I had the chance to get them but didn't. Now it's too late I would think. Until I was about 19, I opened up to the idea again. I decided to go see an orthodontist yet again. I almost wanted to cry during the whole visit/consultation. They re-hashed everything that I had put in the back of my mind. But it all seemed worse this time. I don't know why, maybe since I was older I could comprehend it better. I knew I had to get them and was fully ready to do it again!! EXCEPT one thing- It was going to be really expensive and I had no way to pay for it! :cry:

Fast forward to now, March 2008...after many many differen tortho. consultations, a visit to an oral surgeon (woohoo I made it, and he told me I could leave the impacted teeth there!), and an extracted baby tooth later, now I finally am braced and already on the road to my orthodontic journey! I am so excited by the results already...I will posts pictures soon!!! :D
Last edited by *melissa* on Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:47 pm, edited 29 times in total.

missfashionista
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#2 Post by missfashionista »

Welcome to the metal mouth club, melissa! I can't wait to see your pics and follow you in your journey to the perfect smile.

jenny101101
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#3 Post by jenny101101 »

Hi Melissa,

Wow! Sounds like you've been through a lot but congrats for getting braced!! :-)o I look forward to seeing pics!!
Keep smilin'! :)
Jenny
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Braced for 18 months: Damon 3mx all around with Damon 3's on "social six". Now is Essix retainers for 10 hours/night.

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*melissa*
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#4 Post by *melissa* »

As of today, I've been in braces for 3 weeks now! My clear ligs are sooo dingy and ewwy looking. The assistant warned me that would happen, but I thought if I stayed away from dark colored things, like ketchup and diet pepsi etc, i would be ok........well....i was soo wrong! My next appt isnt until April 22nd. I cant believe I have to go about 4 more weeks with yellow ligs! ahhhh...
Next time I am definately getting a color that wont stain...maybe light pink or "smoke"? I could of sworn they made a pearl color that didnt stain...hmmm...

Today is my birthday...24 years old now...wow...I can't believe it!

jenny101101
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#5 Post by jenny101101 »

Happy Birthday, Melissa!! :-V (You share the same birthday as my sister :D )

Sorry to hear you have such a long wait to get your stained ligs changed. Lately I've kind of been regretting getting Damons(self-ligating=no ligs)but I guess that's one good thing about them...no stains. Have you checked out the ligs colours thread in the metal mouth forum? There's pages and pages of different colours!!
Keep smilin'! :)
Jenny
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Braced for 18 months: Damon 3mx all around with Damon 3's on "social six". Now is Essix retainers for 10 hours/night.

Skitters
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#6 Post by Skitters »

Happy Birthday Melissa! I've just started my braces journey too and I went with the "smoke" color ligs. They haven't stained but they're the same color as the metal so it looks like I have a TON of metal in my mouth. I think when I go back for my adjustment I'm gonna try a diff't color...just something for you to keep in mind. Hope you're having a GREAT bday!

kittymeow84
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#7 Post by kittymeow84 »

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Sounds like you've gone through so much to get this far! Best of luck for your journey - I can't wait to see your pics!
Clickies on the "WWW" to see my braces story :)


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DaneAnthony
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#8 Post by DaneAnthony »

Hey Melissa,

Welcome to the club! I read your comments about the ligs changing colour! Mine are the same at the moment and I've got something like 48 days or there abouts to my next adjustment...I'm thinking of getting coloured ones but not too sure if I should take that leap just yet - I'm still adjusting to the braces! :oops:

Good luck with everything and hope your teeth move along nicely! Can't wait to see some pics. Let us know what kind of ligs you might consider getting!

Take care,
Dane :D
Next Adjustment: August 20th, 2008 at 5pm


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My Story:
[url=http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=24942[/url]

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DaneAnthony
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#9 Post by DaneAnthony »

Hey Melissa,

Welcome to the club! I read your comments about the ligs changing colour! Mine are the same at the moment and I've got something like 48 days or there abouts to my next adjustment...I'm thinking of getting coloured ones but not too sure if I should take that leap just yet - I'm still adjusting to the braces! :oops:

Good luck with everything and hope your teeth move along nicely! Can't wait to see some pics. Let us know what kind of ligs you might consider getting!

Take care,
Dane :D
Next Adjustment: August 20th, 2008 at 5pm


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My Story:
[url=http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=24942[/url]

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DaneAnthony
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#10 Post by DaneAnthony »

Hey Melissa,

Welcome to the club! I read your comments about the ligs changing colour! Mine are the same at the moment and I've got something like 48 days or there abouts to my next adjustment...I'm thinking of getting coloured ones but not too sure if I should take that leap just yet - I'm still adjusting to the braces! :oops:

Good luck with everything and hope your teeth move along nicely! Can't wait to see some pics. Let us know what kind of ligs you might consider getting!

Take care,
Dane :D
Next Adjustment: August 20th, 2008 at 5pm


Image


My Story:
[url=http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=24942[/url]

danish
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#11 Post by danish »

welcome to the world of braces, *melissa* :thumbsup:

The first days and weeks are the worst regarding getting used to the look and feeling of the metal and/or ceramics in the mouth. Soon it will just feel as a part of you and eventually you might not even remember that there was a time where you didn't have braces....

Is your problem mainly crowding or are there other issues (apart from the canine)?

Looking forward to following your story here.

Danish
metal braces on: 4 Oct 2007
Tx for: crowding
debonded on: 24 Jun 2009

total treatment time: 629 days


my journey ==> http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... highlight=

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*melissa*
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#12 Post by *melissa* »

Thank you so much jenny, skitters, kittymeow, dane, and danish for the birthday wishes and kind words!!! :D

I hope to get wire ties on my next visit to the ortho in April so I won't have to deal with stained ligs. I think I get spacers on 4-22 (scarryy!!) and then my 1st adjustment is 4-29.

And to answer Danish's question: my problems are severe crowding and overbite (I might have an overjet too..). I don't know the details of my treatment like most people here... :? Next time I go in I'll ask to get all the info..

Well here are some pics I took today...24 days into treatment. I never took "before" pics because I really really hated my teeth, but I can assure you, they still look the same as they did Day 1.
Image
Image
Image
Image
(I took these in black&white just because my ligs are so stained!)

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*melissa*
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WOO HOO!

#13 Post by *melissa* »

I am doing a happy dance because I called my orthodontist today and they are gonna let me come in this thursday, april 3rd and get new ligs!!!! and also show me how to put my *own* on!! i am so excited...no more stained ligs!!!! that day will also be my 1 month anniversary yay! i will be sure to post new pics, in color of course!! :D :D :D

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#14 Post by SGPWired »

Great pics!! I like the black and white style – artsy and vogue (besides hiding your stained ligs). Don’t be shy about showing your photos and progress. We are your confidence boosters. :banana: You are lucky to have an ortho you like and that likes you. I’m always worried about being the “nuttyâ€

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*melissa*
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#15 Post by *melissa* »

Thanks SGPWired!!! I'm glad ya like.

I am pretty sure I am one of their "nutty" patients hehe...I always call and ask questions...esp. right when I got my braces on I was calling almost every day with a new question. But I am sure they are used to other patients doing the same :wink:

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