Week 11 - Braces like a car??? Hmmm.... (metaphor of course)

11 Weeks into Braces!!!

Well, Week 11 is about here... and everything has been going good with the braces.  The dramatic changes, especially on the bottom just amazes me.  Oh yeah... check out those teeth!!!  My teeth are finally starting to look like teeth with braces... since braces always look better once the teeth start to straighten out.  Check out the progress in my pics to the left!!!  So Happy!!!



Braces - 11 weeks ago!!!

My bottom teeth have stopped hurting thankfully.  My top teeth have not hurt at all since my last adjustment, where they put a thicker wire on top... but last night they started to bother me.  It is not severe pain, and I can still eat no problem... they are just sore. I figure the teeth are shifting and they are to the point where they are shifting enough that my mouth does not like it.  But my mouth is just going to have to get over it... because I am loving the changes!!! 

I feel goofy when I smile for pictures though... it is like, my mouth conforms around the braces differently, so my smile is retarded if you ask me.  But I am hoping that will all change soon.  :)  I am really looking forward to about 1-1/2 weeks, when I go back for my next adjustment.  They wanted to see me next week, but since my dentist is taking off for Easter, I have to wait 6 weeks in between, instead of the 5 they wanted. 

Anyway, last night, while laying in the bed with about 4 sore teeth, I started wondering if this blog was as wonderful as it sounded in the beginning.Who really cares about the transformation of my teeth, right?  But then I thought, you know what... I really don't care if some don't like it... my goal is to help others by sharing my experience, because I know I was nervous but excited to get mine... and I still read blogs and updates from complete strangers, to see "is this normal?" or "are my teeth shifting fast enough?", and etc.  So, if I end up only helping one person in my experience of blogging about my "Wired Smile"... well, that is one person I managed to help or one person that maybe feels they are not alone in this. 

Before I go, I wanted to touch base again on oral hygeine.  I must admit, when I first got my braces on... I was gung-ho on keeping my smile pretty and brushing so much... that I am sure I was over brushing.  I look at it like getting a new car.... when you first get a new car you wash the car constantly.... wipe away smudge marks, check for dings and scratches from those damn buggies at the parking lot, armor-all the crap out of the inside, vacuum the interior, and even douse the car in new car and leather scents to keep it looking and smelling great.  That is kinda how I treated my braces.  Now that I am a little further into them... I have died down on the excessive cleaning.  I still brush my teeth at a minimum twice a day, still floss at night, use my water pik, and try to keep them looking great, but not obsessing like I did before.  So, I guess the moral of the story is... you know how your car still runs great and looks great, even if you miss an armor-all session or a vacuum???  Braces are kinda the same.  They still are great, as long as you keep up with your scheduled maintenance.  Think of brushing your teeth like having to fill up your car twice a day (just thankfully not as expensive as gas... just time consuming!), flossing as cleaning out the trash from your floor board, and going to the dentist as your oil changes which come every so many miles.  :)  

*Tip of Advice: Get yourself a good Sonic Toothbrush with Braces and buy extra heads... as you will go through them fast.  I personally use Sonicare Healthy White.... and I really like it.  As for flossing, I really find it easy to use Crest Glide Threader Floss... just sit infront of the TV and floss, in 5 to 10 minutes... you are done... and they come in individual packets... which makes taking them on the go a breeze!

Week 10 - Hate this Gap!

Well, in 2 days I will officially hit 10 weeks since my braces were applied. Wow, how time flies by. It amazes me how much my teeth have already shifted... especially the bottom teeth. I really don't have much to say about how my teeth are doing, mainly because I have gotten so used to them that I actually forget they are there. Well, except when those wire ties poke me, which they occasionally do.

There is one thing that is driving me nuts though.... on my top teeth, I have noticed a large gap is creating. Last night, I showed my really good friend, Shelly, who happens to also be my dental assistant. She said, it is normal since I have such narrow teeth, and they will apply a power chain once my top teeth get straighter, which will close the gaps. What a relief.

One interesting thing is how often people like to point out my braces... but it doesn't bother me. 2 weeks ago, Jess and I went to a new tattoo shop to get his flames on his wrist fixed, and I got 2 new tats. Anyway, the guy at the desk mentioned how he wished I could meet his son, since he is also new to braces and he hates them. He said his son hates them so much, that his son actually got pink bands just to make his braces funny.

I thought I would post a before and after of my progress so far, since I am so proud of the progress I have made!

Before

 10 Week Update

Weeks 5 & 6 - Hello Wire Ties!

Week 5 really is great. No pain at all. The only thing I notice is a wire poking me in the back. There is a bracket driving me bananas though... it is one that I kept hitting with my teeth when I bite down, so Dr. Black had to shave down the bracket a little. Well, it was enough to not allow  the band to  stay hooked, so that wire moves alot in the buccal tube. Because of this, I cannot eat well on that side.

Week 6 means adjustment! They put a new wire on top, replaced the bracket that I mentioned earlier, and kept the same wire on bottom... but they added 2 wire ties on 2 of my bottom teeth. These replace the colored bands on those specific brackets. They did this in order to rotate those teeth. I was not fond of the pain associated with it, but it wasn't bad. 

My teeth did hurt for about 3 to 5 days, mainly the front bottom teeth thanks to those wire ties. I was happy to replace the bands too! My daughter went with me, since she was not allowed at school that day and was treated for the L word.... yep... Lice. Anyway, I picked pink bands on top and Kayleigh picked Purple  for the bottom. I like incorporating her in this experience... plus she thinks I am cool for wearing funky colors as a mom. I must say, the actual adjustment itself wasn't bad at all... only pain were those wire ties from the pressure.

That is about it for now! Stick around for more updates, pictures of progress, and new experiences I discover!