End of Week 1

It's been a full week since I got my braces and today is the start of week 2! I can finally chew a little more, still only soft foods, but at least I don't have to put everything in the blender! Yesterday was the first day without pain killers!!! Here is a look back at week one and today.

Today

Week One

Day 4 - Feeling Better

When I woke up today, I was not in much pain. I think yesterday was the worst. I took 2 Vicodin about an hour before bed because the pain was so bad. I wanted to have them taken off, but knew that it would get better in time, and it did! I'm still sore today, but only about 1/2 of what it was like yesterday. I have not taken any pain killers at all today, but might tonight since that when the pain is worse. I've been watching some youtube videos about braces and most of the people are young teens. I really wish that I got mine on when I was younger, that way I could have school colored ligatures. I think it would make me look too young if I did that now. I already look like a teenager. I'm really looking forward to getting these off! A positive thing I have noticed, well I think it's positive, is the small space between my 2 front teeth. See that little black dot? That's not food it's space! However, I have not noticed much change on the bottom at all.

 

I'm not sure why I didn't mention this before, but I also have these horrible blue things on my black molars called bite blocks. They make it so I can't close my mouth all the way, so I don't bite off my lower brackets. They are awful! They hurt so bad; chewing is not an option at this point. I'm going to have them for 6 months! They said that after some time they wear down a little and you don't notice, but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future. They also make my back molars hurt!

Day 3, OUCH!

Today is day 3 and it hasn't gotten any better. The pain has gotten worse. I had a can of soup, that I put in a blender for lunch today, but it wasn't enough to get me through my workout. I decided to try and go for a jog after my sociology test since the gym was there anyway, but after a few minutes I got really dizzy and almost fell, so ended up only doing a 30 minute walk at 3.5 mph at an incline. Each morning when I wake up I forget that I have braces and it hits me like a tun of bricks. This pain is awful and I haven't slept for more then a few hours at a time. Tonight I'm going to take something to make me sleep, so just maybe I can sleep through the night. Good news though, I can already see a change in my teeth. My 2 front teeth have already started to move!

Day One

It was must better then I expected, not much discomfort. As I type this I'm actually eating a bowl of chilli. I cant really chew it though. The top does not look too bad at all, I thought it would be worse. The bottom however, not so hot! I have a power chain to make space for that one tooth that is pushed too far back. They also I think I sound the same when I talk, but it fees really funny!

Before Pictures

These pictures were taken by my orthodontist.

Top

Bottom

And one I just took of myself

Tomorrows the big day!

Tomorrows the big day!!! I'm finally getting braces after needing them for at least 15 years. It's a very bitter sweet moment for me. When I was little every dentist I went to told my parents that I needed braces, but since I was not their golden child I never got them, but my younger brother did.  My parents always told me that when they could afford it, they would get my braces too. But that never happen. I'm 27 years old, happily married, and a full time university student. I figured that right now is the best time. I'll be turning 30 the same year I get my braces off, and I want my 30's to be amazing.

I've decided to get ceramic braces on top and metal on the bottom. I wanted invisalign, but was not a candidate. Then I learned about lingual braces, but they cost an additional $1000 and I was told they can cause a lisp and because my bite is so small my tongue could easily become cut. I'm taking speech this semester, so not the best timing! Total cost is around $6500. A lot more then I expected. I'm making even payments every 24 months.

I'm really nervous about tomorrow. I've been looking forward to this for so long, and it's finally happening. I'm very self conscious about how I will look. I'm worried about how my husband will see me. In addition I've decided to take this opportunity to really work on my diet. I'm an emotional eater and a chronic snacker. I'm hoping that this will help me become more aware of my eating. I'm also hoping that with braces my TMJ will get better and flossing, in the end, will be much easier. Right now when I floss my teeth, my floss breaks! Playing everything will workout in the end, and this will be all worth it, $6500 worth it.