2 Weeks In Braces

Here I am (taken two days ago) -- you can hardly notice my braces -- one of the best things about having the Six Month Smile!

Two weeks ago today, I was in the dentist's chair getting "fitted" for my Six Month Braces.  So, what's new?  Well, I'm eating many of the same foods that I did before I got braces...just a bit differently.  I haven't been able to bite directly into a food that isn't inherently soft.  In other words, a big turkey and swiss sandwich is still out of the question.  However, I did join my five- and two-year-old little girls with a PB&J the other day.  I've found that I can chew my foods much more easily than I could just a week ago -- especially if I simply cut them up with a fork first.  (Last night, we ordered pizza and it was no problem.  We also enjoyed Chinese and the tender sweet and sour chicken was great!)

I'm still waxing most of my brackets before I go to sleep at night.  The wax stays on really well and I don't wake up with any indentations in my lips or gums like I did the first few nights.  I leave the wax on during the day and it stays put for the most part -- especially if I'm eating softer foods like applesauce or soups.

The most disgusting thing I've noticed?  If you don't take your wax off before eating a "real" meal, you end up eating it.  Gross.

The best thing about the Six Month Smile?  It doesn't seem to show up much in photos!  I'm adding a photo of my that we took this weekend while we were out at a playground.  No mouth full of metal here!

The pain factor is pretty minimal at this point.  I feel like I've recovered nicely from the process of the braces being put on and the tight wire.  I was warned that the first two weeks are the worst -- and now that they're over, I'm hoping for some smooth sailing until July 16th when I have my first wire changed.

Wait, I think I see movement!!

Finally broke out my real camera to take a photo at one week - black and white photography lets you see more detail.  Think I'll document my braces experience like this from here on out!

1st Day -- this was the day my braces were put on.

Wait a minute...I happened to look back at my "first day" photo and my one week photo and do you see what I see?  No way...my front two teeth actually look like they don't overlap anymore!

Trust me, this little discovery makes a lot of the pain worth it.  

Week One in Braces

Here's what I look like after one week in my Six Month Smile braces! (No movement...but no pain, either!)

It's Tuesday -- exactly one week and a day since I had my Six Month Smile braces put on.  I'm actually amazed at how much better I've begun to cope in the last couple of days.  Last night, I inhaled (yes, not pretty) Parmesan chicken, Alfredo pasta and cake.  Not exactly all soft foods anymore!  I've also managed to chew grapes without much discomfort anymore.  And, I'm proud to announce that I'm officially off Motrin.

As far as discomfort, I'm still waxing nearly every bracket before I go to sleep at night.  It just makes for good mornings.  And, I've learned that if I eat carefully, I can leave the dental wax on for the most part.  I just stopped at Chick-Fil-A for my girls at lunch and did a not-so-shabby job eating a few chicken nuggets.

In the last 48 hours, I've noticed that I'm not thinking about my braces around the clock anymore.  There are moments that I actually forget they're in.  Several days ago, I was literally in pain around the clock and couldn't think of anything else.  I'm thrilled to tell you that I seem to be past that point for now.

My next appointment is in the middle of July.  I believe they'll be changing out the first wire at that piont.  (And my guess is that I'll be back on a diet of smoothies and cottage cheese for a few days.)  But for now, I'm doing much better!

Six Days In Braces -- One Hamburger Down!

The Six Month Smile is tough, no doubt about it.  But, I was able to veer off the path of soft foods today and tore through a hamburger. Granted, it was the smallest patty ever from Burger King, but still...a hamburger is a hamburger.  (And I discovered that if I took off the crunchy ends of the french fries, I could easily enjoy the soft centers...yum!)

Day 5 - Relief (Slightly)

Day 5 of my Six Month Braces experience and I'm still feeling sore...but not QUITE as sore.  I think there may be light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm still waxing every bracket, which makes me look pretty ridiculous. (Although, my husband claims that he doesn't notice...isn't he sweet?) Today, I made it through the day with just one dose of Motrin.  Compared to the three doses I'd been on per day, I think that's saying something!

This evening, I'm not wearing any wax on the front brackets.  Yup, trying to toughen up those lips a little!  We'll see if it works.  It's not actually as bad as I thought!  I'm still putting quite a bit of wax on the side and back brackets.  I have a couple of small ulcerations on the inside of my cheeks and those are pretty painful.  But, other than that, I'm fine.

Because my brackets are covered with wax, I've started noticing more of the "tension" feeling from the wire.  I haven't seen any movement yet, but I sure feel the pressure.

I'm beginning to eat like a human being again, too.  Pasta for dinner tonight and the inside of some garlic bread!  YUM!  I also indulged in a fruit smoothie at Panera Bread today too.  Definitely making the most of my "soft foods" diet. 

My thoughts so far on "Six Month Braces":
* Painful brackets -- wish someone had warned me about how pokey they are
* Not as noticeable as I thought they would be

If you're considering the Six Month Braces for yourself, I'd want you to be aware of the initial pain and discomfort.  Of course, everyone's experience varies and there's probably some soul out there who's willing to tell me that he ate steak with no problem the same day he got braces.  But, for MOST adults out there, I'm willing to bet you'll feel a bit more pain than your dentist warns you about.

Day 4 - Bracket Pain!

Okay, I've discovered that in order to survive this, I'm going to buy stock in dental wax.  It's really the only way I can see surviving this process. The six month smile should be re-named the "I'm going to poke the heck out of your lips/cheeks smiles".  However, if I cover every single bracket with wax, I'm good to go.

Today, I placed an order online from Walgreens for 9 boxes of dental wax.  Yes, I told you I love the stuff!  I still have some left from my initial office visit on Monday, but there's no way I want to find myself without.  (If you're a parent, this is akin to reaching into your baby's diaper basket and finding no new diapers left...at 2 a.m.) Not good.

No sign of movement yet...but we're only four days into this so I didn't expect to see anything.  (Although, my father, ever the optimist, claims he sees a difference...love my dad!)

Day Two of My Six Month Smile....Ouch

Okay, I'll be completely honest. This hurts.  Like you know what.  This morning, I woke up very sore.  It's not just my teeth that are sore from the tight wire, but also the brackets.  Those brackets are brushing up against my gums and the inside of my cheeks.  If you can imagine something poking you constantly in the mouth, that's how this feels.  Not good.  The brackets are not really rounded pieces.  Instead, they have pokey edges that seem to find the same spot on the inside of your lips and cheeks and irritate them constantly. 

I managed to mash a banana against the roof of my mouth and quickly found that it was getting caught in my braces causing even more discomfort.  But, I needed to eat something so that I could take the Motrin, so down it went.  I can definitely see how this will be weight loss plan!  Eating a lot just isn't worth the pain.

I also discovered the wonders of dental wax this morning and rubbed it over a couple of the "meanest" brackets I have.  Ahhh..instant relief. Whoever invented dental wax for braces should be kissed!

This morning, I foolishly checked for movement.  Nothing yet, of course.  But, I have a feeling that I'll do that often.  Each week, my husband will take a photo of my from the front and side so that I can compare.  Yesterday, I was told to expect about two-weeks' worth of discomfort.  Let's hope it passes quickly!

Braces are on!

Today, I got my braces put on!  And, I'm now officially a brace face.  Was it an easy morning?  NO!  The first thing the dentist did was try to strangle me with a tongue restraining device.  Didn't work.  (And it hurt!)  So, we ended up going with this large rubber circle to hold my lips back while they placed the brackets.  That didn't hurt at all...it was just bizarre having my lips open!!  It's very important to have your teeth extremely dry so that the brackets can be glued/applied to your teeth properly.  The glue that is used smells a bit like crazy glue and is somewhat bitter if it happens to hit your tongue. 

The procedure itself to put on the brackets was long, but didn't really hurt.  The irritating part is actually getting your wires put on.  The wires are what actually move your teeth, so the dentist was putting some pulling pressure on to get them nice and tight.  At one point we stopped for a bathroom break and I said that it should be called the two-month smile rather than the six-month smile -- it just felt tight and uncomfortable. 

Now that I'm home, I'm trying to figure out life with braces.  My teeth don't hurt per say, it's just that the brackets keep catching on my lips and gums.  Very irritating.  And, I've got a bit of a headache from the whole procedure.  The dentist stressed that taking Motrin and Tylenol was really important over the few days.  I've also been given some dental wax and will be making that my new best friend.  The wax can be applied to the brackets that are rubbing against your lips/gums the most.  I've applied a bit and it does seem to make a difference!

This is me! Braces on and we're headed home.  In a regular photo, you can barely make out the outline of the braces.  Don't mind the tired look on my face.  (No make-up and my two-year-old kept me up most of the previous night!)

My crooked awful teeth -- with braces!