Tooth Brace: check up 4

Check up 4 and 7 months into my orthodontic treatment. I can't believe how time has flown. This was pretty much another bog standard check up. Nothing much to report except we're still trying to get my left hand upper teeth to move further over to the left I to the space where I had a tooth removed. This will mean she can then move my two front teeth around so that they're centred. Phew, what a mouthful that was.

It was pretty much a "nope, we've still got about 4mm to move" so she changed the e-wire stuff and tightened it a little so that it pulled on my upper incisors. Not much pain, only if I chew on those teeth. Otherwise she's happy the way they are going. It'll take another few months apparently, but they never said this was going to be a quick process. I'm fine with that. I can wait for a (near) perfect smile.

Talking of which, I just can't seem to stop smiling now. I'm not ashamed of brace wearing in my 30's. In fact, I think I would kind of miss it if it were taken off tomorrow. That seems weird saying that but I do feel like that.

I read a really good interview with a guy called Chris Millington over on Garçon Jon's blog, go over and have a read, fabulous photos too! Anyway, Chris is kind of recognisable now for his AMAZING beard. I mean he's not exactly unhandsome but with the beard, well it's like it's what makes him even more recognisable. I've always thought mine was my curly hair. But now I think it's the brace and the curly hair, oh and the big glasses. I'm a picture, me ;) Anyway, Chris says in the interview that his beard has given him incredible confidence, which I can identify with. Although replace his beard with my brace. You get my drift.

I feel like I can smile more and I want to smile more which is amazing for me. I'm not bothered if people stare at my mouth now. Whereas before I would always kind of hide my mouth and shy away if talking to someone new. I was always conscious of my squint front tooth, my crooked smile, my sticky out teeth. Now? Now I love them with the brace and I'm sure I will absolutely double love them without the brace. Is this making sense? It is to me.

Keep smiling,
Angela

Teeth Brace: Check up 3

I actually had my third 8-weekly check-up at the orthodontist two weeks ago. I was in and out in a flash (about 10 minutes to be exact).

She seems to be happy with the progress and never changed the main wire. Probably because it was the thicker one she put in the last time. What is causing some concern is the gap the appears between my two front teeth. I don't mind the gap which may or may not be there upon removal of the brace. What she said is that it still isn't in the right place. It's a bit off centre to the right hand side. Your two front teeth should meet nicely just below the tip of your cupid's bow top lip (or in line with the tip of your nose. Providing your nose isn't wonky). Mine's don't.

Excuse the up-the-nose shot below, but look at my cool Ray Ban Aviators! *winkey eye face*

Gap, nearly gone, and a bit off centre.

It isn't really a big deal but she would like it dead centre. And maybe i would too. She removed the thicker e-chain plastic loops she'd put in on both sides and only replaced the left hand side one to try to force-pull those teeth around. There's space for them to move to too, it's just the moving part that's taking some time.

Excuse the weird colour. My skin isn't great just now.

There wasn't much pain this time but i can definitely feel the teeth are tender and moving a little. The gap appears to have closed at the bottom, but that usually happens and then they separate again.

I still can't get over that this little magical metal contraption can actually move your teeth within a few days. It's a feat of engineering to say the least. Below are some (not very flattering) pictures of before and after check up number 3.

That's nearly six months I've had the brace on. Only another 18 to go! But when you look back at this post you can see just how far the teeth have moved. 'mazin'.

Oh, and I found this fantastic video on YouTube about adult braces from two Australian girls. They explain everything really well - beware, there are a few sweary words in there so if that offends you, you'd best not look.



Angela x

Teeth Brace: Month 1

It's been just over one month since I had my brace fitted. It's gone quickly, just another 23 months to go. It won't be long going in, will it?

On the day i had my brace fitted I was nervous and excited and apprehensive all in one. I had the day off work and met my sister and two nephews in town. They went to McDonalds. I didn't eat or drink. I didn't want to but also i wasn't allowed to for a few hours. Time to let the brace settle. It felt weird having this contraption in my mouth. I spoke with an impediment. It would take some getting used to. The boys weren't phased by my new metal mouth. That's lucky because I think Ryan may need one when he's a bit older and i want him to know that it's fine to wear a brace, if his really cool auntie can wear one then anyone can ;)

Anyway, I waited for this tooth ache to come along. I was sure it would hit me when I was midway through that evenings episode of Emmerdale Farm. It never arrived. Emmerdale was good though. It was strange. The only thing I was feeling was slightly uncomfortable but not through pain, through the fact that there is this thing attached to my teeth. More of an awareness of something being there, rather than anything painful.

For days I ate soup. Lentil soup. Vegetable soup. Broth. Chicken. Moroccan chicken. Spiced chicken. Chicken. I highly recommend the Covent Garden Coup Co Lentil soup. Spicy, thick and really tasty. A hug in a bowl.

Everything was going smoothly as far as I was concerned. Then I went to spin class. I was in the middle of a tricky hill section and needed a drink so went to take a sig from my bottle and OUCH. I have a Camelbak bottle with a bite valve on it. You need to bite the rubber valve to open it and suck the water out. Biting was a problem. You see with me eating mushy Weetabix for breakfast and my soups for lunch and dinner, I hadn't bitten anything for days. Until now, and ouch! I realised that my teeth were very sensitive to bite down on anything. It wasn't until seven days later I was able to bite using my canine teeth. Definitely not the front teeth, and only biting into something relatively soft.

Once I'd mastered that biting and chewing technique I was fine for a few more days. As the weeks have passed my teeth have become less sensitive. I've had no real aches in my gums. There are certain teeth that are more sensitive on different days. It started on the right hand side and has slowly moved around to my left hand side. I think that must be the teeth moving process in full effect though.

What i have been getting is sores on the insides of my cheeks. Again only on certain days, and mostly on the right had side cheek. There's a wire sticking out on the back tooth so i think i'll get her to trim that when I have my next orthodontic appointment.

I'm obsessed with my teeth brushing routine now. It takes a good 10 minutes so if i'm going anywhere i have to allow for that time to brush my teeth. I started with my small headed toothbrush and brush the teeth above the brace, angling the brush downwards to get behind the metal. I then brush below the metal and brackets. All the while using small circular motions. The back teeth are a bit more tricky. I already have an overcrowded mouth, now with the metal brace it means i have to really angel the brush to get in there. Next i brush the backs of my teeth. I can be pretty hard here as there's no metal, just a bit of sensitivity. I then take my little wire Tandex tapered brush, put a small amount of toothpaste on it and brush between each bracket behind the wires using an up and down motion. Just making sure to get between the teeth. I spend a few minutes on this. Finally i brush my bottom teeth as I normally would using my electric toothbrush. I can't use the electric toothbrush on the brace just incase it damages it. After all that i'm done. It sounds a bit of a palaver but I just want to make sure my teeth are clean. They may not be the whitest teeth but i want to keep them clean as the metal of the brace can make them look dark.

I've made up a little toiletry bag (see below) that I carry with me so i have two of everything, small headed toothbrush, little Tandex tapered brush, mini toothpaste (sensodyne pronamel & Colgate Total, floss, silicone brace wax and a mirror. I've used the brace wax a couple of times, mostly on that piece of wire sticking out the back tooth. It covers any sharp edges and helps prevent sores on the insides of my cheeks or the underside of my lips.

Floozie toiletry bag, bought in Debenhams sale for £2.80!

My next orthodontist appointment is 11 April where I think they'll take this wire out and put a new one in and tighten it. At least I think that's what happens.

I keep checking in the mirror to see if i can see a difference yet but with me only being one month into a 24 month treatment i doubt i'll see anything just now. However, I can definitely feel that something's happening.

Anyway, i'll update again next month.

Angela x

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Braces make beautiful faces

I was feeling a little forlorn today. Tomorrow is the day I finally have my brace fitted. Teeth brace, not a back, leg or neck brace! Glad to report that my mouth seems to have healed up nicely after having the two teeth removed so that my teeth have room to move in my mouth.

I'm a bit nervous about having the brace fitted. I mean, I'm a 35 year old woman. You might wonder why? Why? Because I want to be able to smile more all day. Simple.

For as long as I can remember, probably since my awkward teenage years, I've been self conscious about my teeth. Ordinarily most people won't even notice them, but for me it's always there in the back of my mind. That, together with my already crippling shyness means that I'm not very talkative to people that I don't really know. Hence one of the reasons why I blog. I can talk to y'all here on this blog and various social networks without thinking that I need to try to somehow hide my teeth or show how shy I really am.

With that being said, this is something that I need to do. It'll be a long journey, two years the orthodontist estimated (I have a severe overbite, crossbites, small jaw, jaw too far back...the list goes on), but I hope that by the end I will have gained a new smile and perhaps a little more confidence.

Whilst browsing for images of braces the other day I came across a couple of really nice blogs from girls and their brace-wearing journeys. I've decided I'm going to log my journey here too. Maybe monthly updates and photos to see if we can see the process of teeth straightening taking shape.

Let's start with this. This is me on Friday after a monster laughing session at work.

As you can see one front tooth overlaps the other and the incisor is turned. That's really the only thing that bothers me. That squinty front tooth. So, if you see me from the right hand side, there's a gap. A gap that over the years has gotten wider and more squint.

I'm using this beautiful photo (below) as my inspiration and hope that people can see past the brace, the curly hair and the glasses.



I'd like to know if there are any of you out there that have been adult wearers of braces? I remember a few years ago, king of the sprint himself Mr Mark Cavendish had a mouthful as did Gwen Stefani (Google it) and look at them now! Heart.

On that note, I'll leave you with this from Snoopy. Wise lil Snoopy :D




Angela x
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