1st adjustment appointment – uneventful!

So, my first adjustment appointment was yesterday and my orthodontist decided it was too soon to change my wires, so no adjustment was made. BOO-HOO! 😦 Oh well, I understand what a tedious process this is, so I can be patient.

Another bright side of not having my wires changed is I’m not experiencing any real tooth agony. In over a month since I’ve had these braces, I’ve definitely adjusted. Flossing has gotten MUCH easier and less time consuming with a floss threader. I’m also able to eat just about any type of food now, expect foods that I know will stain my elastics.

So yeah, nothing exciting to report, but maybe next time. Next adjustment isn’t until March 4.

One week update

Well, nothing drastic has change with my teeth. If anything, I think the gaps in between my lower incisors have gotten a *tiny* bit bigger, but that could be my eyes playing tricks on me. I know not to expect anything drastic for the first month or so, but still, it’s weird to feel movement going on in your mouth but not be able to see it.

My first scheduled adjustment is for the 21st of January. I’ll be very curious to hear what my ortho has to say about my progress.

Braces 101

Oh the joys of flossing

No. No it’s not.

Flossing is a pain in my butt with these braces on! On top of that, I believe there is excess cement from bonding the brackets stuck between some of teeth, making flossing impossible in a few areas. I’ve tried using the floss threader the ortho assistant gave me but it’s such a tedious and slow process. I defintely going to have to call my ortho office on Monday to see about removing some of the excess cement.

In the meantime, I’ve thinking about getting a waterpik. I know it doesn’t fully replace flossing but it seems like a good alternative to getting into nooks and crannies. I’m also going to research some other flossing solutions.

Reactions

Interesting some of the reactions I’ve gotten from people noticing or not noticing my braces. Having ceramic braces definitely has the added advantage of people not registering that you have braces at first, and upon finding out that you do, having to get up close and personal for further inspection.

It still feels awkward when people ask me why I’m getting braces. I hate talking about being insecure of my teeth, it personal topic for me. But obviously, most people mean well and are naturally curious.

Seeing as how I work in a dental office that acts as a residency for many new dentist, a lot of them were curious and had questions. One even indicated he would be interested in seeing how my experience with braces progresses over the next few months. As am I.

On an unrelated side note: I can finally chew on my left side. I was able to eat a salisbury steak with mac and cheese for dinner. YUM.

Let’s talk braces and eating

It’s been almost 12 hours later since getting my braces and I have begun experiencing the infamous discomfort and slight pain that everyone has been talking about.

Right after my ortho appt and I went to get breakfast and order an omellete with cheese grits. I should have taken my first post-braces meal way more easily. The pressure from chewing was weird and threw me off and grits was FUN to brush off of every nook and cranny later.

I’ve taken an Advil, but really the discomfort isn’t that bad. I’ll live. I wanted this, anyway.

So here’s to soup for dinner!

( I really need to invest in a cookbook for braces)

My Story

So, I figured I’d start this whole thing off with an introduction. You can call me Kiara. I’m a 28 years old who has what some call “lucky teeth”. A gap, basically. In some cultures a gap is highly regarded as an attractive asset, in women, a sign of fertility and in places such as Austrialia a predictor of future wealth. In France it is called dents du bonheur” (“lucky teeth”).

You may ask why am I taking this journey now. Well, my gap has always been something I was self conscious about from a young age. However, with my parent’s not being able to afford dental treatment, I learned to live with it. Sort of. The truth is, despite me trying to embrace a characteristic I was naturally born with, it became a source of insecurity about my appearance On and off over the years the idea of getting braces came into my mind but I resisted it because…well, because of all of the reason reason people put off braces.

In the end, I decided it was time. I want to be able to smile and feel secure about it. No turning back!

Which leaves to today. Today, I officially became a brace face. At age 28. Hey, I’m a few years late but better late than never, right? The first appointment was pretty straightforward even though I was really nervous. The appointment consisted of:

• Xray
• Profile pics
• Diagnostic impression for models of my teeth
• Polishing of my teeth to prep them for the Braces
• Braces!

The treatment plan includes correcting my gap, small gaps between my lower incisors, an overbite, and a crossbite. I opted to have ceramic (clear) braces on my upper and lower teeth. They look better on my teeth than expected. Definetely happy I decided to go through with them even I would have been able to live with metal braces all well.

And without further ado, pictures!