♥: Braces 101

So I've decided to revive this blog in an attempt to track the progress of my teeth & braces over the next 2~ years, mainly for my own reference to be able to look back on my progress when it's all over but also to help anybody else out there who may be going through the same thing or considering getting braces.
I'm already 1 and a half-ish weeks in and wishing I'd done this from the beginning so here we go...

Pre-braces

I had my initial consultation with the Orthodontist in May. I was told I have a 'crowded Class 2 division 1 malocclusion' with an 'incomplete' overbite (I think that means my front teeth still touch ever so slightly) and a 6mm overjet. It was recommended I have 2 upper premolars extracted in order to create space to fix the overjet and then braces fitted.

The orthodontist I go to gives all adult patients clear braces as a matter of course (though I assume you can request otherwise), so I was pleased to hear I'd be getting Damon Clear braces fitted top & bottom as part of the package! I would've been happy with all metal so that was a nice surprise. I was also given an estimated time of 14-18 months in braces.

As part of the consultation I also had some x-rays and initial photos taken, which I will post a bit further down.

Extractions...

28th July - I had my 2 premolar extractions - the upper second bicuspids. I've never really been scared of the dentist but I was apprehensive about it to say the least.

The actual procedure was pretty quick, the majority of the time was spent waiting for me to go numb. All in all I was probably there for about 25-30 mins. In terms of pain, the only thing I felt was the pinch of the anesthetic injections. 1 in each cheek, then 2 in the roof of my mouth. After that it's all brute force and intense pressure while the dentist heaves them out... I won't go into detail but it was all over in about 10 mins.

I only needed painkillers for the first 3-4 days. After that it became a bearable dull background ache which slowly subsided. The right hand side remained quite sore for over a week though. The worst bit was eating. Chewing was basically impossible for about a week, soup & yogurt saved my life!! I was pretty paranoid about disturbing the extraction areas (and it was still pretty tender) so I wasn't really back to a normal-ish diet until about 2 weeks. Salt water rinses were my best friend. They numb the pain and also aid healing SO much. I cannot recommend them enough. If you're going to have extractions done, these seriously are the best thing. 1 tsp of sea salt to 1 cup of warm water (I would boil the kettle and let it cool, just to kill any germs).

Braces on!

12th August - I finally had my braces fitted!! The procedure was completely painless and all in all lasted about an hour.

First the teeth are polished (just the surface where the braces are going), then they painted some stuff on my teeth, rinsed them and then put the glue & bracket on each tooth individually before sealing it with the UV light. This is what took the most time, as each bracket is carefully placed and maneuvered into the correct position. The wire is then put in place, which feels very tight at first but not painful.

I also had some extra glue painted onto my molars at the top to stop me from biting my teeth together completely. I was told this was to stop me biting the bottom brackets off as my teeth slightly overlap when they come together. When my bite is better aligned and I'm not likely to bite them off when I chew I will be able to have the glue removed.

Afterwards my mouth felt like it had doubled in size. The feeling of having braces in your mouth for the first time is so strange. I felt like I couldn't close my lips over them properly and it all felt so big and bulky. It felt as though everyone was staring at my mouth, gleaming like a beacon with braces. Obviously nobody was staring at them but it really does feel extremely obvious. Your mouth is so sensitive to even the smallest changes so as soon as something as significant as braces come along it takes quite a bit of time to get used to the feeling.

Week One

I was warned that the first week would be the most difficult, and so far I have to agree.

The first couple of days I was still excited about having the braces and starting my journey to straighter teeth so the pain and inconvenience of not being able to chew properly was not really bothering me. Especially after having my teeth extracted, it felt very insigificant in comparison!!

At first it didn't really ache much, I only took painkillers the first day and after that didn't really need them. The main soreness came from chewing & biting my teeth together. The tooth sensitivity is very, very uncomfortable at first. I accidentally hit my front tooth while taking a sip of water and oh my god the pain was intense.

After the 3rd or 4th day of struggling to chew & eat properly (again), waking up to feel my braces in my mouth and the thought of at least 14 months more of this made me sad. It has made me pretty irritable at times as I hate not being able to enjoy food properly!! For the first week I was unable to bite into things at all with my front teeth as it was just too uncomfortable. Getting nearly every kind of food stuck in the brackets and wires has also been frustrating as it has felt like I have an entire meal in my mouth after every single bite. The first week has definitely been challenging.

HOWEVER.... I am 11 days in now and I can safely say it DOES get better!! After getting over the initial week of frustrations, I am feeling SO much better about it and am now feeling very excited about what lies ahead.

I no longer notice the braces in my mouth like I did and I am chewing and eating a lot more comfortably and easily than before. I am pretty much able to eat anything (crusty bread included!!), besides sticky/chewy things, although I am still making sure to take small bites so I can chew everything properly.

The tooth sensitivity has now mostly disappeared. I still have one or two which are a little sore at times but I am now able to bite with my front teeth (carefully) and chew normally, or as normally as is possible! The extra glue on my top molars makes chewing a little difficult, especially things like salad leaves as the grinding ability is seriously compromised by the smooth surface of the glue. Also, the fact I am missing a tooth on either side means I'm restricted to my two back molars for the majority of my chewing, so mealtimes take significantly longer nowadays but I am much more used to it now and it no longer feels like such a chore.

Cleaning has also been pretty good. I was worried cleaning would be a nightmare but I'm sticking to 2 thorough cleans, morning and night, sometimes a 3rd in the afternoon depending on what I've eaten. Flossing with normal floss is basically impossible because of the wires so I bought some interdental brushes as recommended by the ortho which are life savers. Really handy for getting stubborn bits out of your brackets too when you're out and about. I use the Te-Pe ones in the smallest size.

The ortho gave me a goodie bag with various things including a soft toothbrush to use while my teeth get used to the braces. I was advised my electric toothbrush might be too much at first and after trying it a couple of times, holy crap, yes. So up until today I have been cleaning as thoroughly as I can with the soft brush. I attempted my electric one again this morning and, hallelujah!! No pain! So I am finally back to my electric toothbrush. It really isn't the same using a manual once you make the switch!

I promise my future posts will not be as long as this, it feels wonderful writing all of this down without burning the ears off anyone around me as I feel like I have been over the past 2 weeks!

Without further ado I will finish this ridiculously long essay post with photos!!