Ok, so, I've had braces for, oh, an entire year and I might quite possible be not only the worst blogger in the world, but also the worst brace face.
I eat doritos and don't wear my rubber bands like I'm supposed to. I don't LISTEN!
But my teeth are basically straight and when I smile it doesn't look like I'm missing to teeth :D
My brother is getting braces from my same ortho next week, so we'll be a family of metal mouths for the next six months before I get mine off. Even though I could listen better, my ortho says I'm still on track.
For those looking for an ortho in Michigan, I'd DEFINITELY recommend Dr. Jusino's office! He's the sweetest man and his assistants are WONDERFUL!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Days five, six, and seven
There was a life delay...
I started classes on Monday - that was fun. Macroeconomics was LOVELY (/sarcasm). I went to the club where I saw friends I haven't seen in a while, danced, chilled, and fell down the stairs. Yes, an hour into my night I fell/tumbled/bounced down half a flight of stairs and landed, head first, on the steel molding and proceeded to bleed like I was DYING. Fortunately, my friend had just (read, that morning) taken her final to finish nursing school and was standing right behind me while I was flying head over heels down the stair. She set down her drink (something she will never live down) and rushed down to me where she discovered the blood gushing out of my head and we went to the bathroom to try to get the bleeding to stop and so she could asses the damage.
It was one of the bouncer's first day and, of course, he was at the bottom of the stairs so he called an ambulance and one of the security managers, who just so happens to be my boyfriend. They shut down most of the bathroom, the downstairs hallway, the stairs, and cleared the way for the paramedics while they were removing me from the building. I got to leave on a stretcher (first time!) and take a hospital ride (first time!) and get a needle shoved into my arm on the LOVELY Michgan roads (Dear Michigan Road Commission, FUCK YOU) which, by the way, they NEVER used. I went to U of M hospital where they were VERY nice, but I'm impatient and by the time I left after a tetanus shot, saline wash, and Bacitracin rubbed onto my wound, it was 4:30 in the morning. So, I wasn't able to post about my day.
More braces related, yesterday, I ate nachos. Granted, they were Taco Bell nachos so the chips were soggy and easily chewed, but they were still nachos! I ate them today, too. TASTY.
The pain in my mouth is slowly fading, but that could be because of the excruciating pain in my head, arm, chest, hip, thigh, and knee.
More updates to come.
I started classes on Monday - that was fun. Macroeconomics was LOVELY (/sarcasm). I went to the club where I saw friends I haven't seen in a while, danced, chilled, and fell down the stairs. Yes, an hour into my night I fell/tumbled/bounced down half a flight of stairs and landed, head first, on the steel molding and proceeded to bleed like I was DYING. Fortunately, my friend had just (read, that morning) taken her final to finish nursing school and was standing right behind me while I was flying head over heels down the stair. She set down her drink (something she will never live down) and rushed down to me where she discovered the blood gushing out of my head and we went to the bathroom to try to get the bleeding to stop and so she could asses the damage.
It was one of the bouncer's first day and, of course, he was at the bottom of the stairs so he called an ambulance and one of the security managers, who just so happens to be my boyfriend. They shut down most of the bathroom, the downstairs hallway, the stairs, and cleared the way for the paramedics while they were removing me from the building. I got to leave on a stretcher (first time!) and take a hospital ride (first time!) and get a needle shoved into my arm on the LOVELY Michgan roads (Dear Michigan Road Commission, FUCK YOU) which, by the way, they NEVER used. I went to U of M hospital where they were VERY nice, but I'm impatient and by the time I left after a tetanus shot, saline wash, and Bacitracin rubbed onto my wound, it was 4:30 in the morning. So, I wasn't able to post about my day.
More braces related, yesterday, I ate nachos. Granted, they were Taco Bell nachos so the chips were soggy and easily chewed, but they were still nachos! I ate them today, too. TASTY.
The pain in my mouth is slowly fading, but that could be because of the excruciating pain in my head, arm, chest, hip, thigh, and knee.
More updates to come.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Day four
I ATE A FULL MEAL!!!
Today was mother's day and I was finally able to eat my first full meal since Thursday! My mom and I went to my Grandmother's house after Weight Watchers and Joann's and we ordered Chinese - vegetable lo mein, fried rice, wonton soup, almond chicken, AND sesame chicken! It was a little painful, but I could eat it and even chew a little! I don't know if I'm still supposed to be in this much pain, but it's getting a little better.
I won't have to live off soup for the rest of my life.
Too bad I seem to only be able to eat things that other people prepare for me like canned soup, frozen dinners and takeout... my braces and I will personally save the economy!
Today was mother's day and I was finally able to eat my first full meal since Thursday! My mom and I went to my Grandmother's house after Weight Watchers and Joann's and we ordered Chinese - vegetable lo mein, fried rice, wonton soup, almond chicken, AND sesame chicken! It was a little painful, but I could eat it and even chew a little! I don't know if I'm still supposed to be in this much pain, but it's getting a little better.
I won't have to live off soup for the rest of my life.
Too bad I seem to only be able to eat things that other people prepare for me like canned soup, frozen dinners and takeout... my braces and I will personally save the economy!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Day three
I'm getting sick of Mexican. All I've eaten, save for the macaroni and cheese and ice cream that I had Thursday night, has been Mexican. Taco Bell burritos, chicken tortilla soup, authentic Mexican restaurant food... it seems to be all I can eat. I still can't chew and just touching my teeth together is painful. There is a silver lining. My wires are already poking on top, which means my canines are already starting to come down. It may be minimal, but it's exciting to know that my smile may be normal sooner than I thought.
I finally started using the wax last night. My canines have been rubbing and my labret piercing is getting caught, and the wax helped. I don't ever want to take it off of the canines, it's so comfortable, and the labret thing just needs to stop.
Hopefully tomorrow my soreness will begin to fade and I'll be able to start eating normal foods. If not, it's looking like Taco Bell for the next 18 months.
I finally started using the wax last night. My canines have been rubbing and my labret piercing is getting caught, and the wax helped. I don't ever want to take it off of the canines, it's so comfortable, and the labret thing just needs to stop.
Hopefully tomorrow my soreness will begin to fade and I'll be able to start eating normal foods. If not, it's looking like Taco Bell for the next 18 months.
Friday, May 8, 2009
The second day
This morning I woke up in serious PAIN. I couldn't close my mouth, couldn't talk properly, couldn't kiss my boyfriend good morning. 4 Ibuprofen later and I was finally able to function... just in time for a huge, blowup arguement with my boyfriend, then meeting his mother, then more blowup argument.
I ate a burrito today. With a knife and fork. It was painful. I would definitely recommend ice cream and macaroni and cheese for those who have just gotten braces.
I ate a burrito today. With a knife and fork. It was painful. I would definitely recommend ice cream and macaroni and cheese for those who have just gotten braces.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The first day
Today was not a normal day. It didn't start normal, and it's not going to end normal. Today is the day that I got braces.
I guess you could say that this all started in August when I got my last remaining baby teeth pulled (I'm 20) and the dentist told me that I should get braces to bring down the two adult teeth that hadn't pushed out baby teeth and instead grew above them. Completely resistant to the idea, I went off to college and had a good time meeting new people. Gradually, I began to smile less and became more self conscious of my teeth. About a month ago, I asked my mother to schedule an appointment at an orthodontist for when I got home from school.
And she did.
This past Monday, I visited my new orthodontist for the first time. He looked at my teeth and told me that the only way to fix them is to get braces. Full braces, not invisaline, not lingual, but full, real braces. Except not real braces. They don't offer those. They offer Damon braces that use new technology involving memory wire and they can make them clear... well, only the top ones can be clear because I'm going to have to wear rubber bands at some point and if all of them were clear, they wouldn't be strong enough to fix my bite.
I woke up this morning, not thinking about my new braces that I was going to get at 1:45, but about my car that was sitting in the parking lot of my boyfriend's apartment complex, waiting to be towed to the repair shop. We waiting until 8 to call the shop, then AAA, then waited for the tow truck, then waited for the repairs, then waited in line for food, then, at 11:30 AM, I left, with nothing on my mind but braces. I drove home thinking about braces. I waited almost two hours, thinking about braces. I drove to the orthodontist's office, thinking about braces (and leaving crucial paperwork at home). I walked into the office, typed my name into the computer and was almost immediately whisked away to the chair where they would take my impressions.
I watched an adult informed consent video made when I was two, signed this, initialed that, then chose the flavors for my impressions. Fruit punch for the bottom and cherry for the top. The bottom was ok, thought the fruit punch flavoring was disgusting, but the top closed off my throat so the only way I could breath was slowly through my nose. I was not pleased, but fortunately it only lasted a few minutes. Quite possibly my favorite part of the day was making the bite impression in the wax U-shape, but that could just be me.
I got shuffled around a bit and ended up in a chair furthest from the door (it's a very open office) and in a corner. I liked this because I felt a little bit more secure while I was forced to lay still in the chair while the assistant rubbed down my teeth about a hundred times. The first brackets to be put on were the back left, then the back right. I was then allowed to take a break and rinse my mouth out and regain feeling in my lips. I returned to my chair and they went in for the front teeth, putting on the tops then the bottoms as quickly as possible. At one point while the assistant was rinsing the primer off of my teeth, I tasted it and almost gagged. GROSS.
I was allowed to have another break, regain feeling in my lips again, and rinse out my mouth again. This was my first time feeling the brackets against my lips and was, again, NOT PLEASED. I didn't know at the time that the brackets had channels that needed to be closed once the wire was in them. I started to freak out because at one point, my piercing in my lip got caught on my lower brackets and I thought I was going to have to take it out.
I returned to the chair where the assistant inserted my wires and closed the channels in the brackets. This made them significantly more comfortable. I watched an odd video (though, more recent than the last one) about what I can and can't eat and how to take care of my new braces, then the assistant brought out my goodie bag. A million different flossers, a travel toothbrush, a spiral brush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and, oh yeah, an Oral B Triumph 9000. And then I was on my merry way (after a photograph and a once over).
And then in happened. I was chewing a slice of pizza (the burritos went down just fine) when I bit down on something hard and sharp. It was a bracket. ALREADY??? I called the doctor's emergency number and left a message. About five minutes later he called back and told me to come in. He was just about to leave the office (two hours after they closed) when I had called and it should only take about 20 minutes to fix my bracket. Apparently, pepperoni is too hard to chew with new braces. Nobody told ME that, but it's true!
Until that moment, I was perfectly fine. My teeth weren't sore, nothing hurt, I didn't need any meds... all of that changed while I was at the orthodontist after hours. Ever since that moment my teeth have been getting more and more unbearable and, even after two advil, are still killing me. I have chosen to consume ibuprophin that I have left over from a surgery from not long ago until it disappears, then buy motrin in bulk until the pain goes away.
I can't chew.
I can't eat.
I can't do anything but sit here, resting my teeth on my tongue (because if they touch, I'll die), typing my first day's experience with braces.
My $5000 toothbrush came with free braces!
I guess you could say that this all started in August when I got my last remaining baby teeth pulled (I'm 20) and the dentist told me that I should get braces to bring down the two adult teeth that hadn't pushed out baby teeth and instead grew above them. Completely resistant to the idea, I went off to college and had a good time meeting new people. Gradually, I began to smile less and became more self conscious of my teeth. About a month ago, I asked my mother to schedule an appointment at an orthodontist for when I got home from school.
And she did.
This past Monday, I visited my new orthodontist for the first time. He looked at my teeth and told me that the only way to fix them is to get braces. Full braces, not invisaline, not lingual, but full, real braces. Except not real braces. They don't offer those. They offer Damon braces that use new technology involving memory wire and they can make them clear... well, only the top ones can be clear because I'm going to have to wear rubber bands at some point and if all of them were clear, they wouldn't be strong enough to fix my bite.
I woke up this morning, not thinking about my new braces that I was going to get at 1:45, but about my car that was sitting in the parking lot of my boyfriend's apartment complex, waiting to be towed to the repair shop. We waiting until 8 to call the shop, then AAA, then waited for the tow truck, then waited for the repairs, then waited in line for food, then, at 11:30 AM, I left, with nothing on my mind but braces. I drove home thinking about braces. I waited almost two hours, thinking about braces. I drove to the orthodontist's office, thinking about braces (and leaving crucial paperwork at home). I walked into the office, typed my name into the computer and was almost immediately whisked away to the chair where they would take my impressions.
I watched an adult informed consent video made when I was two, signed this, initialed that, then chose the flavors for my impressions. Fruit punch for the bottom and cherry for the top. The bottom was ok, thought the fruit punch flavoring was disgusting, but the top closed off my throat so the only way I could breath was slowly through my nose. I was not pleased, but fortunately it only lasted a few minutes. Quite possibly my favorite part of the day was making the bite impression in the wax U-shape, but that could just be me.
I got shuffled around a bit and ended up in a chair furthest from the door (it's a very open office) and in a corner. I liked this because I felt a little bit more secure while I was forced to lay still in the chair while the assistant rubbed down my teeth about a hundred times. The first brackets to be put on were the back left, then the back right. I was then allowed to take a break and rinse my mouth out and regain feeling in my lips. I returned to my chair and they went in for the front teeth, putting on the tops then the bottoms as quickly as possible. At one point while the assistant was rinsing the primer off of my teeth, I tasted it and almost gagged. GROSS.
I was allowed to have another break, regain feeling in my lips again, and rinse out my mouth again. This was my first time feeling the brackets against my lips and was, again, NOT PLEASED. I didn't know at the time that the brackets had channels that needed to be closed once the wire was in them. I started to freak out because at one point, my piercing in my lip got caught on my lower brackets and I thought I was going to have to take it out.
I returned to the chair where the assistant inserted my wires and closed the channels in the brackets. This made them significantly more comfortable. I watched an odd video (though, more recent than the last one) about what I can and can't eat and how to take care of my new braces, then the assistant brought out my goodie bag. A million different flossers, a travel toothbrush, a spiral brush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and, oh yeah, an Oral B Triumph 9000. And then I was on my merry way (after a photograph and a once over).
And then in happened. I was chewing a slice of pizza (the burritos went down just fine) when I bit down on something hard and sharp. It was a bracket. ALREADY??? I called the doctor's emergency number and left a message. About five minutes later he called back and told me to come in. He was just about to leave the office (two hours after they closed) when I had called and it should only take about 20 minutes to fix my bracket. Apparently, pepperoni is too hard to chew with new braces. Nobody told ME that, but it's true!
Until that moment, I was perfectly fine. My teeth weren't sore, nothing hurt, I didn't need any meds... all of that changed while I was at the orthodontist after hours. Ever since that moment my teeth have been getting more and more unbearable and, even after two advil, are still killing me. I have chosen to consume ibuprophin that I have left over from a surgery from not long ago until it disappears, then buy motrin in bulk until the pain goes away.
I can't chew.
I can't eat.
I can't do anything but sit here, resting my teeth on my tongue (because if they touch, I'll die), typing my first day's experience with braces.
My $5000 toothbrush came with free braces!
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