Day 5!

The pain has subsided, there aren't any cuts yet though.

But I can feel the little bumps on the inside of my bottom lip....

Tomorrow I'm going to school, that means I'm revealing my braces to my friends, classmates, teachers and basically every single person I talk to.

My teeth are still sensitive and unable to chew anything, and I haven't really gotten used to the braces yet.

Today, I blended a pie.

Yep.

I blended a pie.

And it was... pretty delicious I must say. It was like the inside of a sausage roll, but pie version. However cleaning after wasn't all that fun.... The little bits were stuck in the blades of the blender, took forever to take out! Shall update with the braces!

(P.s, I might not update everyday mainly because I'm busy and I forget things, or I'm too lazy to take pictures or put up posts... But I'll definitely put a post at every tightening I have! I'm just posting alot this week mainly because it's my first week with braces...)

Oh, and my teeth haven't shifted anywhere... It's not really noticeable and I don't see any changes. My gum also started to bleed... Maybe because I'm brushing my teeth too much?

The fourth night quick update

I can feel the little bumps and sores inside my lower mouth where the braces are hitting against...

The pain is still intense, and it's not really comfortable with the bumps...

Tomorrow there's definitely gonna be ulcers and cuts -_-""

Oh and I haven't flossed.

I seriously should.

Day 4 with the tracks!

Still heaps in pain. Still hungry. Still grumpy. Still depressed. But took really nice pictures with them...

I can talk but I have a tiny lisp, not as bad as yesterday though.

Brushing my teeth has been a little easier, although I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO FLOSS!! I'll try do it tonight...

Nothing has shifted yet, the pain is supposed to be my teeth removing itself in my jaw BUT I SEE NO MOVEMENTS.

I have a feeling it'll take at least 2 weeks for the canines to move a fraction... Till then, can't wait...

Day 3 + Third night with Braces!

Ugh the pain is still there...

I didn't go to school today, because my teeth were too sensitive and I didn't want to risk it.

I can't chew AT ALL, the thought of chewing just pains my teeth. So that means I've been drinking soup, blending bananas and drinking.

The pain is just as bad as yesterday but I'm less moody.... But I get really sad because I'm not able to eat any normal food... In a way it's good since I usually eat junk food but I miss chewing and crunching onto things. I haven't got the massive withdrawal symptoms from not chewing my with the pain of my teeth and no food is really making me sad.

Cleaning my teeth is getting a little easier but the saliva just comes drooling out... I have no idea how to floss and it's pretty annoying trying to scour through videos to know how to floss.

I just can't wait for the week to be over and my teeth just go back to normal.... The pain is unbearable I just want to cry but can't cry.

Also there's assignments and tests I should get to but my teeth is in the way... -_-

Today's pics are prettier than the last 2 days mainly because I shot these in the daylight.

Update soon!

Second night with Braces!

The whole day my teeth were so damn sensitive.... All I had today were the continental soup boxes (like 5 servings of them today), 2 400 mL milk tea, avocado and banana smoothie and that's it. I think I'll probably gain if I don't eat properly within this next 2 weeks...

I'm extremely moody and depressed... It was raining so much here, but then it was sunny then rainy. I hung the clothes and because of the rain I had to take it back in. Then it suddenly was sunny so I hung it back. It began to drizzle in the after noon and I started crying because of the rain and I just wanted the damn clothes to dry. I took them in at night.

Lol, I cried mainly because the pain from my teeth and the overwhelming emotions from emotional pain as well.

I'm literally craving a cheeseburger from McDonald's and fries and delicious fizzy soft drinks... that's all I ever want....

I'm lying down not finishing my English essay because I'm in too much pain emotionally and physically and I feel like all the pressure in the world is pushing against my teeth and it's so damn sensitive that when I run my tongue against it, my teeth starts throbbing like f**k.

The panadol hasn't been doing much and I really just want to sleep....

Brushing my teeth is a little okay, but the tiny spikster got stuck between my wire tonight... I was tugging and pulling it for it to come out...

I was afraid that it would change the bracket and wire or something...

I STILL don't know how to floss .. I really don't want to floss....

But I know I seriously should floss so I'll start tomorrow.

I don't want to floss.

My teeth are aching and I'm really tired and it's only 7:39 pm....

*cries*

Second Day With Braces! Day 2.

Well I woke up not wanting to open my mouth and if I didn't move it I would not feel the braces. But the pain is there... it's not as intense as last night but it's pretty sore.

I took a day off school today, mainly because I felt a little sick and I didn't want people hitting into my mouth. Because if you went to my school you know that when class ends people start being a pack of animals in traffic when going down those stairs.

I brushed my teeth, and I'm kind of getting used to it.... it's really weird and literally saliva is everywhere, but hopefully I'll be able to master brushing my teeth soon.

The only problem I have is the flossing. I seriously don't know how to do it and when ever I do, saliva keeps dripping out...

Not to scare you, but it's like I'm drooling over the love of my life.

I'll keep ya updated on my 2nd night with the braces! So far, the pain is bearable, it's just whenever you swallow or move your jaw it's sore... But I'm actually getting used to it.

The sores and cuts haven't made its debut yet... uGH that's what I'm so nervous about. I hate ulcers and cuts...

Here's the pics!

First Night With Braces

holy shit.

my right back molar is so so so sore if I just run my tongue across it.

I've taken 2 panadol pills and it doesn't seem to be doing anything.

Also, I have such a blocked nose and it's like I'm almost sick. Please don't tell me I'm gonna be sick. Please.

my teeth are so freaking sensitive that when I run my tongue on them it stings and it's super sore.

I hate this.

I probably COULD sleep if I didn't have a bloody blocking nose.... AND I WASNT QUATER SICK OR SOMETHING

uGH

Before and After!

Just a before and after of Day 1 :) I'll do another comparison in the future when my braces are off, but for now....

First Day With Braces!

Today, on the 27th of August 2014, I went in and got braces.

I made an appointment at 2pm, and I as I came in, they made me watch an 8 minute video of braces oral care, and I got some things out of it but my mind was just hyper for the braces I was going to get today.

Once I finished watching it, the lady came back in and the orthodontist followed after her. And boy was I excited.

I lay down on the chair, and he began to pluck my spacers out and immediately applied the metal rings on my molars at the back of my teeth. It felt like metal, being stuck in the back of your teeth and was a little, just a little painful but bearable. The lady that was assisting him said that the glue that was going to be applied on me was going to taste sour, and yes I did my research and I knew that the glue would taste like shit. So I did my best to keep my tongue on my roof and tried to to taste my teeth as he worked.

He then proceeded to put a mouth stretcher thing to stretch out my mouth as far and wide as possible so he could glue my brackets in, and then he put in this tongue guard as well, to protect my tongue and not let it plop anywhere.

Then, he began gluing the brackets. I was incredibly glad that there was the tongue guard to keep my tongue anywhere near my teeth, and I'm extremely happy that I was unable to taste any of the glue because I have heard horrid stories about the taste and the smell. While I couldn't taste the glue, I could smell it. At first I thought it was my own saliva or the ortho's gloves but then I immediately knew it was the glue after a while later.

He started on my top teeth with the brackets, from my right to my left, slowly, steadily but efficiently. I knew I could trust him so I breathed and relaxed and let him do his work. At first I closed my eyes, but I found that boring so I opened them again to admire the work he was doing. He was wearing glasses so through his reflection I was able to see my teeth and the brackets being glued to each one. It was pretty cool seeing my bare white teeth having little tiny metal squares stuck on them. I sometimes looked into the reflection, I sometimes looked at the instruments he was using and I sometimes looked at the lady assistance who was very reassuring and positive throughout the whole process. 

He then proceeded to my bottom and once the brackets were all glued, both the lady and the ortho shined this blur UV light to settle the glue and it was a little warm on my gums and teeth, and it kind of buzzed a bit which felt weird.

The funny thing was, while they were shining the light on my teeth, a really close friend of mine (coughs tammy coughs) was messaging me like crazy because she knew i was getting braces and she's just a crazy lazy when it comes to everything, and my phone was buzzing and making the message noise. It wasn't a normal message notification though, because my phone was android and while the messages kept popping through making a sound, the ortho thought something was wrong with his over head light and kept looking up. 

At that very moment I swore that if he accidentally stuffed up my teeth because of the message noises I was going to murder my friend. 

But eventually they finished shining the light to settle the glue and the lady said to me that he would be applying the wires and the stretchers will be removed from my mouth and I was able to choose the colour I wanted for the bands!

So the ortho removed the mouth guards and stretchers and man was it weird. I couldn't close my mouth fully and felt so awkward with little metals stuck on my teeth and it was so so weird. He tried to check my bite but I was unable to close fully and he after a couple of tries, he said he could check the bite afterwards.

He then snapped some wires and god this was the thing I hated the most. It tightened in some places, he tightened it in some places, it snapped and poked in all the weird places and I did not like the tightening in my mouth through the wires.

I reckon the wire process was more painful then actually popping in the metal rings in the back of my teeth.

I kind of winced and clenched my fists and fingers alot but he was able to finally put through a pretty thin wire through my teeth. Oh and for those asking, I chose the colour light purple :D

Through the wiring process, without the mouth stretcher and tongue guard I could smell the glue. It did not smell like glue. It smelt like bad breath, with off cheese and garbage shit mixed together and I do not want to experience it ever ever ever again, ugh it wasn't pleasant smelling at all.

After the wiring process we were all done and I was able to get up and rinse my mouth.

Yes. It felt wrong. My mouth did not feel like my mouth and was all violated and when I looked at myself in the mirror it was so ugly... I do not fit well for braces. The brackets were wongilated (supposed to be that way, which meant my teeth were really crooked and off.) And it just didn't look all too good on me.

But it's all just part of the process and while their are cons to getting braces like food, pain, and basically your whole look, there are positives. And that's the end result.

So I encourage all of yous to be brave, and do what your ortho tells you to!! The more obedient you follow his or hers instructions the faster the treatment and in the end you WILL have a healthy, happy and beautiful smile.

I promise you that.

Till the next update guys! Here are some pics of me braces, (excuse my ugliness)

I am so looking forward to the pain tonight, tomorrow night and the following week. -__-"

First night with the spacers.

holy shit.

I can feel my teeth spacing. or whatever you call it man I'm not gonna bother making this post literate because my head is aching and my back teeth is sore and annoying and ugh what when is this paradol going to kick in fk

First appointment + got my spacers on!

So 2 weeks ago I booked an appointment with a well known orthodontist that had been reccomended by my friend and my mums workmate, I walked in and the vibe was amazing! It was bright, but not overly bright and it had a warm inviting feeling to it.

I walked in and after waiting, the manager talked to me about eating, cleaning, caring and many other things with braces and I was glad I was able to gain all this knowledge, knowledge to which I already had, but nonetheless it felt good to be reassured by her.

Afterwards my orthodontist came to check up teeth and honestly my teeth has never been that violated in my life. He probed around and around with his fingers, his mirror, and started talking code to the manager and my mind was at lost, but I was fine with it as long as he could check every spick and speck of my teeth. He then proceeded to tell me that I had crowding on my top back teeth; crowding on my bottom; and the canines would have to be pulled down. But one thing that was shocking was that he told me I actually had a missing tooth!

WHAT?!

All my life I had a missing tooth? Apparently, an average person had 6 lower front teeth on the bottom, but I only have 5. He told me it's because one of my tooth was too big and the other didn't grow (?) And that when my teeth straighten through the braces, my teeth alignment will be off a little bit and the centre of my bottom tooth won't align with the top. So it will be off a bit...

I don't know, but he said it was okay since because I've already lost one tooth, I don't need any teeth extracted, and we could continue on with the procedures.

Then boring payment stuff was talked about, how to take care then if we payed the record fees and a deposit we could get a mold of my teeth and get some before and after pictures.

So we did just that, we took pictures, stretched out my mouth for more pictures, they mixed up this mold that smelt like mint (but did not taste like mint) so they could get a mold of my teeth structure and such, then my orthodontist put the spacers in my back teeth.

At first it was a little weird and I winced because it was a little painful, they described it like having meat stuck in the back of your teeth and it was just that. After he put the 4 blue tiny spacers in, I rinsed and we payed and got some xrays done as well. The spacers are still in my back teeth now and in one week time they'll take them out so they can start putting actual braces in.

I'm excited and nervous all at the same time and hopefully the braces will go off before my year 12 formal next year. Let's cross our fingers hey x

Introduction

Introduction:

Hey, I'm Jenny. I'm an Australian-Vietnamese girl, currently residing in year 10 in high school. This blog, will be a documentation of my teeth, my braces, and transformation journey from Year 10 to the final stages of my teeth and smile. This blog will be more of my own personal journal, documenting the stages and things I'm overcoming whether it's teeth related or something else entirely. This is what I have chosen to share to the internet, and if you would like to follow my journey along with me, or have any questions, feel free to follow and ask my blog!

 

Background:

When I was younger, I had pretty good baby teeth. They were white, straight and cute. However that all changed in Year 5, where I was too scared to pull out my own teeth because of the pain. That resulted in teeth growing too early, in my parents having to pay hundreds of dollars to visit the dentists to pull my teeth out. When I entered high school, there were two canine teeths that had been protuding into this weird vampire fang like image, and my brother was teasing me how I'm secretly a vampire because of my "fangs" I realised that my teeth were extremely ugly, not because of those fangs, but my bottom teeth were crooked and some teeth at the back were pressed inwards too much. As I grew to years 8, 9 and 10, I would never show my teeth in photos, I would always clamp them shut and my mouth would always be closed. Whenever I laughed, I would always cover my mouth to not show the protuding teeth to people, and whenever I smiled too big, the two teeths would come pointing out anyways on my mouth. I hated my teeth, and therefore I was always never able to smile happily and properly and I forced myself to hide my smile.

The Decision:

I knew that I had to get braces. The problem was... how the hell was I supposed to afford 6 grand? I'm just a teenager studying in high school, and my parents would most likely object to the idea of getting my teeth fixed. So for 4 years, I was unhappy, and there was no resolution. Everyone I knew were getting braces and here I was stuck with ugly teeth. I was so desperate to get my teeth fixed, I would do anything. Then, in the middle year of Year 10, I decided I need to speak with my Mum. It took a while for us to actually take action, but we went to the dentist and he told us to go to our nearest orthodontist. I booked an appointment with them and from then, I researched everything I could about braces. I stumbled on some blogs, and decided, I needed to document this very important life journey with me. We went to my first ever orthodontist appointment, recommended by my friends and my mum's workmate, and it was great. The staff was heaps friendly, and right on the first appointment I knew I wanted my braces. So on my first appointment, we took some pictures, got a mold and my spacers in. Right from day one, to the day I would be able to smile happily, with no restraints. This is my braces journey, and I hope you enjoy.