Day Before...

I can't believe I'm getting braces tomorrow! I always wanted braces as a teenager due to the embarrassment of crooked teeth and it seemed like everyone had braces except for me but now that I'm actually getting them, I'm pretty anxious, especially knowing I will have them for the next 18 months or so.

When I called last Thursday to schedule my first appointment, they asked me how soon I wanted to get in. I want to start treatment as soon as possible; no need to prolong the inevitable! Lucky for me, they just had a cancellation for the following Monday, April 18th, which is now....TOMORROW!

Based on the conversation I had with the scheduler, the entire appointment should take about 90 minutes. After squaring away the financials, they are going to take side x-rays, take impressions of my teeth (molds), and bond the brackets to my teeth.

Everyone has told me that having the braces bonded to your teeth isn't painful however the pain begins a few hours afterwards and it feels like constant pressure is being applied to your teeth which causes a constant pain similar to a toothache. I will be taking Advil before I go to the ortho office to help alleviate any unnecessary pain. 

While I was getting my first consult, I saw some pretty gruesome pictures of pitted teeth, discoloration, and white spots that can occur when teeth and braces aren't cared for properly. It does make me a bit nervous but certainly brings the awareness of how important it is to take care of my teeth and braces throughout this process.

I'm sure my ortho will give me a care baggie with a few starter supplies however, for my own preparation, I've made a few purchases based on research and suggestions from friends and my husband who have had braces:

• Waterpik (came with 6 tips; one was an orthodontic tip use to clean around brackets)
• DenTek Wax for Braces (to help cover any parts of my braces that cause irritation to my cheeks
• DenTek Easy Brush Cleaners (otherwise known as "christmas tree" brushes to easily clean around brackets
• Crest Glide Threader Floss (floss that is pre-cut that has a stiff end to help feed it under the arch wires

The ortho office advised me ahead of time that I should not use any whitening products on my teeth while having braces so that my teeth aren't discolored under the brackets once they remove them. Also, using rinse and toothpaste products containing fluoride is essential to help protect my teeth during this process.

I've taken some "before" pictures so you can see what my teeth look like before I get braces tomorrow.

Top Teeth

Bottom Teeth

I'll follow up tomorrow with details of the "install" process, how I'm feeling, what it's like, and some metal mouth pictures!

Wish my luck!!