18 months and no longer counting

So 1 year ticked over to 1.5 years pretty damn quickly, makes sense when I add that I now have a 7 month old baby.

Me and my then 6 month old daughter on my first Mothers Day

I got my first complement the other day “so when are your braces coming off? your teeth look perfect” so it got my hopeful, I think they are coming off soon….I hope they are coming off soon!

So much happens those first few months of braces, your teeth move so quickly and you think this is going to be done before you know it but then things slow down and those last slight changes take the longest.

Looking back it doesn’t feel too long, nor has it been a pain. The only painful part was when you constantly get asked when they are coming off!!! what? do they look that horrible?

I have been happy for them to come off for the past 6 months although my orthodontist is a perfectionist and she notices things that I don’t and really don’t care about, although I pointed out to her that my front right tooth has moved in quite a bit at my last appointment, yes I’m aware that it might add some time to my journey but this I care about, this i mind.

Since I am a Mum now, plus I’ve reached the 30 milestone, I have decided to treat myself when my braces evenually leave my mouth with a you’beaut electric toothbrush (boring) and botox, just in one spot. That will be an extra interest comparison photo. What for that one!

Front view. They fill my mouth so much better now. The tooth I’m not happy with is the front left in the picture, would like it to come out more.

The bottom left incisor has some cement on the back as it had moved in and she used the cement as a make-shift lever to pull it out. It worked. Just closing the last gaps now.

 

7 months already!

They have now expanded my bite enough and aligned all my teeth, now it’s just the finishing touches. Time to close the gaps!

The top 4 and bottom 6 have been tied in and at my adjustment today they tied the next 2 top and bottom.

Apparently by November I will have finished teeth…..I’ll also have something else….a little baby girl! Yes we are having our first baby, but that’s not the topic of this blog so I’ll get back on track.

November my teeth will be done, however, the braces will remain on for a while longer for stability. That makes me sad, but the end is still much closer then it was yesterday, and much closer than when I started.

Just the standard progress photos to share. All the change happened in the first 8 weeks, since then the changes have been slow and minor.

Uppers, 7 months of treatment

Lowers, 7 month of treatment

Profile. Notice how far out the front teeth now sit

4+ Months

It has been a whopping 4+ months, it has gone fast and now braces are nothing new. It’s me now. They feel normal in my mouth.

They are now majority aligned so the view of progress is minor.

 

 

I am loving my new smile, even with the braces.

Second Adjustment

It still amazes me how 2 months have gone by already, that may not sound long to some but I feel I’m so much closer to finishing already (or I could just be nieve).

My second adjustment was much less painful. I learnt from the last and took a couple of pain killers before the appointment.

She said my lowers are pretty much aligned already so she isn’t doing much to them at the moment and she is still pushing my uppers out a bit more which I’m happy about.

They moved the wire a little and put new elastics on. One thing they are yet to do is actually change the wires, the wires are still the originals.

And of course took photos which they seem to be doing every visit.

From the photos, they already look perfect enough to me so I really don’t know why it’s still going to take another 10-12 months? I know people say the braces need to stay on for the teeth to settle but can’t the retainer do that?

It’s now 1 week since the adjustment and my teeth only hurt for the first 48 hours. I actually get disappointed now that my teeth don’t hurt, makes me think they aren’t moving.

Week 1 to Week 9 comparison

Week 8 to Week 9 comparison (1 weeks worth of change)

Week 1 to Week 9 comparison

As for the front on photos, they really don’t do the change justice do they. Still keen for my smile to get broader, not sure if that’s going to happen though, or if it’s even possible. Guess I’ll have to wait and see.

X-ray prior to any treatment – check out that overbite!

Next adjustment is in 5 weeks.

Braces are amazing!

6 weeks have passed and after my initial realization of so much change at week 5 I really couldn’t see any more. I took at as ‘change spurt’ and now it had stopped.

A colleague mentioned yesterday that she is noticing change, particularly on my upper. She thought they looked like they “were coming out more”.
I didn’t really think much of her comment but just in case I took photos when I got home…I really shouldn’t have doubted her, her of all people, she’s pretty damn spot on with things…

So here is the photo, look at the curve of the wire.

Upper (first week vs. week 6)

Say it with me … “WOW”

I am just over the moon and flabbergasted. It’s been 2 weeks since my adjustment and they don’t hurt at all, I’d go so far as saying, I could most likely bite an apple (an already quartered one) so I really didn’t think anything was happening anymore, boy was I wrong!

These are the results I had hopped for but was sure I was expecting too much. Turns out I underestimated how brilliant braces are. At this rate, 12 months is certainly achievable 🙂

Upper & Lower (first week vs. week 6)

Smile Photo (without braces, first week and week 6)