Just got top braces off & wedding in 3 days!

[newsboysgrl777]

Kind of a silly post, I know, but I''m just SOOO excited, I had to share!!

So, I''ve had braces on for 11 months to the day...(the bottoms I''ve only had on for 2 months, but the tops were 11). Well, when I initially went to my consultation, my ortho told me that she would take the top brackets off for my wedding so you wouldn''t see any braces in my wedding pictures. Well, fast forward to today....I''m SOOOO excited to get them off!!! Unless you''ve had braces, you have NO IDEA what that feels like, but I DO want to share some photos!!

(This is July 29, 2008. Day before I got braces)

(This was earlier this morning before going to the ortho. Yes, my ligs (things around the brackets) are stained yellow. When you eat mustard, that happens...but I knew I was getting them off, so I ate some! )

And YAAAAAAAAAAY!!! Here they are today...they feel SOOOO smooth and nice!!!!

Thanks for letting me post this...LOL. I''m just so excited I wanted to share!!

 

[cocolaw]

looks great! congratulations!! now, listen to me, wear your retainer!!!!! i''ve been through traditional braces and invisalign now....that''s 2 sets of braces, and my teeth are crooked! be good and wear the thing!

 

[alli_esq]

Now THAT is exciting! Speaking as someone who had braces for almost 4 years of her life, I can tell you from experience that those first few months of being without them are just magical

AND add to that that you''re getting married--how thrilling!

Make sure you smile big for all your photos!

 

[tlh]

exciting indeed!

 

[monarch64]

Yay! Your teeth look beautiful already, that is awesome that your ortho took the tops off for your wedding. I had braces for about 16 months and just got mine off in January, I love my teeth now!!! It''s totally worth all the trouble and expense.

 

[Dreamgirl]

That is something exciting! Your teeth look great and you will have a perfect smile on your big day!!

 

[newsboysgrl777]

Hi everyone!! And thank you!!! I AM super excited!! Unfortunately, they're only off for 2 weeks...so this is a temporary thing. BUT, I'm still going to enjoy every moment of it!!

Coco, I TOTALLY, TOTALLY hear ya! I think a lot of people who had braces as kids/teens didn't realize how significant the retainer is AND, honestly, I think teeth are just plain old harder to move as an adult. NOT that the teeth don't move or anything, but I think as adults, either we're more susceptible to the discomfort of the braces, or maybe our teeth really do take longer to move...or both?!* So, a lot of people on a message board for braces that I belong to are also in braces as adults BECAUSE they didn't wear their retainers after the first go 'round. That's why I don't care, I AM going to wear my retainer when mine come off for good!! Even if my ortho tells me I need to wear them 24-7 for 2 years..I'll do it. I can only imagine a retainer is 10,000x better than braces because you can actually take it OUT!

Again, thanks everyone for being so supportive and sharing in my excitement!

Now, if only this rain will stop....


*Also, I know many things can't be accomplished in adults that can be in younger patients due to our soft palate becoming fused. If I had been correctly pointed toward braces as a child, I probably would've needed headgear to fix my skeletal discrepancy in my jaw, but now, I'd either need jaw surgery, or do what we're doing -- which is to use rubber bands to get my teeth as close to perfectly aligned as possibly in my jaw.

 

[ilovesparkles]

I had braces for over 3 years and then didn''t wear my retainer. And now as an adult, am soooooo mad at myself for it! I had two top teeth pulled, so now I have gaps in between some teeth where they shifted back. I hate it and hope I can do invisaline at some point when I have the money!


BTW, our teeth look gorgeous!

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

HOOORRRAAAY!!!! Congrats to you, even if the removal is temporary!!!!

I toyed with having mine taken off for some e-pics, and, well, opted not to. And then opted not to take the pics because of it!!

The plus side to having a "grill" as an adult, is that we (well, this is coming from personal experience) actually know how to care for our teeth & braces properly... Be it cleaning or wearing a retainer or being diligent about wearing rubber bands.

I''ve had my braces for just shy of two years. Ceramic damons on the top, regular metal brackets on the bottom. And I moved cross-country half way through, requiring a switch in orthos. BUT- they''re coming off on the thirteenth!!!!! YESS! Two weeks!

PS: Before/After pics aren''t weird! I love ''em! I was obsessed with looking at before/after photos of adult braces patients when mine were first put on. I''m super excited to have some "after" photos of my own, too!

 

[StarbuttsKoffee]

LOL I feel for you, I had braces with me for 3 yrs when I was a teenager, you must be very excited!

I''m surprised the braces could do such a huge change to your teeth in such a short period of time! Only 11 months?! I can tell it''s all worth the pain!

-SK

 

[tyty333]

I''m so happy for you!

 

[4ever]

Yay! When I got mine off I spent the next few days running my tounge along my frount teeth...mmm smooth.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Yay!

I had braces as a teenager and i am now on my 3rd last set of invisalign (was only meant to take 10 months, it has been 17 months and counting) so i ditto coco''s advice of WEAR YOUR RETAINERS!!!!

It''s so great to get them off though isn''t it?

Oh, your teeth don''t move as well when you are an adult because your jaw bones have stopped growing. When you are a teenager they are still growing and moving about so your teeth move easier.

Enjoy your two weeks of freedom!