iBraces Newbie :)
Posted 09-23-2008 at 09:12 PM by CaitlinC412
Hello all!
I'm new to this message board and was oh so glad to come upon it through the magic of Google
Just about 11 hours ago I began my 18 month endeavor into the world of braces. I am a 23 year old who, at the tender age of 14, refused to wear braces if I didn't "have" to (initiate self-kicking). Today I was fitted with iBraces on my top teeth (yay vanity!) and regular braces on my bottom teeth (yay cheaper options!). I am a graduate student and public speaking is a big part of my job, so having the iBraces on top was a priority for me.
The process of putting the braces on took just over 2 hours this morning. It involved lots of stretching and suctioning (and a brief sandstorm in my mouth that doubled as microderm abrasion for my face). I was pleasantly surprised that the several pieces of equipment in my mouth did not trigger my ever so sensitive gag reflex (the day impressions were taken was a real blast.)
So far I am not in any pain, and more importantly, my speech is barely affected at all (I told you - vanity
). I make a slight "hissing" sound when I say S's that I don't usually make, but that's the only change I've noticed, and I think it will get better with time.
I will post a few pictures just to make this more personal, and so I can regularly update on my progress I would love to hear from you all, and am happy to use my 11 hour old knowledge to answer any questions or concerns anyone who is considering iBraces or traditional braces might have.
Cheers
Caitlin
Picture 1 - me, about an hour post-braces
Picture 2 - tops and bottoms
Picture 3 - my 24k gold smile
I'm new to this message board and was oh so glad to come upon it through the magic of Google
Just about 11 hours ago I began my 18 month endeavor into the world of braces. I am a 23 year old who, at the tender age of 14, refused to wear braces if I didn't "have" to (initiate self-kicking). Today I was fitted with iBraces on my top teeth (yay vanity!) and regular braces on my bottom teeth (yay cheaper options!). I am a graduate student and public speaking is a big part of my job, so having the iBraces on top was a priority for me.
The process of putting the braces on took just over 2 hours this morning. It involved lots of stretching and suctioning (and a brief sandstorm in my mouth that doubled as microderm abrasion for my face). I was pleasantly surprised that the several pieces of equipment in my mouth did not trigger my ever so sensitive gag reflex (the day impressions were taken was a real blast.)
So far I am not in any pain, and more importantly, my speech is barely affected at all (I told you - vanity
). I make a slight "hissing" sound when I say S's that I don't usually make, but that's the only change I've noticed, and I think it will get better with time.I will post a few pictures just to make this more personal, and so I can regularly update on my progress
I would love to hear from you all, and am happy to use my 11 hour old knowledge to answer any questions or concerns anyone who is considering iBraces or traditional braces might have. Cheers
Caitlin
Picture 1 - me, about an hour post-braces
Picture 2 - tops and bottoms
Picture 3 - my 24k gold smile
Total Comments 5
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that is fantastic... glad to see another ibraces user here.. I am a real fan of lingual braces.. especially for those in public speaking and such..
I look forward to following your progress. Good luck and welcome! |
 
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glad to see you are keeping a blog. Good luck and welcome.
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Hi and welcome to this forum Caitlin!
Great that your treatment has started and you're so happy with your choices. It will be great to follow the blog of a person with ibraces. The orthodontist's I work for recommend rinsing with warm salt water ... just a pinch of salt in a small amount of warm water from a tap ... several times a day for the first week or two, then once a day for the length of your treatment. This is to help soothe the inside of your mouth and help with any healing that is necessary. Wax is an awesome product, and please use it if you feel any rubbing ... don't wait for a sore to appear, as it then takes time to heal, and for the skin to toughen again. With wax, the skin will toughen without any sores happening. Plus don't be concerned if you need wax when eating ... as it won't do you any harm if you swallow it. Here's to your next 18 months flying by! Take care |
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welcome CaitlinC412!
lookin fwd to see ur blog/progress! i remembered when i first got braces my speech was slurred a little as well-- especially with my S's lol. but in a week or 2 it all goes away *even the pain*  soon u'll notice changes in your bite. not to worry it's totally normal & it's a good sign of progress |
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Hi Caitlin!!
Well, I just sent you a private message based on a post you had sent to my initial introductions, but I wanted to say WOW!! That is SO awesome about your getting lingual braces. I SOOO wish I had done that. I mean, I'm sure it's no fun either way, but I'm soo sick of seeing these big clunky brackets on my teeth!! :-| UGH! Anyway, I'm really responding because it seems we have an awful lot in common - both from Buffalo, both have lisps, and...? both have awful gag relfexes! So, I laughed when you said you have a sensitive gag reflex! I totally know what you mean about the molds because that's when I warned the person how easily I gag and LUCKILY I didn't gag at all (or, if I did, it was only slight). I've found holding my breath helps me a little! (I have a story I could tell you about a time a doctor did a throat culture on me!! That's when I learned how to not breathe while they're doing it. LOL) Anyway, just wanted to share that piece of sympathy with you. Now I'll go read your next blog entry to see how things are going! |
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Recent Blog Entries by CaitlinC412
- iBraces/Traditional, about 3 months in (12-16-2008)
- 2 Weeks Down! (10-08-2008)
- iBraces Newbie :) (09-23-2008)
