sehick19

So, regardless of varying opinions from friends and family about whether I should start treatment so soon or without getting multiple doctor's opinions or treatment options...I trusted my gut and started my treatment on the 4th, last Wed.

So, last week I drove to the ortho office, slapped my down payment on the counter and they escorted me to the back. My ortho office has an "adult" room which I assumed is where I would be, but I wasn't. I was placed in a chair in the treatment room with lots of stations, surrounded by children. It wasn't bad, but just not the experience I was hoping for. I guess I was nervous and was hoping for a little added privacy.

My girlfriend showed up to my appointment just as they called me back and she was invited to come with me and watch. She was supportive but unimpressed I think by the whole thing.

So, an hour later I got my goodie bag (which included a brand new sonicare toothbrush!) and walked out with a mouth full of braces. They felt both foreign and familiar at the same time (this is not my first time with braces). We went out to eat, I had huevos rancheros, and had a little bit of awkwardness when chewing but really nothing bad at all. After lunch, I went home and had to pack for a work conference I was leaving for.

I headed to the airport that afternoon, fully equipped with every dental accessory I could possibly foresee needing in the first few days of braces. I got a voicemail from my orthodontist that night, just checking on me, making sure I was okay and a few tips in case things got tender or uncomfortable.

Surprisingly, I have had ZERO pain! Probably because my teeth are almost perfectly straight to begin with. The first wire is always the smallest and weakest, so I have had no pain at all. I have been able to eat, brush, floss, chew gum, etc...with no problem whatsoever. I had a couple spots in my cheek that were irritated by the back brackets that have hooks on them. I just put a little wax on it now and then and now they are perfectly fine.

So...I will go in to some detail in later blogs about how I am feeling emotionally regarding these braces. Let me know if you have any questions...