New here! :wave:

[PinkFluff17]

Hi! My name is PinkFluff17 (haha weird name I know) and I'm going to start treatment sometime in April with damon brackets. I'm pretty nervous, I don't really want them, which is why I'm coming to a forum to maybe get some encouragement! I'll keep ya'll updated!

[Phantom Muse]

Welcome, PinkFluff!

Do you not want the Damon brackets, or do you not want braces at all? I suspect everyone who has had braces of whatever sort has been nervous about getting them. I had buyer's remorse the day I came home with Invisalign, but I was over it in a few days because I reminded myself that I would be soooo pleased when my teeth were straightened!

Feel free to post your questions. This forum has been a great support for many of us as we go through the rougher days, and it is a terrific place to get the sort of information that makes this journey a little bit easier.

Good luck!

[PinkFluff17]

Hi Phantom Muse! No, I just don't want braces period. I'm glad that I can at least get Damon rather than metal, but I still do not really want braces. I loathe pain! '__'

[Phantom Muse]

Do remember that although adjustments can be uncomfortable (and, yes, sometimes painful), the pain really does subside rather quickly - and you can always take something for it. Most of your time in braces is pain-free.

That being said, you will get the most out of orthodontic treatment if you are ready and willing to accept the changes that will take place - the occasional discomfort, the cleaning routine, etc. I had braces as a teenager, didn't follow-through with retainer wear, and regrettably, here I am again! I really wish I would have understood what I needed to do years ago.

Take some time to read through this forum, and I think you will find that most everyone who has traveled this road is really quite happy that they did so!

Good luck to you!

[lauralea]

Pink Fluff, I just got braces about 2.5 weeks ago, I felt the EXACT same way! Fortunatly, the experience has been very positve so far. I was luckly able to get the Damon clear brackets on the top, but have metal damon on bottom and im lad that I started treatment.
Relax, it will be fine. If you have anyquestions, feel free to email me!

[Sunny]

Hi and welcome to this forum Pinkfluff!

Having braces is almost more 'normal' than not having them, which means that they can't be that bad. Especially look at the number of adults who're now choosing to pay for their own treatment ... we're not really sadists! lol!

No one has to have orthodontic treatment ... no one has died as a result of not having it ... but many people have found that there lives are easier as a result of orthodontic treatment. For me ... I had jaw pain and biting problems ... both have been almost corrected with ortho treatment. Unfortunately due to starting treatment so late in my life, it's not going to be possible to totally fix these issues ... but a lot better, is good enough for me.

Pain ... I've never had any. I've never needed to take a pain med, and I know many people like me ... in fact the ortho's I work for - three of them, only have a few patients who experience pain and a few more discomfort. With the modern memory archwires, teeth are loosened and moved at a much slower and continuous rate, which makes for a more comfortable experience.

We also now know that using wax toughens the mouth without sores, whereas the 'old school' belief was that wax just delays the toughening and you're still going to have to have sores etc. What rot ... and we're lucky to have this knowledge now. We also know the benefits of keeping well hydrated so that our mouths don't get dry and 'stick' to our brackets. We also know about rinsing with warm salt water to soothe and aid the healing of our mouths. These and many other great things have been learnt by the billions of orthodontic patients that have gone before us ... and can now be passed on.

Hopefully you'll soon realise that the short time you'll have braces on your teeth will pass quickly and with a positive and pro active attitude, you'll be fine.

Good luck and please ask any questions you wish on this forum, as you'll find there are regular posters who have loads of experience.

[lauralea]

Sunny you said you have never had pain thoughout your treatment??
When I was a kid, i had a decent amt of pain with braces, never really took anything for it, enough to realise that it was due to my teeth moving. However now I dont feel anything, and as I used to corelate slight discomfort with tooth moving, im worried that my teeth are not moving. what do you think about this? I feel like I would rather the pressure and slight discomfort, becase then I now they are actually moving.

[Sunny]

Why should you have pain? Why should anyone have to have pain? Pain is the bodies way of telling us that something is wrong and the medical experts write that moving teeth into correcting alignment is not wrong.

These have been the main issues that those at the top of the field have been studying and that's why tooth movement is all about the skill of the ortho's and the archwires. The archwires used in most of our treatment today are 'memory' archwires, which means they keep gently working to get back to the shape they were in, before they were put in our mouths. That's why time between appointments can now go much longer, coz as long as your teeth aren't in the right shape, the archwires will keep working ... in same cases this might be for a year or two ... until it can get the teeth in that shape. This also means that ortho's don't need to change archwires as often. Instead there skill is needed to make adjustments to make sure that these archwires can continue doing this job.

Slow movement also means there's less chance of us feeling it. Some people are sensitive to any and all changes in their mouths and for them there may still be some discomfort or pain. Plus we must allow for the fact that we have different tolerance and pain levels. Plus the subconscious plays a huge role in this ... if we believe it will hurt ... it will! Why ... coz we know it will, therefore we'll feel it! This is the subconscious playing it's role, not our 'real' brain.

If you want to know if your teeth are moving, there are a few ways to check. Taking photos once a week during the first month, then monthly after that, works well for many. Also feel for differences when you're flossing, as you may notice some teeth are harder to floss between while others are easier. Your bite will often tell you there's been movement ... as when you bring your teeth together you may find they're not meeting the way they were before.

If you don't have a lot of changes needed ... then you can expect things to be less dramatic. For those who need lots of alignment ... the changes are amazing and really motivating.

[lauralea]

Thanks sunny,
Yes I understand, is just this treatment is SO different from my previous treatment 10 yrs ago. I quess its kinda crazy how far orthodontic technology has come.
Thanks

[annabella]

Lauralee
I am wondering if teenagers might feel more pain because their mouths, jaws and teeth, etc. are more malleable. Adults jaws can move with braces like kids so it's just the tooth movement and slow at that. So no pain.
My daughter did have pain for almost 3 days after getting her braces and she had to take advil. And she never takes OTC meds for anything. Not even when she broke her foot. So I think that is a factor.
So we will see what she says when she gets her lowers.

[Phantom Muse]

Annabella - My daughter also had what she described as "pain" when she first got her metal braces, had them for 20 months and had what she described as "discomfort" after most adjustments (except those where they changed the wire, and then she was back to having "pain")!

With Invisalign, I had one set of trays that were downright painful, most all of the others have been only "uncomfortable" at first. Within a few days, I have to routinely check to be sure I am wearing them!

Sunny, you raise such interesting points! My father is a surgeon, and he has told me that he routinely injects anesthesia at the point of incision prior to the patient awakening from surgery, because if the patient awakens without pain, they often have greatly reduced post-operative pain. I don't know if that is a purely physical response or more psychological, but interesting indeed. Thanks, as always, for your very informative posts!

[emmie]

PinkFluff, i felt the same way as you.. im 5 days into braces! =) damon brackets clear on top. And im 21 btw. I have had 2 people make comments to me, both of them asking me why I am wearing my retainer (because they can only see the wire!)
When i had them put on i had to adjust my eating for the first 3-4 days, but i dont mind the pain, well, i guess its more like "ache" because its a good ache, my teeth are moving into a better place - that keeps me positive!
My advise, just do it and you will be happy that you did later.

[lauralea]

HI emmie
I got that comment too a few times' why do you have a retainer?" its too bad they cant make the wires more unoticable

[PinkFluff17]

Thank you everyone for your nice comments!
Sunny, I'll do my best to maintain a positive attitude! I do want straight teeth, its just the thought of pain that makes me cringe. Sometimes I feel like backing out, then other times, I'm like no way, I need this for myself! Does anyone else feel that way too? Or did rather?

[PinkFluff17]

Emmie, thanks for being so positive so I don't feel as bad! LOL

[Phantom Muse]

PinkFluff,

It is, in my opinion, better to take care of what you need sooner rather than later. The problems won't go away on their own, and if you take care of them now, you'll have so much more time to enjoy the results!

Many of us are paying for our treatment "out of pocket" which means we REALLY wanted to have treatment as a favor to ourselves. That being said, I would guess that most of us also were a little (or a lot) afraid of the pain/discomfort before treatment (and so happy to find out that it was not bad at all!). What you are feeling is so natural, so not to worry!

I am on my second round of braces, and if it had been so bad and painful when I was a teenager, there is no way I would be back to fix alignment issues that most people have never even noticed!

Good luck, and feel free to come to this forum for encouragement whenever you need it! We've all been there...

[emmie]

PF, occasionally i had doubts too and right when i got them on i'm like OMG i have to have these on my teeth a year how am i going to survive?! But then i just try to push it off and realized that anyone who would notice the braces would only realize that I'm trying to better myself.

And Phantom Muse, sounds like we are in the same boat. I also have had braces before and I have some crowding and alignment issues that not many people notice but have driven me NUTS so i had to do something about it! In fact, my ortho told me that to an untrained eye i would appear have a nice smile. In my opinion the best investment someone can make is in themselves and thats how I feel about the braces!

[PinkFluff17]

Hey everyone! Sorry, long time no talk! I have an app. for the 6th of April for some x-rays and other stuffs (lol). And also to find out my brace date

Phantom Muse and Emmie, I have been thinking these past few weeks that I would love to enjoy my smile while I am still in my teens so that is what is keeping me positive! It's been even kind of hard for me to wait for the app. honestly!

[Phantom Muse]

Pink - I am glad to hear that you are so positive about your treatment... which is right around the corner! Keep us posted!

Emmie - It is funny how we can become so focused on our teeth, eh?! I wonder if because I had such beautiful results after the first go around with braces that I just couldn't accept now what most people would be thrilled to have... Funny also how the only people who notice my Invisalign are those who have had braces themselves!

[Sunny]

Great that you're looking forward to your appointment Pink ... and here's to everything going smoothly for you!

It's great you're having treatment so young ... and you'll have an awesome smile to treasure for life! It's about committing to wearing your retainers at night for life that will make sure that happens ... and I'm sure it will be worth every second!

Good luck with your appointment on 6 April ... time is flying!

[nharvey]

I will be getting braces on the 12th of the month and i have mixed feelings. I know it will be a painful/pleasant experience cause i know i need them. I am 31 years old and just decided to fix my mouth, had three baby teeth removed that was still there--so needless to say, i need to adjust my adult teeth in those spots. I think i will be receiving the Damon Clear on top and metal on the bottom. Im all for whatever works!

And Sunny--im curious to know if you ticker is correct. Four years in braces??? whats up with that?

[Phantom Muse]

nharvey -

Congrats on making the decision to go ahead with treatment! You will be very pleased when all is said and done (and probably pleased LONG before that!)

Good luck!

[Sunny]

Hi and welcome nharvey ... and here's to your treatment going well! Hopefully like most on this site, you'll find this a mostly painfree experience!

My timeline is correct ... sometimes things don't go right ... even when you work for your orthodontist. My treatment has been derailed several times due to my teeth not doing what they're supposed to. I have an strange case due to missing teeth on opposite sides, an impacted canine, gaps, crowding a mild class III, two cross bites ... etc etc etc.

I'm hoping we'll be calling my treatment quits in the next month or two ... and the excitement will be unreal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Phantom Muse]

You must be excited, Sunny!!!!!!! Yay!

[Sunny]

I am ... excited that this will be over! Disappointed that many issues couldn't be corrected ... but it's taught me heaps about oral hygiene and patience ... heaps about patience!

[nharvey]

I have an impacted canine as well on the bottom left. Actually all my issues are on the left side-90% being on the top. So i will only start with braces on the top for 6-8 months then i will get them on the bottom. Right now i have my spacers in and i only feel it on one side which is annoying. Its like biting on a piece of rubberband. I guess i will suck it up for a week.

[Sunny]

I've never heard of a lower canine being impacted. In fact neither have the ortho's I work for, so it will be interesting to follow your treatment. What type of surgery is planned to expose your lower canine?

Good luck with your treatment!

[nharvey]

I had a baby tooth that was there but had it removed. Apparently my adult tooth underneath so i have to get an oral surgeon to cut and have it exposed. Then my orthro will place a bracket on it to bring it up later.

[PinkFluff17]

nharvey, that doesn't sound like much fun! ouch! Hope that doesn't hurt too much! >.<

So I went to my app. and found out I am getting the Damon braces put on on May 25th... I know that's kinda a long time away, but I am already starting to get excited and nervous!

I was kinda disappointed, however, because the ortho said that I may need to get teeth removed if they found that my buck teeth, yes I have stinkin' buck teeth and I've been made fun of before were starting to get even more... like.. sticky outy? haha don't know how else to say that. But yah.. I was kinda sad about that. Hopefully that won't happen but if it does I will have to remain optimistic about straight teeth.

I'll let you all know if something else happens or if not, I'll be back on or right before May 25th.. see you later! ~__^

[Sunny]

All the best with your preparation for 25 May!

It's a shame that some people still need extractions, but if you do need them, be confident that your teeth will look better for it and your results will be more stable.

Good luck!

[PinkFluff17]

Yippee! Less than a month to go!
I also forgot to tell you guys that on May 18th I go in for molds (which won't be much fun since I have terrible gag reflexes lol), pics, x-rays, and all that other fun stuff! hehe ok I'll let you know how that goes on/after May 18th!

[catgyrl]

PinkFluff17-

We have another member here, leannaaker, who has a similar problem as you re: gag reflex, along with general dental phobia. She just got braced last week, and now wonders what all the fuss was about. She survived just fine, and so will you. Good luck!!!

From one "buck toothed" woman to another - I can sympathize. (Gosh, I hate that expression - "buck toothed", don't you?) But in due time, we will have beautiful smiles. Heck - I think I smile more now with the braces, than I did before.

-Cathy

[Brace Face]

Hi Pink Fluff (great name)........pain is too stronger word, it's more mild discomfort and even that is only a day or two after an adjustment the rest of time I feel nothing at all. Really, if it's pain you're worried about, don't be, i've had worse pain plucking my eyebrows! Good luck.

[PinkFluff17]

Yikes! Only 3 more weeks 'til brace day and only 2 more weeks until i get x-rays, molds, pics, etc.. I do have one concern though. Do I have to smile with my teeth when I get pics taken? I HATE smiling with my teeth (and I know that we all do since thats why most of us are getting braces) but I just don't think i could do it...
It seems like a long time away, but I think it will be here before I know it! I'm still excited/nervous! I also have a few questions if anyone would like to answer them:

1) Do Damon braces make your smile a lot fuller after you get them off?
I have never really liked full smiles, I prefer kind of narrower smiles if that makes any sense. I don't like smiles where when you smile all you see is teeth.. I like to see other parts of the face too when smiling. lol

2) Do damon braces hurt less than ordinary braces?
Just wondering..

3) Do you have to get spacers for damon braces?
I was told that I would for ordinary braces, but they never mentioned I needed them for the Damons.

4) Can you get colours on the brackets?
I've been dying to get colours, but I'm not sure if they allow that for these since you don't have bands.. lol

[catgyrl]

My responses are below in red:

[QUOTE=PinkFluff17;17740]Do I have to smile with my teeth when I get pics taken? I HATE smiling with my teeth (and I know that we all do since thats why most of us are getting braces) but I just don't think i could do it...

Check out my blog - I think it's the 2nd one called "Second Consultation: 3/26/10" and you'll see the types of pics they take. A bit creepy looking... They will also probably take a profile pic, one of you head-on not smiling, and yes, one of you smiling. They need all of these "before" pics to compare your "after" pics with. I was sick as a dog when I had mine taken, so just remember that you'll look TONS better in the "after" pic.

1) Do Damon braces make your smile a lot fuller after you get them off?
I have never really liked full smiles, I prefer kind of narrower smiles if that makes any sense. I don't like smiles where when you smile all you see is teeth.. I like to see other parts of the face too when smiling. lol

2) Do damon braces hurt less than ordinary braces?
Just wondering..

3) Do you have to get spacers for damon braces?
I was told that I would for ordinary braces, but they never mentioned I needed them for the Damons.

Answer to questions 1-3: The brand of brackets have nothing to do with how your smile will end up; how much discomfort you'll have; or the need for spacers. Those all depend on the orthodontist's expertise with the archwire; how sensitive your teeth may be to begin with; and how crowded they may be. I have Damon metal braces, but did end up needing spacers and molar bands placed around my two molar crowns. I do have rather sensitive teeth, but haven't experienced any real "pain" yet, and I've had them for over 3 weeks.

4) Can you get colours on the brackets?
I've been dying to get colours, but I'm not sure if they allow that for these since you don't have bands.. lol

I have self-ligating brackets, so I don't "Need" to have colored ligatures on them, but my ortho said if I wanted to get some, I could. I figured it wasn't worth the hassle of having to keep something else (other than my teeth) clean, so I passed. I may change my mind along the way when I start to get power chains, though.[/QUOTE]

Hope these helped!
-Cathy

[Phantom Muse]

PinkFluff - In my opinion, the best part about having a photo taken with a full smile is the comparison you will be able to make to it when you have your "new" smile! I was at the ortho's office a few weeks ago and he showed me the "before" photos. What a difference - and how motivating to see it with my own two eyes!

SMILE! (and keep us posted!)

[catgyrl]

I, personally, would LOVE to have a full smile that shows more than 4 or 5 teeth. I have chubby cheeks that get in the way, and I don't think those will go away, but hopefully the smile will improve.

[Sunny]

It might be hard to smile showing your teeth ... but remember this will be the last time you'll be doing it with the teeth you now have, so I agree with those above ... it's great to have this comparison!

1) Do Damon braces make your smile a lot fuller after you get them off?
I have never really liked full smiles, I prefer kind of narrower smiles if that makes any sense. I don't like smiles where when you smile all you see is teeth.. I like to see other parts of the face too when smiling. lol

... brackets can't do anything, but often when the archwire is getting your teeth into alignment they move further out than they currently are, which is why many smiles look fuller. Your jaw shape won't/can't change after it's fused at adolescence, so that remains the same. If more teeth do show, you'll adjust and due to your jaw not changing, the change shouldn't be huge.

2) Do damon braces hurt less than ordinary braces?
Just wondering..

I'm sure all people wonder about this, as on some sites, all that's written about is the negative stuff, especially sites that are mostly frequented by younger folk. Brackets are brackets ... then brand is just a brand ... and how they feel is mostly about what they're made of and how your mouth copes and your pain levels. In general metal takes a little longer to adjust to than ceramic, but that may mean between one hour and a week to adjust for most people. Some people who have more sensitive mouths or a lower pain tolerance, it may take longer.

You will adjust and if you need any help, make sure you ask the folk on this site, as they have great advice. The most important things I can recommend are keeping yourself well hydrated and being generous with the wax on any brackets that rub, so that your mouth will toughen without you getting sores.

3) Do you have to get spacers for damon braces?
I was told that I would for ordinary braces, but they never mentioned I needed them for the Damons.

The use of molar bands is not connected to the brand of bracket, but to what your ortho prefers to use. Fewer ortho's use molar bands now, but many still do and if your ortho prefers them, you'll need spacers.

4) Can you get colours on the brackets?
I've been dying to get colours, but I'm not sure if they allow that for these since you don't have bands.. lol

Many ortho's who use sl brackets rarely use ligs, as that's additional costs. If you need to have powerchains, you'll get to pick colours then. Talk to your ortho about this as you never know. When we have patients who transfer her and have sl brackets, we always offer them colours, as most love them!

Good luck for your big day ... and here's to the next three weeks passing quickly!

[PinkFluff17]

WOW! thanks for the help everyone! I feel like I know a lot more now! hehe

I have been researching braces a lot, and I know now what to eat, what not to eat, how to brush my teeth, how you should stay hydrated, use wax, etc..

I am prepared guys and now I am more excited than nervous! I guess it won't be too bad to have pics of my teeth taken... still not happy 'bout that though..

AnyWHO, only 20 more days 'til i get these babys on! OH! I also found out that i have testing the day after I get my braces for school so that should be a hoot lol.. I'll walk in and they'll ask my name and I'll reply in a lisp.. But hopefully not bahahahaha

I guess you can tell I'm in a pretty good mood today. I really am. I didn't wake up 'til 10 and it felt soooo nice!

Well, thats pretty much it... I realise I talk far too much, so I'm gonna go..eat...some.. raspberry toaster pastries. HAHA byeee for now

[PinkFluff17]

*babies (oops lol)

[PinkFluff17]

getting closer to the date! ahhh! Time has flown since even my last post! only 15 more days! yah babyyyyy!! lol

[PinkFluff17]

Hello everyone!!

So I went to my app. yesterday to get molds, x-rays, and pics done and it wasn't too bad!

We got there 2 minutes late, but I still had to wait 5 minutes in the waiting room. :P

She took me back into a little room, I sat in the chair (sorry I'm rushing through this, I have to go somewhere in like 2 minutes lol), and she asked a bunch of questions. She then took measurements (I have a 4mm overbite!!) and then more questions haha..

She tooks 3 xrays, then pics of my teeth with the lip spreaders (I had a canker sore so that didn't feel great) with cheek spreaders, one facing her not smiling, facing her smiling and then to the left not smiling.

Then.. Molds! ooo molds. That was soooo much fun! :P The bottom ones weren't so bad, but the top! AGH! I thought I was going to throw up! So anyway, to wrap this up, only 6 more days til I get braces!!!

[PinkFluff17]

I'm kind of sad that no-one is replying. It seems like I write all that out and no-one cares. Sorry, just felt like I had to say that.

2 more days til brace day!

[Phantom Muse]

You will have to post photos when you return home from your bracing! Not long now... Have you stocked-up on a few tasty - but soft - treats for brace day?!

Good luck!

[PinkFluff17]

Thank you so much for your reply, Phantom! It meant a lot I actually haven't really stocked up much. Ice-cream, soup, and grits. That's what I've been living off of today..
The ice-cream helps with the pressure and makes my teeth feel sooo good! Thank you ice-cream! LOL

So yah. I got braces today!! Let me tell you. They are no fun! I was so happy and dandy, looking forward to oh-so-straight teeth, that I didn't think about the pain involved. But... It should be worth it in the end. Oh! and then.. then!! 2 hours after getting my braces on... a bracket popped off! IT HURT! Does it hurt anyone else when they pop off? It's on a really crooked tooth, so they said it shouldn't pop off anymore once its slightly rotated. (I already got the bracket fixed;with extra glue). And yah, I have to go now.

Soup is ready!

[Phantom Muse]

Glad today went so well for you! I hope you are taking photos! You really are through the worst part, in my opinion. Your discomfort should pass pretty quickly, and you can take an OTC medicine if it helps. However, ice cream - to me - is a far better remedy than Advil or Tylenol!

How long has it been estimated that you will have your braces?

Congrats on joining the "braced" club!

[Sunny]

Great your journey has started and here's to you soon having a great smile!

I've heard some patients say that they feel a bracket when it comes off, and it seems to be mostly when it's on teeth that need quite a bit of movement, so maybe it's due to the pressure the archwire is putting on the tooth and then the 'jolt' when the archwire will no longer be doing that.

Are your archwires heat activated? If they are ... keep having some ice cream to help with any discomfort during these early days, but make sure you don't have it too often, as they need the heat in your mouth to work.

Best ways to feel great in the early days ... and throughout treatment ... use wax generously if any brackets rub, rinse with warm salt water and most important, keep well hydrated!

Good luck!

[PinkFluff17]

Phantom Muse, the first day was not so great, but I definitely agree that ice-cream REALLY does help. Especially chocolate fudge ice-cream (I remember to brush afterward though). I have a question about something I noticed on my teeth this morning. Right between my two front teeth, I noticed some white gunk something? I had completely cleaned them last night, and I don't recall anything lurking there before. Then i was thinking maybe it was the Flouride rinse.. Hmm. It scared me though because I thought maybe it was plaque! Can anyone help me out here?

Sunny, that's sounds really accurate because the bracket that popped off was on a tooth that is turned sidewise! :O but after getting reglued, it hasn't popped off again!

I'm not sure what you mean by "heat-activated"?

I have been drinking more water than normally though, and brushing every night for at least 4 minutes. I am not able to floss yet though. Is that ok at least until my teeth don't hurt as much? hehe and I've already used some wax. I have some on right now in fact.

Well, I have to go study for a Science exam, so see you all later!

~PinkFluff17

[Phantom Muse]

PinkFluff,

Perhaps the gunk is just gunk your mouth has conjured-up in response to your braces. With Invisalign, it seems as if there is always more saliva and the like than I noticed before having Invisalign. It seems unlikely that it is anything to worry about since you've just had a thorough "inspection" by your ortho!

Keep drinking water, and good luck on the science exam!

[PinkFluff17]

SOOO.. It's been 1 month and 2 days since my last update. Just thought you guys might want to know how everything is going.

Well, nothing really exciting has happened. I was supposed to go just this morning actually to get my braces tightened, but I wasn't able to make it so my next appointment is July 8th! Just 10 days before my birthday!!

My tooth that was sideways has moved so much in just a short month!! It's so cool!

No more brackets have popped off since the day I got them which is awesome! Found out I won't be getting the bottom braces for another 4 months or so which is exciting haha

So overall, braces aren't so bad! I'll give another update when I get them tightened... Until July 8th then!