Braces installed.

Got my braces put on today, and I have to admit that I was pretty anxious and nervous about getting them on. I was scared of the pain and also of what people were going to say. I even rehearsed in my head how I would respond to people at work when they noticed I got braces.

But it turned out okay, actually.

The top ceramic ones actually look pretty good. And well... the metal ones are just like I remember them from when I was 10 years old. But it's okay.

But the pain is not as bad as the spacers, at least for now (with the thin wire and having had taken Advil right after, as recommended by my orthodontist). As for work, I didn't have any meetings today, so not too many people had seen them yet.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to get braces, now that I am full-time employed and have insurance that covers braces. It'll be an interesting 2 years (I already look young because of being Asian/Filipina, and the braces now just adds to my youthful appearance), but hopefully, I'll come out of the braces experience, happy with the result.

Here are some pictures of me with my new braces:

3 teeth pulled and 5 spacers in

So I signed the paperwork, and I feel like I've signed my life away! ... well, at least 2 years of my life anyway. 2 years of braces.

During the first evaluation in November, they said I might be a candidate for Invisalign (clear braces), but after full-mouth x-rays, the orthodontist determined it would be best if I got teeth pulled, in order to make room in my crowded mouth. Thus, the only option was regular braces. I will have ceramic (clear) brackets on top and metal on the bottom.

In preparation for getting my braces on next week, I had to get 3 teeth pulled. The first bicuspid on the top right, and the second bicuspids on the top left and lower left. Here's a summary of all the permanent teeth that have been pulled in my lifetime:

Eating with missing teeth is quite challenging--been eating a lot of applesauce and yogurt and green juice smoothies (pineapple, cucumber, and spinach).

I just got my spacers in on Wednesday, and it hurts so much more than the extractions, I feel. It was a dull aching pain all day long yesterday, and I finally sucked it up and took some 600mg ibuprofen (even though I want to avoid taking pain meds). I couldn't concentrate at work, so I just took it.

I also have been using ice packs and drinking cold drinks. Rinsing with salt water has also helped, though I'm not sure how exactly that works. One of the other remedies that has worked really well has been using the Red Cross Eugenol kit that I used when I suspected I had dry socket. You can apply the stuff right onto the teeth that ache, and it works really well. I just have to make sure I rinse my mouth really well afterwards.

With the pain from the spacers now, I'm a little anxious about the pain that will come from the actual braces, but I'm hoping to figure out what pain meds regimen will keep me functional at work and at home.

I'll post some pre-braces pictures, and post-extraction ones as well.

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Here are some pre-braces pictures, post-extraction of 2 pre-molars: