All My Fellow Bracers!

Hey All!

This weekend was fabulous! Filled with many mini brace moments! (try saying that fast 3 times) I took my grill to its first concert, and it had tons of fun :o) As I walked into the place I noticed that the girl who stamped my hand and let us in was wearing braces...but she did the complete opposite of what I'm trying to do, she was trying to hide her wonderful grill! She kept her lips over her teeth as she talked...she looked silly. I almost wanted to tell her, but we all have to learn to accept ourselves sooner or later and she'll realize it eventually. During the concert a security guard passed right by us and smiled...and guess what? He had a bedazzled grill! He was much older than I and he was rockin' it! So to all my fellow bracers...Let's ROCK ON!

It's really funny that I notice peoples teeth now more than ever. I never would have paid attention and remembered anyone random with braces...but now I remember all of my fellow bracers I cross paths with. It's really fun too :) And I'm hoping to capture it all on my blog...anyone I run into that has braces will hopefully end up on my blog!

Mid concert, I heard it...One of my fav songs! And I sang my little heart out! Then I noticed the people standing in front of me seemed a little wierded out...I ignored them, stopping only once to catch my breath and take a sip of my vodka-tonic. Then it came to mind that I may be spraying spit as I sang! I tried not to spit as I sang...but I couldn't help it! I felt like I was drooling! So I took it as a lesson learned and I will just lip sing next time!

When BFF and I walked up to the bar to get a drink (and a couple of shots) of course V pulls out her camera and wants to take pics...lots of pics! and close up pics! Ugh! I'm still trying to get used to seeing myself in pictures with my shiny grill....But getting better by the day. I think it's easier for me not to hide them becuase I know that eventually I will not have them, but pictures are harder for me because they will last forever! Here's a long life pic memory:

This picture will last forever as well as the memories...truly one of the best performers ever!!!

The next morning was filled with shopping, shopping, and more shopping! LOL...One of the girls who helped at one of the many stores was wearing braces...she was about my age but her brackets were white, where mine are clear. I think they were more noticeable since nobody really has perfect white teeth. She noticed my grill I noticed her grill and we shinned our grills to each other...LOL sounds nasty!

Later that night we met up with some long-lost friends! It's always fun to meet up with friends you haven't seen in years! So I walked up to a long lost buddy David and he quickly asked how long I'd had braces on for. I explained my story, offered to share my blog address, etc. (I swear I'm just going to give out cards with my blog address on them so they can just read about it...I've had to explain my story over a million times!) So he went on to tell me he worked for an orthodontist office and then he pulled down his lip and showed me his clear bottom grill! I was ecstatic! We shared a few braceology moments and had a few laughs...It was great!

Overall this weekend was great! I ran into sooo many people with braces in such a short amount of time! I love it...

Don't forget to proudly smile :D

KISSES!

I've officially reached week 3!

Bugsy my son...

I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I got braces! Time flies and it's really getting a whole lot better...even last week I didn't think I would be able to put up with a year of braces! Don't get me wrong sometimes I just want to rip the damn grill right off my teeth! It's a foreign object in my mouth and I want it out! Like yesterday please!

I get so frustrated at times...it's frustrating not to eat things that could stain my clear brackets on top of other things all my other fellow bracers can't eat. The number one thing I miss is definitely coffee! :( I've been getting bad headaches lately and I'm not sure if it's the pressure from my braces, work stress, or the coffee withdrawals I'm going through. I think it's a combination of all three! I've had to cheat at times...I have a cup of coffee once a week, I especially need my java when I'm sitting in early am meetings! I'm not a morning person and to be expected to function without my daily juice is torture! I've resorted to sugar free Redbull to get my fix, but I love the taste of coffee and it hasn't been the same. My heart is broken and this girl needs coffee! (along with many other things LOL)

Grrr.....


Here's Bugsy showing me his own grill!


Last weekend I went to a wedding where I saw a lot of my family members. It was the first time with them since I got the new pimped out gear. Many even said they couldn't really tell they were braces so that made me feel better. I even danced a few songs with my wires and it felt great! Getting prepped for M's big day!

The other thing I've been dealing with is massive chapped lips! I hate it! I use lotsa chapstick but nothing has been working really! Grr! I hate it...It looks gross and it hurts too! I also haven't had to use my wax much, but today one of my brackets started bothering the inside of my bottom lip. I can't figure out why it would all of a sudden start poking into my lip? It must be because my teeth are moving..IDK but I have wax on right now and it makes it feel soo much better! I love my wax! xoxo! The down side is that I really can't use wax when I'm in public because it's extremely visible since it's on my front rack.

I've been reading other fellow brace blogger's blog and some have the clear grill on the top like I do. I notice that many of them have had trouble with their grill staining. I've had mine on for three weeks and my brackets and bands are still clear and they are not Turing yellow like other bloggers. To all you bracers out there who are struggling with this I recommend using a toothpaste with fluoride as the primary ingredient. I also rinse once a day (night time) with fluoride mouthwash. I never knew how many different types of mouthwash's there are out in the world! OMG! There's like a whole wall of them...different colors, uses, flavors! It's really quite overwhelming. I went to Target to buy some flouride mouthwash thinking I would be in and out...Yeah right! Wrong! I was flabbergasted while looking at all of the different types! Who'da Thunk! 15 mins later I finally had narrowed it down to two different types of brands. I couldn't chose so I just did the inny-minny-miny-moe thing and picked one and left the isle...running! Anyway, I recommend using a fluoride mouthwash every night it helps keep the brackets and bands clean and clear and under control! LOL (wait that's the Neutrogena saying!)

I'm going out of town this weekend and I will be riding in my car, jamming to my music...just me and my grill!

I'm attaching a few pics for your enjoyment purposes! Just my braces, my doggy Bugsy, and me...chillin like a villan.

xoxo,
C

Even In Cartoons...

		The Simpsons		In episode "Last Exit to Springfield" Lisa gets a full set of braces plus a large headgear, at the end she receives clear ones
		Toy Story		1995. Sid, the neighbor kid, has a mouth full of braces
		Donald Duck		Appears with a kind of headgear in Quack Pack
		Butthead		Even MTV's infamous comic character has used brackets

http://personal5.iddeo.es/mmoreira/crcing/famous_people.htm

Em"Bracing" My new Smile

Hi All,
Today is my 13th day with braces...amazing how fast time is going by and already I'm seeing my teeth move! It will be hard to forget the day I got my braces since it was the day Michael Jackson sadly passed away :( As I layed on my couch watching E! I couldn't believe what I was seeing...definitely a sad day. My teeth were a bit more sore today than normal, but I've gotten to the point where I can chew without massive pain. I was thinking I would lose weight considering my diet was very minimal…but oh NO! I actually gained a 1 ½ lbs! I think I’ve just been loading up on carbs which include potatoes, rice, pasta, yogurt, yams, etc! So disappointing considering I thought I would actually lose lbs not gain them! I try to tell myself that the metal in my mouth must weigh exactly 1 ½lbs I SWEAR!

Yesterday, the feeling of gaining weight only increased when I started playing Wii Fit and my Wii Fit Fitness Instructor totally got me in trouble! When I stepped on the scale it showed I’d gain 2lbs! So needless to say he worked my butt off…literally I hope! So today I decided it was time to show my new be-dazzled grill to my gym buddies, since I was avoiding the gym since I'd gotten braces. As I walked into the gym and checked in I saw this hottie! I’ve actually run into him a few times and we just briefly look at eachother and smile. We did our normal smile but this time I proudly showed off my grill. As I walked away I felt good…my confidence is increasing and progressively growing. And frankly I've gotten to the point where I don't care what people think about a 25 year old with braces as long as I'm good with myself, that's all I care about.

Tuesdays are usually my busiest day out of the week, usually filled with business meetings and a lunch on the go. I was a little nervous to go into a meeting where I knew I’d be surrounded by some of the top people from my organization. I didn’t let that stop me, I continued as if nothing was different. I’m sure people noticed, but they didn’t point, laugh, or make fun of me. (at least not in front of me) LOL! I got that out of the way and I know it will only get better from here on out.

At the beginning I felt like my lips were not big enough to accommodate my new gear. I don’t know if my lips are getting bigger (Angelina Jolie Style) or if my mouth is just getting used to it, but I don’t feel that way anymore. My speech is improving and I’m no longer having trouble with my S’s. I must admit I practiced talking in the mirror and singing to Taylor Swift’s Love Story song! I must have replayed that about 3 times until I got it right!

I go in for a tightening on September 10th, which is 10 weeks out. I'm not sure if that's the standard because I've heard of people having their appointments 6 weeks out but not 10? Maybe my teeth don't require much moving, I don't know but plan to ask my ortho at that time. Anyway, at that time I have to option to switch my lower level gear to clear-gear if I want to. I'm still debating if I want to endure the pain of having to switch my lower silver colored brackets into clear brackets. Not only that, it's hard trying to keep the clear brackets clear, and they are actually bigger and bulkier than the regular silver looking ones. Plus you really can't see my lower silver colored ones unless I open my mouth for the world to see...which doesn't happen very often unless I've had a few drinks!

There's is a lot to look forward to before I get my first tightening. I will be celebrating my birthday out of town, going to Vegas for a bachlorette party, and then will be attending my BFF's wedding. I'm sure I will have plenty of fun braceology moments to share with you all!

Smile :D

Just to make me feel better!

This is my cousin...Neddy. Just thought I'd make someone smile :) Kind of ironic I bought him this fake grill and now I'm the one with a real one! Luv Ya <3

4th of July Weekend!

So it was official...I was determined to correct my jaw with braces instead of having to endure the pain of jaw surgery...So I might as well get used to it!

It was going to be my first weekend out with them...Yes them. I sometimes refer to my braces as a third person. My BFF Vanessa was going to be in town for the weekend!! Whoo Hoo! I love it when she come to visit! We decided to go out and have a couple of drinks to start off our weekend extravaganza! I was sooo nervous! Vanessa called and said "I'll pick you up at 9"..."Ok...we'll be ready" "We? Who else is coming" "My Braces and I" She laughed at me and said ok...

As I walked through the bar I couldn't help but feel a little awkward...I felt that people were staring at my braces and not me! That night I also introduced the braces to alcohol! And they approved...they like-te-dit! It was then when I knew we could possibly get along! I don't know if it was the alcohol or my confidence but I started to realize that it really wasn't that bad...I noticed many other girls with braces that night, and some may even say they look hot! ;)

Friday night I went to a bachlorette party...I was a little annoyed at the fact that I couldn't really have any of the food...I just didn't want to risk eating a strawberry, smiling, and having a huge piece of red right in the middle of my newly polished grill! No way! That day only added to my confidence when a girl I had never met asked me how long it had been since I'd had my braces taken off. "Off?" I asked...Then I told her I had just got them on a week and a day ago. She said she thought I was wearing a retainer! It really made me feel good that someone actually though my braces were a retainer! The clear brackets really help disguise that I'm actually wearing braces and people think that I'm wearing a retainer!! So exciting!

On the fourth of July I had a few of my girlfriends over at my house for a "Bridezilla Bridal Lunch Meeting" My BFF Maria is getting married in August! Yes and I will be wearing a cute dress with braces! The only good thing is that the silver in my braces will match the silver belt buckle on the dress! Then I started thinking: not only will I have braces for Maria's wedding, but I will also have braces for my 26th birthday, and our Vegas Bachlorette Party trip in August! OMGoodness! But I can't stop living my life and doing the things I love to do...just because of my new gear!

Later that day I took my braces swimming for the first time! Vanessa and I headed to the pool to catch some sun rays and take a dip in the pool...it was after all in the 90's! All in all this weekend was filled with great memories and most of my Friends were introduced to my new wires ...and it kinda feels good!

:D Smile!

Let Me See Yo' Grill...

I'm starting my blog a little late so I'm trying to catch up...

2 hours! That's all I kept thinking about...How the heck am I going to sit and have the orthodontist look down my throat for 2 hours!!! Luckily I have some of the best BFF's in the world...Maria was texting me that morning making sure I was ok and giving me the extra little push I needed to smile to the world! I heart her<3

I am lucky especially now a days to have dental insurance that will pay for part of my treatment. I still had to fork out 3 grand!!! It's not everyday I write a check for $3,000! It felt kinda weird writing it out! LOL

Getting them on went rather quickly...It didn't take the full 2 hours and it was painless. I opted to get the clear braces on the top and the regular silver color on the bottom rack. "Are you sure you don't want colored bands on your brackets?" Um...Hell-er! NO!!...I wanted to hide them as much as possible! When they were done they handed me a mirror so I could check out my newly pimped out teeth...All I could think about was that dang song..."let me see yo' grill" OMG...I almost screamed! I couldn't see myself in my newly pimped out grill! I just couldn't!

As I left the office I went home so I could fully inspect my new equipment. After a little cry...I put on my big girl underwear and walked out the door and into work. Everyone though I looked cute! Ahh! you look sooo cute! Ummm...that's not the look I was trying to go for...I don't want to look like I'm 12 years old working in the highly demanding business world. I've worked too hard to get where I am...but who wants a boss that looks like a 12 year old girl? LOL


"You'll feel pain in the next couple hours" my ortho said. I didn't think much of it since I wasn't feeling much pain. Then I remembered Brat Child! She warned me and a few hours later I was in pain! Ouch! I went home and tried to eat...let me tell you that's an experience I will never forget! Trying to eat with a mouth full of metal is harder than you think...My diet consists of jello, soup, pudding, mashed potatoes, and anything mushy that doesn't require a lot of chewing.

The weekend was full of pain and minimal eating...I thought I was going to turn into a potato considering that's all I had been eating. On top of the regular foods you can't have when you're an official MM (Metal Mouth) like gum, corn chips, corn, taffy, and carrots. I have to be extra careful not to eat things that could stain the clear brackets on my top grill like mustard, curry, tomato paste, soda, tea, coffee, and red wine. ( I know coffee!!!)

So far I've been doing ok considering I can't eat period! and when I do I spend a good 15 mins trying to clean out the food that gets stuck all up in my grill! Grrr...such a pain to brush your teeth 5 times a day and floss (which takes 10 mins alone) I just keep reminding myself that I will have a perfect smile and a corrected jaw and it will all be worth it in the end! Week One Down!

This is only the begining...

Hi There!

This is my first blog ever! I've decided to start blogging about my newly be-dazzeled teeth! Well it all started when I went to the dentist for my regular 6 month cleaning and followup. Everything was going as planned when my dentist started comparing my new x-rays from previous ones. He noticed that my jaw was slightly tilted to the right which was causing my bottom teeth to slant to the left! I didn't think anything of it thinking "ok...hurry up...gotta get back to work and I was really craving a mocha". Anyway, he went on to say he thought I should go visit an orthodontist to get a better idea of what was happening and he started telling me if I didn't get it checked out I was prone to gum disease....Have you ever googled gum disease?? Well I did and Yuck...it grossed me out so the next day I called my orthodontist to make an appointment.

As I approached the orthodontist office I walked in feeling super confident...I never really though my teeth were that 'outa-wack'. NEGATIVE! As I waited for my name to be called I sat next to a girl who was probably about 12-13 years old. She just kept looking at me...and I kept thinking ok you little brat...WTF is on my face? Why do you keep looking at me? "Did you take some Advil" she asked...I said "No, why?" "Well you're going to need it." Soon enough my name was called and as I walked back I thought to my self what a wierd encouter I'd just had with Brat Child out in the waiting area.

As I waited patiently I was told I had to remove all of my earrings in order to take a full mouth x-ray...which was a complete huge pain in the butt since I have my ear pierced in the upper cartilage and removing that earing hurts like no other...but I did as I was told and followed instructions (and if you know me...you know I'm not good at taking orders LOL) I was then walked back to the room where my orthodontist walked in and started looking at my x-rays and my teeth..."Yeah, your jaw is tilted to the right...blah blah blah blah blah" Then I heard it..."You need to get braces to correct it" WHAT??? NO! I couldn't believe it! Then he went on to say if I didn't get braces soon, my jaw would set into place and I'd have to get jaw surgery which requires them to break your jaw and wire your mouth shut for weeks! I was in utter shock! I guess I didn't have a choice...I was bound to be known as metal mouth for the next 12-18 months. After the orthodontist left I was asked to schedule my appointment "I have an opening for tomorrow morning" So soon? OMG...I guess the sooner I get them on the sooner they come off. "I'll take it"