Hey everyone! It seems like everyone I know is getting braces, and I want to help. I have been through braces since 2008, so I definitely know a thing or two about them. If you need help with them, I'm your girl. Get ready for pictures of teeth.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW!
1- You get your braces done by the orthodontist. Not the dentist.
2- You can't just take them off when you want to. They stay on for atleast a year.
3- There's more to it than just braces. There's spaces are hilgers and stretch things. And then you wear rubber bands and retainers. You have a long way ahead of you. But trust me, it's worth it.
First Appointment: You meet the orthodontist and they measure your mouth. I have a tiny mouth. NOT FUN. You also get x-rays. Your mouth will feel funny because they put these clear things in so they can see all of your teeth.
Second Appointment: You get spacers. I actually really liked spacers. They feel like trampolines, and sometimes if you mess with them, they pop out. It's okay though. You can put them right back in and they will be fine.
Next few appointments: Braces. They will hurt. I'm not going to pretend like it doesn't. This is the time for Starbucks and frozen yogurt. I got a blanket, a spot on my grandmothers couch, and watched movies for a few days. Then I went back to school. Now everyone has braces, so you don't need to be scared of being called a brace face. Honestly, it could be a lot worse. You could have headgear. You also get this thing that makes your jaws wider. You have to turn it. You can choose colors for your braces. Mine are teal.
If you're lucky, you will wear rubber bands to fix an overbite or underbite after about a year. If you are like me..then you don't get those until the second round. And you need to wear them. I didn't, and I have a big appliance in my mouth that hurts. WEAR THE RUBBER BANDS!
Brushing: It's pretty much the same, but longer. Brush around the brackets.
Flossing: You will get a special flossing tool from the drugstore.
That's all I know!(:
Good luck on your smiles!
xoxo, Olivia
