My grill

It is now Monday evening, braces went on Wednesday morning. I am pretty much used to them already which is good! They are not as bulky as i thought they were going to be. Here is an extremely flattering picture:

And closer:

Argh, I can't wait until they are fixed!

These were taken today and my teeth have already moved a little bit. The right canine was too far back to be attached so I guess they are going to move all the other teeth out of the way before moving it forward. I'm pretty sure that it has been pushed further into my mouth since the braces have been on... but I guess things sometimes have to get worse before they get better!

In terms of pain... the first day was fine for the first half, and then they reeeeally started to hurt in the afternoon. I just took some ibuprofen regularly to keep the ache at bay and they seemed to be fine. I had to keep taking it on the second day too but after that it was okay. The front teeth, canines and incisors, are still very sore, I can't use them to bite into anything unless it is very soft. The back teeth are all fine, except for the bottom left side - the second premolar and first molar are still sore. I think they have actually been squashed into my mouth as there is not enough room. I'm hoping this isn't permanent...

Cleaning the things is a mission in itself, it takes me at least 15min in the evening.. brushing, using the little picker thing in between the teeth, and then mouthwash. I haven't worked out how to floss yet, but the picker thing seems to be doing the job quite nicely. I only do this in the evening, brushing and mouthwash in the morning. I think my gums are looking healthier which is good.

Next update will probably be after July 4th, that's when I'm going in again to get the wire changed, etc.. I have a whole set of exams to get through before then so wish me luck!

Top view:

Bottom view:

Metal band: