Wires and stabwounds and pain, oh my!

After I got my expander installed, I first had to get the top braces, and use them for a while.

This side by side (top by bottom?) comparison is from the first day of braces, and about a month and a half later:

You can see the obvious snaggletooth has been tamed, and the rest of the pearly gang has followed, straightening the wire. They would move even more, but since the expander is in there are limits on how much the teeth can move.

Oh boy. I have NOT missed wearing braces. Constantly being sore, and having open wounds in my mouth at any given time. I get little boxes of wax from my orthodontist, but most of the just fall off after a short while, and I keep drooling, I can't eat with the wax on, and it's hard to put the wax back iiin... So yeah, I have toughened the inside of my mouth!

Well, at least a little bit. I still get sores, and I sometimes even manage to cut my tongue on the braces.

I think the worst part about all of this, was getting the molar rings for my lower jaw braces. I had to have them for a week or two before putting on the rest of the braces. They were pointy enough on the outside of the teeth, but inside, towards my tongue? Fucking skewers that made the root of my tongue into raw minced meat everytime I ate, swallowed or talked. Couldn't even put the fucking wax on it, it just fell off at once! I can't believe I've gotten used to them now, 1½ month later.
Since I couldn't find images of the specificmolar bands on Google, so I assume they have been summoned from hell.
Finally, on November 28th I got the last of my braces on. Now I have to have them on for the next two years or so, hopefully less than that!

I look like a fucking dinosaur with braces

But all in all, after 3 months with braces I already feel more confident about smiling in photos, especially with that darn snaggletooth under control! 

Picture from yesterday, blowing fan in my face!

There, I think I have all the main details out in the open. Ask away if you're curious about anything. Will make a photo entry when I get back home to Norway, and hopefully will be able to keep you posted on the progress forward! I'm glad to have such good friends and family who support me, but a special shout out to the dentist who first pushed to start this whole process, my brother who's going with me for the surgery, and for my lovely boyfriend who has to put up with all of my drooling and whining, pre-op and post-op! ♥


Now, I will use these last days in Thailand to relax and not think about the fact that they're going to literally open my face.
Reminds me of this comic by Blue Chair.



11 days until surgery.