October Adjustment

My appointment this time was a few weeks ago but I hadn't written about it until now because it was just horrific!

My power chain was removed from my upper teeth and canine to canine were secured with steel ligatures. My orthodontist was pleased with them and didn't want them to move anymore. However now that my overjet had been reduced my small back teeth were not touching so I'm  back to wearing elastics in a strange triangular pattern. My upper second premolars are the top points and the bottom points are the low molar bands and lower canines. This is supposed to help bring my upper bicuspids down a little. Then we did some finishing touches on reshaping of the front teeth.

On the way home though, that bracket on the left upper side in the triangular configuration popped right off. I called them and explained the setup and how that can no longer be implemented and they told me to come right back. So back on the bus I went for an hours ride BACK to my ortho's office. When I go there she scraped off the remaining glue and put on a new bracket. Which popped off before I even got out of the chair. Again came that scraping tool and this time she replaced it with a metal bracket. It's now been about two weeks and that metal bracket is still going strong! But that week after the appointment was just terrible. With the exception of my extractions and the recovery period this was the most painful my braces journey had ever been.

Oh, on another note, my orthodontist confirmed that my lower wisdoms are growing in really crooked and I may have to have them removed. Holding onto them for now until I get confirmation that my health coverage has been renewed. Just in case.

Also I miss snacking throughout the day. This triangular elastics set up is severely limiting the frequency of food going into my mouth. >:[
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Kinda kicking myself

I wish I could either brought up reshaping earlier in my treatment or just decided to be happy with my rabbit teeth. The fact that I am this close to retainers is killing me. But the day both retainers go on, I am having a steak dinner, no ifs ands or buts.

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August Update

Hello readers (or more likely, Future Me Looking To Stay On Track With My Retainer)!

I've had another adjustment just two days ago. Got a whole new powerchain for my uppers and we did a little bit of reshaping! My right upper lateral incisor had a bit of a funky point and my orthodontist filed it just just a tad and now that is looking a little more normal. Also did some filing on the two upper central incisors. Not as much as I would like my teeth are still a bit rabbity. I asked my ortho to show me a mold of what "ideal" teeth would look like and I asked her if she could make my front teeth have those dimensions instead of being so significantly larger and longer than my laterals and the answer was YES!

Sadly though she told me had I not mentioned anything the next step WOULD have been retainers. Now I need to keep my tinsel teeth a little while longer as we file down my front teeth little by little every month. Hopefully it goes quickly and I can still get them off this year.

Moral of the story DON'T BE SCARED. Ask for the things you want when you want it, otherwise putting it off may delay your freedom. :(

Still though, I'm almost there....

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Small Triumphs

For the most part I've always had that gap between my canines and molar on the upper right because of my extractions. I've always been able to slip my tongue in the gap and feel the gum there. Today, after one month of power chains I find that I am no longer able to do that!!

My extraction gaps are almost closed!

Monetary Update

Yesterday before I went to class I stopped by my orthodontist's office. I decided to pay the remainder of my bill while I still had some money in my account before something sucked it all away, school, textbooks, whatever. As of now my braces are completely paid off. All $5500!

Just need to save for my retainers now.

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August Adjustment update

It is sooo good to eat again, this last weekend was a bit rough. I had a trip to the Poconos planned with my friends with my adjustment falling the day before. I was only able to to chew solid foods again around this past Monday

Got a brand new (stronger and thicker) arch wire for my upper teeth, and no more elastics or ligatures. Instead we say hello to the POWER CHAIN. Holy shitake mushrooms these things hurt. When my orthodontist attached it to my braces I just thought, "MOTHER DUCK!!" (No, that is not a typo.)

So this is great news. We're trying to have me finished by the end of this year or maybe my birthday and it's looking good so far.

Hollywood smile, here I come!!

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Reviewing the pictures I had taken so far

Holy crap. I always knew my teeth were bad but seeing it in pictures, what I started with to what I have now. Good lord why didn't anyone push me to braces earlier?? The more progress I see the angrier I am that this has gone on for so long. And the more embarrassed I am for past-me. I think I will most definitely be in my orthodontists Before and After album.

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Picture update

July 19, 2013

Two years, four weeks into treatment.

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July adjustment

Just minutes after my most recent adjustment I am thrilled. Apparently it's only the two small extraction gaps in my upper teeth left to close and just a little more in terms of alignment. Other than that I'm just about finished!

I have decided that I'm definitely leaning to having my teeth reshaped. And it is part of my treatment if I want it done so there will be no additional cost for that. And it can be done at any time during m treatment.

On another happy note I only owe them $250 left for my braces! Not counting the retainers of course but those can be paid for in advance if I wanted. They'll be the Hawley's I think. The one with the metal line which is what I preferred anyway. I don't want my retainers to be dos colored because of my fillings and I like the idea that I can tweak my teeth in the future with the Hawley's. So all in all not a bad visit! I'm nearing the end. WOOHOO!!

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June adjustment

Another month has come and gone, another adjustment endured and I have reached my two year mark with my braces this past June 21st. And what a difference two years has made!

There's been some changes from my June adjustment. First of all the very first thing she said to me when she looked at my teeth was how well they were coming along and if I have anything to comment on. I did bring up that my extraction gap on the upper right side is taking what seems like forever to close. So she slapped on a powerchain going from my upper right canine to my upper right molar band. Henceforth I am to be wearing the elastics only on the left side so as not to interfere with the powerchain on the right.

Secondly there was this second premolar on my upper left side that just refused to hold a bracket so for the past few months the orthodontist let it go naked since it wasn't really a problem, but I suppose we are seeing the finish line in the distance (waaaaay in the distance) that she glued on another one to make sure that everything is lining up all right. 

Finally she decided to replace the chipped bracket on my upper left central incisor. Felt a little strange to have a full bracket there again but that's A-OK.

I did bring up the fact that most of my teeth are irregular in both size and shape. My upper front set are a bit larger than say my lower front set with my back teeth being cute in how tiny they are. She did mention that if I wanted she could reshape my teeth but that I need to consider that carefully because once she decreases the size it cannot be undone. Still, strongly considering it...
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