opera^gal's story

opera^gal · **Posted:** Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:43 pm

Summary of today: Grrr! :-=

, with a dash of

So, to begin, the dentist was running over 30mins behind, which was going to put me late to the ortho..I called ahead to explain, they were very good about it. Once in the chair, the little healing screw was removed from the implant and a scaffolding bit of plastic was RAMMED into the gum around the implant area...so not nice! That was done repeatedly throughout the appt, as if it didn't sit right, the crown wouldn't either. Test the crown..right colour <hallelujah!> but a bit too wide/tall/etc. Dentist wasn't happy, considered sending it back, but ground it down in a few spots, and was then pleased. She then set to work redoing the backs of the adjacent teeth, that the old Dr. SunFlare had royally messed up. Grind grind grind..oh sensitive..tiny injection...grind grind grind...and grind grind grind..more on/off/on/off/on/off of the crown...and then the re-bonding/shaping of those teeth were completed. Needless to say, time had escaped quickly, so there was no finishing the top bonding as planned :yuck:

. Now a bit of cement on the crown, more shoving, more grinding here and there to make it perfect and I was done and running out the door, with an appt for next Friday to complete the tops.

At the ortho, I was actually on time, but there was an office full of whiney children with grumpy parents, so I told the ladies up front I'd be happy to wait a bit if need be. They were grateful, so I waited. Once in the chair, some new tech I've never met before came in, totally unfamiliar with the case, so I asked if my fav tech was around <I'd seen her already in the next room>, so she came over and explained what needed to be done. New tech left to get the impression goo, and the ortho popped in to see the lowers, all complete. She was very pleased and understood it took such a long time, as the dentist <her recommendation> is a perfectionist. New tech came in, finished the impression and started to leave. I had to 'ask' for a temp retainer to take home, to choose a retainer colour <tropical translucent purple>, and remind her that the hawley wire had to be a 'plastic coated' one, since the crown was now in place. She looked flumoxed, so the ortho stepped back in, and spelled it out. Guess it was new tech's first day or something. I waited a bit out with the hoard of kiddies and was called back for the temp retainer fitting. Saw the ortho briefly again, to verify everything one more time, asked if there was a charge for the temp..there was not <score!> and was on my way.

With fingers crossed, I should have the finished bonding on top next Friday, the last retainer impression shortly after, and in a couple weeks, both new retainers for the long haul into the sunset. :jump:

opera^gal · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:36 pm

Pouring drenching rain as I went to the dentist today. Didn't dampen my mood though, as I knew I'd have an excellent result...and wowee kazowee did I ever!! :jump:

. Each bit of bonding required grinding, etching, sculpting, grinding, polishing, checking the bite, grinding, etc. But my favourite treat from a fresh hell dimension, was the flexible sanding 'floss' for lack of a better term :huh:

...oh I knew it was coming from last time, but today I had flashes of big lumberjacks and a two handed saw, working back and forth, around each tooth, and waaaaaaaaay up into the gum line :yikes:

, to make sure I could floss easily. A few go arounds with that, and I was pressed back deep into the exam chair, as the nice dentist reassured me, she HAD to get up there, so sorry so sorry :yuck:

. But that is all the kvetching I'll do, because the result was fantastic...I mean...hollywood smile fantastic

. I was shocked, surprised, pleased as punch, and any other euphamism you can think of, with the result. Folks, you really want a perfectionist behind the drill and tool kit jammed into your mouth..trust me! I left there with a goody bag filled with new floss, and headed to the ortho for a top impression for a new retainer.
I walked into the ortho office and my ortho was at the front desk with all the ladies, and called out 'let's see that smile'..which I flashed excitedly. Standing ovation and a joking request for me to hold their business card under my chin for a picture :-*

. Impression was done quickly, ortho stopped in to look at my old retainer and opted for a clear one for now, so the old hawley wire wouldn't scratch the new work. I waited a few minutes, was fitted, and left with a tentative appt for the new retainers in 3 wks. If they come in sooner, they will call and fit me in.
If anyone who is reading this is hesitating in ANY way to have orthodontic treatment, implants, or bonding..let me assure you, it will be the BEST money you've ever spent!!!

opera^gal · **Posted:** Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:17 pm

Finally, some pictures:

braces and rubber bands, about mid-way through treatment

braces removed and placed onto some chattering teeth

gap left from upper arch advancement

bonding to remove gap

gap left from upper arch advancement

bonding to remove gap

implant healing cap and upper incisors pre-bonding

My 'hollywood' smile at the end

iBorg · **Posted:** Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:57 pm

I'm glad you got the result you desired. You've got a smile and you've made me laugh along the way.

Congrats!

and

Thanks.....

Mike

opera^gal · **Posted:** Sat Sep 24, 2011 9:01 pm

Most welcome Mike :wink:

General P.S.: when I posted the pics originally, they did appear upright..not sure what happened..sorry for any turned heads...well...wait a sec..a nice smile "should" turn a few heads :thumbsup:

!!!

anxiousgirl · **Joined:** Tue Feb 22, 2011 5:09 pm **Posts:** 129

your smile is amazing!!!
once my teeth are as amazing as that, ill be showing my smile off to everyone!

opera^gal · **Posted:** Tue Sep 27, 2011 10:14 am

Thanks anxiousgirl! I'm really pleased with the outcome of all the time and discomfort put into this dental journey.

Looking forward to brand new retainers, that will be for night ONLY..wow, what a concept! With the spring retainer, it was holding that forward advancement on my upper arch, so I was wearing it nearly all the time. When I did remove it for a few hours, it amazed me how quickly those stubborn teeth wanted to shift. Well, muahahahah..their evil plan has been thwarted once and for all...so there!!!

opera^gal · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:53 am

My fella had a dentist appt this morning, so I tagged along to see if I could have the tiniest smidgen of grinding done on my crown and bonding...she was happy to oblige, as well as buff out a bit of roughness on the back of one lower incisor. Sadly, the curse of the previous dentist has struck my fella, as he will need a crown replaced due to shoddy placement by capt. Sunflare manhands :-=

. We are both in good, gentle hands now :-**

!!!

BracedSurgeryStudent · **Joined:** Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:02 pm **Posts:** 1044

I took voice lessons , opera actually for a very long time and I had a teacher who was a professional opera singer up in Boston and it was her suggestion partly that I got braces. I'm not sure why but she said I had an overbite. At the time I could not afford it

and she kept telling me I needed them but she was mean to me anyways now its 3 years later and I did end up getting braces but rather for myself. and Glad I did. I'm not going to be an opera singer anymore, I'm studying to be a Surgeon, but I think your teeth look awesome.

opera^gal · **Posted:** Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:51 pm

Thanks for the compliment BSStudent. I'm getting used to my new smile a little more each day, and not looking so surprised when I see myself in the mirror. Waiting for the call from the ortho to say my new retainers are in $+\+$ .

BracedSurgeryStudent · **Joined:** Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:02 pm **Posts:** 1044

opera^gal wrote:

Thanks for the compliment BSStudent. I'm getting used to my new smile a little more each day, and not looking so surprised when I see myself in the mirror. Waiting for the call from the ortho to say my new retainers are in $+\+$ .

You are very welcome. and awh I bet you are very happy. Are you having the Hawley(Metal) or Essex (Clear) Retainers?

iBorg · **Posted:** Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:26 pm

Isn't it nice to catch yourself staring at your smile in the mirror than searching for bits of your last meal?

Mike

opera^gal · **Posted:** Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:12 am

So true, mike...so true!

opera^gal · **Posted:** Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:25 am

Off to the ortho I went this morning to pick up my new hawley retainers for top and bottom. Was a quick appt to test fit them, tweek a wire here and there and off I went. These have plastic tubing over the 'social six' portion of both wires, so to stop any scratching of the new bonding and implant crown. Feels strange but oh well. ONLY problem, was that the newbie tech who took down the info for the upper, got the color wrong...the lower is the translucent purple I asked for, the upper is a non-transparent purple that doesn't match. Ortho commented on it, I explained that I asked specifically for both to be the same, even down to the actual name of the color selection. IF I have to pay outright for them <instead of insurance>, they will take off $100, for the mistake. Hopefully, insurance will cover them completely, as described when I asked a few months ago. I go back in two months for another retainer check..no telling when I will actually 'graduate' from the practice, but I do appreciate them keeping eyes on things. Oh, and I'm only in the retainers at night now..so that IS progress! Yay for me :jump:

!

BracedSurgeryStudent · **Joined:** Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:02 pm **Posts:** 1044

That is awesome Opera^gal. I sing opera too by the way, I've sang for 5 years already, not professionally as i'm focusing on school right now. How was singing when you had your braces? I try singing and it feels really awkward nad I keep drooling and having a hard time singing, is that normal with braces?

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