Maeby Getting Braces

[maeby]

Hi all! Long time, no see. I wanted to pop in with an update on the bottom arch (the top arch is in standby mode until it's time for exposure surgery). See how the wonky canine on the left is making its way into the arch? Yay! Plus the teeth are really straightening out. Double-yay!




Also, I had my new driver's license photo taken with a smile full of metal. The funny thing is, I've never smiled so big for a DL photo. Here's to pretty smiles (and to the road that takes us there)!

[Ellabelle]

Hi Maeby-
I read your story and thoroughly enjoyed it, I even laughed out loud a few times. You are just adorable, and hilarious. Your progress looks great! I look forward to keeping up with how your teeth are moving. Thanks for your kind words on my post too. It's nice to have some inspiration from someone further along in the journey.

[maeby]

Thanks, Ellabelle! I look forward to keeping up with you guys, too.

I had my nine month appointment today and found out that I'm ready for exposure surgery! My husband was along for the ride for this appointment (well, he was actually along for lunch afterward) and his first question for the orthodontist was "when does she get her bonus teeth?!" (He's almost more excited about them than I am. Almost.) I had to translate "bonus teeth" to "impacted canines" for the ortho, and he chuckled when I asked if that wasn't the formal terminology after all.

After Husband finished (politely) grilling the ortho for details of exposure surgery, I found out that the person (about my age) in the chair next to me had four impacted canines exposed. I wanted to ask her a dozen questions about it, but my mouth was suffering from a case of Walrus Wires, so all I got to do was grunt encouragingly to her. I think she understood.

Anyway! I have a consultation with an oral surgeon on January 22, so I'll have more info then. Naturally, this is all happening during the absolute busiest time at work, but I'm still not complaining.

[Ellabelle]

That's awesome news! I'm so happy you're ready for exposure surgery... Errr, I mean, the revealing of your bonus teeth! Love that term!

[Ellabelle]

Hey Maeby... Is your name by chance an Arrested Development-inspired pseudonym?

[maeby]

You caught me, Ellabelle! Can't wait for season four!

If any of you happen to be curious about impacted cainines, I've been doing some research on timelines and before and afters. I won't overload you with info, but here are a couple of links to helpful information.

1. A 30 second animation on YouTube of how the exposure with chain works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... yZDZKUFKNg

2. This is a page with progress photos and x-rays. (It takes a minute to get used to how the webpage is organized.) The fact that this page provides several pictures at various stages in the process (and for multiple different people) makes it extra helpful, since I haven't found many that do that.
http://drhungvu.com/impacted_canines

[Ellabelle]

OMG is there really going to be a season 4?! I heard rumors about a movie and was over-the-moon excited about that.

[maeby]

You guys, I'm a huge nerd for this, but I got an x-ray of my teeth when I went to visit the oral surgeon today and I am stoked! I thought I'd share it because 1) it's cool and 2) it helps illustrate the goings on with my impacted teeth.

First, though, I have a date set for my "tooth mobilization," which is next Thursday, just over a week away. The surgeon was great about explaining the surgery and answering my questions. He said that the canine on the right of the x-ray looks good, but it will require more space for it to move down fully (I can't imagine the gap possibly needing to be bigger, but here we are).

The canine on the left is just all kinds of wonky. I don't even know what it was thinking when it decided to lay down like that. Super lazy on its part. Anyway, he was less certain about whether that one was going to move, because at my "advanced age" (his words), the ligaments that surround the tooth could have turned to bone. He said that when he creates the "tunnel" (his word) to the tooth, he'll try to wiggle it--and if it wiggles, there's a good chance it will move down. He estimated that it'll take eight months or more for that "bonus tooth" (my words) to come in.

Also, interesting fact, he said that if it doesn't wiggle, he's more likely to continue with the mobilization procedure on a female of my age than a male, because females have softer bones in the jaw and skull than men. Hmm.


Here it is in all its glory:

[smorse]

Wow I love your xray! (Sounds nerdy) but I loved looking at mine too! Good luck with your surgery, I just had mine on January 3rd! I just posted about it on my story! It's not a bad surgery at all, but my tooth was more like yours on the right there than the one on the left!

[smorse]

Wow I love your xray! (Sounds nerdy) but I loved looking at mine too! Good luck with your surgery, I just had mine on January 3rd! I just posted about it on my story! It's not a bad surgery at all, but my tooth was more like yours on the right there than the one on the left!

[maeby]

Thanks, smorse! Your tooth looks awesome already!

Unfortunately, I didn't have my surgery as planned today. The insurance is taking its sweet time evaluating my claim, so I had to push it back to... Valentine's Day. I'm really concerned about the insurance because I would be left to pay over $2,000 for the surgery if they don't cover it. It's not as if I can just not have the surgery, but I really don't know how I'd pay for it. Depressing.

[smorse]

Those surgeries are insanely expensive, it seems as though it's not even that big of a surgery so for it to cost almost $3,000 (for mine) is crazy to me! Hopefully your insurance comes through. Insurance companies take forever, I had a similar delay. Once you have your surgery though it's exciting because it's finally worth all the pain and you can see progress every day! Hang in there!

[maeby]

It's been a little while since a photo update, so here it is! The top hasn't changed too much, as you'll see, since I'm still making some space for the canines. Speaking of which, the insurance came through and I'm on schedule to have those canines exposed in Valentine's Day. (I still had to breathe through a paper bag when I saw what I still owe, but at least it wasn't the full amount!) You guys may think it's romantic to give flowers and chocolates on the 14th, but I know that what my valentine really wants is to wake up early and sit in a waiting room for an hour so they can drive their semi-conscious beloved home to sleep all day.

Anyway! The bottom arch is moving right along, it's rounding out a bit and slowly making room for the wonky canine that has been trying to start a little revolution below the rest of the teeth. It wasn't long ago that I was actually able to feel the back of that tooth with my tongue for the first time! It's the little things, ya know?

The top:


And the bottom (I marked the mid-line as a reference point):

[Ellabelle]

Your progress is looking beautiful!! You're really inspiring to me, especially to see that the bottoms do go on eventually! And congrats on having a surgery appointment set, so exciting! Your mouth is looking fab!

[smorse]

Good luck with your exposure today!