Braced at 52 with Innovation for overbite/overjet

[pjade1]

I had another bumper come off 5 days before my appt on Thursday and they put it back on again. I had an appt to get spacers put in my bottom rear molars so they can put the last two molar bands on next Friday and I will also have my first appt to get the archwire changed. I am actually excited about that. That will mean 2 months down.

I can tell that my teeth have moved some already. My bottom crooked tooth is starting to straighten out some and I can floss so much easier. The spacers they put in two days ago went in really easy and the assistant commented on that because she remembers it being really tight. They were not able to get in the molar bands but I really think they could have done it when the spacers went in this time. The good thing is they are not uncomfortable like they were before.

I will take new pictures next week when I get new archwires in.

[pjade1]

I got my first adjustment apppointment done last Friday with both wires changed, the bottom back molars with molar bands installed and they put in two tiny springs around my bottom tooth so it would have more room to straighten out. They are also having me wear elastics already to start correcting my overbite. It is less annoying than I thought it would be. I just take them off to eat and brush my teeth. The wire change did hurt my teeth and by the evening, I had to take ibuprofen for the pain. By the next morning, I was feeling a lot less pain. I still had some while eating harder foods that day but I didn't need any ibuprofen. Today is probably the first day I will be able to eat hard foods again so I would say I got over it in 3 days since I had my wires changed at their first appt in the morning. I will try to get pictures posted later. Also, I only needed one bumper installed this time so my bite is getting a little better. I can tell my bottom tooth is straightening out too.

[newbite]

Sounds like it's going well! I'm surprised you have elastics already, I'm glad they're not bothering you. Are all of your teeth hooked up now?

Now I know how your bumpers came off-- they get all mangled from daily chewing/wear and I guess yours wore all the way through on the bottom. Mine were close to being worn through and the tops were all flat -- I have 3 or 4 of them (can't remember right off). That's nice you only need one now, a real sign of progress!

[pjade1]

Yes, I am all hooked up now and elastics on for more than 20 hrs a day. I think I wear them for between 21-22 hrs a day. My bumpers still come off but I only need one now and it fell off again after a couple of weeks. I am not going back to put it on though. It still touches but not bad and I think I will be OK. I get my first teeth cleaning with braces on next Tuesday. My ortho will remove the wires before my cleaning and then put them back on right after. This will be a different experience for me. Anyhow, I actually think my teeth are a bit whiter than they used to be or it's my imagination. I am not sure which.

[pjade1]

I went in for my first dental cleaning yesterday with braces on. I went to my ortho to have the wires removed first and they said that they were planning to change my wires out a month early when I got back. My dental cleaning went really well. They said that normally they want their ortho patients to get their teeth cleaned every 4 months but since I am doing such a good job that I can do the typical 6 months like I have been. After I got done with the cleaning, my ortho did change the wires to a thicker one and also put in stronger elastics. My overjet has been reduced by 1mm in the last month already. Now, I don't have to go in till December. I am happy that I got my second adjustment done early! This makes me happy.

[newbite]

Wow that is awesome progress! How many more mm do you have to go to fix your bite? I'm feeling skeptical that my 3mm underbite can be fixed with elastics but we'll see...

[pjade1]

Wow that is awesome progress! How many more mm do you have to go to fix your bite? I'm feeling skeptical that my 3mm underbite can be fixed with elastics but we'll see...

I had a 5mm overbite/overjet and my ortho is pretty sure he can fix it with just elastics. I can already tell my bit is getting better with the new thicker elastics too. I can't wait to see how much better it will be at my Dec appt. I have 4mm more to go. I can really tell things are moving in the right direction. I hope would think your underbite can be fixed with the elastics too.

[pjade1]

Your braces look so much like mine! That's so funny they make big deal about different name brands, when they don't seem any different.

How did your bumper come off, did it snap? Mine are a little loose, not sure if it's because my teeth moved a bit or because the bumpers stretch with age. I'm glad they didn't charge you for that, that would be really nickel and dimeing you if they did.

I've almost had my braces one month (!) and you're a few weeks ahead of me. I don't really see any difference in my teeth, not for sure, do you in yours? Maybe the next wire will make more obvious progress .

I hope you're doing well and that your dry mouth is better. Mine comes and goes, annoying that it's so persistent.

Those bumpers kept coming off because they squish down and then no longer stay in. They don't tend to be much good for me a week later. I stopped having them replaced but now I no longer need them. They never charged me though. I also had a top bracket come off and it was one of the ceramic ones. They said they rarely see a ceramic bracket come off. It was on one of my composite fillings too so that is probably why. I noticed it when I was looking in the mirror and it was off to the side and not centered on the tooth. They didn't charge me to have that put back on either. The ortho decided to reposition it while he was at it so my next wire change was pushed to Dec 22 now. I can really tell my bite is changing though. I am finally able to touch down on my back teeth and chew more normally. I no longer bite into my upper gums anymore either. They used a different adhesive this time for the bracket so hopefully, it will not come off again. I don't even know when it came off either.

This is a love/hate relationship with my braces. I am glad it's fixing my bite but I hate all the stuck food in them. It really bothers me and I am constantly brushing my teeth or water flossing them. At my first dental cleaning with my braces, I was told I was doing a great job brushing my teeth. This makes me feel better.

[pjade1]

It's been a while since I updated and I am due to go in for another wire change on March 13th. I will try to remember to take pictures then. I am still wearing elastics in the same configuration and I can tell it is improving my overbite/overjet. I can also feel my cross bite on my right side more too. That is also getting much better. It's funny how I never felt the cross bite or even know I had one until I was evaluated for braces. The ortho said it wasn't that bad and it never felt bad until I got braces.

One thing I learned is to never go with clear powerchains again. I went with the silver ones this time and they actually appear white by how they reflect. I am much happier this time. I am not happy about the veggies getting all stuck in them when I eat salads. It seems worse with the powerchains.

At my last appointment, my ortho said I was progressing nicely and on time. I am hoping as I get closer to that 2 year mark that I will get them off sooner. He gave me a sentence of 30 months and I am still hoping for 24 months. I can't believe over 7 months have passed already. I am glad I got them but I will be happier when they come off. I don't like talking with a lisp. I have to concentrate not to talk like that.

[pjade1]

It's been forever since I updated. I have been in these braces for almost 23 months now and I am so ready for them to come off but I was told 30 months when I got them on so Jan 2017. That still seems like forever to me. My overbite/overjet situation seems to be corrected and my teeth really look straight but appearances can be deceiving. I still have a couple of teeth on my right side that cause me pain. When I get the orthodontist to adjust the wire for the tooth that is hurting, it helps that tooth but then another tooth will hurt. It is the pressure from my upper teeth touching my lower teeth that make it hurt. I am tired of having one or two teeth hurt all the time. I just wish the hurting would stop. It would be a breeze to make it till next year if I didn't have pain from the teeth pressure. The good thing is I no longer have to wear elastics. Those were a pain too.

[LisainTX]

Hi Pjade!
I jus got around to looking at my original post and seeing some of the later replies. Your journey sounds a lot like mine. Same issues. I am wondering today how you are doing.
Seems like I always have some sensitive teeth -some one week and the next week it'll be different ones. My front teeth have been sensitive ever since I got braces and I have never been able to bite into anything that isn't soft. I hope that gets better.
Curious - have you stuck with the silver color bumpers? My first round I went with a nice mint green (my favorite color) and I am now sporting a nice turquoise blue that I don't like too much. I am thinking I may try the silver next except that since holidays and football season are coming I have considered "themes"....because I am just a little bit crazy like that! LOL
I have an over jet too. I believe mine was 8mm and my teeth were a bit crooked. I had 4 teeth pulled then had brackets/wires put on. I noticed movement the first week and I am surprised at the difference now. People are commenting. Funny thing though is that everything lined up nice but now the teeth are being pulled back so I am starting to have spaces between them. I hope I don't look like a picket fence soon.
So far, I only have brackets, wires and power chains on top and bottom/each side. I keep wondering about these "elastics" I hear of. Does everyone get those? Do they come later?
I go back on Sept 7 and from what I understand it is going to be more than an adjustment. They're adding more fun. Oh, the anticipation!
Perhaps I will call and see what they have planned so I can mentally be ready.
Thankfully the tech that works on me is a riot and we generally try to drive each other crazy while I am there. It makes it a lot more fun.
I will make an attempt to post pics later.

[Beckett]

Color themes are fun! This past adjustment my kid and I went for different Hogwarts houses, he's got Gryffindor and I went with Ravenclaw. I have power chain top and bottom so it's just one row of silver and one of blue, but it looks cool. I think they should organize and offer fandome color packages. Hogwarts houses, Dr. Who, Star Wars, THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT TO ADMINISTRATOR, Lord of the Rings, Marvel/Dc, the possibilities are endless.

I still can't bite into anything with my front teeth. Everything still has to be cut up like I'm 2. They're just too sensitive with pressure. Not everyone gets elastics, but I think they are pretty common. Some people just get them earlier in their treatment than others. I used to think they were only for the last few months, so imagine my surprise when I got them at my first adjustment.

[pjade1]

I am still dealing with the same teeth hurting. When they fix one from hurting another one or two will hurt. They like where my teeth are at and are trying to get me comfortable with my bite They look correct but don't feel correct. I know as soon as I say that they are not hurting, they will schedule me to get them off. My original de-brace date is for January 2017 but now I am wondering if it will take longer. They are having me come in every 4 weeks now. My next apt is Dec 5th and I still have two teeth that hurt from pressure. They fixed the one that was hurting last month and now two more hurt. Will this every end? I have been dealing with these same 3 teeth hurting for over a year now. I do see a new orthodontist that they hired there now and she seems to be doing a better job than the original one I saw. He is still there and he did a good job but it seems that these teeth are hard for both of them to get right. They say it might be from the wear on that side. I think they should just grind on the teeth that are hitting each other. I am so darn close! I will update more after my next appt. I just want this to be done with.

[pjade1]

I had an appointment yesterday and told my orthodontist that two of my teeth still hurt from pressure. He made an adjustment and said they should move really fast because they are loose. He is so confident that I am at the end and scheduled for the next appt to have a post consultation. I think he expects they will be able to give me a debracing date at that time. I was originally supposed to get them off in Jan 2017 but I am thinking it will be more like Feb or Mar. I can tell those teeth have moved already but they still hurt a bit. It could be from moving so I have been taking ibuprofen today. I am hoping he is right and I won't have any discomfort during my next appointment. This has been going on for the last 1-1/2 yrs. I know they want me done since I paid them off in October. I am ready too!

[Ramm87]

No pain no gain . Happy to see that there is a big progress.