Kim's 'Finally Braced' Story- NEW UPDATE 11/14 W/ PICS

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#121 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:24 am

I made an appt. for Tuesday to have my ortho. check my RPE/molar tipping

Will update then!

#122 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Sat Jan 27, 2007 1:02 pm

Just some new pictures (I'm a bit obsessed with my teeth these days,

)

Thanks to Brandy's comment, I do notice a bit of molar tipping, and have an appointment in a few days to see what my ortho. thinks of that.

My pictures are just awful lately.. the lighting in the new house is not working in my favor, and it's been rainy outside- so that isn't helping either.

*Personally, I'm amazed. Below, you'll see that my upper central incisors looked so BIG, like that's ALL that you could really see. It's all that I ever saw, which is why I was always so embarrassed of my teeth. And now, they all seem to flow together.. they don't look insanely large anymore... they all seem in perfect proportion. I'm just amazed. Completely. I was really worried that it would take a long time to see any progress, but with all of this progress... I am just so glad that I embarked on this very intimidating journey! It was definitely worth it! I could stop now and be so pleased. (I won't, of course, but I could.. ha ha)*

Here's the comparison from before, UPPER brace day, and now.

1.27

1.21:

1.27:

And here are some oldies for reference so that you don't have to look back:

#123 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:22 pm

I went in today to discuss the slight molar tipping with my ortho. This is what came out of the appointment:

*Ortho agrees that they are tipping 'a little bit, but not too much'.

*He wants me to turn four more times and then stop. In his words, 'unfortunately, I don't think your palate has split yet, but who knows, a few more turns might do it'. I'm almost at the end of this expander anyway. Either way, four more turns is definitely 'it'.

*He said that at my next appt. (2 weeks), we will set a date to remove the expander... probably about 3 months from now, and that after, I will probably lose some of the expansion.

*He said that unfortunately, it doesn't look like my crossbite will be corrected (which I knew in the beginning), but that he will 'do the best that he can to make them look their best'. I'm okay with that, I think.

*He said that all kinds of stuff will be coming up.. elastics ('rubberbands'), a thicker wire on top, smoothing out my teeth, etc.

*I gained the impression that I will be done much sooner than expected.. he actually looked at my chart twice to check the dates because he couldn't believe how much my teeth have moved in such a short period of time. He said that if my crossbite can't be fully corrected, then we'll just be working on more leveling and aligning. I really don't think that I will be braces for another 16-20 months if my crossbite can't be corrected, kwim? I guess you never know. I will ask him what he thinks next time.

So overall.. it's a big

... not really sure what to make of it. I am very satisfied with my progress so far.. and although I'd like a bit of a wider smile, surgery is just not for me right now. My teeth not being straight bothered me a lot more than having a narrow upper jaw. Now that they are really straightening out, I am less concerned with my palate. Maybe I shouldn't be, I'm not sure. Of course, having a wide palate, no bite issues, perfectly straight, pearly whites would be wonderful- you have to make the best with what you have, right?

Any way you look at it, there will be a sacrifice.. whether it's losing some expansion, having surgery, not correcting a crossbite, etc. So, my goal is not perfection. I just want to be able to 'live' (laugh, talk, smile) without covering my mouth with my hand in some way or being careful not to open my mouth too wide. I'm a little dissapointed.. but I'll save my final opinion for when I see the finished product.

#124 Post by **shell1426** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:05 pm

Gosh, Kim! I am sorry that you are having issues with the expander now. I struggled with the same issues when I had to decide out of all the options he gave me. I figured...until you try you never know. If you tried and it didn't work then at least you know for sure and there is never a question in your mind. Surgery was definitely not an option for me either. I'm sure he will get that crossbite corrected as much as he can with the braces. Either way you will have a BEAUTIFUL smile since you can't SEE the crossbite when you talk and smile and the crowding is what bothered you more anyway! Good luck and I hope your next appointment goes well. I will talk to you soon!

#125 Post by **Metamorphosis** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:45 am

Hi Kim,

I've been reading your story from the beginning, and you have made AMAZING progress, and I'm sure the "final product" is going to look great!

I'm with your ortho - I cant believe so much has been accomplished in such a short timeframe! lucky you!!

#126 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 11:38 pm

Here are some new pictures (aren't I annoying? lol )

Running my tongue along the back of my teeth and feeling 'smooth' is just SO bizarre!

2.5.07

Notice how that lateral incisor slid in since 1.27? I think my teeth have super powers! If you go back to page 1 and check out my upper 6.. it's just.. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I can not believe that my uppers have changed *so much* in about 1.5 months (RPE went in first almost 2 months ago, then upper wire about 2 weeks later)!

If that can happen.. then what the heck will they be doing for the next almost-2-years? LOL!

I will definitely be asking about a timetable change at my next appt... hehe.

Almost there.. come on, come on...

#127 Post by **shell1426** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:55 am

Absolutely amazing! When is the date to get the RPE taken out!? Then you can get the rest of those tops on and magically move some more teeth

!

He will probably cut your time a little but he will want to do more than just straighten. They see a lot more than we do since they have that trained eye. We see perfection (or close to it) way before they do!

Just wait until he is finished...you're going to say wow this is way better than I thought it'd be!

Congrats on getting such amazing results so quickly...now I'm the jealous one !

Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:35 am

Congratulations, Kim! Your bottom teeth look great.

#129 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:33 pm

I was supposed to have a big appt. this Tuesday, but I am *very* sick, so I had to cancel it. I will probably reschedule for next Tuesday. In the meantime, here are some new pictures:

Left:

Right (remember, I had a tooth pulled from this side that was broken):

Uppers. I am done turning now. This isn't the same angle that I usually take at, so it's a little awkward.. sorry! Brandy/Sam, if you're out there.. does it look like my gum is growing over one of the RPE bands on my right side there?

#130 Post by **Filip** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:23 am

Your teeth have made tremendous progress. I keep wondering about that RPE since I am wearing one myself. I hope that the results stay put and no retraction occurs of the widened arch. I guess that's what retainers are for.

#131 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:01 pm

Had my late appt. today. New bigger wires on top and bottom. Had the tie wire on that front tooth removed (figure 8 configurations again) and I have tie wires on each side of my uppers now.. hard to explain and I can't remember the names of the teeth, so I will take some pictures to add later. RPE will be removed in 3 months, and my next appt. is in 6 weeks.

#132 Post by **emily25** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:59 pm

Hi kim , ive really enjoyed reading your blog and your progress is excellent! keep up the good work

#133 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:24 pm

Okay, here are the photos.

First off, this is the difference between my last wire and this one. Let's just say that I am S-O-R-E. Holy guacamole. Check THAT out. Soft foods for me this week. I can't remember the size, unfortunately.. but I think that my last one was a .16 maybe? This one is just HUGE and square.

Next, here is a frontal view. A few notes here, first. This is kind of 'off'.. I shot it kind of 'down' a little, so it isn't the best for comparing. Those are not gaps on the bottom.. I think it's actually blood from flossing (did I mention that my gums are SORE? lol).. sorry about that!

For whatever it's worth and so that you don't have to go back if you wanted to compare, this was a week ago:

And some others:

Sorry that this one is blurry!

Oh, and just a P.S., if you read this and don't respond, pleaseee do.. lol. I feel kind of like I'm talking to myself sometimes!

#134 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:58 pm

HEy Kim,
Lots of changes happening in your mouth. Your lowers are looking soo good! almost all lined up!

Sorry I haven't posted lately, I found out on Valentines day that I will now be having upper, lower, and genio done instead of just the lower jaw advancement I was originally planning on. So....I have been pretty busy lately trying to get things sorta squared away and wrap my head around this extra surgery stuff that will be happening.

Anyway....I' m hear, just not always posting.

Brandy

#135 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 3:30 pm

Kim, don't worry I usually try to read and respond to what I read

Your wire does have a huge difference and I'm sure soft foods will be your friend all this week

I wounder what my next adjustment will be and what wire I will get and all sorts of things I'm woundering and its only 5 days away!

By the way NICE Pictures! Also your progress is amazing!

SDFD TSchott

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Kim's 'Finally Braced' Story- NEW UPDATE 11/14 W/ PICS

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