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White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

Lower arch

White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

Sorry, I kept saying "broken canine" in a few previous posts and it's actually a broken incisor. I keep mixing up the names.

I had an anxiety dream before my second adjustment. In this one, three of my top front teeth had been pulled down such that they were extraordinarily long. Like double the length of a normal tooth. I was surprised and horrified -- I didn't know they could be pulled down that far (of course they can't really.) The broken INCISOR hadn't stood up to it, and had crumbled away entirely.

White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

For some reason my broken incisor won't stay where the ortho puts it. At both my adjustments she makes it straight, then a week or so later it decides to head out on its own again. It's a dead tooth. A zombie tooth.

Next adjustment 9/14.

Koof · **Posted:** Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:56 am

Wow, your teeth are really noticeably coming along! Exciting! Is anyone eligible for back-braces? I'm guessing they're a bit more expensive... Would have been nice to have that option. And did you ever find out if that was a power chain you had or not? I'm trying to figure out if I have them too! These little thicker strips of metal on a few parts of the wire.. I don't know if they're power chains or not.

White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

You know, I don't know if everyone can get the linguals or not. I think most people could, but the drawbacks are: It can take longer for your treatment depending on what needs fixing and also, it is a L-O-T more expensive. They have to custom-make the whole thing for your teeth, so that's why. Also it makes it more complicated/pricey to replace a bracket if it comes off and you lose it (haven't done that yet, thankfully.)

My orthodontist didn't bring it up -- I had to ask her about linguals specifically. I saw a brochure in her office about it, and asked. Glad I did.

As for those mystery parts, I still haven't figured out what they are. I *think* power chains are something else. But I still don't know for sure. Maybe I'll find out the hard way...

White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

Hi all. I'm a little behind on the updating. I lost my camera battery charger so I haven't been able to take my daily photos, and those photos were a real incentive to post. Well, I'll try to pick a charger up soon and get back going.

I've had two adjustments in the meantime. The first one was quick and fairly painless. Maybe because I had the flu and was on super cold meds when I went! The most recent one she warned me I would "feel some discomfort" -- well I've cracked your code now lady, you mean p-a-i-n! She replaced my lower archwire with a much thicker one and it was super sore for about a week. Not too bad now, about 3 weeks later. I have had to use a lot of wax on those lower brackets though.

My issue at the moment is to bond or not to bond? I've posted in the Forum about it, but in summary, my ortho wants to do a temporary bonding job on my front top teeth at my next visit, and the idea is so repulsive to me that I don't know if I can do it. I've called it off at the moment, but is that a bad move?

White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

Well, I didn't get the bonding (yet.) I've just come back from the second of two visits since my last post, and I now am sporting two really unattractive rubber bands, one on either side. Feeling really down in the dumps.

jem · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:05 am

WF,

Sorry you are feeling down. From your photos last year you were making great progress so I bet your teeth are looking great now and with the lingual brace you have the advantage that you can already see the results before the brace comes off.

Jem

elseegee64 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:31 pm

Hi White Fang - I just found your story. Glad you're back. Looking forward to sharing our journeys. I'll be going in next week to get my bands put in. Keep your chin up (is that ok to say on these boards, lol).

stevo1985 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:15 pm **Posts:** 29

Great progress!

White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

Thank You, Metal Mouth gang!! It was really nice to get the "chin up" posts when I logged in. I needed it!

Today was my first day with the rubber bands and they are driving me a little bonkers. Since my uppers are lingual and my lowers are regular, that means the bands cross from the inside to the outside of my teeth and I am CHEWING ON RUBBER BANDS ALL DAY. They make this squeaky noise when I bite, which makes me CRAZY. It's like nails on a chalkboard to me! Ugh! The assistant at the ortho did tell me to remove them when eating (the girl in the next chair over wasn't so lucky -- her braces are all on the outside and she was told to keep the bands in when eating, just remove for brushing.) Today I had soup for lunch and dinner, so I actually kept the bands on since I just want this all to be over as soon as possible.

The bands are, however, definitely preferable to headgear. Just keep telling myself that....

I was trying to find online how long I might have to wear these, and came across a couple sites saying if you wear 2 at night (doubling up) then it goes a lot faster. I wonder if this is true? Maybe I will ask.

I have more photos! Will post very soon. I have been getting lots of compliments and comments about how straight my teeth are getting. That part is nice, although it does sometimes feel like I'm gazing at a stranger's mouth in the mirror.

resort454 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:12 pm **Posts:** 12

Wow great story! I bet your teeth are looking super straight. I dont know If I could handle the metal behind my teeth with the rubber bands that would be tough. Your progress Is much easier to notice because you dont have the metal in front and can see more clearly what is going on.

Keep fighting the good fight!

farmboy · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:53 am

White Fang,

I understand your frustrations with elastics. (In fact, I think they're actually more aggravating than headgear, but that's another story).

The best way to get used to them is to wear them as much as possible. As for doubling up, that's probably not something you should do unless you check with your ortho first. I wanted to do the same thing, and my orthodontist told me that doubling up creates so much pressure that the teeth can move in ways they're not supposed to, causing more time in braces in the end.

If found with orthodontics that things are usually the "slow, but steady" route. Good luck!

Farmboy

White Fang · **Joined:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 55

After four months in a row hearing "Only two to three months more!" at each ortho visit, I finally had two braces taken off either side, on the top back today. She had to stop partway through I was shaking so bad! It wasn't that it hurt so much as it just felt so invasive and upsetting.

After, I was not in any mood to make decisions about my future mouth friends the retainers. She is recommending the permanent bonded ones for me, and in truth that little skinny wire looks much more inviting than the Hawleys, or as I like to call them, "Portrait of a Mad Scientist Torturing a Slug." But can I handle having metal in my mouth... for ever? UGH!!

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