Finally a Debanding date but TIGHTEST elastic config ever!

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Gennel
Posts: 643
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 5:19 am

Finally a Debanding date but TIGHTEST elastic config ever!

#1 Post by Gennel »

Well today I went in for what my ortho called an Eval..evaluate if I am done or almost done. He gave me the tightest elastic configuration 3/16"
double wrapped around my top canine and down to my bottom premolar and bottom canine so it looks like a triangle but double wrapped? I dont have pictures since my camera is not here today! :( He said that this will deffinately bring the bite down a tad more and he gave me a Debanding date of October 6th at 9 am! I wonder if I just get my mold impressions done that day and then come back in 2 weeks for the retainers...?
He always leaves the braces on while retainers are mailed to his office.
Soooo unless he's giving me the clear Essix retainers that are done at his office in an hour. I doubt its the essix because he rarely does those for both upper and lower teeth since they tend to open your bite since your teeth dont touch while the retainer is on...

I hope they are off next month for sure! The elastic configuration is soooo tight right now that I feel like it's even pulling my cheeks down ! That's how tight it is! Plus my mouth is like almost completely shut and not able to open my mouth. I went to yell at a dog for biting my pants as I tried to clean their play area and POP! my elastic snapped off and it hurt really bad like a tight stingy snap feeling ouch! lol
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KARESS
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#2 Post by KARESS »

Aww, i go in September 24th & they are supposed to tell me when i get mine off..I hope its in October also.
Last month they said it could be October or November, but my next appointment i'll know for sure. YAY!
Image



Banded: January. 18th, 2007
De-Banding: Nov. 6th, 2008!
& Nov. 13th, 2008 ; pics soon.

Retainers
Lower Bonded Retainer
Olive Green:
Lower Hawley Retainer
Upper Hawley Retainer
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sunflower99
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: San Jose

Re: Finally a Debanding date but TIGHTEST elastic config eve

#3 Post by sunflower99 »

Gennel wrote:He gave me the tightest elastic configuration 3/16"
double wrapped around my top canine and down to my bottom premolar and bottom canine so it looks like a triangle but double wrapped?
Hmmm I'm wondering how this looks like? I have the same configuration but I'm not sure about the double wrapped part. What is this triangular configuration supposed to do anyway?? If you can post pics or even explain what this is supposed to do that'd be great.

I feel sooooo close yet so far :shock:

Anyway, I'm happy for you. You must be so excited!!!! :D
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Gennel
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#4 Post by Gennel »

I will take pictures as soon as I get my camera today .I swear these things are so tight. I talk like I have my mouth wired shut. I just can't open my mouth .

Gennel
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Gennel
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#5 Post by Gennel »

This is me trying to open my mouth.Keep in mind that there is only one 3/16 elastic on each side so its like double wrapped. Just in case...the midline is off permanently due to a bottom incisor that was take out

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Gennel
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Gennel
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#6 Post by Gennel »

yeah I can remove them to eat.Honestly I dont even want to take them out because the throbbing sensation I get the instant they come off.At least I have 4 weeks to adjust and by the end of the 4th week the pain should be gone ...in case they take the braces off I won't have the serious pain!


Gennel
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sunflower99
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Location: San Jose

#7 Post by sunflower99 »

OMG I see what you mean now!!! Wow, that is pretty crazy but you're thinking positively...only 4 more weeks! (so lucky) :D

Thanks for showing us how it looks like. I couldn't imagine what double wrapped would look like.

What does this help anyway? To bring the bite down?
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Gennel
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#8 Post by Gennel »

The front bite is fine but the sides are a little high around the top premolars.I understand that the ortho is thinking of my future dental procedures...I might get 2 bottom molar implants much later on and it would be nice for the top and bottom molars to touch. I say much later on or maybe not at all. I got a rough estimate price for 2 molar implants and that price was $5,000 not including a bone graph if needed.I also looked into mini bridge and the cost was about the same! I just don't have the money and my daughter goes to college next yr. I was lucky enough to get braces at my age! lol I wanted the whole dental cosmetic makeover.
My wish was to :
Braces Cost $5,500 (DONE THAT!)
9 teeth Extracted :about $1,300 (DONE THAT!)
get veneers on 4 bottom teeth to close those ugly triangle gaps that I have,COST about $4,000
get a bone graph on the bottom front later onCOST $400
get 2 molar implants $5,000
get teeth whitening done COST $300

That's over $16,000! =about 1-2 yr college tuition

Soooo needless to say that I am very very happy with the appearance of my teeth now. I keep reminding myself that I NEVER,EVER smiled showing my teeth and now I am in every picture we take with a huge metal smile lol
I always look at this picture to remind me of why I went through this
ImageImage
Image

We still are planning on the teeth whitening for Christmas!

Gennel
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sunflower99
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Location: San Jose

#9 Post by sunflower99 »

Thanks for the explanation Gennel! That totally makes sense. I'm definitely going to try much harder to wear them all the time, but it's sooo hard to wear bands at work!! Especially when they impair your speech and people are staring at your mouth the entire time 8)

Congrats again..you have beautiful teeth! And good luck on your checklist ;) I think everyone who starts this journey has one they'd like to complete :lol:
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Gennel
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#10 Post by Gennel »

Yes it can be extremely difficult to wear elastics in public depending where the configuration is :( the main reason is because the person looking at your mouth appears very distracted as they see the elastics in your mouth lol. I hate that.Most know why you have braces on but few understand what an elastic rubberband is doing in your mouth? I work from home so I dont deal with the public that often and when I do I take my elastic off for 5-15 min only.
I wear my elastic about 22 hrs a day leaving 2 hrs out total for eating and brushing my teeth.I'm going to do my best at keeping them on all the time.I've never felt this amount of pressure so I know this will do it's job much sooner than 4 weeks! I already see a difference in only 24 hrs . So now I know what the ortho meant by 2-4 weeks the bite should be completely closed!

I'm trying to be brave and not use any pain meds but I may need some by tomorrow if the pain continues. I wish it was just the canines and premolars that hurt but it's the entire front arch and lower arch because my teeth are so clamped down tight. I'm going to put one of those calendar tick timers for a countdown! 32 Days to go...

Gennel
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sunflower99
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Location: San Jose

#11 Post by sunflower99 »

Wow 22 hours a day!? That is AMAZING!

I try to wear my elastics at night but I just can't bear it and end up taking them off half way through the night :( They are just soooo painful. And I also wear bands in the molars (upper to lower - straight down) to close the posterior bite I have in the back but this has gone on for months. I guess they are moving incredibly slowly due to years of living in that position.
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Gennel
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#12 Post by Gennel »

Best advice I can give is to please wear them all the time.It could mean the difference between getting them off months earlier than expected or prolonging your treatment because you are not wearing them long enough during the day. I have molar bands on the bottoms because of severely tilted inward molars...the expander was painful for 7 months!
My ortho's brother had braces and refused to wear the elastics and it prolonged his treatment an additional 6-7 months.

My teeth right now are hurting so much ,my sinuses hurt,my cheeks hurt and sleeping with clenched teeth is painful .It just feels like my head is congested and sore:( But I know for a fact that this shall pass and the sooner I deal with it the sooner I get to take these things off! lol

Gennel
"Just be yourself ,because in the end those that matter don't mind and those that mind don't matter"
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Gennel
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#13 Post by Gennel »

Oops! I forgot to mention one very important thing! If you continue to take off the elastics during the night or day You will continue to have that really sore pain on your teeth.This soreness and pain WILL got away if you wear the elastics all the time. I'm only on day 2 so I have about 5 days to go before I start to feel some relief!
My ortho told me once that he can tell who is wearing their elastics and who isn't because often those who don't wear them are still sore until their next appt .Once he starts putting the ligatures on and sees you squirming in your seat ,he asks " Have you been wearing your elastics all the time?" lol
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sunflower99
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Location: San Jose

#14 Post by sunflower99 »

haha great advice!! Thanks so much for your insight Gennel!!
I'm going to try my hardest!
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Kristiana
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#15 Post by Kristiana »

Gennel, your teeth look beautiful, and I like the gold braces! :)
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