Granola's braces journey-- retainer check 2/13/08

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#151 Post by **rockexrolloh** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:53 pm

What color is your power chain from your post in August? I also have the Inspire ICE brackets and am trying to find a nice color for my power chain next month. And..does the color stain a lot?

#152 Post by **Granola** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:30 pm

Hi KK: Thanks for the good wishes, and for reading, as always!

Hi Rockexrolloh Hi! The powerchain that I get is grey (not metallic). It is a really subtle grey, kind of a translucent grey. It is the one that my orthos offer their adult patients who want a subtle look. I've been really happy with its ability to resist stain, though after about four weeks if you looked really closely, you could see a slightly yellowish tinge to it, very unnoticeable to others which I can tell because I've seen photos of myself. I am really happy with it. I'd love to have a tooth colored powerchain, but I drink coffee and eat tomato sauce so that would never work. I hope your ortho has one that you will be happy with. BTW, I love your haircolor in your avatar.

#153 Post by **tulip** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 8:24 pm

Hey Granola,

Just popped in to say hi, and like the detailed report of your ortho visits. I was interested in your clenching, and your connection to adjustments. I have noticed I've started clenching too since orthodontics began. I wake myself up sometimes from clenching so hard. I wonder what's behind the body's need to clench?

#154 Post by **Granola** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 9:09 pm

Hi tulip: Sorry that you are dealing with the discomfort of clenching, also! Are you wearing elastics by any chance?

In a past post, Linda21 guessed that the clenching could possibly be due to elastics, as she had problems with it, especially at night. Guess what, I think she is right! I have noticed much less daytime clenching since my elastics were discontinued at my recent adjustment. I was in really heavy elastics, and it makes so much sense that the "closing" pressure they constantly exerted on my jaws/teeth had the effect of me biting down even further. I am much, much, much more comfortable now.

Of course, since I expect to be braced for another year or so, I'm guessing more elastics are in my future. For now, I'm just grateful for the break!

Hey Linda21! A post from you is always a welcome sight! So...my gap (the bigger one) is still there--certainly not as wide as it once was, but even with the ongoing powerchains, is taking its sweet time closing, I'm sure because other teeth are preventing faster closure. Yes, the running away from the office before bite turbos could be entertained was a really good suggestion, one I'm glad I took.

We'll see how loose the lowers are in December, but I'm guessing the slight improvement from last time, together with the new reduced amount of clenching, should heal the periodontal ligament inflammation (if that's even what caused the looseness). I hope so, so they can get back to work on my lowers!

I was very happy that the staff person I spoke with passed along my wish to only have certain assistants and that no big deal was made of it. I figured it was better to be positive and say what I do want, rather than to directly complain about the assistant I don't want (and I'm glad I handled it this way because the assistant that I don't want works right there with the rest of them). I try to do that with my son -- ask for what I want (with respect to his behavior) rather than criticize him and be negative -- it's better for everyone when this produces the desired results.

Please forgive any typos above as I'm typing on the run!

#155 Post by **Granola** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:04 pm

I can't believe it, but my left upper gap (in between my canine and lateral) in opening up again. It is so frustrating to feel like I'm going backwards in my treatment. I'm sure in the grand scheme of things, I'll forget that this last few months and the next few seemed to be at a standstill in terms of my treatment progressing, but right now it is very annoying.

#156 Post by **jennielee81** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:07 am

That is frustrating!!!!

#157 Post by **Granola** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:02 am

Thank you for the encouragement jennielee81, bracedagain, KK, and linda21!

It is so surprising to me that the gap could re-open when I have a powerchain on! I guess there are other stronger forces at work for this to have happened, one being that my ortho moved i.e. rebonded a bracket on my left upper cuspid, immediately behind the gap, and the other his decision to have me d/c elastics at this point.

I'm hoping that the break from wearing elastics will allow my lower "social" teeth to finally stabilize enough to allow my orthos to begin treatment of them again.

I didn't ask why the ortho decided to not have me come in for my next adjustment until the 8 week mark, but again, I'm guessing it is to allow the lowers time to stabilize so that my treatment can proceed.

I didn't have any soreness after this last adjustment -- I can't believe that. It is odd to see this gap open, and widen some more, and not have any discomfort. I'll take it!

I do have to admit that I'll be counting down until the next adjustment.

5-1/2 weeks to go!

#158 Post by **Granola** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:47 pm

Checking in with my progress in between adjustments.

I'm cool with the gap in front of my left upper cuspid. Now that a few weeks has passed, the obvious occurred to me, that this gap just means progress ultimately, not relapse. Hand hitting forehead, I'm a slow one.

It has been a while since my bite has changed, but it is happening on the left side, where both bicuspids meet (I only have one of each, top and bottom). Things are moving, and I'm very curious to see where they will go.

I also see that my midline, which was fine, is off now (with the upper shifting to the left). Hmm, very interesting.

I've really been enjoying this break from elastics. I didn't mind them much, but really love not having them. I wonder what they will have in store for me when I go back in three weeks.

#159 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:42 pm

I just read through your entire thread. You've had a very eventful treatment time! I can't see the pics from your pretreatment to very early treatment, but I bet you have made a lot of progress and your teeth are looking pretty darn good now!

Wonder what's up with that midline going a bit off? Maybe the old saying that 'it has to get worse before it gets better' applies in this situation?

Also, Linda21, now that I have braces sometimes when I see certain imperfections in people's teeth I want to start lecturing them about the benefits of braces. Good thing I refrain! But I'm definitely guilty of checking out people's smiles when I wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

#160 Post by **Granola** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:13 am

Hi bracedagain, linda21, and jennandtonic!

Oh bracedagain, I wish what you said were true, that "The end is near!!" I'm guessing I'm probably at the halfway point in my treatment, and with the problems I've had with the lowers not being stable and the lack of active treatment I've been dealing with these past few months, I have no idea how much time I have left. I'm guessing 9-12 months? I will hope that your optimism for me works some magic though!

Please, keep it coming!

linda21: I'm cautiously happy about the change in my bite because 1) it already is feeling more comfortable, and seems pretty transitory and 2) it happened right where my ortho indicated some movement needed to occur, where he moved the bracket, so it didn't seem too worrisome.

My midline prior to braces, and for most of my treatment, has been quite good, but I remember once before during treatment that it shifted, so I am guessing this is temporary. I really noticed it because it was well lined up prior to that last adjustment. It is weird to me that my upper teeth appear to have slightly shifted toward the gap, not away from it. Where all of this space is coming from, I don't know, especially since crowding has been my major issue (even after those extractions in my teens).

I've been thinking that in general, my bite is so much more comfortable now than it was a few months ago. If I had to get my braces off today, at least my bite feels pretty good. I was so nervous about how terrible my bite felt during the first few months of treatment, because I wondered if it would ever get better. It's a good reminder of how our teeth can look and feel worse than they did prior to treatment, before they really begin to get significantly change for the better (like you said, jennandtonic).

jennandtonic: Thank you so much for taking the time to read all the way through! I'm sorry that you couldn't see my earlier photos. When I get near the end point, I will definitely be posting some "before" and "after" photos.

#161 Post by **Granola** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:47 pm

Oh, Linda21, I forgot to answer your question about whether or not I'd ever received my new Waterpik.

It finally just arrived today, so it took a good amount of time from when I contacted the company on 11/3/06. It was under warrantee, and they promised to send me a new one and told me it had shipped. It never arrived, and when I contacted the company again, the same person in customer service told me "oh, sorry, but they are backordered so I don't have one available now." Yes, after telling me weeks earlier that she had checked and one was shipped to me.

We wrote back and forth over the last few weeks, fortunately via e-mail, which gave me a record of everything. I finally got my replacement this morning, after a manager stepped in two days and overnighted one to me (miraculously they found some in the warehouse). I don't fault the manager, who helped me out by making sure I was taken care of, and apologized for the process not being up to their normal standards of customer service (I'm guessing they've had problems with the customer service person I was dealing with). It is charging as I type, so by tomorrow I'll be back in business. It was hard to be without my Waterpik for a month, as nothing quite gets the food out like that little beauty!

#162 Post by **Granola** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 10:09 pm

Hi everyone!

Linda21, you won't believe this! Not only did the backordered portable Waterpik arrive, as I mentioned above, but a second new one arrived that very same evening. I immediately e-mailed the manager to let her know, and to arrange to have it picked up by the shipping carrier, but she told me just to keep it as a backup. You can bet I will remember the company next time I need an electric toothbrush or something similar. They really did take care of things in the end. Can you believe they send me three Waterpiks to replace the one?!

We are definitely like minded.

Things are pretty quiet with my mouth. The slight changes I had felt with my bite have completely settled. I'm in the final countdown to my appointment next week. This has been a long eight weeks!

I'm *really* hopeful that my lowers are stable enough for this gang tie to come off. But I promise to be patient if that is not the case.

I haven't posted any photos in a while.

My lowers as of a few weeks ago:

You can see that my left lower lateral (on your right) and canine still need to rotate, but otherwise things are looking pretty good on the lowers.

Here is a pic of the lower gang tie:

In the photo, you may also notice how my uppers are sitting right on my lower central brackets, which is what happened after the bite turbos came off.

I will update next week (if not sooner)!

Edited to see why my photos are not showing

#163 Post by **Granola** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:08 pm

Hello bracedagain and KK!

Yes, I am very lucky--and the wacky thing is that I actually did end up with three replacements! The first was the non-portable tank type (that they sent me about three days prior to mailing the two portable Waterpiks)!

#164 Post by **Granola** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:01 pm

Hi Linda21: 3 for 1 everywhere, I would love it! Thanks for your compliment about my teeth. I guess for all of the bad teeth genetics I was dealt, something good came through!

If only you could have seen the Chicklets look I had as a kid.

I'll be really curious if you happen to ask about the upper brackets resting on lower front brackets question (I forgot to ask).

7th Adjustment:

Uppers: I now have a new 16-x-22 SS wire!

My upper left gap (between the cuspid and lateral) has not closed at all. The left upper cuspid is still rotated. Next time they may re-bond the bracket in a more mesial fashion, to tip the root in the direction it needs to go. That is the same bracket that has been re-bonded (for better positioning) several times. They will concentrate now on moving my back teeth forward to close the gaps.

As the upper teeth move forward, I will likely see a gap form between my back teeth, and they will bracket the back teeth at that point to close the expected gap. My upper teeth have been moved back as far as they can be (reducing the overjet), so now the back teeth need to move forward to close up the gaps behind my laterals.

The ortho told the assistant to keep the old upper NiTi wire they took out today, as it will be used again later in my treatment. It is interesting that they keep and reuse the old ones rather than just use a new one. I wonder if that is a functional or a cost issue. Hmm-no big deal, just curious.

Lowers: The gang tie is gone! They put the same wire back in. My left lower cuspid and lateral are still rotated. My lower wire looks strange â€“ straight across the front six and than lowers down on both sides. I haven't seen it in a while! It will have that nice curved shape--one of these days! They will work on extruding the back teeth now.

Elastics: My Impalas are back(!) in a 3-4-3 configuration (an upside down triangle from upper cuspid and biscuspid to lower cuspids).

I'm already clenching!

Powerchains: On the uppers, instead of a full powerchain she only put it on across the front six (from cuspid to cuspid). That will allow the back teeth to start moving forward. I got my first powerchain on the lowers! That is very exciting for me, especially after the monthsâ€™ long holding pattern that my lower teeth were in. Thank goodness I have my Waterpik(s) at the ready.

My ortho said that my bite will never be a 10/10 i.e. perfect, but will be very functional and will prevent any further damage to my back teeth, which is what was occurring before I began this second course of treatment. For me, resolving the wear and damage that my bite and crowding issues were causing will be fantastic! The aesthetic results are a huge bonus, of course.

I go back in four weeks for a powerchain change (upper and lower), then back four weeks later for my next adjustment.

Concerns: I think both of my upper laterals appear to â€œlungeâ€

#165 Post by **Granola** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:13 pm

New pics (not the best quality):

Closed smile:

Open smile:

Uppers:

Lowers:

Elastics (view of right side):

Elastics (view of left side):

Powerchains (scary view):