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

Message

#151 Post by **Metamorphosis** » Mon May 07, 2007 3:08 pm

wow Kim, you must LOVE having it out! My ortho has removed my TPA during appointments a few times, and the 30 seconds of freedom was so nice!

Congrats on your amazing progress!!

#152 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:41 pm

Well, here are this month's progress pictures. I don't think much looks different, except my molars are straightening out now that they have brackets. Otherwise, nothing seems to have happened in the past 6 weeks. My adjustment was supposed to be this coming Tuesday, but I had to re-schedule it for the Tuesday after.

I'm kind of over this whole braces thing

I plan to ask when he thinks I will be 'done', but I am a little afraid of that answer! I am hoping that elastics are coming, because I want to get this show on the road! I know that I will be having an implant put in on the right upper side (hence the space), so I'd like to get that started as soon as possible also (totally not looking forward to having a fake tooth drilled into my head!).

#153 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:45 am

Your teeth look awesome!!!!!!! Wowzers! The beginning of your ride seemed all bumpy and now look! I can't believe how fast your teeth moved.

#154 Post by **Laurie** » Tue May 29, 2007 7:41 am

What beautiful arches you have!

#155 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:11 pm

I went in today for my late appointment. ELASTICS were calling my name. Ack, I can barely open my mouth at all... it sucks. My ortho. is amazed at my teeth.. he kept saying 'wow'... but he wouldn't really answer me when I asked him if he could give me an idea of when I might be finished. I just wanted a rough estimate, but he wouldn't give in.. he just kept saying that he might be able to get them perfect which he didn't think before and blah blah 'in for the long haul'.. not exactly what I wanted to hear. I also have new wires.. I can't decide which pain is worse, the elastics or wires.. but the elastics are pretty bad. I can only open my mouth about 1/2 an inch... and I have to wear them 24 hours a day except for eating/brushing. Ack.

#156 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:04 am

Wow. I am in absolutely the worst pain ever. This is awful.

#157 Post by **Laurie** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:23 am

KJNELLAMORE

That sounds quite painful.

#158 Post by **SimInsomniac** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:32 am

Sorry to hear you're in bad pain from the adjustment, Kim.
Just remember like any other wire change or similar adjustments, the discomfort goes eventually, and the quicker you can train your mouth to act as normal as possible, the better. Hopefully, like me, you'll find wearing the elastics as told will bring you vast bite improvements quickly.
Your teeth and arches look great, by the way! Hope all goes well.

Sim

#159 Post by **mindykatz** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:37 am

Ouch! I've heard bad things about elastics as well but I've also heard that the pain subsides eventually - I hope yours goes away very quickly! Good lcuk - think good thoughts!

#160 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:43 am

Do most start out with smaller elastics? These are heavy duty, in a purple bag. I can't even begin to describe it.. it's terrible.

#161 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:34 am

I had an adjustment yesterday. New wires top/bottom, kept with figure 8 ligs.. still in the same elastic configuration.. and now I have a spring on the upper right to open up more space where I am missing a tooth (for an implant). Next appt. is in 7 weeks.. I guess they're trying to make more room in their schedule or something and now adjustments are 7 weeks apart. Blech, that adds a ton of time on to your treatment plan. I'll try to post some pictures soon.

#162 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:27 pm

Okay, here are my late pictures. I don't know, I feel like my teeth look worse, but I am sure that's in my mind. I am really over the whole thing, even though I know how far I've come (and blah blah).. I kind of want my mouth back

.. for some reason I am more self-conscious now then I was before. I guess it's because my teeth are straight now and it's just my bite he's working on, so I am sort of spoiled and just want to have a straight smile without braces. I haven't been wearing my elastics faithfully 24 hrs a day.. I don't have a very good reason, just that it's a hassle because it's hard to talk to people when I can barely open my mouth and it makes my life more difficult. I know that's only hurting me, so I am trying to wear them at least half the day (I do wear them for 9-10 hours at night) and maybe I'll work up to all day again eventually. No elastics shown here, but it's the same triangle configuration. I have a spring on the right side to open up more room where I am missing a molar for an eventual bridge or implant. I am hoping he brings that up at my next appointment. But yeah, time has flown by, but I want out!

#163 Post by **mrsphase74** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 2:47 pm

Hi Kim,

I just read over the last 13 pages of your story. Sorry to hear about some of the mishaps with the assistant you have dealth with

. Your archs and teeth look amazing and they have moved so much in such a short time. I don't have full braces, just uppers with a Nance appliance (have not felt the roof of my mouth in 14 months!!!), my daughter have uppers and lowers. I was supposed to be in braces for 6 months....well I still have them.

There was trial and error when closing my gap between my incisors. My gap was opened again and closed about 8 times because my teeth were tipping! I am ready for mine to come off too, but I also want to get my money's worth. I know that you are over the whole thing, but hold on a little bit longer. The time, pain, discomfort and money is worth it. Do not get discouraged, in the end you will be very happy with your results.....a beautiful straight smile

#164 Post by **Milk n Cereal** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:21 pm

You're nearing the end, Kim! Your arches look absolutely amazing. Holding on a bit longer for your bite to be perfect will be worth it, no doubt.

#165 Post by **KJNELLAMORE** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:24 pm

I had an adjustment today... wires are the same... he opened up my spring a little more.. and added another triangle configuration.. upside-down this time. Oh boy, was I excited.

At least the double ones are only on the left. Still one on the right.

Sooo... that's about it. Next appointment is in 7 weeks. Have I mentioned recently that I want to be D-O-N-E? I know, good things take time, look how far I've come, blah blah... none of that helps though. I want my mouth back! On top of it all, I think that my teeth look *worse* then they did a few months back even. My two lateral incisors *look like* they've shifted back a bit (to me.. maybe I am seeing things) and my mouth just "feels" smaller, like maybe the work the palate expander did is reversing itself. I don't know. My ortho didn't say anything, so maybe I really am imagining things. I've had a lot of random gaps lately, which I hate.. right now there's one right in the middle. Blah.

All I know is that I am not loving my smile lately.

Oh, and the assistant didn't do figure 8's today. Not sure why. He didn't tell her not to... I didn't realize until I had already left. I feel like the ligs like this make my braces seem so much *bigger*... does anyone else feel that way? I hate it! I also *swear* that these are NOT smoke. She swore they were, but I swear that they're silver.

Still no idea how much longer I'll be braced... any veterans want to take a *guess*?

This was 7 weeks ago...