I'm going to get braces this year!

[NeilH]

Six weeks goes by pretty fast and that's another appointment out of the way. Just a change of powerchains and modules this time so expecting more of the same for the next six weeks. I was seen by a different therapist so didn't give her free choice of which colours to choose for me and went for black instead for a change. It looks like I'm going to be finished in the summer next year so running about six months behind but as I've said before, this doesn't bother me at all. I'm regaining my smile but it's still a strain to smile on one side and my cheek is still pretty numb so hopefully this will continue to improve over the next few months.

So for an end of year summary, I'm super delighted I started this orthodontic journey and have been so well looked after by the whole team at the practice. I'm still delighted with my choice of metal brackets and don't regret that for a second. I'm enjoying experimenting with different coloured modules and will throw caution to the wind and go for some bright coloured ones before I finish. Wearing class 2 elastics has been easy and no effort at all and the results have been impressive over a short period of time. I have had nothing but positive experiences and have no regrets. If you are still sitting on the fence, just go for it, it's a decision you are unlikely to regret.

Have a lovely Christmas break everyone and best wishes for 2015.

[NeilH]

Soon after leaving my appointment last week, I felt the arch wire poking from behind one of my molars so called the practice to see if they could trim it for me. It wasn't painful but was just annoying at times. I called the surgery and they were able to fit me in today. I was expecting to be in and out in a couple of minutes but my orthodontist noticed the arch wire wasn't perfectly central (off by about a mm to one side) so took off the ligs and elastics and repositioned the wire. We also had a long chat about the use of reverse curve arch wires and what to expect to happen over the next few months so another really great relaxed appointment. I'm certainly really delighted with the great care I'm receiving from the practice and feel very confident that I'm in good hands.

[Heythereimfrank]

I love posters like you who map out every step along the way, it's like I can see what the future holds for me haha

[NeilH]

I'm finally getting round to posting some update photos. These are at 20 months.

[NeilH]

Another appointment this afternoon and I think I can say the end is coming into sight! I still have the powerchains top and bottom but that's me finished with the class 2 elastics as my bite is where it should be. I can honestly say the elastics have been no bother at all and quickly became part of my daily routine. I wore them 24/7 apart from when I was cleaning my teeth and the change they made was really impressive. To help the space closure on the top, I dont have modules (elastics) as these create additional friction so it's just black modules on the bottom this time. There was some talk about wire bending next time and then onto the refinement stage which means a finish time early summer!

[NeilH]

There's a thing going around Facebook at the moment where you list seven things people don't know about you so I posted my list which included a comment that I had almost 15,000 people view my ortho blog. It didn't take long for a few key people to get curious and I have now shared the link to my blog with one of the therapists at my ortho practice along with a friend who is a dental nurse. Having double, triple checked the entire blog for erroneous comment I think I'm fairly safe but there was one post about wanting to get an expander.....

[rhibee83]

Your teeth are looking awesome!!! Yours will be off before you know it i reckon!

[NeilH]

Thank you Rhibee, what a lovely compliment. That means so much.

[NeilH]

It's been a busy week, a visit to a hygienist and and ortho appointment. I had been noticing some staining that I was finding difficult to remove and despite seeing my own dentist every three months to check all is well, decided that I needed to do something about it. Just across from my office is a well respected surgery that is always busy with patients and although not my own dental surgery, offered the services of a dental hygienist. I made an appointment and was seen a few days later. After the usual new patient forms, I was called through and had a nice relaxed appointment that lasted over thirty minutes during which I had all the staining removed and everything given a good clean. They used a 'prophy jet' which is a very strange (and somewhat messy) experience but the results were fantastic.

Earlier today, I had my ortho appointment which turned out to be another really great, relaxed appointment with a super therapist. We chatted for ages about a whole load of topics during which the subject of debanding came up! I still have a few really tiny gaps to close and have some detailing that I would like completed before the braces come off but we are now talking about an end being in sight and maybe just three more appointments to go. I still have the rectangular wires and power chains top and bottom but the plan is for some IPR next time and to start the refinements which include a slight rotation of a pre-molar and a little bit of work on a couple of the lower incisors. I have gone for dark green modules on the bottom (non on the top as they were concerned that the modules were adding additional friction that may be stopping the power chains from closing a few gaps). I could not decide on a colour so the therapist very kindly put a teal module of one of the brackets to see what it looked like, I didn't like it so we decided on green instead as I haven't chosen that colour before. I still plan on letting her decide the colour scheme next time (if I have modules top and bottom) which I know will be an interesting experience!

In so far as debanding, my ortho is happy to continue making refinements until we are both happy with the result and then to fit fixed upper and lower retainers to keep everything in place. I'm delighted that I am at a practice where the views of the patient are really taken into consideration and there seems a genuine effort to accommodate all that I have asked for to achieve a fantastic final result. I couldn't ask for more from all the staff at the practice and look forward to each appointment in the knowledge that I'm being so well looked after.

That's about it for this update, I have six weeks until the next appointment which will fly by. Will post some photos soon.

[Ridingboots]

There's a thing going around Facebook at the moment where you list seven things people don't know about you so I posted my list which included a comment that I had almost 15,000 people view my ortho blog. It didn't take long for a few key people to get curious and I have now shared the link to my blog with one of the therapists at my ortho practice along with a friend who is a dental nurse. Having double, triple checked the entire blog for erroneous comment I think I'm fairly safe but there was one post about wanting to get an expander.....

Hey Neil sounds like you are now on the home run on your braces experience....must be exciting .. Let me tell you don't want an expander most annoying thing I currently have in my mouth. Braces are a breeze compared to the expander and I currently dealing with both.

[NeilH]

There's a thing going around Facebook at the moment where you list seven things people don't know about you so I posted my list which included a comment that I had almost 15,000 people view my ortho blog. It didn't take long for a few key people to get curious and I have now shared the link to my blog with one of the therapists at my ortho practice along with a friend who is a dental nurse. Having double, triple checked the entire blog for erroneous comment I think I'm fairly safe but there was one post about wanting to get an expander.....

Hey Neil sounds like you are now on the home run on your braces experience....must be exciting .. Let me tell you don't want an expander most annoying thing I currently have in my mouth. Braces are a breeze compared to the expander and I currently dealing with both.

You are probably right! I had quite a narrow arch when I started and after a friend had an expander and had a really good result wanted the same (both to get a nice wide smile and a bit out of curiosity) but my ortho said he was confident he could achieve a good result with the archwire. He was right, of course, but that didn't stop me wondering for a moment or two what it would have been like.

[NeilH]

Just a quick photo update. There are a couple of small gaps to close on the top and then we will be onto the refinements stage which means the end is in sight! I have green ligs on the bottom (not 100% convinced I like them) and just the clear powerchains on the top.

[rhibee83]

looking awesome!!!

it would be pretty cool if our braces came off around the same time!

I still have an issue with my bite not being right and is raise on the right hand side. I am in elastics to try and fix this, hopefully i dont have to much longer after that is fixed!

great stuff!

[NeilH]

looking awesome!!!

it would be pretty cool if our braces came off around the same time!

I still have an issue with my bite not being right and is raise on the right hand side. I am in elastics to try and fix this, hopefully i dont have to much longer after that is fixed!

great stuff!

Thank you, and yes it would be good if we both finished around the same time. I'm scheduled for around early / mid summer but that depends on how long the refinements take and whether two annoying little gaps close up anytime soon. It would be two years in May and I would rather take a few extra months to get it exactly right than to finish too soon and regret not staying the course. There are so many colour combinations I want to try too so hopefully will have sufficient appointments and time to explore my creative side. Hopefully your bite will get sorted out quickly and you will be brace free soon!

[rhibee83]

My ortho doesn't offer coloured power chains so i am stuck in boring grey! I can have colour, BUT they break easy, as they arent as strong, i had a pink power chain on the bottom once, and it kept coming undone and i have to pull it to get it to go back on the little nodule of the molar band a few times, that was annoying, so i will stick with grey.

i am not sure where you are, but i am in Australia and our summer is just ending! I am hoping mine are off by the start of June, but i am not sure. it will be two years April 15th, so your right, i am thinking the same, if it is a couple of months more then i will just deal with it cos i dont want them to be off early and then i regret it.

hopefully your gaps close up soon, they are looking great anyway!