Underbite & crossbite correct w/Damon, IPR, Acceledent etc

[metalliKa]

What a relief, newbite! I'm glad the graft went well for you! I keep fearing that all my teeth will fall off because they are so loose with the braces. LOL

[newbite]

Thanks Metallika! I hear ya, I've never been so concerned about the health of my teeth in my life. I scrutinize every tiny little sensation or change. But, hey, once our braces are off we can go back to being at least somewhat normal! haha

[newbite]

Aww I missed my one year bracesversay (was the 14th)! Can you tell I'm ready to have them off?? I'm so done. my next ortho appt isn't until next week. Feels like it's been forever. No idea what they'll say about what's left to do.

At some point I'll post gum graft pictures!

[TheProfessor]

Happy belated Braceversary, newbite! Congratulations on making it through a whole year!!! You'll be done before you know it!

[Uptown Girl]

My congratulations to you, Newbite, on achieving a year of braces. I am sure you can have a small post celebration! I'm looking forward to doing the same in less than two months. I'm sure we are all wondering what lies ahead and whether there are any new surprises around the corner. Will life ever be normal again or will we be continually checking our teeth for small changes for the rest of our lives?

[newbite]

Thanks everyone! I have crazy news-- I will be getting my braces off the end of October or in November at the latest! Thank god!!! I'm so worried about losing more bone or gum height that I just want these frikkin things off at this point. My teeth are amazingly well aligned after only a year and I still have a slight overjet even without wearing elastics for the last two months. I started with severe crowding and 3mm underbite, so it's been a huge improvement!

Today they ipr'd between my four front teeth and are pulling them back to try to reduce the overjet a bit and try to close up the gigantic embrasures I have on both sides of my front teeth. They can't fix them completely because of my gum shape, but anything will be an improvement, on the left side especially.

Next week I see the periodontist for my 6 week post surgery checkup and I'm going to ask if another surgery would cover my roots.

I'm waiting for the pain from the adjustment to begin and will start using Acceledent again (I haven't the past two months because of the surgery).

I can see the finish line and am ready to be done with this and on to retention!

[Uptown Girl]

How exciting to see the end in sight. I look forward to hearing further updates.

[TheProfessor]

Awesome news!!! The next 2-3 months will go by so fast and then we can all see your new smile!!!

[newbite]

Pictures! I'll start with tooth pictures and then show gum graft pictures. Apologies for my teeth-- now that I have the go ahead from the perio I can get another cleaning. I just had a cleaning in July but since I couldn't brush or floss my bottom teeth for over a month I already need a cleaning!

The first picture is my bite with my teeth completely closed. I have good contact towards the canines and fair contact with the molars.

The second picture shows my overjet. Yes, I have an overjet! It's already closed a bit, though, since I took this photo. I don't want it to close too much, though, in case I have relapse during retention.

The third picture is my "normal" smile. Well, as normal as I can make it while posing. I hate smiling for the camera. As you can see I still have a small mouth and a small smile (there's only so much braces can do) but it is SO much better than before braces.

I really look forward to getting my front teeth bonded. That's going to be really weird because I've never had normal front teeth.

[newbite]

Gum graft! This may be TMI, if so I apologize but I'm posting this for everyone who is like me and obsessively researching.

This was a free gingival graft using my palate tissue. I had a mucogingival defect-- ie, gum tissue too thin-- and they corrected this with the graft. They did 8 teeth at once and I had a stent made for my palate (100% necessary!!--- to work around the braces my ortho made it so that it only went up to the bottom edge of my braces-- it stayed on perfectly fine).

At my 6 week follow up I asked about covering my roots with another surgery and he said it wasn't possible because my bone level is actually below my lowest gum level (!!). That was upsetting to hear, since I didn't realize it was that low, but it was a relief in a way since that means I've done everything I can to protect my teeth. All I can do now is just keep them healthy. Heaven forbid I ever get periodontal disease! (Note: The bone loss is from my maloclussion and bruxism-- and likely genetics--- NOT from braces!)

The first picture is pre-gum graft, from sometime this winter/spring. You can clearly see my roots pushing against the paper thin tissue (I'm not talking about the recession, which sucks but isn't as dangerous as the roots being so thinly covered inside the gums).

The second picture is soon after the gum graft, showing the surgical mesh and stitches.

The third picture I took a few days ago showing the completely healed, thick graft, which is really well attached and doing what it's supposed to be doing. Look at that bulge! That's a nearly $4000 piece of skin there, haha oh god that's really scary to think about... Although insurance did unexpectedly reimburse me almost $1400, so that's something!

The inside of my lip no longer irritates my bottom front gums (that was a weird and bad feeling) and I can no longer see my roots through my gums. Yay!

If you need a gum graft, do not hesitate, just do it! Get whatever drugs and palate stent, etc. you need. Take enough time off work so you don't have to talk right away (at least 3 or 4 days I would say, if you have a lot of teeth done). The less you move your mouth the more quickly and easily you heal--> movement = pain and irritation. And I am a HUGE advocate for using your own tissue. The pain (what little of it there was in my palate) is nothing compared to the peace of mind knowing that it would almost 100% certainly heal quickly and well, compared to the uncertainty of cadaver tissue. Also, I've read that cadaver tissue loses thickness over time which makes it extremely pointless for people like me who have to do this because of thin gums.

There's my pro-graft spiel, hope it helps.

[TheProfessor]

Your teeth and gums look really great! I'm glad the annoyance and expense were worth it for you!

Do you know what kind of retainers you will get when you are done? I wonder if essix retainers might be harder on your gums than Hawleys since they would extend down to the bottoms of your teeth.

[newbite]

They want to give me Essix upper and lower as well as a permanent retainer on bottom (possibly one on top, too, depending on where my teeth end up). That was before the gum graft, though. I think they can cut it so it doesn't touch my gums (at least I hope so!!!). I hadn't thought of that. I know Invisalign can irritate people's gums but I thought with a permanent mouth piece they would be more careful about that. I had a night guard from the dentist for six months before I got braces and that didn't hurt my gums at all.

I'm worried about the Essix from the perspective of my bite-- that tiny bit of thickness can really mess it up. Wearing it on top and bottom at the same time seems like too much. Just from wearing the stent (basically an Essix) for that week I noticed my jaw hurting in the morning from my teeth hitting together weird and my jaw hasn't hurt at all from that in many months. I don't think I grind much anymore at night but I definitely clench!

I think I'm going to request a Hawley in addition to the Essix. So then I can wear the Hawley at night (and clench away) and wear the nice clear Essix during the day. I have read some questioning as to whether the Hawley retains as well as the Essix, so that's something I have to think about.

I'll ask at my next appointment. I trust their judgement and hopefully they tell me what I want to hear

[NeilH]

That's an interesting dilemma. I'm sure your ortho will be able to advise you on the best combination of retainers for your situation and it sounds like you have thought through the options. I was having similar thoughts about retainers too. I'm getting fixed retainers top and bottom (space allowing) but as these only secure the front teeth, would likely get Essix retainers too. I'm quite keen to also get Hawley's as I think these would not only better suit my travelling but also not keep the bite open due to the thickness of the Essix material. I'm pretty certain the Essix retainers can be trimmed to avoid touching your gum line so maybe a combination of the three will be ideal.

[metalliKa]

That is awesome! Your gum looks so healthy now! I'm glad the surgery went well for you!

I'm looking into bonding my two upper centrals too as at the mid line, they have worn off some bit. If my ortho can't even them out with contouring then definitely bonding is the option to go. I am also will be asking that he shaves down my upper canines, especially on the left.

[Liblib2]

After how many post you are able to see the pics? And are there other requirements?