Loop's Story (with photos)

Message

#16 Post by **kelly12300** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:10 am

I'd just like to say good luck with the rest of your treatment Loop and Joplin! Loop, I'm glad everything is going OK and it's all feeling better.
Just a question that you don't have to answer if you don't want but did you have your surgery at the Heath in Cardiff? Again, don't answer if you don't want! I was just wondering.

#17 Post by **jennielee81** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:14 am

Joplin and Loop,

You have kept me rivited with your stories!

My plan is so boring and simple in comparison...braces for 18 months, retainer for ever.

You two are so brave!

I would have run the other way had I been presented with your treatment plans. I can certainly say that you've been an inspiration to me and I'm sure MANY others who lurk here.

You are ARCHWIRED celebrities.

Loop, my brother had your teeth exactly with the exception that his canines were not impacted but rather they erupted WAY up high. Far above his teeth; probably where yours sat impacted.

Those were pulled and he was braced for 3 years. His teeth turned out beautiful and have stayed stable for 35 years.

Best wishes to both of you and I will continue to follow your stories and be your silent cheerleader!

#18 Post by **Loop** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 1:10 pm

Haha, thanks so much that's really sweet! I thought only Joplin was following any of this!

I know when I knew I was going to have the surgery, the first thing I did was search the web for more info and Arch Wired & Joplin's thread was almost the first thing I found. It was good to find not only this site bursting with oodles of information, but also someone else who had the same problem as me. This board's great though because there's so many people undergoing such varied treatments - so much to read and learn!

Good Luck with your treatment JennieLee, I've been following your story aswell!

Hi Kelly - Yes, I had my surgery at the Heath Hospital and am also getting my orthodontic treatment there too. Is your Ortho based in Cardiff?

#19 Post by **Evelyn** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 2:18 pm

Oh Loop I'm so proud of you! I also had to get surgery on my canine, but it was just to attach a bracket to it to bring it down. I'm also the world's biggest wimp so I was scared to death before it, but when it was all done, I felt on top of the world, as if I really could do anything I wanted to. Sounds corny I know, but it seriously is how I felt.

It's like you get this kind of high when you are all done and you are so proud of yourself for finally going through with it! All I can say is that I agree with JennieLee, both you and Joplin are amazingly brave (by the way, you're not a wimp at all to go through with that!!) and I really really really do look up to you too for going through with everything. Seriously, you must feel like there is nothing you can't handle now!

Good luck to both of you in your treatments in the future, I can't wait to see those beautiful smiles!

~Eve[/list]

#20 Post by **Manda** » Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:34 pm

Hey Joplin and Loop!

My problem is very similar problem as the both of you. Except I only had my left canine impacted in my palet (roof of my mouth...sorry for lack of terms). My laterals(the two on either side of my main front teeth) are also a bit twisted. I've read your story Joplin and I really admire you, you are very brave with all you've been through. It's all down hill from here, as Loop said in her posts, extracting the canine really isn't that bad. I don't deal well with pain either, and if I can do it, then this will be a piece of cake for you!

Loop, today was the first time I've read your story...Joplin actually told me about it when she responded to one of my posts. (Thanks Joplin!) I only wish I had known about your story earlier.

I had my extraction today. I chose local anestesia, as I don't like the idea of general anestesia and the risks involved, plus I only had the one canine to be removed so I thought I may as well be awake. It went well, no pain during the procedure, but it was a very weird/gross feeling. (I posted my experience in the oral surgery section.) I was very numb afterwards, I took 3 advil. About 1 hour later the numbness wore off and it hurt sooooo badly. This was the point of which I went and got the prescription he gave me...good 'old painkillers. Like you, my teeth felt like they were kicked in, and still do...and now that you mention it, they also feel ever so slightly loose. After all that pulling and tugging and drilling today, no wonder! My stitches are on the outside as well, on the gums on the outer side of my teeth, they sort of come out in between the teeth in the gum area...4 or 5 altogether, I don't want to poke around too much to count or it will start bleeding again, yuck.

If you want to read my full story go to the oral surgery section, its in more detail there. I feel so much better that there are more people out there like myself. And its awesome that you, Joplin and I are going through this procedure within weeks of each other. Joplin, you will do just fine and if you have any questions I'm sure Loop or myself will be able to help ya out!

PS I will post a picture of my teeth soon, I tried taking some myself but they didn't turn out well.

#21 Post by **kelly12300** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 2:07 am

Loop wrote:Haha, thanks so much that's really sweet! I thought only Joplin was following any of this!

I know when I knew I was going to have the surgery, the first thing I did was search the web for more info and Arch Wired & Joplin's thread was almost the first thing I found. It was good to find not only this site bursting with oodles of information, but also someone else who had the same problem as me. This board's great though because there's so many people undergoing such varied treatments - so much to read and learn!

Good Luck with your treatment JennieLee, I've been following your story aswell!

Hi Kelly - Yes, I had my surgery at the Heath Hospital and am also getting my orthodontic treatment there too. Is your Ortho based in Cardiff?

No. But I had 2 teeth out there when I was about 10. What's it like there now? The dentist I saw there made a mess of my teeth.

#22 Post by **joplin** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 11:53 pm

You two are so brave! I would have run the other way had I been presented with your treatment plans.

Well, Jennielee, I know what you're talking about, because that's exactly what I did back in 1996 when I had my first orthodontic consultation. I was 27 and it was the first time I ever heard about my impacted canines (and saw them on the x-rays) and what it would take to correct the mess in my mouth. I had all the plans made, but when it was time to go get some teeth extracted I just could not do it. I backed off and decided to live with this screwed up set of teeth forever.

The idea of getting my teeth fixed has been hovering in the back of my mind ever since though. So I made a new appointment last year to hear if they now might have so new options for a tricky case like mine. They did, but now they were even more scary than the ones I had years ago!

Anyway, I could not run away from the situation anymore, because since the first consultation my teeth have suffered from bad bite so much that my ortho gave me two options: save them now and get the process started OR live with the fact that these teeth will not last for long. Take it or leave it. I took it. Not because I am brave - which I feel I'm not - but because between the rock and a hard place I was too scared about the consequenses of NOT doing it this time.

Manda, I'm glad to hear the surgery is behind you now! I'm going to read your report next! When are you getting braced? It's great to have this gang of three going through this together!! Hey everybody else out there with similar condition, join us! The more the merrier!

Thanks everybody for the cheer ups and those nice, encouraging words

I will carry them with me as my third surgery is approaching. Without all of you and this board I don't know if could do this!

Edit:

P.S. to Jennielee:

Loop, my brother had your teeth exactly with the exception that his canines were not impacted but rather they erupted WAY up high. Far above his teeth; probably where yours sat impacted.
Those were pulled and he was braced for 3 years. His teeth turned out beautiful and have stayed stable for 35 years.

Are you saying your brother's canines were actually removed? And it has not affected his bite? I'm always looking for people without canines (don't we all have something to hide in our closet...), so I'm interested in hearing any stories of Good Life without canines

I had dinner with two friends on Saturday and they both claimed they had had a canine removed when they were kids in braces. I could not believe them, but they would not show me. Sometimes I tend to forget not everybody is as keen on showing off their teeth to other people than I am

#23 Post by **jennielee81** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:12 am

Are you saying your brother's canines were actually removed? And it has not affected his bite? I'm always looking for people without canines (don't we all have something to hide in our closet...), so I'm interested in hearing any stories of Good Life without canines

Yes, his canines were removed. He doesn't remember if there were other options it was over 30 years ago. His bite is fine I suppose. He's never complained and has no trouble eating or anything.

His life w/o canines has been completely normal!!

#24 Post by **joplin** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:15 pm

Thanks, Jennielee! This is comforting news

Many people I know have had braces when they were children and they often have had extractions back then, too. When I've asked about which teeth they had exctracted some have said "canines" but when I ask further questions it has turned out they just have their tooth names all mixed up and it's usually the premolars they had pulled.

#25 Post by **EyeSpy21** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:10 pm

Hi, Loop. I just posted on Joplin's thread looking for news. I thought your surgery was 24th. Glad to hear it all went well. And am in agreement with everyone else, I am so envious of both of you for having the guts to go ahead. Well done!

#26 Post by **fyrelight** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:40 pm

Gosh, its been a while since I've checked into the boards, and here are all you canine gals..

Its kinda neat everyone can support each other... in real life I've only met one other girl with an impacted canine.

Loop, Manda.. I'm an oldster here..

I had impacted canines, also still had the baby canines. My ortho decided there was room for my adult canines if we pulled the baby ones. We did that, and sure enough... enough room. Yeah, it took like a year and a half to two years to bring my canines down, but I feel like it was worth it for me. They were worried about my age at first (was 27 when we started) possibly making it impossible to bring them down, BUT since I didnt have to get any bicuspids pulled to make room, I felt like I wasn't risking anything... if they didn't come down, well, at least I tried... and then I would have had to either leave them up there or get them out or something and get implants I guess. Anyhow... glad I didnt' have to make that decision.

I think partly with me, I was a late developer... I still had baby teeth in the 2nd bicuspid position until I was like 22 or 23... and that became an issue when the ADULT 2nd bicuspids decided to come in on top of them... my dentist back then just removed the (ANKYLOSED-stuck to bone) baby teeth, and the 2nd bicuspids came on in. I think that's why they figured my canines would come in... if they had the room. Seein as how my body was still in the "growing teeth" mode..

Anyhow... got braces off in July last year... rebraced in December due to something (don't know what) causing my new canines to RISE.... ortho at last appointment siad they should be coming BACK OFF in a couple of months.. WOOHOO!

Good luck with the canine troubles, all!!!

Oh, if you wanna see my website with pics and all.. just click that WWW button on this post..

#27 Post by **joplin** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 11:41 pm

Hi, Pam! I'm glad to hear your canines have been behaving themselves now

Your smile is Absolutely Fabulous!

Your story behind having those canines brought down was very interesting and cleared up a few questions I had in mind about my own situation. Thanks for sharing!

Yes, we have quite some canine party going here, don't we! I just love having this opportunity to talk to other people with the same issue. It really means the world to me! So thanks to ALL of you for being around

Still, I can't wait to get to mingle in the Braces Party others are having on this board!

#28 Post by **Manda** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:30 am

Loop, I was just wondering when you got your canines out, did your teeth feel sort of stiff/loose/numb for the first week? I just had mine out 5 days ago and have this feeling. I wasn't worried about it until I thought about it.

They are not extremely loose, just if i try to wiggle a tooth, I can feel it move ever so slightly, and my teeth do not feel the same as the others...almost a numb feeling but not really. I'm sorry its hard to describe. Anyone have any thoughts on this? If it is still like this on Monday I am going to see my dentist. Thanks so much!

#29 Post by **fyrelight** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:47 am

Manda,

I didnt have mine extracted, but the exposure surgery left me sore and achy for days... and all my front teeth were sore afterwards... I can imagine getting them extracted would leave you with the same feeling... they knock around inside there ant hit your other teeth a little bit and all, plus things get rearranged a bit from the cutting, so it makes sense your other teeth would feel different. Of course, if you think anything is out of the ordinary, yeah, see the dentist... Were you guys warned that doing any kind of surgery up there in the root area (exposure, extraction, either one) could damage surrounding teeth and make you possibly end up with a dead lateral needing a root canal? I took my chances that it wouldnt happen and it didnt. I'm sure yours will be fine too, but yeah, have 'em checked out if you're concerned...

#30 Post by **Manda** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 9:43 am

Thanks Fyrelight!
You are probably right. I am just thinking about it too much and working myself up over nothing. Yes, my oral surgeon warned me beforehand that since the roots/nerves are so close, there is always a possibility that other teeth can be lost, but reassured me it is unlikely. I took the chance, and when he finnished he said that everything went smoothly, and there will be no loss of other teeth. So I am thinking that this feeling of my teeth is just from all the tugging and drilling etc. I appreciate your post, it made me feel much better to hear that!