Jaws' Story-Updated Dec 12/07--Follow-Up Pic (page 12)

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#151 Post by **ThisIsMary** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 8:13 pm

wow, your teeth look amazing

#152 Post by **ccmama** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 11:08 pm

Congratulations! Even with the frustrations.. you look amazing!

#153 Post by **chrisd** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 5:43 pm

your teeth look great, you must be so excited. i am in the same boat a syou and know that i am going to need some bonding on my small lateral incisors. what did your ortho say about whiteening after the bonding. i heard that the bonding material does not 'bleach" and can end up ?looking different than the surrounding whitened teeth.

i am a little worried about the bonding to be honest. i know lots of people have it. i am just concerned with how it hold s up.

anyways congratulations, your smile is gorgeous. and to everyone else, we will all be there soon

chris

#154 Post by **juf_84** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:23 pm

Congratulations Jaws, they look fantastic.

#155 Post by **jaws** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:31 am

Thanks everyone for your replies! I am definitely enjoying the brace-free life. I have started whitening, because a couple of my teeth are quite yellow. I hope that they clean up nicely! My teeth are a little sensitive from the whitening, which I've heard is fairly normal--but uncomfortable!

Thanks again, and I will keep you all posted!

P.S. chrisd--my ortho purposely made the bonding material on my lateral incisors a bit whiter than my natural teeth, because I told him I would be whitening. So, hopefully they all match up in the end!

#156 Post by **SUGARANGEL** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 6:07 pm

Hey!!! Wow! Beautiful Teeth! Congratulation!

#157 Post by **jaws** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:34 pm

JULY 11TH 2006

Hi Everyone,

I thought I would give a little update...I just moved into my first home, so I haven't been able to post for awhile! I am still waiting for my retainer

The ortho called me last week and said that the molds that were sent out for my retainer when I first got my braces off broke in the mail!

So, I had to go back in and get new molds made, with my retainer coming in another week or so. This is extremely annoying, as the second mold (which my retainer will be based on) was made 1 week AFTER debanding--and I feel that my teeth moved during that time.

I expressed all of these concerns to my ortho, but he just went on and on about how my teeth wouldn't have moved too much. It's just depressing because I feel that I can never go back to the way my teeth were right when I got the braces off! I guess I'll just have to see if he can tweak my retainer at all.

I seem to be having bad luck with the whole debanding/retainer process, so hopefully my luck will change!

#158 Post by **jaws** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:06 pm

JULY 26 2006

Well everyone, my retainer finally arrived--4 weeks post-braces! I'm hoping that things didn't move around too much. I wanted to post some pics because of how strange it looks. Check it out:

As I mentioned before, it's called a Damon Night Splint (I think) and my ortho said that he wants me to wear it at night because it helps to relax the jaw muscles, which then keeps the teeth from relapsing. I guess this is something new that my ortho learned at a conference recently, so I'm like a guinea pig!

Basically, the retainer is like an Essix, except that the top and bottom are fused together. You might notice from the pic that there is only a TINY hole for me to breath out of at night! Here is a front pic:

Here is a side pic:

As you can see, the top and bottom are almost completely fused together, so I can't move my mouth at all while it's on! Also, you will notice that it keeps my mouth slightly open (the top and bottom teeth have space between them). I can imagine this is going to lead to drooling!

Here is a top pic:

I'm wearing it tonight for the first time, so we'll see how it goes! I'm a little worried because it is IMPOSSIBLE to take off once it's on! It's like it becomes suction-cupped to my teeth or something!

Website · #159 Post by **Kell** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:51 pm

Oh my, that thing is scary looking. I hope all goes well tonight when you wear it.

#160 Post by **jennandtonic** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:29 pm

That's so neat looking, I've never seen anything like that before.

Let us know how it goes that first night, hope it isn't too uncomfortable!

So it suctions to the teeth? How are you suppoesd to take it off in the morning?

#161 Post by **jcdamon3** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 3:43 pm

Hi,

I can't wait to hear how this went. I need one of these but I don't know if my ortho knows about them. I need it because I clench and grind at night. Do you know if it is made by the same company as the damon braces?

Please let us know how you did on your first night! If you like it, I may request it!

#162 Post by **jaws** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:17 pm

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your words of support! I posted this under the main post about my retainer in the naked tooth area, but I wanted to post it here too.

Here is the update about how my first night went:

It was a little rough I must admit. I did felt pretty claustrophobic in it at first, and it was a little hard to calm down and get myself to sleep! I also woke up around 2am with a lot of pain...the sort of pain that you get after you go in for an adjustment. The hygenist warned me that this might happen, because my teeth have probably shifted a bit in the 3 weeks since I got the braces off, so the retainer is moving them back into place. Still, it was a little weird to wake up with that achey/itchy tooth feeling. I think I might take an advil tonight before bed until I get used to it.

As for the comfort, I can close my mouth with it in, so it wasn't too bad. In some ways it is sort of 'comfortable', because it kept my teeth slightly apart, and I usually grind my teeth at night. It felt kind of nice to wake up without that clenched feeling. However, the achey tooth feeling seems to be taking over the comfort feeling, at least for now.

jcdamon3--Yes, I'm pretty sure that this is made by the same company that makes the Damon braces. I think it is mainly made for people who clench/grind at night, because it helps to relax the jaw muscles by keeping the teeth slightly apart. I think my ortho is using it as a retainer because the jaw muscles can sometimes contribute to relapse, so he wants my muscles to be relaxed. Maybe ask your ortho about it!

Hopefully I feel less pain after night 2!

#163 Post by **SUGARANGEL** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 5:44 pm

Hey Jaws, This is the strangest I ever seen but If it did good for you then worth it! I was told that I am going get Hawley retainer and bonds retainer behind on top and bottom permanent like yours too in 2 years later. I hope Hawley retainer wont bother me at all because I have heard few people gagged with it.

#164 Post by **chrisd** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:33 pm

is that your only retainer or do you have another to wear during the day?
chris

#165 Post by **jaws** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:38 pm

AUGUST 8TH 2006

Well, I would like to report that my retainer has become a little easier to deal with! I am getting used to it bit by bit, and my teeth don't hurt anymore after wearing it. I still look ridiculous when I wear it, but I only have to wear it to sleep so that's ok!

I am still convinced that one of my teeth is moving, so I plan to ask my ortho about it when I go in for a checkup at the end of August.

chrisd--I have permanent bonded retainers on the top and bottom, so from what I've gathered, those keep my teeth in place during the day, and my retainer adds some extra assurance at night!