Browneyedgrl's Journey~Updated~ 12/16
Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:24 pm
Hi Everybody,
I guess that it's finally time to tell my story since I'm a little over 2 days out from my b-day. Well it's time for me to start my second journey... I went through 2-phase treatment starting about 30 years ago where I had a major crossbite of my upper laterals and my centrals kind of looked like SpongeBobs teeth. My ortho at the time had me wear some springtype expander retainer which did the job after couple of months and then I was on hold for a couple of years until the rest of teeth came in. Then I wore upper braces for about 18 months to finish up the job. My bottom teeth were perfectly straight and I had no bite issues. I was really good with my retainer and probably after 2 years of wearing religously at night, I still wore it a couple of nights per week. Then every now and again I would put it in and then I didn't bother anymore.
Years later, I had noticed that I had some minor relaspe, and I decided to look into treatment about 8 years ago and went for two consults, one ortho suggested wearing a retainer( to hold what I currently had) and the other suggested upper braces for about 6 months and retention, for an outragous fee and I decided to pass at the time. Fast forward the last 2-3 years I've noticed lots of jaw popping and ringing in my ears -- I started to have the beginnings of TMJ. I also noticed that my bite didn't seem right, I had been complaining to my dentist and he noticed that I was grinding and having issues with keeping my mouth open for long periods of time(during dental work). He perscribed a nightgard which didn't help at all (spent alot of $$$ on), did moist heat compresses and 800mg motrin 3x a day for 10 days and that didn't work. Then I chipped my tooth from out of nowhere and I finally asked my dentist what is my next option, he referred me to couple of orthodontists to check out my occulsion. Well I went my consultation and low and behold my bite is totally messed up which I was floored about, but relieved at the same time, since knew that it wasn't in my head. My midlines were off and I have an underbite relationship on my right side. Both my dentist and ortho told me that there is no guarantee that getting my bite in order is going to relieve the TMJ, but it's worth a try. They feel that I'm making the right decision. Hopefully it will help.
I'm getting upper ceramic and lower metal braces on January 10. Estimated treatment time 12 months. I'm also starting to get nervous too!
I guess that it's finally time to tell my story since I'm a little over 2 days out from my b-day. Well it's time for me to start my second journey... I went through 2-phase treatment starting about 30 years ago where I had a major crossbite of my upper laterals and my centrals kind of looked like SpongeBobs teeth. My ortho at the time had me wear some springtype expander retainer which did the job after couple of months and then I was on hold for a couple of years until the rest of teeth came in. Then I wore upper braces for about 18 months to finish up the job. My bottom teeth were perfectly straight and I had no bite issues. I was really good with my retainer and probably after 2 years of wearing religously at night, I still wore it a couple of nights per week. Then every now and again I would put it in and then I didn't bother anymore.
Years later, I had noticed that I had some minor relaspe, and I decided to look into treatment about 8 years ago and went for two consults, one ortho suggested wearing a retainer( to hold what I currently had) and the other suggested upper braces for about 6 months and retention, for an outragous fee and I decided to pass at the time. Fast forward the last 2-3 years I've noticed lots of jaw popping and ringing in my ears -- I started to have the beginnings of TMJ. I also noticed that my bite didn't seem right, I had been complaining to my dentist and he noticed that I was grinding and having issues with keeping my mouth open for long periods of time(during dental work). He perscribed a nightgard which didn't help at all (spent alot of $$$ on), did moist heat compresses and 800mg motrin 3x a day for 10 days and that didn't work. Then I chipped my tooth from out of nowhere and I finally asked my dentist what is my next option, he referred me to couple of orthodontists to check out my occulsion. Well I went my consultation and low and behold my bite is totally messed up which I was floored about, but relieved at the same time, since knew that it wasn't in my head. My midlines were off and I have an underbite relationship on my right side. Both my dentist and ortho told me that there is no guarantee that getting my bite in order is going to relieve the TMJ, but it's worth a try. They feel that I'm making the right decision. Hopefully it will help.
I'm getting upper ceramic and lower metal braces on January 10. Estimated treatment time 12 months. I'm also starting to get nervous too!
and congratulations on making the decision to get braced again.
all metal on this end... but there is no need to get nervous; be excited! You're going to have no regrets about getting your bite corrected and I'm sure the end result is going to be awesome.
