Fluffy's Story: IPR BETWEEN FRONT TEETH! (Pix pg8)

If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!

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fluffybottom
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Fluffy's Story: IPR BETWEEN FRONT TEETH! (Pix pg8)

#1 Post by fluffybottom »

PROLOGUE: SO IT BEGINS...

I haven't been braced yet. I figure the tale begins well before that moment so I might as well start there. I want to be able to look back, when it's all done, and remember everything.

I have been ashamed of my teeth for a long time. When smiling, 9 times out of 10, I smile with my mouth closed. When I laugh, I'm not fully enjoying myself because at least a small part of me is worrying about my mouth being open too wide. I will laugh behind my hand or reduce my mirth to a chuckle. Overall, I am a fairly confident woman. But my teeth .. my teeth! I always notice other people's teeth (probably because I am so self-conscious of mine) so I always worry that they are noticing mine.

I still have a baby tooth. My left upper canine is impacted and has never come down. For a long time, I thought having a baby tooth was charming. 'It is the source of all my power!' I would tell people. But as time has worn on, it has become problematic. It has no root so it is only floating in my gums -- if I so much as bite down on a nut wrong, it could come out. The way it is positioned, it is difficult to clean and it has just become unsightly. But, whatever! It was something that I always resolved to deal with later.

Later, later, later.

There were always excuses. Money, pain, inconvenience, relationship status, age. Not good excuses, any of them, but enough to cling to in order to tell myself: later.

Later, later, later.

Then there is my phobia of the dentist. I avoided the dentist for years. At least five. And the condition of my mouth got worse and worse. 'I can't think about straightening my teeth until I get my mouth healthy', I would tell myself. Which was a completely true statement and a very valid reason to put off braces. Except that I was too afraid to address my mouth. So I just did nothing.

Later, later, later.

Enough!

I can't really pinpoint a moment when changed things for me, when 'later' became an unacceptable answer. But somehow, it did. I told myself that I was too old to be a baby about the dentist and that it was time to suck it up. In January of this year, I found myself a dentist who specializes in phobic patients and went in for a consultation. He confirmed what I suspected: my teeth needed some work!

A week and a half ago -- February 18th -- I went into his office, was put under and had my top wisdom teeth removed, a root cleaning and cavities filled. He thought he might have to do a root canal but it turned out that he didn't have to. The best news though was that there was no permanent damage; there was no bone loss. I spoke to him about braces, about how soon I would be able to go down that avenue. I was afraid that my mouth and teeth weren't healthy enough yet but he said that I could pursue it immediately.

February 25th, under the cloud of a killer migraine, I went to an orthodontist he recommended. They took x-rays and photos of my teeth -- I thought my teeth looked bad before but my goodness! When you have a picture where your teeth are the sole focus, with your lips pulled away, they look about ten bazillion times worse than you ever suspected them of looking. I know that there are much worse cases than mine and that they have seen everything but, I must admit, I was ashamed.

We discussed my teeth, jaw and treatment options. It was settled that Damon 3 brackets would be best, I would get braces on my upper teeth first due to my deep bite and treatment would last 18 to 24 months. However, we first need to figure out what to do with my impacted tooth. I have had molds done but I will be going in for 3D x-rays in two weeks so the orthodontist can figure out the exact position of the tooth. Getting that information will determine what should be done:

a) erupt the tooth and bring it down into place
b) extract the tooth and put in an implant
c) leave the tooth where it is and get a bridge

I am really hoping for the first option but, whatever is decided, I could have braces on as early as the end of March! I still need to get my bottom two wisdom teeth removed (my dentist wanted me to go to an oral surgeon for those since they haven't come in yet) and the baby tooth yanked but, single and at the age of 36, I am on my way!

I am both looking forward to and dreading having braces. Mostly, I just want straight teeth and it seems like a dream that I am actually pursuing it. This is the only picture I could find of myself with my teeth showing; I will take an official PRE-BRACES SMILE picture before I have anything done.

Over and out!
Last edited by fluffybottom on Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:06 pm, edited 27 times in total.

SGPWired
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#2 Post by SGPWired »

Welcome to the message board... we'll have to celebrate your B-Day.

kittymeow84
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#3 Post by kittymeow84 »

Great story and funny photo :D

I look forward to seeing your teeth "in chains" lol.
Clickies on the "WWW" to see my braces story :)


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martinboyce
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#4 Post by martinboyce »

Hello fluffybottom, welcome.

Firstly ill say what everyone said to me, well done for making the first steps, the initial decision is the easiest and heardest thing to do. Once your on the right path its kinda like you dont wanna get off.

I can heavily relate to your backstory as is a mirror of my own, im like the male version of you, i too have always disliked and embarressed about my teeth, to the point where i couldnt make eye contact when i spoke to people. i too was phobic of the dentist and i too needed alot of work doing before the ortho would brace me.

I still am not braced, but am very close, in fact with the exception of a lingering infection in one of my sockets im ready to go!

I wont tattle on about me, my link to my story is further down, ill leave that up to you.

My bday is on the 11th March as my ticker below shows ya.

You know youve made the right choice and youve come to a great nay fantastic place for support, its an aces forum, run by a lady called lynn i think, i read her story before i found her forum and it was one of the reasons im so positive about the whole thing,

My advice to you is find people at various stages of the process, noobies, midwayers, and nearly completes, read their stories, and post on them and befriend them, their advice is invaluble. You will find soon enough they will be posting on your progress and youll be posting on other newbies behind you, and before you know it, youll have a whole bunch of new friends and some great teeth.

People love photos on here, so get as many on the boards as possible they are great, i put my orthos photos up and hated them, i compare my teeth to looking like those teeth of those aliens in the Alien movies, and yet i got a viarety of positive comments about them.

Hey im babbling, sorry,

Hey welcome and congrats, and you get a BIIIG HUG! \o/

bbsadmin
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#5 Post by bbsadmin »

I removed your photo. Posting full-face photos and personal information on this website is not recommended due to past problems with fetishists.
I'm the owner/admin of this site. Had ceramic uppers, metal lowers ~3 years in my early 40's. Now in Hawley retainers at night!

elpi
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#6 Post by elpi »

Just wanted to say hi! and congrats on overcoming your dental phobia to take this route. I'm a newbie too and have my bday set as the 21st April which still feels like an age away as I can't wait to get started. I hope everything goes to plan for you and I'll look forward to more updates! :)

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fluffybottom
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#7 Post by fluffybottom »

PROLOGUE CONTINUED: 'BEFORE' PICTURES

Thanks for the welcome, all! I'm going in for 3D x-rays on Tuesday so the orthodontist can see exactly where my impacted canine is; he'll figure out what we need to do from there.

I figured I'd post some 'before' pictures even though they make me cringe. A lot. A lot a lot a lot a lot. Did I mention the pictures make me cringe?



My normal (deep) bite:

Image


My jaw brought forward so you can see the lower crowding:

Image


Side view with the baby canine tooth tucked behind another tooth:

Image




So. There I am. In all my horrible glory. I was thinking that once I get my braces on, I will go to the hairdresser to get my hair cut. On one hand, I wanna keep growing my hair out. On the other hand, I think maybe I should have something new to distract myself from the metal in my mouth.

HRM!

ps: Sorry about posting the full-face image. I tried to read up on all the rules before posting but I must have missed that one.

Kara
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#8 Post by Kara »

Hi! Welcome and congrats on your decision to get braced. You'll be so glad that you took this step in perfecting your smile and it will be worth it!

I look forward to following your story and seeing your new braces. Good luck!

Kara

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fluffybottom
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#9 Post by fluffybottom »

Thanks Kara! I've wanted braces since ... well, forever but for one reason or another just never got around to getting them.

PROLOGUE CONTINUED: ONE STEP CLOSER

Not a big update but today I went in for my 3D x-rays. On April 1st, after my orthodontist has had a chance to review the scans, he'll call me so we can go over my treatment options. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease let my impacted canine be in a position where it will be able to be brought down!

I must say, now that I have decided to get braces, now that I have made that decision concretely and am moving toward that, the waiting is AGONIZING. I just want to get the braces on already! I was able to go 36 years without braces but this last, stretching month is killing me.

COME ON! I WANT STRAIGHT TEETH! ARGH!

Kara
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#10 Post by Kara »

The waiting is awful, I know. :D Your brace day will be here before you know it. April 1st is right around the corner... Hang in there.

Once those braces go on... I swear... It's amazing how quick your teeth move. I hope that canine gets where it needs to be for ya! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. I'll be following your story! Good luck!!!!

Kara

Spanner
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#11 Post by Spanner »

I hated the waiting too. If I had gone with my first ortho I'd STILL be waiting as I never heard from them again...nothing :shock:

Good luck with your journey

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fluffybottom
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#12 Post by fluffybottom »

Ha! Waiting is evil. I find myself trying to will time to pass faster. It's so funny because as a child, it seemed as if time passed soooo sloooooowly but the older I get, the more quickly the days/months/years fly by. Until now. Now that I am looking forward to something, it's as if I have regressed to my childhood.

It's like waiting for Santa. GRAWR!

Kara: Yeah, I hope the canine can be worked with because I really don't wanna shell out a gazillion more dollars for an implant. I have my fingers crossed too as well as my eyes and toes. I'm not really a pessimist but I have a nagging suspicion that it won't be able to be pulled down. It's because I think I can feel were it is through the roof of my mouth and it just seems like it is way too far back to realistically work with. I am, of course, making this deduction based on my many many years of orthodontic study (read: none at all!) HA!

Spanner: Dude, how could they not call you back? That seems just so rude. I mean, if they just had way too much business to handle, they should have at least given you a call to say so![/b]

Kara
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#13 Post by Kara »

Hi Fluffy!

I'm hopin that canine quits screwin around and gets in line! You never know what they can do with braces these days. My mom was telling me (after studying my teeth.... forever) how much braces have changed since she had them. She told me some horror stories. Ha ha! But according to my ortho... braces these days are moving teeth quicker with less pain and less hardware, etc. They probably have some magical wire or bracket that can get that canine to bahave! :lol: Stay positive! :D

Dont keep your eyes crossed too long... you'll look funny with that sexy new smile you're workin on. Haha! :D

Hang in there!!!

Kara

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fluffybottom
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#14 Post by fluffybottom »

PROLOGUE CONTINUED: X-RAY AND PHOTOS FROM CONSULTATION

I discovered today that I could log into my orthodontist's website and look at the x-ray and pictures they took on my first visit. I figured I would add them here as they are better 'before' pictures than I could take. Plus, the x-ray is REALLY NEAT!!

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And last but not least....


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I added the blue circles. The ones on either side are noting my jaw: difference in shape and how it fits. The circle in the middle is noting my impacted canine and the baby tooth in its way.

Still waiting. Impatiently. I just want to get going with all this already. My jaw locked up on me yesterday for an hour (see my post in metal mouth forum about that!) so I'm wondering if I will have to get jaw surgery at some point. I plan on asking my ortho about that when I speak to him on April 1st.
I had my braces on for 2 years, 1 month, 2 weeks and 2 days.

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Bekah
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#15 Post by Bekah »

I so feel your pain! It seems that making the decision was agonizing! Now that it is made I really just want to get on with it!!

I did the same thing. I loved being able to see all the pics on the orthodontist's website!

I will keep up with your progress!
2 Years 4 months 3 weeks and 4 days in full metal braces!

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Click on "WWW" for my braces story!

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