Real2: Dec 22 Bonding off, Dec 29 Braces on

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#1 Post by **real2** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:38 am

I've actually been a "member" here for a much longer time than my account says, but I guess we all get that "blogging" bug eventually!

Like many people who could feel they needed braces much sooner than later, I had to wait till I could scavenge (work hard) for some $$ for an uninsured $7000 orthodontic procedure (I'm a university student, so that cash isn't easy to come by).

Back in February 2006, I got a little annoyed with the appearance of my teeth, yet STILL didn't have enough for a full operation, so I got some bonding on my upper central incisors(4) to cover a diastema that has been in my teeth since I was a kid!

*example
All those wonderful pics of cosmetic dentistry really have an impression on you!

Anyways, I only had $300 at the time, so that's not quite the result I got

Fast-forward to february 2007, I decide to spend another $120 on bonding a lateral incisor(3) that seemed to cut itself short. Once again, those internet pics are basically supermodels of what the actually results were

My dentist at the time basically convinced, if not sold me on the idea that orthodontics would be my only solution!!!

Here is what I have now, August 2008.

1. That spider-thing is called a pendulum. I've had that in my mouth since May 2008. It was basically required to push back my molar (2) so the braces could be cemented?

2. Molar movement since May (these sure move slow!!)

3. Bonded tooth (Feb 2007) to make it taller (it ended up bigger instead).

4. The diastema covered by bonding ended up making these 2 disproportionately huge!! Once the braces go on, the bonding comes off!! Yay

My entire waiting game right now involves that #2 molar!!!

Anyways! It's now August 2008, and my othodontist expects to install "Inspire ICE" brackets no later than October ( I have an intuition he will say September).

*Example

Next appointment, September 4th

<-- final results?
Straight plane, C-Shaped smile, and closed diastema!!

#2 Post by **Temps75** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:04 am

Glad to see you've started your braces story! I'll keep a close eye on this one, for sure, especially since we have similar procedures going on. Are you getting ICE on top and bottom? or just top?

#3 Post by **real2** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:15 pm

katiathegreat wrote:Glad to see you've started your braces story! I'll keep a close eye on this one, for sure, especially since we have similar procedures going on. Are you getting ICE on top and bottom? or just top?

With $300 a pop, I can only get the top ones!

Looks like we might get braces at the same time actually

My natural smile only shows my top teeth anyways

#4 Post by **Temps75** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:34 pm

Glad we're getting them around the same time. It will be good to come on here and have somebody that knows pretty much exactly what I'm going through lol. I'm getting the ICE on top only as well. I've been scrolling through the lig color thread, and it looks like quite a few people pick colors, even though they've got the clear braces. I'll probably try it once or twice. Is it weird that I'm excited to get colors on the bottom? haha. anyway, keep us updated! you should post some pics of your uppers/lowers, etc just so we can see some progress!

#5 Post by **leager2000** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:45 pm

Hey real2,

I finally posted pictures. The quality is not great, but you get the idea. My subject is "life before and during braces."

#6 Post by **real2** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:57 pm

Update:

Well, after a quick 4 months (since august), my orthodontist was ready to put on braces on Dec 4th, but I reminded him that I needed to remove my bonding first.

SO!!...

December 22nd is my appointment with my family dentist to remove the 3 elements on my 2 Central Incisors, and my left lateral.

Then Dec 29th my braces come on.

My ortho did not recommend Inspire ICE for some reason, noting that they are slow, they break, and are and extra 300$. Yet, If I want them, I can have them.

Still debating.

#7 Post by **real2** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:00 pm

Now that the boards are back up

(like everyone else, I kept my hopes high that the forums would be back soon)

So...

December 22nd - Monday
I show up late for my bonding-removal appointment... my dentist only manages to take off half the bonding

I become worried at the fact that I wont have everything removed in time. She reassures me that everything will be fine, and schedules an appointment for Saturday December 27th.

I end up with this for Xmas Eve and Xmas. No worries

Bonding was partially removed from the right central-incisor and all from the lateral incisor

December 27th - Saturday
All the bonding is removed

and I end up like this

I hadn't seen my teeth like this in over 2 years, so it was a real shocker to why I rarely smiled pre-bonding

also the bonding had done some notable damage to my gums.

December 29th - Monday (FINALLY)
Braces come on. The orthos didn't recommend the Inspire ICE brackets stating they would provide less torque - hence take a bit longer for movements, BUT I wanted clear brackets... so

1st Day of Braces

First Adjustment: Jan 28th @ 4pm

Other notes:

I'm only about 50% self-conscious with the braces, as opposed to 90-100% without them/bonding.

Also I went on a cruise around the Mediterranean, and since then managed to "hook up" with 2 different girls, so this provided a self-esteem booster with the fact that braces would typically deprive you of that

Lastly, kissing with braces is certainly interesting since you try to make your partner feel them as little as possible, and you kinda need to relearn how to kiss with this new feature

Until Jan 28th, cheers

#8 Post by **real2** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:16 pm

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......................

Jan 28th, Aside from 10 feet of snow, no problems getting my adjustment.

One of the ORTHO's who is super-awesome switched out my plastic-yellow ligs for metal ones

So much less noticeable than clear ligs.

Fake smile

#9 Post by **real2** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:19 pm

As far as progress, I don't really notice much.

I've been told my front teeth actually got pushed back a bit (which is good), and from the pix it looks like the teeth on the right have moved down just slightly.

OH................... and.....................

HEAD ORTHO has specifically told me that Inspire ICE WILL and ALWAYS has taken longer on all patients...

I knew this when putting them on

#10 Post by **suzeeq22** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:44 am

Real congrats on the braces!!! Looking forward to following your progress.

I have not put my own pix up yet.....having computer probs........so should be soon.

#11 Post by **real2** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:25 pm

I should've posted this sooner, but was incredibly busy transitioning from completing another year at university, straight to work.

Anyways, the adjustment occurred on Friday (it was a great day here, nice and sunny, +27*C).

It was the day that my lowers were finally bonded on. I'm really unsure of why the orthodontist waited so long, other than saying "it could mess things up".

I also inquired on why my uppers were taking SUCH A LONG TIME to close!!! My ortho quickly rebuttals with the fact that I got clear INSPIRE ICE.

Typically, the front teeth move the fastest, so that gap should've closed a month ago with elastics, BUT, since the ceramics provide LESS friction, then I need to wait even longer :S

As a result, the ortho decided to, not only place fresh grey elastics on my top front 4, but also double it up with another string-like dark-blue elastic.

Ah well, I have 1 more year if everything runs smoothly

PS. The tops comparison is incredible tho

My tops:

Comparison to pre-braces, but with the pendulum.

My bottoms:

Biting the front teeth together (not my natural bite).

#12 Post by **real2** » Fri May 22, 2009 9:06 pm

Going to my ortho again this upcoming tuesday (seemed like more time passed than before). Gonna get the 2nd-last thickest wire which should straighten my teeth up a bit more

And hopefully more rubber-bands to close up the gaps in my top-front 4.

Also some dental hygenist students complimented me on my (relatively) straight teeth after only 5 months of top bracing

Pix soon!

#13 Post by **real2** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 6:56 pm

So it's been 3 months since my last update

Lots of relative progress has been made, in particular, my life-long frontal diastema has FINALLY been closed. Sweet

But with that a small gap is forming in my bottom 4. No big deal

I haven't had an upper-wire change in the last 3 months though.

On June 22nd my lower wire was upgraded to the next strength (still about 5 from the top width I believe), and my uppers have only 2 more wires to go

1 more year to go (and thats with an overestimation).

#14 Post by **real2** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 6:13 pm

Went to the orthodontist yesterday, looking for good news

Perhaps an early, beginning of summer debonding (ie. end of april, 2010).

Nope, "you'll be done around june" while ever so slightly lowering his volume.

What still needs to corrected?

Well, the midline needs to become a midline (bottom teeth),

The left side of my teeth need to completely end up touching each other (those molars are taking forever),

and a wisdom tooth need to be pulled in closer on the same top left side.

Ah well, ortho deadlines never seem to be final

#15 Post by **real2** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:52 am

Well, June de-bracing assumption turned into a December 25th debracing (straight from the Ortho - without asking this time

Here is the new count-down:

As you can see, I was 5 months off, but time flies anyways

Metal Mouth Message Board

Real2: Dec 22 Bonding off, Dec 29 Braces on

Real2: Dec 22 Bonding off, Dec 29 Braces on

Real2: 4th Adjustment, lowers FINALLY on :)

Almost there