Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

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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catgyrl
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#346 Post by catgyrl »

klobird wrote:Hey Cat--

I saw Donny years ago when we went to a taping of the "Johnny Carson Tonight show". We were like in the 2nd row.
And I tell you--when I saw him sing in person---whoa--nothing like TV!... His voice was like butter--like something I have never heard before--it was amazing. Good choice!
How exciting, klobird! I had tickets to see him in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" when he was to come to Hawaii, but he cancelled. I think that was when he was going thru his "social phobia" phase, so I'm all the more excited to see him now. :mrgreen:

Snowglobe32
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#347 Post by Snowglobe32 »

Hi Cathy,

Cross-elastics are used to fix a cross bite. The elastic is attached to the hook on the outside of bracket then it attaches to a hook (I believe) on the inside of the tooth. So i guess it goes from outside in. I have heard they are uncomfortable, your speech is crazy and it causes major soreness. I assume they will be changing out some brackets.

I would post a picture but I don't know how to do that!

Oh, and I meant triangle elastics. The kind you have, the ortho considered those for me. No thanks, it doesn't look like you can even open your mouth to talk!

As for Vegas, just take the elastics out for the photo. In the beginning, I wore my elastics 24/7 but now, I may have them off for a total of about 4-5 hours a day. He didn't seem to notice yesterday. And when I did wear them 24/7, he had me stop all together because they starting over correcting.

Your braces look great so I wouldn't worry about what little metal brackets may show. I live about 4 hours from Vegas and have never been there. I would go strictly for the buffets and shows though!

klobird
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#348 Post by klobird »

So Cat--what I meant in my blog about the elastics are the ones that go across the front of the mouth from one hook on top to the bottom on the other side--not the power chain.

I won't do that on that goes across in public for nothing...if it ever comes up--it will have to be only at home or night--but NEVER, EVER in public!!! eeeeeeeekkkkkkkk :yikes: :ThumbsDown: There just would have to be another way!!

catgyrl
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#349 Post by catgyrl »

klobird wrote:So Cat--what I meant in my blog about the elastics are the ones that go across the front of the mouth from one hook on top to the bottom on the other side--not the power chain.
I won't do that on that goes across in public for nothing...if it ever comes up--it will have to be only at home or night--but NEVER, EVER in public!!! eeeeeeeekkkkkkkk :yikes: :ThumbsDown: There just would have to be another way!!
I'm with you, klo! How on earth does one speak, eat... FUNCTION with one of those?? That one scares me. :yikes:

Snowglobe32
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#350 Post by Snowglobe32 »

I have seen that elastic configuration and I am so glad I don't need one of those! It is a diagonal line from top to bottom. Looks very uncomfortable, hard to hide but I think it helps correct midlines.

klobird
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#351 Post by klobird »

Well, I sure hope I don't have a midline problem and need those--I will get up and run away from the ortho office and not look back!!!!! :crazy:

catgyrl
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#352 Post by catgyrl »

14th Adjustment (6/17/11): Lots of Good Things Happened Today…

#1 Good Thing: No more triangle elastics!!! :jump: He put me back on the Class II configuration (top canine to lower back molar). Absolutely no pain or discomfort after putting them on, especially after having to wear those triangles for the past 2-3 months. When he said he wanted to go back to Class II’s, I said, “Oh, upper canine back to lower molar, right?” He just smiled. No need to explain that one to me.

#2 Good Thing: No more nasty, yellow powerchain!! :jump: When he asked his assistant for a C-chain, he saw my eyes go big and he immediately said, “Obscure, not clear…” Did the same weaving over and under the brackets. I think this is to help close up the gaps. I also got Obscure ligs, criss-crossed over my canines. That was…not…fun. I got stabbed once in the lower teeth, and once on my upper lip. I was just about to tell her to let the doctor take over, but she finally got it.

#3 Good Thing: The assistant saw (and felt) the pokey part of my bracket that was causing me grief (shredding my elastics… and my fingers), so she just bent it down slightly, and voila – all smooth again! :jump:

#4 Good Thing: After doing the “bite down… open” thing he said, “Wow, these are looking really good. What do you think?” (Okay, since when does he care what I think? Haha) I said, “Yep, looking good,” and he said, “Yeah, I’m liking it!” (That’s the most positive thing I’ve heard him say so far.) I told him that my teeth needed to look better by September because I was going to Vegas. He said, “How much better did you want them to look?” I don’t want to read too much into that statement, because it might make me think that I’m in the homestretch, and I know I’m not. But he did say, “Your spaces should be closed up by then.” YAY!! I told him I was going to be meeting and taking a picture with Donny and Marie, and I couldn’t do that with “jacked up teeth”.

Overall, I’m very happy with today’s visit. (I would’ve been even happier if I didn’t have to go in to work right after.)

Updated pic (Sorry, it’s a cell phone pic. Can’t wait until I can whiten these babies!):

Image

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Crazy4Snow
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#353 Post by Crazy4Snow »

Lookin' good! I know what you mean about the whitening thing.....I can't wait either! I wear the metal braces and they tend to project a "gray tint" onto my teeth, I hate it!
Image

My story in this forum:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=38942

Braced: 4/7/2011
Metal Upper & Lower
Sentence: 18-24 months
Removal Date: 9/4/13

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ashesgap
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#354 Post by ashesgap »

Hey Cat it looks like your mid-line is adjusting itself during the natural course of treatment. Thats what mine is do'n too, and i'm really hoping I don't end up needing one of those awful elastics across my front teeth.
Pictures during vacation are noth'n...I had to renew my drivers license last month. Lucky me, the lady taking the pic had braces as an adult, and helped me out. So I smiled, but nothing is showing. We're doing Sea World next month and I'm already telling myself "You will let them take pictures!" lol.
-Ash
29 years old
2-18-10 baby canine pulled
3-15-10 got braces
12-22-11 Moving-SO EXCITED!!
1-2-12 Meet new Ortho
1-5-12 Begin finishing treatment
3-5-12 Canine Implants...dun dun dunnnnn
4-9-12 Deband!
I had braces for Two Years and TwentyFive Days
Image

catgyrl
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#355 Post by catgyrl »

Crazy4Snow - Thank you! You bet I'll be picking up that box of Crest WhiteStrips on the way back from my debracing (even though I won't be able to use it for a couple weeks!) Or, if I have any money by then, I may go for a professional whitening. OOH... that sounds awesome!

ashesgap - I think you're right! I noticed that my midline has maintained its position for quite a while now, while the teeth around it have shifted. I can see exactly what I want corrected: My upper-left central incisor (which used to overlap the right one) needs to straighten out; close up my gaps; bring my upper left teeth a tad lower, and then SQUEEZE THE HELL OUT OF EVERYTHING TO CLOSE IT ALL UP!!! Oh, and do some shaving around the edges to make 'em nice and purty.

I'll pray with you that neither of us needs that midline elastic... :-9 If you see a post from me that starts with "F***, F***, F***!!!"... you'll know what happened. :evil:

I think I spend waaaay too much time on here, because before I left for my appointment today, I looked in the mirror and noticed that (a) my left side has been brought down considerably, but (b) my overjet was starting to re-appear with a vengeance. I thought, "Hmmm... I wonder if he can stop the triangles and go back to Class II to bring the top teeth back again?" And that's EXACTLY what he did!!

Aaaand... so much for no pain today. :roll: As I type this, I have silicone wax running from upper canine to upper canine... left to right. Also just popped 2 ibuprofens. My sis is supposed to call me soon, and the last thing I want to do is gab on the phone. Just wanna go to bed.

-Cathy

klobird
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#356 Post by klobird »

Cat,

I was talking to the bank teller yesterday and she had the midline elastics...her braces are off now...I swear I will not do those--well, I will do them at home, but no way at work--no matter how much time it adds to bracing not to do them!!

Anyway, the bank teller had a horrible experience with her braces story--thankfully, she didn't have the same ortho as me.
She had them on for 3 1/2 years, and says her teeth are worse now than before, and that her retainer doesnt fit right and that they wont fix it for her. She is glad that her teeth are falling back into the way they were before braces. What kind of a horror story is that!!!

catgyrl
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#357 Post by catgyrl »

Klobird-

That is so sad to hear when someone says their teeth are worse than they were before braces. I can't imagine mine looking worse than they did 14 months ago. Even with my gaps, they look 10 times better. I think I will ask the doc next month if (or how much) my midline needs shifting, or if this is pretty much where it needs to be.

Well, I'm having a much better day today. Teeth no longer hurt, and brackets are no longer rubbing. Elastics are already doing their thing, because I see my upper teeth already moving back. The things is... They also moved UP a little, so I suppose those triangle elastics will make a return appearance before this is all over. :(

I'm noticing my smile is shaped differently, too, and I actually look like I have a real chin (as opposed to the "double chin" I previously sported... :lol: ) Here's a comparison from July 2010 to June 2011. (I swear, I haven't lost a bit of weight since then, but it sure looks like I have!)
Smile Comparison - July 2010 to June 2011.jpg
Cathy
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klobird
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#358 Post by klobird »

OH Cat!!!!

I love that pic and I will tell you why-I have a total double chin, and his aim is to give me fuller lips and more of a chin. Your chin looks amazing!!! I want one just like it!!!

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Kipepeo
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#359 Post by Kipepeo »

Catgyrl, you have nice lips, too. My upper lip is pretty flat and doesn't have that distinctive lip shape. I've really noticed this since I got braces.

catgyrl
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Re: Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

#360 Post by catgyrl »

klobird-

You are SUCH a HOOT!! I always smile while reading your posts. Strangely, though, my chin doesn't look like that when I'm not smiling. I think my face has slimmed down a wee bit, but when I'm not smiling, still not much of a chin. Weird...

Kipepeo-

Thank you!! Like I said above about my chin, my lips don't look like that when I'm not smiling. The left side of my upper lip is actually a bit lopsided. At first, I thought it was due to the extraction I had over there, but I looked at my "before braces" pics and it was crooked then, too.

Funny story: Do you know who the actress, Evangeline Lilly, is? She was "Kate" on the TV show "Lost". Anyway, she was telling Jay Leno once that she was unhappy with her smile and had gone to the dentist to get her teeth fixed so her smile wouldn't look so lopsided. She kept going back to get her teeth shaved, but when it was over, her smile was still crooked. After 2-3 times of doing that, she realized it wasn't her teeth at all... it was her LIPS!! (I have no idea how they got on that topic...)

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