Jen's Story

[Jen8626]

Hi guys

I've posted on the main board but thought it would be better to write on here to follow my story easier

I had braces when I was 14 and had them removed when I was 16, bottoms came off later at 17. I had clear retainers but alas they broke and by the time I had another impression made of the uppers my teeth had moved. They hadn't moved a great deal and I had enough of being poked and prodded so foolishly walked away and thought they would stay that way....

I'm now 24 and my upper teeth have relapsed and have an overbite of 10mm (normal is 2-4mm) bottom teeth are pretty straight still. I'm conscious of my crooked teeth in photos so decided to take the plunge and get re-braced! I believe I'm older and wiser (haha) and plan to get a permanent retainer. Determined they are NOT going to move 2nd time around!!! I wanted to have low visibility braces and ceramics were the best option. I asked about invisiligns but these simple aren't up to the job, they're great for straightening teeth but not forcing teeth backwards to correct bite. I have ceramic's on the top 6 teeth and metal on the bottom.

I've now had braces for 3 months, my 4th adjustment is early July. I'm currently in elastics to align my arches and close extraction gaps to pull teeth back and improve overjet. I also have a nance palatal button to hold my molar teeth back. My teeth have moved really quickly. My bite is changing all the time.

Here are some photos

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I hope gaps close quickly! Will update next after next adjustment

[Jen8626]

Hi Ken

Thanks for nice comments The Nance doesn't bother me at all. For the first few days I had a really bad lisp, was embarrassing!! But now I forget its there. Not sure how long I'll have it, presumably it'll come off at same time as bottom braces when arches are aligned. Maybe I should ask?!

Jen

[Jen8626]

Hi guys so I had my 4th adjustment last week. Good news is my overjet is now 7mm, it was 9mm last month and began with 10mm so really pleased with movement. Gaps are closing slowly with help of power chains. He took off tie wires so now just powerchains top and bottom. Wearing elastics 24/7 until I see him next, might be able to wear elastics at night next month. My nance is still in place to keep molars back. Will try upload recent photos
That is all

Jen

[Jen8626]

Hi everyone. I haven't posted in such a long time. I've now had braces for 8 months. I had my 8th tightening today, which was fine. My extraction gaps have closed. The main problem was my nance palatal button felt painful and was digging in (presumably where my teeth have been forced back) I have a slight infection so orthodontist took it out straight away. Feels very strange to have a normal palate! The release of pressure is good though

My overjet is 2mm, exactly as it should be. I'm just using elastics at night to close a very small gap on the right. At the moment my front teeth are a little sloppy backwards so he's going to put at bend in the wire to slope them back forward (must be 1mm-2mm we're talking about!) Then finishing touches and all will be finished I think

So another 5 months at most, if that, I'm hoping 3-4

Jen x

[preciouskiss825]

Hi Jen,

I just read your story, and I find it so amazing how quickly your teeth moved withinn the first three months. Your story gives me a lot of hope. Your treatment seems similar to what I will be going through soon, although my teeth are a lot worse. Good luck with the rest of your journey, and don't forget to keep us posted.

[preciouskiss825]

Hi Jen,

I just read your story, and I find it so amazing how quickly your teeth moved withinn the first three months. Your story gives me a lot of hope. Your treatment seems similar to what I will be going through soon, although my teeth are a lot worse. Good luck with the rest of your journey, and don't forget to keep us posted.

[Jen8626]

my overbite / overjet at 3 months



my overjet at 8 months



teeth underneath 8 months


teeth now


extraction gap closed at 8 months


previous picture of extraction gap



I have mild staining around the brackets in hard to reach places - I blame tea!! I'll visit hygienist soon

Pretty cool huh!!!
Jen x

[Jen8626]

Hi Precious!

Thanks for your reply! Good luck on your journey, having braces is not so bad! Its amazing how the body gets used to them My nance was no problem, I spoke with a lisp a few days after I got it! But I quickly worked around it! Feels like you're constantly sucking a boiled sweet! It had to be removed though on friday, as i've said already because it was painful and slightly infected. I guess it's done its job though

Best of luck!

Jen x

[Jen8626]

Just had my 9 adjustment, all is well. My gaps are closed I have a bend in my wire to help front teeth be less sloppey backwards they're like this at the moment

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and they should be

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I have a gap on the bottom row which needs to be closed. He's estimated 3 months to go, I could have longer for prefection but the two front teeth movement would be so tiny I wouldn't notice much change. So I'll see how things are in 3 months and decide!

The annoying thing is one of my lig's has come off, grr so I'll have to go back soon, will prob be next week now after chrimbo! GAAAH! Hoping one lost lig won't make that much of a difference for a few days, anyone else lost a lig?

Jen xx

[Jen8626]

hi everyone!

I went back to ortho week after chrimbo to sort out missing lig situation, he put a tie wire around the bracket so all was well. I'm looking forward to my 10th adjustment tomorrow to make my track neater, the usual staining of ceramic ligs and the tie wire looks untidy hehe!! I've been watching videos of people getting braces off its so exciting! I know I'm getting closer and closer to the end of my sentence! Love how people get goody-bags, like balloons and sweets even vouchers and champagne, wonder if I'll get anything?!!! LOL! It's the little things!!
My bite seems to be changing constantly, I'm still wearing elastics at night time. I think this month I can now bite my back teeth down, I'm pretty sure I couldn't at christmas. And my bottom L4 teeth seem to be 'locking' into top teeth for a better bite, although one is slightly sloppey inwards and also has a gap between the canine, still trying to close it!!

So for tomorrow I'm hoping he's going to say he'll tidy my bottom row at bit more, close the gap. Err hopefully say my top teeth have moved so they're no longer sloppey backwards... to be honest there isn't a lot more see to be corrected, which he said I'd find frustrating. Correct movement on upper teeth is only 1mm or so, tiny!

I'll report back tomorrow!

[Jen8626]

hoorah hooray!

Well, ortho gave a double wow for improvement this month! So hopefully next month will be D-DAY!!!! Today he put double powerchain on bottom row to close a stubborn gap. On the top just the same powerchain and elastics. Whoopedy whoop whoop! Fingers crossed they will come off next month!!


I can't wait to eat popcorn and the crustiest bread EVER!! Hehe!!!

Jen x

[drgnchsr36]

Wow, that's awesome!! That's only a year in braces, pretty fast!!

Congrats - hope d-day is next month for you!

p.s. how long was the estimate for you in the beginning?

[Jen8626]

Hey drgnchsr36, thanks it's all very exciting!!

My estimate was 16 months so they'd be off 4 months early if D-Day is next month!! My teeth moved really quickly, elastics work a treat - if you get them - wear them religiously!!

Jen x

[drgnchsr36]

I will, totally if I can speed up treatment - that'd be awesome.

Anyways, keep us updated!

[chocomorsel]

Congrats. I'm in my second month of elastics and wear them about 21-22hrs a day. I get lazy in the evenings after dinner. Anyway, I had an overbite overjet just like you and top teeth got pulled. My ortho though didn't start closing the gaps right away as he was working on the bottoms to bring them back and also created a space in the top next to the extraction gap bet. my lateral incisors and k9's for my overjet to move back but not completely fill the extraction gap. He will then move the teeth in the back forwards to close the spaces completely. I'm being patient although I wonder why the top could not just be brought back all at once to begin with without creating more space between the lateral incisors and the K9's. Oh well, we all get there eventually. Some lucky ones like you sooner than others.