Jem's belated story

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!

ATTENTION NEW MEMBERS: Do not post full-face photos or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.

Moderator: bbsadmin

Message
Author
jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#166 Post by jem »

PS. I have had an uncut apple every day
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

User avatar
Kipepeo
Posts: 690
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:19 pm

Re: Jem's belated story

#167 Post by Kipepeo »

Good news on the apple!

I'm having a lot of trouble with mine. They are temporary essix-like trays called Bioforms that are made in the ortho office. The first upper one was made incorrectly, so I had another impression taken and replacement the following day. Mine are a softer plastic, not completely clear, and a bit flexible. The lower one doesn't bother me much, but it is very thin on the front, and definitely won't last long. The new upper is HORRIBLE. It is not a tight fit, and the margin comes up above my teeth over some of my gums. The saliva the gets in it is pushed by air from my palate through my teeth and spurts out the front when I talk. Everyone says I'll get used to them...I don't think so. There's no way in h3ll I'll wear the upper one if I have to talk to people...no way. So I'm hoping that occassional daytime wear and every night wear is sufficient for now.

In addition, my jaw joint is aching a lot when I wear both of them, and not so much when I just wear the lower. I can only touch the rear most molars with them in, and it's a very unnatural position for my jaw joint.

I'm starting to wonder if the Vivera retainers are a good choice for me. Maybe my jaw issues and the relationship of my bite preclude me from wearing this type of retainer. I will defintely be speaking to my ortho Monday before we head down the path of Vivera...if I can get through the weekend.

jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#168 Post by jem »

Hi Kip,

I am sorry to hear you are having problems with your temporary retainers. I expect that the vivera retainers will be very much better in terms of fit and rigidity. That may will resolve the saliva issue. How soon do you get them? I would think it would worthwhile seeing how you get on with them for a while before coming to any firm conclusion about clear retainers generally.

However, I don't like the sound of your jaw joint aching and I would certainly ask your ortho if it is likely to be similar with the vivera retainers.

I am lucky that, because of having a bonded retainer, my instruction re the clear retainer is just that I have to wear it for a continuous 12 hours every night. My lateral incisors proved a problem to get into place and most of their movement took place in the last months of my active treatment. So I expect them to be particularly prone to relapse and have worn the clear retainer quite a lot during daytime as well as at night to ensure the bonded retainer is not under too much strain.This has mostly been when I have been working from home, but I have been out and about with it too. I have so far avoided any situation outside my home where I might have to remove it to eat and drink. I really don't know how people with invisalign cope.

My speech with the clear retainer is now OK, but sometimes it can be a bit spitty. I don't know whether this will improve or not. My clear retainer is quite rigid and is (so far) crystal clear so I think it is of reasonable quality. It looks exactly like the invisalign tray I was shown when I was considering treatment choices.

I go back for my hawley on 6 August. I can't see me wearing it outside the house, but will be grateful that it will give me long term insurance against the consequences of the bonded retainer failing and the clear retainer getting worn out or broken.

Keep me posted as to how you are getting on.

Jem
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

Angel269
Posts: 561
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 11:39 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#169 Post by Angel269 »

Hey Jem

CONGRATS! :HugeGrin:

Good to see that you have the bonded retainer too! I am pretty much used to mine, after nearly 5 months. Still wear my Essix nightly-Poor thing is getting the brunt of my bruxism (rather that than my teeth). Fortunately haven't actually worn a hole in it though!

So pleased but gutted that it took so much longer than you hoped though,

Keep smiling-they're free!

P.s-I will be getting another Essix as a back up due to my grinding habits :-(

Image


[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]
Image

My braces story: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42457

Impressions-08/06/12
Big Day-22/06/12
Started using Bite Plate-14/07/12
Estimated treatment-8 months (upper ceramics)
Debond date-04/03/13

oldfart
Posts: 819
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:46 am

Re: Jem's belated story

#170 Post by oldfart »

"There's no way in h3ll I'll wear the upper one if I have to talk to people"

Oh well, you can always get braces again in 10 years like me.

of
Braces on: 2/25/2013. Braces Off: 12/23/2015
Current Retainers: Hawley Top, Essix Bottom, and Permanent Lingual Bottom

jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#171 Post by jem »

Thanks, Angel269,

The bonded retainer seems fine so far and I am now used to the essix. I am happy to hear they have proved to be a good combination for you.

I will be interested to see whether I wear my essix down with grinding. My dentist believed I had bruxism because of the uneven wear on my teeth and I have had a bite guard to wear at nights on my bottom teeth since at least 2 years before I started with the brace. I have always doubted whether I truly had bruxism and think it more likely that the uneven wear was caused by the malocclusion of my teeth. I asked my ortho for her opinion but she could not say. I stopped wearing the mouth guard a few months ago, so the essix will have to take the brunt of any grinding I might do. I get a hawley retainer next week which I will use just as a spare. If I do wreck the essix with grinding, I will swap over to the hawley and ask my dentist for a new bite guard.

As to going over my estimated time with the brace, that is now history and I was not really bothered by my brace after about the first 9 or 10 months because I was so used to it and it was relatively unobtrusive. 18 months of being braced was well worthwhile.

Best wishes

Jem
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

EbonyQ
Posts: 425
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Europe

Re: Jem's belated story

#172 Post by EbonyQ »

WOW! you got the OFF!!!! WOW!!! you did it!! :-)o :-)o :-)o :-)o :-)o :-)o :dance: :dance:
Image

Image
[/url]

jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#173 Post by jem »

Thanks Eb,

Yes it has been a lot longer than I expected, but I am finally there and very happy.

How are things with you (and your teeth)?

Jem
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#174 Post by jem »

I got my hawley retainer yesterday. I am attaching pictures.

I have a bonded retainer behind my front 6 teeth and I have to wear a removable retainer too for at least 12 hours overnight for at least the next 6 months. Whilst the 12 hours could be from evening meal to breakfast time, I have been out eating or drinking a few times in the evening recently and the 12 hours have had to start at midnight and finish at lunchtime.

My ortho supplied me with the fixed and clear essix removable retainers as part of my treatment package and I paid extra for the hawley which is intended as long term back up. The hawley seems quite robust with fairly thick acrylic which does affect my speech, although I am getting used to it. I will probably not wear the hawley out of the house because it is just like still being in braces in terms of aesthetics. But it is perhaps more comfortable than the essix insofar as I can close my teeth together fully with the hawley which I cannot do with the essix because it covers the biting surfaces of my molars. So I might end up wearing the hawley more than anticipated.That might save wear and tear on the essix, which means it should be available longer should I need to wear it 24/7 in the event of a failure in my bonded retainer.

Jem
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

User avatar
Kipepeo
Posts: 690
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:19 pm

Re: Jem's belated story

#175 Post by Kipepeo »

Jem I've never seen a Hawley with a contoured front wire like that. Looks cool. But you're right....that's a lot of acrylic all up in there.

I'm still struggling with my temporary tray retainers....well the upper one. It seems to be very poor quality, or at least poorly made (in office). It's thicker on one side, so my bite with them in is shifted to one side. It's not contoured to my teeth very much at all like your Essix is. It's pliable, a softer plastic, it's not clear...and this is the main reason I don't wear it much while in public or at work. I am getting better at speaking with it in, but I still spray saliva through it. I can't wait to get my viveras, and I'm praying they are actually better.

jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#176 Post by jem »

Hi Kip,

Sorry to hear you are still struggling with your upper retainer. It sounds as if the problem lies in the quality of the temporary retainer and that you will be fine with the viveras. You must surely be getting them soon?

Yes, I was surprised and pleased to see that the front wire on my hawley was contoured to my teeth. However, I have noticed that the contouring is not quite accurate and the wire sits some way in front of my left lateral, which has been my most problematic tooth. I am going back to my ortho on Monday to have it adjusted. I am a bit disappointed she did not spot this when she fitted the hawley, particularly as my ortho's office is some distance away.

Keep in touch,

Jem
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#177 Post by jem »

Hi Kip,

I went back to my ortho yesterday to have the labial bow on my hawley retainer adjusted. It now fits much better. My ortho described the labial bow as being "colletted" to fit the contours of my teeth.

Jem
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

lilone
Posts: 288
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 7:15 pm

Re: Jem's belated story

#178 Post by lilone »

Congrats on your debracing, Jem! :jump: Your essex retainer looks completely invisible to me. Is it contoured to the shape of your teeth at the gums or is it straight across? Must feel good to have a fantastic post-braces smile...I can't wait to be in your shoes!

congrats again!

jem
Posts: 942
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:05 am
Location: UK

Re: Jem's belated story

#179 Post by jem »

Yes I am very happy thanks Lilone. The essix is virtually in a straight line, but it curves higher above my incisors so you don't see a line when I smile. And it is slightly below the tops of my teeth at the rear molars so that it is easy to catch hold of when I need to remove it.

Are you nearly finished yet?

Jem
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months
. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)

Click here for my story http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... =9&t=42194

lilone
Posts: 288
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 7:15 pm

Re: Jem's belated story

#180 Post by lilone »

I think I should be either finished or ready for refinements just after Christmas....if all goes well. I have posted a picture on my page that shows where I was last month and my naughty canine looks esthetically worse than ever at the moment because it is completely raised out of line with the others but it's actually in a good place and we start bringing it back down into place in three weeks time. Can't wait! I'm hoping for no refinements but they are common. Dr. Tam is my ortho so I know that he'll do what is best:)

Post Reply