Carriere, Lingual Arch, Ceramic Braces at 58

[mapleleafman888]

That's very unfortunate what happened but it's good to hear you are pressing on. Just hang in there, there's an end to all of this! Best of luck for your remaining treatment, hope you are doing better.

[KayKay]

Today my lingual arch was removed (YAY!), a new band was added to my top back teeth and the wires were changed. A power chain - a light version - was attached to begin to close the gap left from my accidental, surprise ice accident that resulted in a tooth extraction of my extra tooth.

I'm sore tonight.

I go back in 4 weeks for the power chain adjustment - cranking up the pressure.

Sounds lovely, eh?

Truly the best thing - was the removal of the lingual arch. My tongue is no longer going to trip over the wire or feel "cut" by the presence of the wire.

I also weighed myself this morning - I'm down a few more pounds. Amazing….

[KayKay]

I made a return trip back to the orthodontics office to have my teeth ramps adjusted again - adding height to them - because my teeth were hitting my brackets.

I'm overall feeling annoyed again with my brackets the the inconvenience of it all. Today I had lunch with friends - while I had a bowl of soup. I can't chew - once again - and my teeth hurt again. I have a pokey wire that I'm keeping covered with wax while my teeth adjust/move to take up that bit of wire that is needed.

I'm sure I'll feel better in a few weeks but for now,

[KayKay]

Absolutely weird. Or amazing. Not even 1 week since my first adjustment, wire replacement and I have noticed (finally!) some changes in my teeth. Well, I knew all along things were moving but overall, there didn't seem to be any major shifts.

Since the lingual arch has been removed, I can run my tongue behind my teeth - and they are lining up! In fact, in the front, on the bottom, my teeth are beginning to stand up, line up - and yet - Uh oh! One of those front bottom teeth has a chip in it I never noticed before. Now that it is standing up, my tongue finds the edge of the longer spot and I wonder about smoothing it out.

But feeling behind my teeth - the smoothness of the lining up teeth is amazing. The top is lining up too but the turned tooth still doesn't have enough space to rotate yet - but it is close. And even checking behind that tooth - feels better.

Anyone else discover a chipped edged tooth when their teeth lined up?

Now that I see my teeth making progress - I'm encouraged!

[newbite]

Oh my gosh KayKay, *did* I notice a chipped edge on my teeth? Yes!!! The middle of my two top front teeth is worn down into an upside down "V". I had no idea since they were angled inwards towards each other since they grew in. I'm really happy they're (pretty much) straight now, but really disappointed they are ugly and will need bonding . The ortho has shaved some off to at least make the upside down "V" not as pointy, but they're still noticeably worn down.

[KayKay]

Did your ortho shave/smooth it down during treatment? This piece is annoying me - and I wondered if he would wait until the teeth are all straight - or if he will give it a go now?

I agree newbite! Sad - indeed - to wait for straight teeth only to discover they are chipped!

[newbite]

Yes he did it at the 5 month mark I think, once they were straight enough. My ortho seems to like shaping teeth, though, so they might not all be as eager. Won't hurt to ask though!

[TheProfessor]

I also have a chipped lower tooth that I never noticed until my teeth started getting straighter. Actually I didn't notice it, my hygienist said something about it when I got my first cleaning after getting braces (around 5 months in). So weird, I have no idea when or how it got chipped!

[KayKay]

Month 4 reporting.

They removed some coil length and have started to pull my teeth together where my new gap existed from my accidental broken tooth (fall on ice) and extraction that followed.

My bite is way way off and annoying with this added pressure. It feels like my top teeth belong to a different bottom set of teeth. It's awkward.

But looking at my progress side by side from first month to month 4, I can see progress. Harder to see on the photos, my left upper incisor has almost turned completely back in place. Almost but not quite. It is making contact with the teeth on either side, not quite room for it to make its final turn. That should come soon with the pulling back of the other teeth to close in the gap.

My teeth hurt. I'm taking advil.

[KayKay]

I miss-counted the photos above. The last one is Month 3. This coming week will be month 4 since my braces were installed.

I'll post photos soon and fix the photo above. The canine on the top left (on the photo top right) still hasn't completely turned the right way. It is close but the teeth next to it are crowding and they are being moved backwards - and are still tender.

I'm eating easier but still prefer not to eat hard stuff or sticky. I haven't lost any more weight but I haven't put it on either. Down 15 pounds (or a bit more) is not a bad thing. Hope to keep it off - side benefit - I feel better without it.

[KayKay]

It's now been 5 months since I've started wearing brackets. 9 since I started this journey, the first 4 months in lingual arch and carrier and elastics to move my top left teeth backwards to give room for my front tooth to have enough room to rotate into place.

At month 2-3 I fell on the ice and broke a tooth (an extra one that had caused this mess) and now we are trying to close the gap, reversing all the work we did those first 4 months.


Tonight I'm super sore. I'm to wear elastics 12 hours a day - just on the one side, pulling the top back teeth forward to close the gap. The elastic (just one for now) is attached to the back far top left tooth. The other end is near the front bottom. He wanted me to wear the elastic one tooth closer to the front - but even after 5 minutes it was more than I could bear. I moved it to the tooth over one. I figure after a few days when this adjustment is less painful, I'll be better prepared to fully attach the elastics, stretching them all the way from the back to the front.

My bite is crooked again - while wearing the elastics. I'm guessing this weirdness is a phenomenum just for the time I'm in the elastics - and hopefully tomorrow morning when I take the elastic out, I won't feel crooked .

But I'm hurting. I've taken ibuprofen. I feel headachy in my mouth if that makes sense.

My front lower tooth with the chip is annoying and he isn't going to shape the teeth yet - its too soon and he has more leveling to do.

Realized today that as a teen when I was told I didn't need braces - wasn't true.

[KayKay]

Today I saw my orthodontist when my scheduled appointment is next week. My back molar had begun extruding and the front tooth was also extruding. Apparently, rather than the molar moving forward as it should, the elastics were causing the extruding. They changed my chain slightly and altered my elastics pattern.

However - even after 12 hours wearing the new elastics pattern, my teeth feel loose and I'm worried. Those poor teeth that were first pulled back with carriere' and then pulled forward with elastics after the broken premolar are now being pulled downward with the elastics. That side of my mouth has been through a lot! I can't imagine 4 weeks with this set of elastics without my teeth falling out.

I know - that won't happen - the brackets and wires will hold them in place - but gosh this is discouraging. That molar is just not budging much and the teeth surround it, are taking the beating.

[KayKay]

Note to self: Its day 3 after new elastics pattern - and things are better. Although I'm still worried about teeth touching teeth in the front, the bite is definitely improving and the soreness isn't as bad. I can't quite wear both sides of elastics at night yet (somehow when falling asleep it feels claustrophobic) but I've been wearing one side at night and getting enough wear during the quiet part of my day on the other side. Soon I'll be able to sleep in both sides. Its doing better - it is.

And being able to feel both sides of my molars when chewing - golden.

Oh - I turned 59. I am only hoping that by the time I'm 60, I'll be out of these things.

[KayKay]

Two things:

I am having an almost constant "headache" in my jaw/ear on my right side. I can't help but believe this is caused from the elastics trying to level out my teeth.

My teeth make noise. I notice it at night when I sorta wake up to turn a bit, I don't think I'm grinding my teeth but perhaps testing them out or something because I hear slight little pops from my teeth. Are your teeth noisy?

[EWUgal15]

Two things:

I am having an almost constant "headache" in my jaw/ear on my right side. I can't help but believe this is caused from the elastics trying to level out my teeth.

My teeth make noise. I notice it at night when I sorta wake up to turn a bit, I don't think I'm grinding my teeth but perhaps testing them out or something because I hear slight little pops from my teeth. Are your teeth noisy?

First of all, great progress! Your teeth are looking wonderful.

I grind my teeth at night, so I feel your pain with the jaw ache. I hope it gets resolved quickly. My teeth are also noisy..almost like a creaking sound. It's really hard to describe, but sometimes it's worrisome. And it also feels super weird when it happens. I notice it most on the teeth that I have elastics hooked to (Class I on the lower arch from second molar to canine on both sides to close gaps).