Carriere, Lingual Arch, Ceramic Braces at 58

[braces23]

I also grind my teeth at night

[KayKay]

Just an update - My ache is lessening for the elastics and within my jaw - but I have an increasingly sensitive tooth - the tooth upper right front of banded molar. It seems that this is the spot I chew on most easily, it impacts food in front of the band so that when I brush and water pick after eating, it has an initial stinky smell when I hit it with water pick (why do I smell that? I suspect this tooth goes into my sinus) and then the water hitting the tooth - if too cold or too hot makes me wince. And if I'm drinking cold water, I have to be careful not to swish.

Do I need to call my dentist? Do I treat myself with sensitive toothpaste?

[KayKay]

Thanks for the responses! I'm looking at my teeth daily and pleased with how they look. My bite is still wonky - but I am 8 months in - so I'm hoping by the time I'm at 1 year I will feel like the bite is matching better. Right now My bottom teeth feel too "wide" for my top teeth - so that although they fit together, they don't fit well.

But I don't know what its supposed to feel like - since I've never done this before.

[KayKay]

I'm hurting. I went to the ortho office today where my upper right band was removed so that an x-ray could check out those teeth. They appeared to be fine - and I was hoping to begin to feel better. Instead, I'm hurting tonight and worried how I will make it until the morning. Ibuprofen is not touching the pain.

Tomorrow I'll go to the dentist if I'm still hurting. Tomorrow afternoon I have a doctor appointment to check my sinuses.

Is this sinus inflammation causing my teeth/mouth to hurt or is this teeth that are infected or is this caused by the elastics or...? I don't know. I just know that the pain has to stop at some point, yes?

Warm wet compresses on my face help but then they cool and i have to start again.

[KayKay]

Dentist did another x-ray and couldn't see a thing. I received antibiotics and have started those. A referrel to an endodontist to determine the cause. Also saw my family doc who gave me medicine for my sinuses but couldn't determine if this is sinus (I hope) or a bad tooth

I'm still hurting badly and it comes in waves. Not necessarily when I'm eating or drinking (carefully) but it can be quiet for a while then all of a sudden an explosion of pain hits me randomly - after I have swallowed and put my mug down or after i have brushed my teeth and put my toothbrush away - a few minutes later the pain rises up and hits me hard.

Tomorrow afternoon to the endodontist. I'm praying I sleep tonight and wake up with no ache.

I've been warned my by MD family doc against root canals. She said - if this is my tooth and not sinus - to just have the tooth extracted. Another friend just had a root canal a few months ago that landed him in the hospital with a scary surgery and extraction. Scary stuff...!

I'm confused.

[KayKay]

Its decided. I'm scheduled for a root canal. Spent a good deal of time with a well respected, experienced endodontist - and he checked the painful tooth and proclaimed it ready for a root canal. Monday. Unless they have a cancellation and I can get in earlier. I hope so....Praying that they call me tomorrow. The pain is with me - and although I could probably make it until Monday, it will not be an easy task.

Hopefully it will be a non-event and over with easily. Was told he will drill directly through the crown and do his work and then patch the crown. Unless the crown falls apart, I won't need another crown. That's a good thing. Hoping he can manage it.

Onward - beyond the discouragement of this setback...

[TheProfessor]

Sorry to hear you are suffering! I had a root canal 3 years ago and it was much easier than I thought it would be. The only issue was that i had to have several extra numbing shots mid-procedure because I could feel what they were doing inside my tooth--ouch!!! Other than that, the recovery was easy and it felt so much better afterwards! It is great that you can keep the same crown-those things are amazingly expensive!!!

I'll keep my fingers crossed that there will be a cancellation and you can get in tomorrow!

[metalliKa]

So glad you've decided on an action plan. The hardest part is getting through the numbing part then after you're numbed, it's easy breezy from there. And after, that tooth will never feel pain again! Sending you lots of encouragement from the Pacific!

[KayKay]

And so - today I can report that my root canal is behind me. I'm sore but grateful it is over. Hopefully now, once the healing from the actual process is over, I will enjoy the extended benefits of no more hot-cold sensitivity or soreness or stinkiness when I use my waterpik.

I've been wearing my left side elastics as those have a 24 hour requirement on them. (My box, top to bottom) and have ignored my right side since I was Dx for root canal. Within the next day or two, depending on my soreness, I'll put back my 12 hour right side triangle - at night mostly.

10 more days and I'll be back at the ortho office for my next checkup and hope I haven't set things back too terribly.

Onward and upward, yes?

[Bracesat57]

Sorry to hear all your troubles and had to have a root canal. Hopefully the worse is behind you.

I have had 3 root canals and all were successful. No further complications. Did they mention to you that you will need to have a crown put on that tooth. You probably do not need it right away but after your braces come off it will be necessary.

Good luck!

[KayKay]

Thank you!

I'm actually finished up with it already. That tooth had a crown already from about 10 years ago. It was a tooth that had a large filling that didn't appear to want to hold up so the dentist drilled out the filling, cleaned up the tooth and put a crown on it 10 years ago. The endodontist drilled right through the top of the crown, found it in perfect condition - it didn't fracture or chip in the process - After the root canal he patched the top of the crown with permanent "filling" that matched the crown. I'm all good.

[KayKay]

Two days after my root canal and I feel so much better. The ache is GONE. I started wearing elastics today and it doesn't hurt!

After my detour, I'm back on the road. One week until my next ortho checkup.

[KayKay]

Today I had another checkup. The orthodontist agreed with me that my back molars are "adrift" and seem to not be in the same line as the archwire now. When I get back from an upcoming trip, spacers go in and then a week later, bands on all those molars to tie them into my archwire.

Anyone else have their back most molars banded? Up to this point he's been working from the teeth in front of those back ones. The tech warned me that it is a bit of an adjustment since they will be way back there....Once those bands on are, a "speed chain" (? Did I remember that correctly?) will be added to my gap to work on closing it faster.

All in all - a good appointment, I think! A plan in place...and onward to a beautiful smile!

[KayKay]

I've had spacers in place for the last week+. Monday the 4 bands will be put on further back molars.

I'm concerned. Took forever to get used to having bands on my bottom - next to last molars and the edges of the arch wire. To move it back further in my mouth seems like a challenge to me.

All in all, its another step forward. I'm a little over 9 months in my braces - and hope that by my year anniversary, we will know the expected estimation of the final date.

Hopefully. Not knowing WHEN is hard to keep-on. Having a date brings hope my journey will someday be over.

P.S. I finally was able to see the gap that we are closing on the upper left side - where I broke and then had to have extracted - my extra bicuspid. My tongue was telling me there was no progress. My mirror tells me otherwise! I'm almost there. Its closed about 75% of the way...and a sliver of space left!

[newbite]

You have had quite an ordeal so far! I am inspired by your resilience.

It's good to hear your root canal worked. I always hear horror stories but know the majority of people have good experiences but just don't talk about it! I got my first crown right at the tail end of having my braces and will find out on Wed whether it will extend my treatment time.

Are you taking photos of your progress? That had been the most motivational thing for me. Now that my top braces are off, pictures of how my teeth used to look seem like they are of someone else's mouth!