Jenn's Braces Saga: THEY'RE OFF! Cavity issues. :(

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#31 Post by **MsTee** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:18 pm

Hi jennandtonic! Congrats on the progress you're making. I hope you have your questions about headgear anwered soon. I really like the metallic green ligs you had in recently! Take care!

~*Ms Tee*~

#32 Post by **jennandtonic** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:26 pm

I am late to the game (have been really busy!), but thank you Rage and MsTee!

I've been seeing a little bit of movement since the last adjustment, still tiny things here and there. Nothing else really to report...I didn't even really have pain this time!

I am also wanting to ask when they plan to do some shaping on my teeth. Of course I don't expect it now, but I'm curious. I have quite a few teeth that have ridges and are shaped funny from having to grow in under some stubborn baby teeth.

#33 Post by **jennandtonic** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 4:42 pm

I don't have much new news, other than today is officially FIVE MONTHS since I got my braces.

Sometimes it feels like forever, but most of the time it seems like I'm thinking 'five months? wow, that wasn't so bad!' And since my treatment estimate was 20-26 months, I'll say five down, only 15 more to go, lol.

Next time I'm going to make it a point to ask about elastics and headgear. I'd been planning to ask about the headgear for awhile, as some of you know, but my ortho also told me at the beginning that I would be wearing elastics at some point, and I'd like to know about when.

I'm also wanting to ask about when they plan on fixing my overbite and overjet, which have been really bothering me lately. Maybe I am just in too much of a hurry to get everything fixed.

At the last adjustment, when the ortho assistant asked what would be happening next time, Dr. Greer said 'More of the same' which is a bit disheartening, if so it will just be a change of the archwire in the bottom, and tighter powerchains on both sides of my mouth. Not much has been done to the top in several months.

In fact, my top archwire has not been messed with in at least 2 months, kind of disappointing that I was MOST looking forward to the changes in the top, and most of those changes have yet to arrive.

I will post 5 month pictures after my adjustment tomorrow!

#34 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:27 pm

KK Said:

Congrats on making the five month mark jennandtonic! Here's to a great next five with loads of progress!

Good luck with your adjustment ... remember to ask your questions and then you can stop wondering! Take care!

Thank you so much Kiwi! I did get to all of my questions, and here are the answers.

First of all, I will NOT be wearing headgear (:jump:

), providing some disaster doesn't happen. She also said that if that had been even a remote possibility she would have mentioned it at the consultation, which was a huge load off my mind. I'm SO glad I got that question out of the way!

I will be wearing elastics after we can get these extraction gaps to close, which is the main focus right now. And apparently this process is going quite well, because both Anne, one of the ortho assistants, and Dr. Greer exclaimed at how good my progress is going.

Without further ado, here are pictures in the continuing saga of my gap closure:

My top teeth. It's a bit blurry, I apologize:

My smile as of today:

This is my right side smile. Not much top-teeth wise has changed.

Now, for my bottom right side. They changed the powerchain to include the lateral incisor, and ALSO, I see some more canine movement to close that gap! The lateral incisor has also moved, but I can't seem to get that change to show up in pictures, I guess it's too slight! So, here's the picture:

Now, for the bottom left side, where I've seen the most movement. My canine AND lateral incisor have moved back quite a bit! I'm frustrated that the movement isn't showing as much on camera as it is in the mirror. But the gap between my lateral incisor and canine is enough that I can see through it, and the gap between that lateral incisor and my central incisor (front tooth) is getting pretty big, too!

Another picture, just to show off that movement:

And also, gotta show a front view.

And finally, here is a somewhat blurry view of the bottoms, still haven't mastered that because I have such a tiny mouth.

#35 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:45 pm

KK said:

Fantastic news jennandtonic ... so good that you made that discussion happen ... and the answers were definitely worth it!

If you've got more movement than your photos show, it must be truly amazing!

I think it's just the blurriness. I am still experimenting, trying to find the best angles, but most of the time I don't hit the clarity I want, so it doesn't show some of those gaps that are forming. And right now gaps are what I want, strange as it may look to other people, lol.

My ortho is also using that approach to move my teeth ... he keeps adding another tooth to the powerchain at my appointments. Except my last one, when he added new brackets instead, and had to go back a wire and leave the power chain off ... now the original gap has opened again ... a quick lesson in why retainers must be worn until teeth settle ... as that gap was open as fast as the powerchains had closed it!

Oh no! This can be fixed pretty quickly, right?

And yes, if there's anything I have taken from this site (other than warm salt water rinses) it's wear your retainer faithfully!

#36 Post by **jennandtonic** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:43 am

I have a feeling by the time I finish treatment this thing will be 20 pages, just with my penchant for posting pictures!

I've had some movement and am beyond excited about it. It's all about the growing gaps right now and that's just what's happening.

Here's a picture of my bottom teeth after my adjustment on July 3rd (a bit blurry, I apologize:

Here's a picture of my bottom teeth today:

See those two lateral incisors (the teeth next to the front teeth)? Gaps, baby!!!!!!!

Here's a closer look at the left side on the day of my adjustment on July 3rd:

And today:

Definite widening of the gap there.

Here's a closer look at the right side the day of my adjustment on July 3rd:

And today:

Okay, that's my exciting news. I'm very optimistic and upbeat right now, even though I look a bit like a jack-o-lantern.

#37 Post by **MsTee** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 12:59 pm

Movement...great!

I have a

Between the pics you posted in the beginning and those more recent, it looks like your bite has changed! Is it just me, or have the braces affected your bite?

#38 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:32 am

Thank you KK! I'm hopeful I'll see this much progress throughout my treatment...though I bet after these gaps close I won't notice as much as I do now.

Ms Tee, Good question. I can kind of see what you mean, because in my first pictures my overbite/overjet was more pronounced, ESPECIALLY if you look at the prelim pics that I posted somewhere in this thread. The overbite/overjet is still noticeable and there, but not like it was. Good observation, because I honestly hadn't noticed!

My bite continues to bother me though. I want it perfect now!

I'll just use 'all good things come to those who wait' as a mantra.

#39 Post by **jennandtonic** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:36 pm

I had an adjustment appointment today, and both the ortho assistant and the ortho commented on the amount of progress I have made, both very pleased. They also pointed some things out I hadn't noticed. Dr. Greer said that on the top right side the gap is half the size that it used to be, so now I'm going to pore over the pics I have on the computer to see. She also said that the reason I see more movement at the bottom than the top is she's being more aggressive with the top, because 'the bottom has to fit in the mouth somehow!' she says.

The ortho had the assistant take the powerchains off my lower laterals, to let them 'float' (her term, not mine!) and allow the canines to keep moving back to fill the gaps. Tighter powerchains, same song and dance as last time. However, I think next time they might end up changing the archwire on the top! If they do, I'll be excited, I haven't had that done in at least 4 adjustments.

She and the ortho assistant commented on how I'm an involved patient, I pay attention to progress and I'm 'one of the ones who wants OUT of the braces.' [this was meant in a good way, not bad!] I commented that at least I haven't asked for a time frame yet! I bet a lot of orthos get asked for time frames after only 3 weeks in braces, so I figure I won't be one of those people, hahaha. I've resolved to wait until I hit the year mark, then ask how she thinks progress is going.

I got to look at my tooth molds for the first time where my teeth were like they were pre-braces, and WOW! I don't even know how I ate! hehehe.

Anyway, that's my adjustment update. I will post progress pics tomorrow, as soon as I carve out some time to take pictures and edit them. Ciao!

#40 Post by **jennandtonic** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 4:15 pm

Thank you very much KK! It is always a good feeling when the ortho says 'your progress is great!' especially coming from my ortho, who tends to keep that stuff to herself.

Linda21, thank you for your comment! Yes, I like to be involved with my treatment because it makes me feel more 'in power' even though there's really not much I can do other than take care of my teeth like they tell me to and wait. However, from reading others' stories at this site I see that when you take a more active role in your braces wear, you end up being more optimistic, and I think optimism DOES play a role in how long you wear braces. Just my belief, anyway.

All right, here are the pictures.

First of all, here's a pic of my top teeth as of today:

Now, here's one from June 13th. I THINK the gaps have gotten smaller, you tell me:

Now, here's a picture of the right side, where Dr. Greer said the top extraction gap has been cut in half.

I could not find a picture that was clear enough for comparison, sadly.

Here's the bottom right side. This shows the new configuration, how she's letting the laterals 'float' without a powerchain. I think it's because of this stubborn canine that won't go back a millimeter or two!

I'm also a bit, oh, I don't know, I guess you could say concerned about that canine. I know that tooth has always 'showed' at the gum line a bit more than the others, but it never used to stick out that far. Do you see what I mean?

Now, here's the top left side. Forgive how the lip looks, in most of these pictures i have to hold my lips back. The picture also shows the floating laterals quite well.

Here's a front view of the bottom teeth today:

And a front view of the teeth from July 8th:

I'm so long winded when I update my photos, maybe I should just shut up and show 'em, lol!

Anyway, if you take the time to read those, thank you and I'm sorry, hahahaha.

#41 Post by **jennandtonic** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:02 am

Today is SIX MONTHS since I got my braces on.

I thought I might be optimistic today, but it makes me realize that I have a long way to go....

Anyway, here's a picture on day 4 of braces:

And here is today.

#42 Post by **jennandtonic** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:18 am

Thank you Kiwi and Linda, your comments are appreciated!

I'm too impatient sometimes, I'm just so ready to have straight teeth, gotta remember it takes time.

#43 Post by **belmikry** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:25 pm

lookin' good! hey- I just remembered we started our braces at the same time- we are like "braced twins" or something-

looking great- your progress is really showing!

#44 Post by **swiss1** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:17 am

Ditto the above comments J&T - what awesome progress! Keep the progress reports coming

#45 Post by **jennandtonic** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:08 pm

Belmikry said:

lookin' good! hey- I just remembered we started our braces at the same time- we are like "braced twins" or something- looking great- your progress is really showing!

Hahah, braced twins. Does this mean we are in a 'race' to get our braces off?

Just kidding.

swiss1 said:

Ditto the above comments J&T - what awesome progress! Keep the progress reports coming

Thank you! Sometimes I think I'm the only one who wants to see the progress reports. Comments like yours make me glad I made this thread.