Michele's Story

Message

#1 Post by **michele** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 4:57 pm

I made an appointment for a consultation on December 17, 2003. I was told at the consultation that I had an overbite, crossbite and crowding. Most that my general dentist had already told me and he wanted to fix. I was also told that I would need two lingual expanders.

The total cost of treatment was going to be $5,985 if I do not need extractions $750 more if I do (I hope not). The down payment was $1000. My mom and I chose to start the treatment right away. The appointment for the spacers, x-rays, and molds was December 22, 2003. The braces upper and lower were put on December 29, 2003. At that time I also had molds for the expanders made.

My braces are Gac in-ovation self-ligating. I also have bands on all 1st and 2nd molars, a total of 8. Only the 2nd molar bands went on when the braces were installed. I then made an appointment for my expanders to be installed, January 14, 2004. I had them installed along with the bands that they were attached to on my 1st molars. They were not that bad I just had some irritation on my tongue because of my crossbite (the expander was rubbing the lower part of my tongue). I had my first adjustment on March 10, 2004; they replaced both the upper and lower wire.

My next adjustment was on April 14, 2004 they adjusted my lower expander, they could not adjust my upper expander since it was removed about 2 weeks earlier when the lingual connector fell off the molar band, He also put in a wire tied crossbite (lower right 2nd premolar). I went to the dentist for my first cleaning March 18, 2004 I think the lady that cleaned my teeth did a very good job and might have loosened the connection on the molar band and that is why it came loose. My 3rd adjustment was on May 11, 2004 I was going in to just get the wire put back in the last molar band on the bottom left and asked if I could get my adjustment 2 weeks early and they did, I got a lower 16x22 that only went to the 1st molar on the right (went all the way to the 2nd molar on the left).

My next adjustment was on June 30, 2004, I got a new upper 16x22 wire and was stated on Class II elastics "Italy" 5/16â€

#2 Post by **Dodger(UK)** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 5:25 pm

Very comprehensive analysis there Michele

$5,985

seems a bit pricey, is that because of the expander as well as braces??? [/quote]

#3 Post by **michele** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:02 pm

I think so.

Michele

#4 Post by **bbsadmin** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 12:46 pm

Michele,

I put some paragraph breaks in your story to make it easier to read. I hope you don't mind.

#5 Post by **michele** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:57 am

bbsadmin wrote:Michele,

I put some paragraph breaks in your story to make it easier to read. I hope you don't mind.

That is fine.

Thanks,

Michele

#6 Post by **michele** » Wed Oct 06, 2004 12:36 pm

Hi,
I just got back from my ortho. I got my 6th adjustment. They put a wire tie from 2-2 on the top and repositioned a bracket on lower number 5 on the right. My next adjustment is on December 1. I will be getting new upper and lower wires.

Good luck with your treatment,

Michele

#7 Post by **michele** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:33 pm

Hi,
I just got home after my 7th adjustment. I got 2 new wires. Both 18x25. I also got a new configuration for my rubber bands. Just on the left and it is going from my first molar to a new "hook" on my upper #2 on the left. This "hook" is very irritating to my botton lip since it hangs low. So I am only wearing the rubber bands on the left, (I think this is because of the slight gap I got on my right). This is my last adjustment before I hit the 1 year mark in my braces. My next adjustment is just going to be a check up.

Michele

#8 Post by **michele** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:50 pm

Hi,
I made an appointment with my ortho yesterday. I went in and got my upper wire shifted back into place, since it shifted to the left. They also put a "V" bend in it to keep it from shifting.

Michele

#9 Post by **michele** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:37 am

I will hit the one year mark tomorrow and decided to put up some pictures. The before pictures are pics of my before shots from my ortho (I do not have a scanner)
Upper teeth before

Lower teeth before

Side view my right before

Side view my left before

Front view before

Upper teeth after 1 year

Lower teeth after 1 year

Side view my right after 1 year

Side view my left after 1 year

Front view after 1 year

I still have at least 15 months left in my treatment

#10 Post by **Chris** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:18 am

Michele, you had a very deep bite from the original photos and the last one showed bottom teeth! Thats great!
Was that accomplished just with braces?
You didn't have jaw surgery did you?
How did they get the bottoms to show?
And whats the "^" bend in the upper wire do?
I also never seen so many brackets with hooks!
Rubberbands on all of them eventually?

#11 Post by **michele** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:41 am

Was that accomplished just with braces? yes
You didn't have jaw surgery did you? no
How did they get the bottoms to show? just with braces
And whats the "^" bend in the upper wire do? To keep the wire from shifting (It is not working) it keeps shifting to the left
I also never seen so many brackets with hooks! I also have hooks on both of my molar bands so that is 5 hooks in each quadrant
Rubberbands on all of them eventually? I do not know yet.

#12 Post by **Chris** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:41 pm

Thanks, Michelle!

Dr Rick...if your reading this post...how in the world did the ortho accomplish correcting this deep bite with braces alone???

#13 Post by **michele** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:50 pm

double post

#14 Post by **michele** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:50 pm

Hi,
I hope with just the braces and rubberbands. I just started the rubberbands in June so I know I have a long time to go before I will be out of rubberbands. My overbite is "about 5mm," that is what my ortho told me at my consult. My ortho also told me that I might need extractions, he has not mentioned them yet, so I hope to keep all of my teeth.
I would also like to know what Dr.Rick has to say.

MicheLe

#15 Post by **Chris** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 3:34 pm

Michele...so the rubberbands were used to bring your back teeth together more and that brought up your front teeth? I am SO impressed.

Metal Mouth Message Board

Michele's Story

Michele's Story

6th Adjustment

Paging Dr RICK..