Granola's braces journey-- retainer check 2/13/08

Message

#166 Post by **Granola** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:31 pm

Hi KK! I will definitely be sending you some energy in saying goodbye to that class III bite! I can understand your feeling of "enough already!" about that.

I'm doing well. I was really sore on Thursday (the day after my adjustment) but remembered the advice here about chewing through the pain to enhance blood flow and circulation to the sore areas, and it really helped. When I first got braces, when I was sore I really chewed tentatively and it not only didn't alleviate the soreness, but probably prolonged it.

I'm definitely clenching constantly though, so Linda21 was right, it is absolutely the elastics! When I had my two month break from them, I could really tell how much less I was clenching.

I think my larger gap on the upper left might have closed a hair. I'm also noticing that food is getting stuck in front of my upper rear molars, so I'm guessing that some space has opened up there already, which is just what my ortho wants.

I was shopping today for groceries, and the teenager who helped us out with our groceries had braces with nice red ligs on them. We talked about braces. He had been wearing his since 8th grade, for two years now. He saw my elastics and told me that he hasn't been wearing his (because he can't talk with them) and so will be in braces for quite some time. He was a very nice young man, but oh, I wished for him that he would wear them and get on with his treatment.

I see so many people wearing braces when I'm out and about--I like it.

#167 Post by **osubeanbags** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:39 pm

Oh my gosh, Granola!!! When I saw your display pic, I thought it was a mouth model ... something you wanted your teeth to eventually look like! Your teeth look AMAZING! Keep us updated!

#168 Post by **mayday** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 11:53 pm

Really, you have beatuiful teeth--and your treatment isn't even done yet!!!!!

#169 Post by **SimInsomniac** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 4:15 pm

Granola, I've just read through this thread and it's clearly been an exciting journey in 2006. May the successes continue into 2007. I hope this year will mark the end of your time in braces too.

My first thoughts of your photos are "Wow...!" Your teeth are beautiful. The shapes of them, the arches and the cleanliness! I can see you'll have an incredible result. The ceramics also look great.
Best of luck with the elastics and new powerchain. Hope there's much progress!

Sim

#170 Post by **M1k3y** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 3:20 pm

I agree with everyone's comments. If there was a set of teeth that I'd like from what I have seen on this forum it's Granolas. In my opinion Granola's are as close to perfect as one can get. I'm so jealous but happy for you. You have teeth that of a person in their 20s but you are 40 yrs old. Way to keep your teeth looking great.

#171 Post by **Granola** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:45 am

Hi osubeanbags, cawphee, linda21, SimInsomniac, and M1k3! Thank you all so much for your posts, and the compliments that you sent my way. It is very nice to hear, and very appreciated and encouraging. Really--your words mean a lot. Thank you very much, each and every one of you.

Linda21: terms of the end result, you will still have a functional healthy bite minus the overjet and crowding. I'd say that's definitely 100% better than where you were at the beginning of treatment

So true, and well said Linda21. At the end of my life, I will be very happy if I have been able to keep all of the teeth that I have now, and I'm hopeful that this second braces journey helps me to accomplish that goal. I've had some frightening dental experiences, so braces are easy compared to that, and I hope they help me avoid any future horrors. I remember my grandmother always being very proud that she'd kept all of her teeth when so many of her age mates had lost theirs. Here's hoping I got her genes (though I suspect that I haven't).

Ironically, the money she (and my grandfather) left to me is helping to pay for my orthodontic treatment. I've think they would be really happy to know that they are helping me in such an important way.

I'm doing well nine days out from my adjustment. The powerchain on the upper seems to be gently starting to close the upper left gap in front of the cuspid (my test is to see if i can stick the interdental brush fully in between the teeth without touching them much, and it is tighter in there now). My teeth are not sore anymore at all. The only thing is that my lower teeth are "clicky" again, but I don't think overly so, because they don't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere. I am glad that I'll be seen in just a few weeks so they can check this.

#172 Post by **Granola** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:07 am

Hey there Ken!

Well, thank you very much as well! I don't know that my teeth, with all of their imperfections, qualify as Hollywood smile worthy, but I'm glad to have the teeth I have, especially compared to how they looked pre-braces the first time around.

That's amazing that your Dad was able to keep so many of his teeth, especially considering that dental techniques and even brushing and flossing practices were assuredly very different when he was young.

I highly recommend whitening when the times comes. I did it in 2000, and the last time I touched up was probably in 2002. The nice thing about whitening is that your teeth will always be whiter than they were pre-bleaching.

I'm sorry your previous dentist let things go, but happy you are in good hands now with your current dentist.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that the clicky thing is just normal braces clickyness (made that word up) and nothing ominous!

Not much new with me, just hanging out waiting for my appointment Monday to get my powerchains changed.

#173 Post by **Granola** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:52 pm

Hi Linda21: I guess time will tell if I have my grandmother's dental genes or not!

I had an "in between" appointment today for a powerchain change. I was only expecting to see a technician for that, but was pleased when my ortho did it himself. It is so nice to go in there, and have such a friendly relationship with them. It just makes my treatment that much better.

We commiserated about the bad colds we've both had (I'm still recovering, now from my second sinus infection in five weeks). I was relieved I was well enough to go and lie back in the chair today, actually.

He said that there is still a lot of space on the uppers, and too little on the lowers. He mentioned that next time my upper back molars would be banded. It is exciting to me that they are going to be included in my treatment soon, which just means I'm getting that much farther in my braces journey. I asked him if I could have brackets instead of bands, and he was happy to oblige.

I hated the process of getting, and having, bands the first time around, and am so happy to be able to avoid them completely this time (fingers crossed that it doesn't become necessary at some point). (I've still managed to keep the bracket on my left lower crown, so hope to continue that continues as well.)

He also mentioned that IPR will be done next time on the lowers. I'm excited about the thought, but my other ortho was of the opinion that she couldn't do any more IPR on the lowers. I may call and ask tomorrow, but most likely will just ask about that when I go back next month. I'm not worried about their differing opinions about this. I would prefer that they do it, if it is not contraindicated, because my lower teeth are still crowding each other and there is just not a lot of room for them to move. I can see that they still need to come into place before the uppers can follow. In my layperson's opinion, I think with just a little IPR, there would be just enough room that there will less concern for relapse once I'm in the retention phase. Also, IPR may help with the black triangles that I have, though at this point those don't bother me so much anymore, and I'm much more concerned with a stable result.

#174 Post by **Granola** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 3:35 pm

I forgot to mention that I asked my ortho if he had "smoke" color powerchains when he asked me if I wanted to choose a color. He said they used to have that one, but that it tended to lose tension too quickly compared to the ones that they use now. I found that really interesting, because it echoes what I've read here that some colors are less reliable in terms of maintaining elasticity between adjustments.

#175 Post by **Tin Indian** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 7:47 pm

Granola, Glad to here your treatment is coming along nicely. Seems you have quite the handle on whats going on in your mouth.You have a nice post. Your smile is GREAT!

#176 Post by **Granola** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:21 pm

Hi Tin Indian! Thank you so much for your post, and for stopping by my journal. It is nice of you to read here.

Please stop back in anytime.

Hi Linda21: I abhor colds (who doesn't) and have been getting too many of them. Given that I have a pretty healthy lifestyle, it is pretty frustrating! Anyway, as long as my colds don't get in the way of my ortho appointments, it's all good!

My progress is slow going, but hopefully it will continue. I'll miss being able to easily floss those back upper molars, but it's not a problem. I'm so glad I won't have bands on those two teeth.

My back teeth are worn from grinding, and I can see it in these photos.

It's amazing to look at those back upper molars that are currently un-bracketed, and see that all of my other teeth have already been extruded, almost a half tooth length. I don't know if that makes sense, but if you look at the pictures below, you will see that there is a stair-step appearance to my back teeth. They are literally sitting about a third of a tooth length above where the rest of my upper teeth. I'm sure I'll really be feeling it when they finally are bracketed next month. It'll be a good way to celebrate my one year anniversary in braces.

I had trouble getting a photo of this without angling my head.

#177 Post by **Granola** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:12 am

Hello KK, bracedagain, and Linda21!

Today is my one year anniversary (from when I got my uppers!). Wahoo!

Thanks so much for sending well wishes. I haven't been around--because we've been really under the weather in my house. First that two-week cold, then viral gastroenteritis last week (never in 41 years had I had that before--simply awful). I had another cold start to come in two days ago, but tried Zicam nasal gel for the first time, and I am actually feeling better. My resistance is really low this year (and having a young child/preschooler in the house is a huge part of it).

Ken, I'll be interested to see how long levelling takes with those molars once they are bracketed. I'm guessing not long (but I've been wrong before!).

Everything is pretty much status quo here. I'm traveling all of next week, and am hoping to go in and get my powerchain changed this week before I go. It's a tad stained (probably only to my eye, but still). If I end up not having time, that's okay too, but I'll try.

#178 Post by **Granola** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:27 am

Oh, how embarrassing. I had the 13th in my head as my one-year anniversary date, and I missed it. It was actually back on the 8th. Doh!

#179 Post by **smallbutmighty** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:43 pm

Hi Granola,
I just read through your thread and decided to add my congrats. I hope I look as good in a year as you do now! All this talk about colds got me to sneezing right after reading it. I have to remember to pop some Alpha Cold and Flu, my favorite homeopathic cold remedy. And gargle with some cheap mouthwash (the germs get drunk on the alcohol and die!). Continued success looks assured for you. Will be eager to see your further picture story.
Ruth

#180 Post by **Granola** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:18 am

Hello bracedagain, KK, linda21, and smallbutmighty! You are all the greatest to celebrate my anniversary with me (and laugh with me at my forgetting such an important date).

bracedagain: I loved that "hitting me over the head smilie!" Thanks for making me smile (as always)!

KK: Thanks so much! Yeah, that's true, I must be doing well if I am not counting the days too closely.

Linda21: We're off to visit family (mine, it should be really fun!).

smallbutmighty: Thank you so much for the congrats and the compliment.

Oh no, you started sneezing after reading my post!

I haven't heard of that homeopathic (will have to look for it) but the Zicam I took was homeopathic and I was shocked that it halted the cold that started to hit me.

It occurred to me that, being that I realized my anniversary days and days later, the good thing about that is I was almost a week further along than I even realized.

Latest: I had a kind of mini-adjustment today!

I went in for a powerchain change and asked them to check that everything looked okay since I am headed out of town. It's a good thing I went in! Something was awry with the wire in the lower left molar bracket, and they tightened things up for me and gave me new powerchains. One of my orthos came and took a look to check everything over and she said that the gap in front of my left upper canine looks much improved, and that I'm doing really well with my elastics and that she can tell I am motivated! She added to my notes that they will definitely move the bracket (yet again) more mesial on the left upper cuspid when they bond the new molar brackets at my next adjustment. Cool. I'm glad to have gotten new powerchains and I actually feel a tiny bit sore, like I had an adjustment (that is a good thing as I feel like something is happening again now).