Joplin's Story (photos on page 12)

Message

#331 Post by **Clo** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:38 am

Hi,

maybe you remember when I had a similar "in front elastic". Funny feeling, huh ?
Makes it look a bit like "no trespassing here, work is going on". Or "no trespassing,
dangerous ... tongue". I experienced and know such an elastic works very well, eh ...
normally. Best of luck with your "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer elastic" whose
nose will become even more red when you drink all that red wine ...

#332 Post by **joplin** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:53 am

Clo: I'm glad to see your great sense of humour is still there

Ken: The first morning after having the elastics on I woke up with a pain in my jaw on the right side. But the ortho's assistant said that was to be expected. I take is as a sign of things happening.

I wasn't instructed to wear my elastics more than at night, but I took iniative this morning and called the ortho's office to ask if it's OK to wear one of them two in daytime. It doesn't show that much and doesn't bother me so I might try and speed things up. They said sure - and sounded like not many of their patients call in to ask if they can wear their elastics more

The one that goes across my front teeth I will only use at night. It really bothers my tongue and makes me drool and gag a little.

#333 Post by **joplin** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:38 am

Don't worry, Ken, I haven't heard anyone else say elastics would make them drool and gag. I think I have a very sensitive mouth. Sometimes I gag at the ortho's if the wire end happens to poke me in the cheek for a fraction of a second. The drooling part probably has to do with my mouth having to get acquinted with yet another bunch of strangers now

#334 Post by **joplin** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:53 am

Adjustment #23: sore teeth! They bent both wires quite a bit = ouch! for a couple of days. The upper arch needs to widen a little and the lower arch to do the opposite a little. The ortho said my lower arch is otherwise ready now. One upper molar is still missbehaving and my bite needs adjusting, but... something tells me I can't be too far from the finals now. Ortho didn't say anything about any special problems there might be... But as always she kept it to herself whether I'm getting my braces off this year or this decade. I'm seeing my ortho again in two weeks. Meanwhile I don't need to wear my nighttime elastics, which is nice.

#335 Post by **joplin** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:23 am

Had appointment #24, just a lame no-news-appointment, getting really bored with braces, getting frustrated seeing other people who started out after me getting rid of their braces (although happy for everyone who already got in the Naked Tooth Club!), getting tired of people asking me how long I still need to wear them and replying ever so calmly that I--still--do--not--know...Blah

Next appointment in 6 weeks.

#336 Post by **joplin** » Thu May 03, 2007 12:29 am

Adjustment #25. A little twist in the wire here, a little bend there, 90 â‚¬ please, thank you and see you again in 5 weeks. Looks like I'm going to spend a third summer with these braces. That better be the last one!

#337 Post by **joplin** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:26 am

Adjustment #26 today was another uneventful one, but I got some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that my ortho thinks I may become a qualified candidate for the Naked Tooth Club before the end of this year. But she did hurry to add that she won't make any promises, though. That said, however, I'm ready to say for sure that this is the last summer in braces for me. Better make the best of it now: this time next year I won't have this handy conversation piece and eye catcher to carry with me anymore

The bad news is that I probably will have a crossbite on the left side forever

It was there in the beginning, got better after the palatal expansion but shifted back and seems to stay that way. There is only so much you can do to fight against the nature, I guess. The ortho isn't happy about this, but she didn't bring up any issues that this might cause either.

Next adjustment not sooner than in 2 months, because of the holiday season in July.

Happy summer, everyone!

Website · #338 Post by **alexa** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:52 pm

It's a bummer that you can't completely fix your bite problems....

...but possibly Naked before 2008? That's just plain awesome!

Congrats on your good news..I hope your treatment finishes up fast!

#339 Post by **joplin** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 1:29 am

Thanks everyone! And happy winter to all my friends on the southern hemisphere

I'm sending you some of the midnight sun http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_sun we are enjoying up here this time of the year.

#340 Post by **jennielee81** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:22 pm

Wow, Joplin!

It's so good to read your updates again!!

You're right....this will indeed be your last summer in braces and then you have EVERY SUMMER for EVER-after braces free!!! ?

Keep pluggin along, you'll be done in just a few months now! Can you believe it??

#341 Post by **decisionmade** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:33 am

Still check'nin on your progress Joplin--Hang tight and soon you'll be crying tears of joy like I did...what a journey you have been on..it makes getting them off all the sweeter...life is indeed good..and especially so..brace free!
all the best
DM

#342 Post by **Laurie** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:18 pm

I really hope you're out of braces by the end of the year. What a wonderful Christmas present that would be!

#343 Post by **joplin** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:21 am

Thanks, everyone, for checking on me

I had adjustment #27 today. They changed four brackets and both wires. And then forecasted some royal soreness for me. I don't mind, as long as this is the countdown, and it should be. The ortho says it's all about little details we're working on now. All the major problems have been solved - except for the fact that some of the cross bite will probably stick with me forever, because my tongue is so hesitant to give support to the upper right molars. Still, ortho doesn't seem to bee too concerned about that, so I won't be either.

In June I asked the ortho whether I'll still be wearing braces next Christmas. As I was leaving today I noticed they had written "appliances off by Christmas" on the document they mark my appointments on. Is is official now? No, it's not, but it's at least something to hang on to

Next appointment: September 10th.

#344 Post by **joplin** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:00 am

Adjustment #28 yesterday. How many more??? Now my lowers are enjoying the strongest steel wire ever seen on earth and I'm enjoyed soft food for the next couple of days... Next appointment will be four weeks from now. Don't know what's up then. My ortho still has a lot of home work to do with her information sharing skills when it comes to her patients

I paid another +300 â‚¬ bill for this appointment (including two new wires well over 100â‚¬ each), what do I need to know

??

#345 Post by **Clo** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:09 am

Hi,

these are very expensive wires. And the strongest ones ever seen on earth ?
You certainly need to keep these once all is said and done. Would be a lovely
reminder of those "good old bracesdays". I really understand this communication
issue, or better the lack of communication. But better this and having an ortho
who does a fine job. I had 2 orthos with excellent communication skills, but you
know how ... weak their results were.