Kara's Braces Story - UPDATE WITH NEW PICS

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#61 Post by **Kara** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:32 am

Thanks Danish, Ken, and Braced32! I'll try to get some new pics up here eventually. My bottom teeth are doing some moving. There are little spaces between a few of them now that dont seem to be going anywhere.

Anyhow, everything else is good with the exception on the stupid springs... they've become rather bothersome... they rub the inside of my lips and against the cheeks and it's just irritating. I've also noticed that I have been clentching my teeth again when I sleep. This was a big problem before I got the braces that had gotten better... I dont know.. I'm doing ok otherwise. I'm anxious for my next appointment. I'll get heavier wires on bottom and possibly elastics. We'll see. It's on May 7th.

Ken... this weather... man I'm tellin ya.

Only in OHIO would it SNOW in April! LOL. I'm hoping it warms up soon. I'm ready for spring!!!!

I think by next week we should see it staying in the 60's and 70's during the day... and not have to wake up early to scrape the windshield before heading to work!

Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Thanks again everyone. Sorry I've been MIA for a while. Work has actually been pretty busy lately and I've been working late from home too. Total pain in the azz!

#62 Post by **emmajade22** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:33 pm

Your teeth are looking fantastic. Its actually very encouraging.. I was just about ready to run back to the dentist and tell him to get these things off my teeth!
But seeing so much progress so quicky is great.

#63 Post by **browneyedgrl** » Fri May 02, 2008 6:05 pm

Hi Kara,

Just stopping by to check out your story, your teeth look great! I can't get over how much movement that you've had. WOW!

B

#64 Post by **Faerydust** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:00 am

Hey Kara, thanks for stopping by my story. My treatment is similar to yours. I think the wire thing that my ortho said I'll be getting might be the same thing as yours, but I'm not sure. He said something about 3 wires. I don't know if he'll use springs too.

Sorry to hear that you're still stuck in springs.

But I guess it's good if it speeds up closure of those gaps! I know I really can't wait for mine to start closing, but I'm not looking forward to the process. At least having the gaps is motivation not to quit even when things get rough.

Looking forward to reading about your next adjustment!

#65 Post by **Kara** » Thu May 08, 2008 8:46 am

Well hello my braced buddies!! I went for my adjustment yesterday. Man I'm feeling it today!

They switched out my wire on the bottom for a heavier one. I got power chains on top and bottom from molar to molar (smoke colored) Man did that hurt. My teeth (canines especially) were tender. I still have the damn springs in but they are closing my gaps pretty quick so I'll have to suck it up. I also got class II elastics. Those will be a little tough to get used to. I have to wear them all the time.

Brushing my teeth brought tears to my eyes this morning. When i woke up I felt like I'd been punched in the mouth a thousand times.

SOOOO... I've been religiously taking Advil and I'm on a liquid diet for the next couple days. These bottom teeth are pretty sore. I dont even have the desire to try to eat anything soft... unless it's like soup or something.

The ortho said "girl, your teeth move too quick" and I simply replied with "I'm just making your job easier then, arent I?" He laughed and said that I may not have to have the braces on for my full sentence if my teeth keep moving at this rate.

I had two small gaps between a couple teeth on the bottom fronts and I swear they are gone already. These power chains are seriously workin!!!

I didnt get to take pics last night. I pretty much went home, grabbed the advil and retired to the couch for the evening with very little movement.

I'll take some pics tonight and get them posted.

#66 Post by **jenny101101** » Fri May 09, 2008 5:56 am

Hi Kara,

Thanks for visiting my story

. Sounds like your adjustment was a bit painful but glad to hear your teeth are on the move so quickly. Like they say...no pain, no gain!

Looking forward to seeing your pics!

#67 Post by **Kara** » Thu May 15, 2008 7:21 pm

Ok here are my pics. Sorry it took me so long to get them posted. My teeth are feeling much better since my adj. and I'm noticing lots of movement in my lower front 6. The elastics... man I tell ya... once you get used to them it feels weird when they arent in. I take them out to brush and usually put them right back in. Today I forgot until I got to work and once I put them back in it was like WOAH!

I'll try to post some side by side to show my progress from my first pics to now... big difference! Yea!!!

Those gaps are almost closed. Those springs are awesome at getting those gaps closed up!!!

Feb 5

May 15

Feb 5

May 15

Feb 5

May 15

See a difference???

One thing that sucked was that my lips were extremely chapped when I went in for the adjustment. Them damn cheek seperators split my lip open right in the corner on my left side. It's healing now but man it hurt to yawn and stuff especially with those elastics in. It's all good though now. I'm eating ok and back to normal till my next adjustment.

#68 Post by **jenny101101** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:17 am

Holy moly, Kara!! I see a ton of movement!!

Those gaps are really closing and your bottom teeth are so straight!! Your teeth are beautiful.

I must say, I cringe when I hear stories of elastics and how they hurt. I'm not even sure if they're in my treatment plan, but I'm pretty sure they are since my sister had them and we have almost the exact same problems. Glad to hear you're doing better with them and your teeth aren't feeling sore now...

Have a great weekend!!

#69 Post by **Brittanube** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:26 am

awesome progress Kara!

your teeth are looking fabulous!

#70 Post by **shoezy** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:42 am

Hi Kara,
I had the same elastic configuration... lovely pearlies!

-

#71 Post by **Faerydust** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:07 am

Hi Kara. Your teeth are looking great! I'm amazed at how much the gaps have closed in such a short time. I know it wasn't easy on your mouth, but hopefully it will shorten your sentence. Will you be wearing the PC and using elastics for the duration of treatment?

My treatment still seems to be following the same path as yours. In a few adjustments I'll be getting springs to help close the gaps, plus elastics and eventually PCs. Not looking forward to the pain, but I can only hope that my gaps close as quickly as yours seem to be!

#72 Post by **Kara** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:56 am

I've been MIA from the forum for a while so I'm back to give a little update. Thanks to everyone for your comments and encouragement! It really helps!!!

I've had a little set back in my treatment now... which sucks but I think it will be for the best. I went in on Monday to have my wires trimmed in the back (those powerchains are no joke. They set my teeth on the move almost immediately) and I told the ortho about the pain I've had in my upper right canine. The 'root' of the tooth looked swollen in comparison to the left side and I could feel the root all the way up by my nose!!! I'm not sure if this makes sense but I'm not sure how else to explain it. Hopefully some will know what I mean. So the ortho takes a look and starts pushing all on my tooth and MAN... IT HURT. If I push on the root of whatever it is by my nose that seems so swollen... it shoots pain all the way down my tooth. The ortho said the root of that canine was "torqued". Now... of course the only thing I knew as a definition of torque had to do with muscle cars.

so I asked what he meant and he said that the tooth was curving in and the root was pushing out. Which sounded scarey especially with the hand gestures he used to show me what he meant. So he took off the powerchains and the springs (I was SOOOO excited to get the springs off) and said that I need a heavier wire on top and that they werent going to use the springs to close the gaps anymore because for the most part they are closed... just have a tiny gap to close. He said at my next adj that I'll get a heavier wire on top and they will probably put the chains back on. I was told to stop the elastics until after my next appt. so I'm just waiting till the 18th to get this rolling again. My teeth hurt pretty bad for the last two days... I dont know if it was because they were able to 'breathe' or what... but all I have on top now is the brackets and a lighter wire. He said that the left side of my top teeth has rounded out perfectly and that the right wants to curve in for some reason. I didnt get all of what he was saying but I can feel a difference when touching with my tongue so I kinda understood.

I still have the chains on the bottom though. The ortho did say that my teeth move too quickly again so I just flat out asked if my sentence was still going to be 18 months and he said that if my teeth keep moving at the rate that they are that I could have these braces off by christmas.

There's my update. I'm at work so I cant post pics yet. I'll try to get some on here soon. My next adjustment is June 18th.

#73 Post by **jenny101101** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:04 am

Oh my!

That doesn't sound good but glad to hear your teeth can "breathe" now and I'm sending you *good vibes* that that tooth behaves and straightens out.

That'd be terrific if you got them off early!!

It's funny, it's only been 3 1/2 months for me and already I'm dreaming of the day they come off!!

#74 Post by **Braced32** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 9:52 am

Hi Kara ~

Those PCs sure sound awful! I'm sure my time is coming......

Not looking forward to elastics neither......

But I am looking forward to the "perfect" smile!

So after you were "unjailed" did the pain from that one tooth subside?

Looks like you're making excellent progress, though.

#75 Post by **Kara** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:34 am

Hi Braced and Jenny. Thanks for your kind words.

My teeth are feeling much better. I can finally chew normal food at least.

I go to the ortho again on Wednesday this week so we'll see how things go. As soon as your teeth start to feel better they do something else to them, right?

I'll keep you posted.