Melissa's Journey - New update & pic pg. 14

If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!

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*melissa*
Posts: 485
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:47 pm
Location: sunny cali :)
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#226 Post by *melissa* »

My braces journey started 1 year ago today. :D

Amazing how time flies... :shock:

Rachel B
Posts: 202
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:53 am
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#227 Post by Rachel B »

Hi Melissa,

Congrats on your 1 year. I just passed my 1 month and it seems like forever till I'll get to 1 year.
How are your ibraces going? Is it getting easier?

Rach x
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brika
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:01 am
Location: Florida
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#228 Post by brika »

Woot! Happy One Year Braceaversary, Melissa!
How have things been since your re-bracing?
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Miss Smiley
Posts: 2008
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 11:59 pm
Location: Sunny SoCal
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#229 Post by Miss Smiley »

Happy braceversary!
Upper and lower 1st premolars extracted
Uppers braced 4/6/07 & Lowers braced 4/20/07
ceramic brackets and rectangular arch wires
Est. term: 30-36 months
De-banded: 3/04/09 w/ LBR and U&L Essix

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*melissa*
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Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:47 pm
Location: sunny cali :)
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#230 Post by *melissa* »

Thank you Rachel, Brika, and Miss Smiley!
Things are going really well with my new braces. They were so painful at first and I didn't ever think I'd ever get used to them. Now a month later, I am completely used to them. Only problem so far has been I accidently bang my bottom teeth on my top iBraces when I am eating. That is so painful! It feels like biting really hard on a fork! (Anyone ever done that? it's NOT fun!) So, I think when I go back, they are going to have to put molar build ups back on or "bumpers" as they call them at this new orthodontist, to prevent my bottoms from hitting my uppers.
I am quite pleased with my results so far. I see changes in my upper teeth! :) They look bigger...which I like... (I've always had small teeth which I've always hated.) Now I am quite happy with my teeth. Smiling is still weird for me though...I think once I get rubber bands (at my next visit) and my bite gets better, I'll like my smile...
Oh, and about a week and a half ago, I got my last baby tooth pulled. My previous othro wanted to keep it there, but my new one wanted it out... so now I have a huge gap in the front on the bottom! Ahh, no worries though, I know it'll close up in no time!

I decided to make a picture timeline of how far I've come in the past 12 months :)

March 2008: (The picture is gray because I *really* hated my teeth)
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April 2008: (notice my tooth hiding out in the back? There used to be a baby tooth in front of that since I was about 14. This was the #1 thing I hated about my teeth!)
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May 2008: A month later, that tooth is no longer "hiding" :) YAY!
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June 2008:
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July 2008:
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August 2008:
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September 2008:
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October 2008: I then decided to find a new orthodontist. I also decided to switch my braces to a more up to date kind... but first I would have to be temporary de-banded:
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Freedom felt good for a while. I had to wait until Feburary to get my new braces put on, so my braces went on a little hiatus :lol:

Feb 2009: Yay, new braces!
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March 2009: And here we are today!
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brika
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#231 Post by brika »

Thanks for posting a "photo timeline" of your progress! You've definitely come a long way. And your smile looks fantastic!
Sorry to hear about the discomfort your linguals are causing...Hopefully the molar buildups will help with that! :)
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MakePinkNotWar
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:49 pm

#232 Post by MakePinkNotWar »

This may sound a bit weird, but do you happen to have a livejournal? I think I saw your photos in a community on livejournal.
Most days I forget I even have braces.

cathykay
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:04 pm

#233 Post by cathykay »

Hey Melissa,

Your teeth look great! I got excited when I saw the blue "glue" or whatever the heck it is on your back molars early in treatment. I just got my braces today and they put that stuff in my mouth too. When I opened wide I was like "Whoa! That stuff sure is BLUE!" haha. Anyway, your teeth really are looking very nice. I can't wait til my smile looks more like yours!
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Ceramic on the top, metal on bottom

My Braces Story! (with pictures!)

catfish
Posts: 535
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 10:12 pm
Location: Washington, USA
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#234 Post by catfish »

Wow Melissa, I'm so glad your linguals have gotten more comfortable! I felt so bad for you when you first got them on and were in so much pain. Once you get your "bumpers" you should be pretty comfy for the rest of your journey.

I had a lower incisor pulled last Thursday, so we both have new gaps to deal with. I'm happy that the extraction didn't hurt me. But I'm finding that I'm pretty self-conscious about it. It doesn't look so pretty, plus I lisp now when I didn't before. And I'm so worried about spitting on somebody! But like everything else in this journey, I'm sure I will get used to it in no time.

Good luck with the rest of your journey!
Click on WWW to see my braces story.

August 16, 2007 - Braced on top
January 3, 2008 - Braced on bottom

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*melissa*
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#235 Post by *melissa* »

Hi all! I really appreciate all of your comments!! :D

I turned 25 on Friday (the 27th)...I feel really old now. :?

I had an adjustment this morning. I love my new ortho office. They're so nice and friendly!!

I got a powerchain on the bottom, to close the gap where I had my baby tooth pulled. Some other exciting news: I now have class II elastics!! I know I am a nerd for being happy about that lol, but I *really* want my bite fixed. I am already in a little pain, esp. where the power chain is.

I forgot to ask how many hours a day I am supposed to wear the elastics, oops! Oh well, I'll just wear 'em 24/7 :lol:

Here's a couple pictures until I have time to take some better ones!
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ripchord
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:32 pm
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#236 Post by ripchord »

Happy late birthday :)

Your teeth look really nice! Linguals are so neat. I wish I had gotten them!
Braced on January 5th, 2007
Debanded on April 2nd, 2009

Click www to see my story!

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Tommm
Posts: 175
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#237 Post by Tommm »

Happy belated b-day! Mine was on the 23rd :) Your teeth are looking great btw. I'm so jealous of the iBraces!

catfish
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#238 Post by catfish »

Lots of March babies here - my birthday was on the 30th!

Congrats on your progress! I'm so glad you like your new ortho. Your first experience was so bad, it's nice to hear that those days are over.
Click on WWW to see my braces story.

August 16, 2007 - Braced on top
January 3, 2008 - Braced on bottom

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lara
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Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:18 am
Location: sydney, australia
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#239 Post by lara »

Hi Melissa,

Phew! I have finally finished reading your full story.

Can I just say kudos to you on taking charge in a tight situation in which you were not happy with your treatment. It must've been difficult.

And of course, belated happy bday :)

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*melissa*
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#240 Post by *melissa* »

Thank you ripchord, Tommm, catfish, and lara!! :D

That's funny that there are so many March babies on here! 8)

Well, today is day #2 with elasics. My whole face hurts... every bone is throbbing, especially my cheek bones. I have a migraine too. I knew the elasics were going to hurt, but I had no idea it would feel like this!
I woke up in the middle of the night in really bad pain... I guess the 800 mg of Ibuprofen wore off. :?
One of the little O's on my powerchain broke last night, I have no idea how. I guess it was being stretched too far... so I have to call the ortho and have them put on a new one sometime soon.

Oh and let me say, trying to change the elastics are a pain in the butt!

Oh, the joy of orthodontics! :lol:

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