VWMystyc's Braces Off!!!! Pics coming soon!

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#16 Post by **vwmystyc** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 11:09 am

Thanks Joplin for your post. I'm going to kind of post a 24 hour update here through the weekend so anyone else who gets one of these has an idea of how quickly it will get better.

Here I am 24 hours later and my speech has improved greatly, it is still very lispy on some sounds but on others you can't tell. I'm reading everything I can aloud in the car to help. Swallowing is still difficult and I think it isn't that I can't swallow all the excess saliva but more that as I swallow and my tongue presses against it it creates more saliva. My tongue isn't sore yet but I think by tonight it will be there. I can do the marriage speech by the funny priest in The Princess Bride dead on. My mom requested it as soon as I got home and she cracked up laughing. All my friends are being so supportive though and telling me how proud they are that I'm doing all this which is nice to hear. I had to take some pain killers this morning bc my molars that they put the bands of the RPE on were sore and I had that problem with the pill going onto the shelf. I actually found that trying to swallow it without it going onto the shelf made me gag. So the second half of the pill I put up there myself and it went straight down my throat. Oh and I agree about needing a towel when I sleep, I tend to drool a little anyway

but this was absurd. So 24 hours later the saliva is still an issue and the swallowing is still difficult but the speech is much better. There is hope

#17 Post by **vwmystyc** » Mon Mar 07, 2005 10:06 am

Alright I didn't post over the weekend, I was busy. Nothing has really changed since Friday though. My speech is still funny, sometimes it sounds better then other times it sounds worse. I am so counting down the days until I have my mouth back. My molars are sore still where they attached the RPE so chewing is still a bad thing. I have turned the thing twice now and honestly it wasn't that bad. I was scared to death from reading that some people have had lots of pain. It is uncomfortable, it is more of a pressure pain and that went away after a few minutes. I've lucked out and my tongue has adapted well and hasn't gotten sore with being pushed up against the thing. It is definitely more of a pain when eating to clean out the brackets and now this thing. Stuff gets wrapped around it and is hard to get out. I was so hungry for food on Sat I got a cheeseburger and tried to eat it and my teeth hurt so bad I wanted to cry because I was really hungry for some solid food. My dad came a patted me on the back and said just think two years from now it will all be worth it.

#18 Post by **vwmystyc** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:45 am

Well I've had this thing in for a week now. My top molars are still too sore to chew well to eat

Flossing the teeth that are moving out bc of the RPE is difficult and slightly painful. The good news is that I have had my lower brackets on for less than a month and my bottom front teeth have straightened out noticeably. I used to have one tooth that was partially behind the others and now it is mostly in line with the rest. They are soooo sore to floss though, very very tender. I'll get pics posted soon, I need to take some new ones to send to my grandparents also. My speech comes and goes it seems, sometimes I'm fine and sound mostly normal and other times I sound like I'm sucking on a mint or something. One week down 15 more to go

#19 Post by **joplin** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:10 am

Vymystyc, I'm glad to hear you're doing so fine with your RPE! Well done, girl! Glad you didn't get the sore tongue problem :ThumbsUp: I don't remember getting sore molars, but on the other hand I had my upper jaw manipulated with the RPE and not my teeth moved, as I think what's going on in your case. That should explain why you feel the pain in your teeth.
Eating may be tricky and frustrating in the beginning, I know, but little by little I could eat almost anything, as long as it was not too much to chew and not too sticky. You'll get there, I can just feel it

#20 Post by **vwmystyc** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:04 pm

The sore tongue problem has developed late it seems. I had a volleyball tournament on Sat and with all the gatorade I was drinking and swallowing my tongue rubbed more than usual against this thing and today it hurts. I have a spot on my tongue that is a straight line correlating with the spot where the key goes in that is raised and sore. My molars aren't sore anymore though. I am definitely noticing a difference in my bite now. Sometimes when I'm chewing my lower teeth are hitting the metal bar instead of the top teeth and when I look in the mirror they are lining up better from the side. My bottom front teeth are really tender right now with the lower braces. Is this how it will always be, I'm not due for an adjustment until the first week of April. I knew they would be tender after an adjustment but nothing has been done since they were put on a month ago and they are really sore right now. I guess that is a sign that they are moving but are they going to be tender and sore the rest of the time I'm in braces?

#21 Post by **vwmystyc** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 5:54 pm

Here are some pics of my rpe and my lower teeth. Not great pics. I'll take more when I have more time. Headed out to a volleyball game right now

#22 Post by **vwmystyc** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:45 am

Had an appt yesterday to look at my RPE progress and my lower brackets. They ended up taking out the lower wire which they referred to as a starter wire, chilling it and putting it back in. My question is what did that do? They said they will change the wire in 4 weeks when I go back. They didn't tie off my RPE because I'm stuck turning it still, they said to turn it 8 more times and come back in a month for a progress check and they will tie it off then. Guess this means another month in this thing, probably 5 months instead of 4. I'm very bummed about that but I agree that it needs to be turned more, I noticed a little bit of improvement but not a whole lot. The good thing that has come out of this is between the RPE, a sore tongue and frustration cleaning my brackets when I eat I have quit snacking and thought a lot more about what foods I am eating. As a result I have lost 15lbs. As a friend put it you didn't realize when you got the braces you were getting a whole new you. Straight teeth and now a size 6 to boot, I should have done this years ago

#23 Post by **vwmystyc** » Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:15 pm

Looks like I'm going to have to see the ortho sooner than later. I finished turning my RPE again and the bar seems to have slipped from being behind my canine to being under it. I'm not looking forward to having it fixed because that canine is really sore now and they are probably going to have to bend the bar back or take the thing out and reposition it. I cannot wait until I can get this thing out for good. Hopefully I can get an appt tomorrow.

#24 Post by **vwmystyc** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:57 pm

I went to the ortho today to have them look at my RPE that has slipped and they said that I'm stuck with it the way it is. They tied it off and said that sometimes they slip like that. I guess it was a good thing I went because the found the band on my crown was loose so they recemented it. They also chilled my lower wire again and put it back in. The ortho commented how nicely my lower arch was coming along and the assistant asked if I was getting them off soon. I told her I've only had them for about 10 weeks but they have moved fast. I hope the tops do the same. The really good news is I have an appt to get the RPE out

Only 7 more weeks to go and then it is gone. They said they would take it out and fit me with a retainer for two weeks till I get the upper braces on. So by July I will have a full set of braces!

#25 Post by **vwmystyc** » Mon May 23, 2005 7:03 pm

I finally got around to taking more pics of my teeth and I thought I would post my progress so far. I finished turning my expander and am anxiously awaiting June 14th to get it out. I'll then get my upper ceramics placed June 28th and then the real work begins.

First Day in Braces Before

Fast Forward 3 1/2 months and here are my lowers now!

and

Before, notice the crowding and the one tooth shifted behind the others.

After, they are all in a row, nice and even!!

One last lower showing how nicely they have all lined up.

Originally I was going to say there wasn't much going on with my uppers but then I looked at the pics and I realized there was progress.

Uppers Before the RPE.

Uppers After RPE, more teeth are visible and the gap is slightly bigger from the RPE expanding so I guess it did it's job. Sadly since I already had a gap I didn't notice that it had gotten bigger. I can't wait for that gap to close up completely, I've waited almost 20 years to get it fixed.

And my upper palate before..

Now After...

So that is my progress after 3 1/2 months. I'll post more pics after my next adjustment and I get the uppers on. I highly reccommend to everyone to take pictures because you don't notice the slow movement until you look at pics and you realize how fast everything is moving.

#26 Post by **joplin** » Mon May 23, 2005 11:28 pm

The change is obvious! You'll be surprised when they take a new mold of your widened upper arch and show you that and the initial one side by side. That really is an illustrative experience!

#27 Post by **vwmystyc** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:31 am

Joplin,

I did make sure to take the mold of my upper palate when they offered it so when they do the next one I can compare the two. That is what actually set me off taking new photos last night, I found the original mold when I was cleaning! So glad to hear your surgery went well, hope you are making a speedy recovery.

Thanks,

#28 Post by **vwmystyc** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:41 pm

YAY!!! Yesterday was the big day I got my RPE removed. Oh my it hurt like crazy, I feel like I have been kicked in the teeth today. They basically tugged it off my molars and it felt like they were pulling my teeth out. I'm glad they had me in a separate room bc I would have felt bad if I scared a kid with all my wimpering and owwing. I had to laugh though the assistant used the same line on me I heard her use on a kids mom when they kid was owwing over something they were doing. "It doesn't hurt but it feels weird and they don't know how to react to it so it comes across as pain." I wanted to tell her I was 25 years old and I know what pain is like and that was pain! They fit me with a clear retainer for two weeks till I get my upper brackets. So now I talk with a lisp and a whistle, funny for my family and friends not so funny for me. It feels so weird to have all this space back in my mouth. I'm soooo happy it is out. I think when they put the upper brackets on they are going to change my lower wire so I'm sure the kicked in teeth feeling won't go away for awhile. Anyone getting their RPE out I recommend taking a tylenol or something beforehand, I forgot and definitely regret it. I'll post pics when I get the top brackets on!

#29 Post by **joplin** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:32 pm

Congratulations on getting the RPE out!

I'm sorry to hear it was painful for you, but you will forget it soon and won't be looking back. It's five months now from getting my RPE out and I'm so happy about my new, wider arch! It was all worth it! I hope you feel the same way

#30 Post by **vwmystyc** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:37 am

The day has come and I'm now fully braced!!! Yay, I'm so happy to finally be done with all the other stuff and now onto the main event. I have 8 ceramic brackets up top and two metal ones. They did not put brackets on my laterals since they are too small right now. I talked with my ortho about what the plan is now. He is going to start closing the gap in between my front teeth at the next adjustment which is in Aug. He said it will take 2-3 appts to get the gap closed. I will need to have my laterals bonded or have veneers put in to make them normal size and my ortho wants to do that during treatment so he can bracket them and line everything up. I'm excited bc I was worried I was trading one gap in the middle for two on the sides for the next two years until the braces come off and I could get bonding done. I love the ceramic brackets, they look great, they aren't invisible but they are better than metal for me. I didn't get a white wire so you can see the silver wire but that is fine with me. They put pearl ligs on so I'm going through the paranoia of trying not to stain them. I will ask for wire ties next time. Next adjustment I get a powerchain. I also had my lower wire changed out, so I have that kicked in the teeth feeling going on. But overall I'm thrilled that they are all on and I keep looking in the mirror to check them out. I'll post pics later on of what they look like. Thanks!

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VWMystyc's Braces Off!!!! Pics coming soon!

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