Fluffy's Story: IPR BETWEEN FRONT TEETH! (Pix pg8)

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#121 Post by **fluffybottom** » Thu May 13, 2010 3:01 pm

ps: I LOVE wearing elastics. Love them sooo much. I am not even being sarcastic. I love the way they make my mouth feel!

#122 Post by **farmboy** » Fri May 14, 2010 10:30 pm

Fluffy,

It was a pleasure to read your story. I'm where you were in the beginning, counting the minutes until brace day (why DOES it take so long?).

I'm glad to hear wearing elastics is survivable. I remember them as being the most uncomfortable part of having braces the first time around.

I've been told to expect lots of elastic wear this time, so I hope I can emulate your attitude.

#123 Post by **fluffybottom** » Wed May 26, 2010 12:53 pm

shinyRiver
Yay for us! It's very exciting to be at the end, especially since I had gotten to the point where I felt I would have my braces forever. I'm not too worried about the bridge--it's what the situation is and I'm sure it will look fine. Or fine-ish. What I am worried about is the gum graft I will need. Since I shouldn't touch my gum graft while it is healing, I'm worried that either I won't be able to wear my retainer or that it will irritate the area and damage the graft. I'm sure my ortho, dentist and periodontist will figure something out.

farmboy
Well, yeah. Elastics are unpleasant but I still love wearing them just because I can really feel them working! It's instant gratification for me.

Plus, they help me keep my mouth shut when I am asleep; it's so nice to not wake up with a dry mouth in the morning.

So. The big news.

I HAVE A DEBAND DATE!!

In less than two weeks, my braces come off! I am so ecstatic. So, so, so very much. *fist pump*

#124 Post by **iBorg** » Wed May 26, 2010 1:14 pm

Fluffster:

GREAT NEWS!!!!!

But

without elastics, how will you keep your mouth shut when you're sleeping?

Mike

#125 Post by **fluffybottom** » Wed May 26, 2010 1:21 pm

I will answer your question after I finish dancing around!

Hehe!

I guess without elastics, it will be back to MorningDryMouthville for me! DARN! Why is my life so hard?

Wed May 26, 2010 1:51 pm

Hi Fluffy!
I just read your story from the beginning. How disappointing to finally have your impacted tooth come down and then to find out that you have to have it replaced! I had a similar disappointment last month when my ortho finally decided my impacted canine wasn't budging. I now have some really lovely Hillbilly gaps of my own. Jealous? What, you're not? OH you've got a debanding date!

I'm so happy for you! You've had a great attitude through it all. When will you get your bridge? Don't forget to visit us once in a while.
Take care,
Karen

#127 Post by **fluffybottom** » Wed May 26, 2010 7:35 pm

I'm not sure when the bridge will be happening. I will have to start the process right away (I put aside money in my flex spending account at work so I need to get things completed within this calendar year or I lose that moola!) -- first thing I have to do is get the tooth pulled and a gum graft in the area. I was told that will take several months to heal before it's ready for a bridge. I think the periodontist said it would take four months? Once that is done, I get the bridge but I don't know how long that process will take. I have a dentist appointment at the end of June so I will discuss it with my dentist then.

The past several adjustments have just been two weeks apart and it always felt like such a short amount of time. However, now that I know my next appointment is my debanding date, time has been reduced to a crawl! I swear, several years have passed since I found out this morning.

COME ON, TIME! GO FASTER!

Maybe I should spend the time thinking about all the food I am going to eat once the braces are off. Granted, I've pretty much figured out how to eat everything but there are a few things I have had to go without .. like corn on the cob and saltwater taffy. Another thing I am going to do when they come off is make out with my boyfriend for, like, an hour straight! Haha.

#128 Post by **iBorg** » Wed May 26, 2010 7:52 pm

Flufster.......

I truly hoped braces didn't prevent you from being with your boyfriend. Heck, braces add a sense of danger and excitement to it......

If he's concerned, you can always give him a shave. You both might enjoy that.

Mike

#129 Post by **fluffybottom** » Wed May 26, 2010 9:53 pm

Ha, no. Braces didn't impact the romance between myself and my boyfriend. But while I could do most everything else, kissing deeply has always felt awkward with braces. So it's been two years of quick, light smooches (and other stuff) but no deep kisses.

I look forward to the return of that.

#130 Post by **fluffybottom** » Thu May 27, 2010 12:12 pm

Oh man, me and my big mouth...hahahaha.

So yesterday I had an adjustment and things were looking good so we set a deband date for June 8th. She told me that if I see anything that I want tweaked before then, to call her and she'll have me come in.

In the evening, I was looking at my teeth and noticed a small gap in my lower arch. I called this morning and asked if I could pop in and have a chain put on. No problem, they tell me.

I go in and show her the gap. I also ask her to shape one of my front teeth because it came down further on one side and was hitting a bracket. Then we started talking about my upcoming extraction and bridge. I express my concern about keeping the space open when the area heal and I ask..

'Would it be easier to manage that space if we do the extraction while I'm still wearing braces?'

My ortho likes the sound of this and decides to call my dentist and periodontist to see what there preference is. They all think it is a good idea too so now instead of getting my braces off in two weeks, I will have them for -at least- another four months.

*WAIL*

Haha, man. Well, even though I am anxious to get these things off and am somewhat disappointed, I feel much better about the whole extraction/space maintenance thing. I was really worried about how we'd manage that with just retainers.

#131 Post by **fluffybottom** » Thu May 27, 2010 6:51 pm

Haha. Now I have gotten a call from my dentist and he wants to have the braces off when he does the extraction so he can shape the gums and give me a temporary bridge. So who knows what is going on!

He's going to call my ortho and periodontist and the three of them will figure out what is the best course of action.

Will my braces come off? Will they remain? TUNE IN AND FIND OUT!!

#132 Post by **Assquatch** » Fri May 28, 2010 7:13 pm

fluffybottom wrote:I put aside money in my flex spending account at work so I need to get things completed within this calendar year or I lose that moola!

Hey Fluffy regarding your flex spending money - Even if the timing doesn't work out such that you have the work done this calendar year, couldn't you work something out with the doctor to have the payment processed this year? Surely there is a way to work the system something like have him charge you for your treatment at a consultation that happens this year, then he does the work for the payment he has already received once the timing is right. Sort of like buying a gift certificate for work to be performed ater. I'd hate to see you lose that money!

#133 Post by **fluffybottom** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 6:25 pm

I'm sure my dentist would have tried to work with me if the window was closing; he's so super awesome. But since the wheels are turning on this, we have plenty of time to get this done.

So!

GOOD NEWS: I have a deband date again! June 24th, three weeks from today! On the 16th, I go in to have impressions done for my retainer. Is that weird? To get impressions before the braces are off? Anyway, I should get my retainer the day I get my braces off; from the ortho's office, I will go to my dentist to have my upper left lateral incisor extracted, the gums shaped and a temporary bridge fitted. He'll also tweak my retainer as needed to accommodate the temp bridge. Then I will heal for four weeks or so at which point we'll decide if I need a gum graft (I have a feeling I will). If I do, the periodontist will do it and that will take several months to heal. Once that is done, I will get my permanent bridge and hopefully be DONE with major dental work!

Can't wait to see what my smile looks like at Christmas!

#134 Post by **iBorg** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 6:35 pm

That's good news. I hope that the next few months allow you to complete your orthodontic journey with the results you desire.

I know this isn't playing out how you'd hoped but you seem to be dealing with it better than I think I would.

Mike

Oh I almost forgot to call you Flufster......

#135 Post by **fluffybottom** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 6:45 pm

Well anything that I end up with will be better than what I started with:

*RECOILS IN HORROR*

I'm sure the bridge will look fine. My dentist is really, really into teeth and he's such a perfectionist; I would be surprised if he let me out of his office with anything other than a fantastic smile.