Smilehope's story

[smilehope]

Bother, a bracket has come off a tooth - my lower left lateral incisor. It's sort of in place but moving up & down the wire. I'm worried the tooth will start moving back inwards. My next adjustment is on 17th, and I don't know if it can wait. I'll call the office in the morning & see what they say.

[smilehope]

I'll wait until my adjustment appointment next week to get that bracket stuck back on. The office said my orthodontist is away until the day of my appointment anyway. If it was hurting someone else could see me.

It's not the loose bracket that's hurting, it's my upper incisors. That's good though, and I can see they're still moving. Still an overlap but getting less.

[smilehope]

I think I'm going through what is technically known as the "looks worse before it gets better" phase. Although my front incisors overlap is down to about 1mm, the gap by the gum is looking really obvious now both sides of the right one, and my ligs are finally looking a bit on the yellow side, which although they match my teeth is not a good look.

On the bright side, I have an adjustment on 17th. I look forward to these now, although I know this one will hurt when it comes to lig changes.

[Kipepeo]

I'm in the same boat as you. I broke a molar bracket off last week, and will get that fixed on the 17th. I swear everything changed when that bracket came off. My teeth are all sorts of sore all over. Strange.

[smilehope]

Bit scary. Also good and exciting. After only 6 weeks with my uppers on I'm on a rectangular wire, 16/22 apparently. Ortho really pleased with progress. Just about un-overlapped now, well they weren't quite this morning but I think he gave them a bit of a tug to get the wire in. Yes it did hurt, but only momentarily. He's warned me to expect pain for a few days though, no surprises there. Also got the lower loose bracket stuck back on.

Do I win a prize for the biggest black triangle ever?

[oimysizex]

your teeth are coming along nicely!!!

[smilehope]

Thanks, oimysizex. I hope your extraction sites behave themselves. I had the same ones taken out 8 months ago - I can't believe it's been that long!

[Angel269]

Looking good Smilehope

[jem]

Brilliant progress Smilehope. I am sure the triangle will be gone before too long-perhaps with an upper powerchain as your next orthodontic treat?

Jem

[smilehope]

Indeed I do now have a powerchain, as of yesterday. For anyone concerned that it's something to worry about - I don't feel much different from before.
Same wires this time - chain on front 6 to close up gap which had appeared - I think they are already closer together than yesterday.
Very happy with progress - took some photos yesterday, will try & post tonight.

[starfish88]

Did you go for a coloured powerchain? Great progress!

[smilehope]

No coloured powerchain, I'm not confident enough for that yet! In fact you can hardly see it. I still have my ligs (pearl) on as well. The powerchain is actually quite nice - it makes them the brackets and wires all feel smoother.
I swear my extraction gaps are starting to close even though they don't have chains over. Hard to tell when you only have a tongue as a measuring device, but I think they're smaller especially on my right.
Today they are a bit achey, all my upper right teeth, but nothing bad enough to need painkillers. The gap is already more closed than in these pics.

September, uppers fist braced:


Now, after 12 weeks braced uppers:

[Tobilei]

Looking amazing! Great progress

[jem]

So like I said, straight teeth for Christmas! Congratulations.

Jem

[smilehope]

OUCH!
I wasn't particularly expecting a wire change today, but now I have thick stainless steel wires top and bottom. I've lost the power chain, but now have white wire ties on the upper front six instead. Wires ? 19/25 or something like that. Apparently this is my "finishing" wire - still a long long way to go, but this is the wire he'll be using to close my gaps & get my bite sorted out.
My lowers, which I've hardly thought about for about the last 6 months already hurt like crazy. He did warn me I'd get pain this time - apparently tomorrow morning especially!
I'm really happy things are moving along well. Only 4 months since I had my uppers on.
I don't know if it'll be tricky to clean my teeth with the twisted wire. I was getting quite good at cleaning with the power chain, but this wire is underneath the archwire rather than over it. I'll find out soon after lunch I guess!
Will try & do pics this afternoon.