Starfish's braces

[starfish88]

Yea - I'm hitting the upper end of my estimate too. They said 14-18 months for me and its looking like 18. My sister said they always go on longer than they say so I'm just glad its not too much longer. Honestly it doesn't feel so bad when you get used to them. I used to get so flustered when the kids I work with make comments but I don't now. One little girl was too shy to ask but she kept looking at my teeth and touching her own and I knew she was thinking it. I managed to explain what they were without getting embarassed its so much a part of 'normal' life now.

[Dee17]

I was out one day and ran into this young mother with a small child. She kept looking at my teeth and saying, "Pret-ty!" Made me laugh!!

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Nice great looking improvement.

[starfish88]

Thanks!

Sorry, I haven't been around here much - I'm crazy busy at the moment. I've been accepted to a teaching course but its designed to be done while I'm still working with children in a pre-school so I'm working every day and then studying every evening - its hard but I am loving it!

I had my hygenist appointment yesterday - I got through it without any anti-anxiety meds this time! I'm so proud of myself and the hygenist said I'm doing such a good job that I don't need to come back in 3 months, I can leave it 4 or 5! Which means my next appointment will maybe even be after the braces come off! I hope so! I see the ortho in a week and hopefully get my final wires on both upper and lower. I'm ready to be done now. I mean I'm so glad I did it and time has flown but I'm tired of it now and just want to enjoy my teeth. This may have something to do with the clear powerchains and lack of curry. I'll get clear one more time because of my holiday in August but after that I'm getting the grey ones. Bring on the curry. Its been nearly 6 months since i've had a curry and I'm stuggling with in now.

Infact i've been so busy I even missed my year in braces mark. Yay for a year down - hopefully not much longer to go

[Dee17]

Yay!! Good news for you. It must feel good to know you're coming into the home stretch.

[starfish88]

ha ha....spoke too soon....still got at least 6 months to go!!!

My teeth don't seem to have changed much now...they feel different but the changes are miniscule and don't show up. On the plus side no powerchain for the next 2 months - so scoffing as much curry as humanly possible. There are so many curry restaurants opend up in my city and I can't wait to try them all out. Plus nothing to get stained on my holiday so nice white teeth. Yay

Downside: double powerchains on my next appointment in September. And a longer break between appointments because of my holiday so that slows down treatment too. feels like I'm going to be in braces forever even though i'm luck compared to some.

Because of the brackets that got moved at my last appointment we are working our way back up through the wires again so I'm back in a small rectangular wire (from a round wire last appointment). I forgot what a PIA they are to get in the brackets and it kills now. I didn't expect it to - I've had thicker rectangular wires than this before but I guess those 2 teeth that got new brackets on still have some movement to do. Youch. But oddly its not those teeth that are hurting!

[Dee17]

Bummer! Sorry to hear your news but the next six months will probably fly by

[flips712]

Starfish88

Wow your teeth and bite are really looking great. The remainder of your treatment time will probably fly by. And in the end it will all be worth it. You've come this far!!

[starfish88]

I haven't really had much to add around here for a while, mostly just been reading and running! Just thought I would update because it always worried me in the pre-braces stage when braces journals just stopped...what happened to those people!!! But I found out today I have 2 more appointments...one in 6 weeks and one 6 weeks after that should be the de-band date! Yay! My teeth don't seem to have changed all that much from my last picture months ago although my ortho assures me they have.

[Dee17]

Hi Starfish,
Well! That's just great news. You must be so happy. I have not been in to see my orthodontist since the middle of June. I broke my ankle on June 23rd and spent the next 2.5 months in the hospital because I could not put any weight on it and I live alone with no one to help me. I am happy to report that I am finally back home. My space has closed quite a bit as well. But now my right upper incisor is crooked I'm sure he's going to be able to fix it quickly. I expect that when i do finally get in to see him I'll be wearing elastics soon thereafter. My bite is now all wonky and none of my teeth fit together properly anymore. Ugh. Nice to hear from you after all this time.

[Tobilei]

Yay for finally looking at debanding! I can't imagine going in and being told mine are going to be on a WHOLE lot longer than I was expecting! They were looking awesome in your last set of photo's though so no doubt worth it

[Naratzux]

Thats really good improvement

[Duckyfuzz]

Hi! I have loved reading your brace story, thanks. You have also given me lots of hope for my own treatment. Your teeth at the start really remind me of my own (except I have fillings and yours are far whiter than mine). I too am a dentist phobic, I work with kids (primary teacher) and am a veggie. Lol. I only hope my braces story is as successful as yours.
I have a big over jet, measured at 9mm but I think it's more. My orthodontist recommended surgery but I flat refused and said I'd be happy if it was halved and would accept it being not perfect. Every time I have seen him though he keeps telling me to keep an open mind. He then mentioned taking teeth out when I went to get my uppers fitted!!! Argh, that was never in the plan. Anyway, I am hoping that by widening my arches my overjet will perhaps decrease. I just wanted to ask, did you lose any mm from your overjet this way or was it just with the elastics pulling the lower jaw forward? My bottom teeth also are uneven and a bit tilted back so hopefully when i get my lowers on that will also reduce it a little bit. I hate my teeth and am excited that at 37 I have finally plucked up the courage to do something about them.
Thanks again for posting your amazing story. Your teeth look so beautiful and absolutely text book perfect!!

[starfish88]

I'm not sure how much of the correction came from arch widening and how much from elastics since I had elastics from the start almost so we were working on both at the same time. But I was told at the start that I was a compromise too and I was happy with halfing the overjet and in the end got better so its possible!

[Dee17]

I am pretty sure I'm going to have to start wearing elastics within a few months. Am sort of dreading it. But, in the meantime, my space has almost completely closed so I'm very happy about that. I'm almost at my one year mark.