Maeby Getting Braces

[beckyboo0205]

Your pictures look great! I really like your light blue ligs. Did you keep doing color after that first time? Your other 2 pictures show no color. I can't decide if I want light blue or clear at first.

[maeby]

Thanks, beckyboo! I would have kept the blue ligs except I've had to have wire ties on most of my front brackets, so I've just gone with silver to match the wire ties. Boring, I know.

I can report that the exposure surgery went well! I was completely asleep the whole time, and I didn't get to talk to the doctor afterward, so I have no idea what all happened. I think I had IV sedation, but they gave me laughing gas before they did anything, so I remember nothing. I guess that's good? I only had to take the painkillers for a couple of days before I weaned off to a couple of ibuprofen a day. I didn't experience any real pain throughout the ordeal. Even so, it's been about five days since the surgery and I'm still feeling the effects of all of the medications they gave me to prevent infection, encourage healing, keep the surgical site clean, etc. The past couple of days, the swelling has been down enough to feel the stitches, which is an odd sensation. I still have to be very careful with what I eat and how I eat it, because I'm not supposed to bite into anything. So I can chew, but not bite (if that makes sense). My first big meal after surgery (three days after) was the same as my first big meal after getting braces--pancakes!

That's the short and simple version of what happened. I'm hoping to post some "after" photos to show what my new metal looks like. Let me know if you have any questions about the process!

[maeby]

Hello! It has been almost two weeks since my impacted canine surgery and one day since my orthodontist "activated" the chains to start pulling down those canines. Good news! I can see and feel the one on the left! It's been exposed since the surgery, but it's moved down just a tiny bit and now I can feel it with my tongue. Weird, but cool. Also, all of my stitches have dissolved, so my mouth feels a little freer than it did.

Here's how the progress looks so far. I'm saving you from having to look at bloody Day 0 photos.



P.S. I solicited name ideas from my friends, because I thought it would be fun to be able to refer to the pair of teeth by names. The friends voted overwhelmingly for Tory and Abed, so now when I brush my teeth, I can sing "Troy and Abed in the mooorning!"

[Ellabelle]

Maeby, how exciting! Thanks for sharing the update and pics. Holy moly, that is a lot going on in your mouth girl! I'm so happy that the surgery went well and that you're making progress. Looks good!

[Ellabelle]

Hey Maeby,
I'm currently working on the new season of Arrested Development, so naturally I thought of you. How're things going? Update please!

[maeby]

Yeash! Has it really been since February that I posted? To be honest, things are pretty much at a standstill until my second canine comes down, and it hasn't even broken through the gums yet. I'm getting a little dejected, since my original forecast said I might get my braces off in two years. Well, not even my sunny optimism can calculate a way that I'd get them off by this April.

On the plus side, I have red and green ligs on this month! Quite a departure from my usual pale blue or pink. I'll see if I can post a picture later, but the camera on my phone isn't working, so that's put a damper on the progress pics.

[TrustGodAuburn]

I just read through your story. You have had amazing progress!

[maeby]

Well guys, I just moved out of state and I had to find a new ortho--and a new ortho means a new treatment plan (to some extent). Dr. NewGuy has given me an appliance that is designed to pull harder on the impacted canine, which is good, except it is pretty annoying.

The problem: Because we've had to make room for the canines, my top and bottom teeth in the front have been getting more and more flared outward, and it's only getting worse. The angle makes it difficult to bite into things and it's not very healthy for the roots to have the biting pressure on them from that angle. Dr. NewGuy told me that I will probably have to have all four of my first bicuspids removed to correct the problem. ... ...

My feelings: I'm two-and-a-half years into treatment (say whaaat?!) and I kind of feel like I'm about to start over.

What do you think? Have any of you had to re-calibrate the plan in the middle of treatment? How annoying is it to have those bicuspids removed? I don't really look forward to have more big ol' gaps in my teeth. I have enough trouble eating and talking as it is. (I kinda talk like a lady-version of Mike Tyson with this new appliance in my mouth.)

To see what I'm talking about, here's an example of tilted incisors from the Journal of Orthodontic Research. It's really similar to the image my ortho showed me.
http://www.jorthodr.org/articles/2013/1 ... 288_u8.jpg

Here's a photo of my teeth where you can see the space for my canine and the tilted incisors:



Any words of wisdom for me?

[jem]

Hello Maeby,

I'm afraid I can only offer words of sympathy rather than wisdom.

It would appear with hindsight that your first ortho should probably have extracted four bicuspids to start with. But orthos seem to be under a lot of pressure not to extract if they can possibly avoid it and it looks as if he/she was trying to do the best possible job for you in recovering your impacted canines and trying to keep your pre-molars too.

I had premolar extractions years ago at age 11 before a removable brace ( which was the norm in the UK back then). I had a fixed brace again recently in my 50s and during that process learned quite a lot about orthodontics from this site. I now realize that my premolar extraction was to the detriment of my facial shape and that nowadays an ortho would have found the required space by palatal expansion rather than extraction. So I do sympathize with orthos and patients who try to avoid extractions.

Given that the non-extraction route has caused your teeth to flare out, I can't imagine that extractions at this point could possibly be to the detriment of your facial shape. I'm sorry that extractions will extend your treatment time and hopefully it will not be by too much. But you have made a big investment ( in many senses) in your treatment. You are young and have many years ahead of you with beautiful and healthy teeth. You will not regret all the effort you have put into getting the very best result possible.

In the meantime hang on in there, keep smiling and keep posting.

Jem

[maeby]

Thanks for sharing, Jem! I'd say your words are wise.

And you're right, the fact that my teeth flared out seems to indicate that my arch doesn't have room for all the teeth I've, um, incorporated since I started treatment.

[wmd]

I am totally like Smegel from L.O.T.R. when it comes to keeping my teeth so I can kind of sympathize a bit with you. The good news is that your teeth will be even prettier than they are now.

[maeby]

Hahaha! WMD, that is hilarious! I have to agree with you.

I went to my new dentist today and he agreed that removing teeth would probably lead to the best outcome. Also, happy to report no cavities! Which is great, because I'm terrified of having fillings done.

[wmd]

Wooo hooo!!!! Celebrate with candy (kidding). I'm the same way cavities and brush my teeth all day long. Congrats!

[ray11]

Really great smile now
Congrats.

[maeby]

Five Years in Braces (and counting). I know kids that were born after I got braced and HAVE STARTED KINDERGARTEN.

Guys, I've had it all done. Impacted canine surgery, dental appliances, more impacted canine surgery, Propel treatment, tooth extraction, more tooth extraction. I've even moved states and changed orthodontists!

I still have slightly flared teeth and a space. that. won't close. So I still don't have an end date.

This is getting old. If you have any encouragement, I will certainly accept it!