Life Behind Brackets

[metalliKa]

Wow metalliKa, your teeth are looking beautiful. Congrats!

Thanks ItsFreyja! Surprisingly, I feel very little discomfort. Although my ortho said my bite is ok, I still have a hard time biting down on a peanut butter sandwich with my front teeth...guess having loose teeth has the effect of having no teeth.

[TheProfessor]

Great progress! Your teeth are really nicely shaped--you are going to have such a great result!

[NeilH]

Wow, your teeth are moving really quickly and look great. You are going to have such a super result when you are finished. Great progress.

[metalliKa]

Great progress! Your teeth are really nicely shaped--you are going to have such a great result!

Wow, your teeth are moving really quickly and look great. You are going to have such a super result when you are finished. Great progress.

Thanks Prof and Neil! I can't believe the difference when compared to my first day in braces! And here a few months ago, I was griping about hating the look of them with gaps. Now I'm a firm believer that things have to get bad before they can get better. Patience really is a virtue!

[BeautifulDisaster]

Great progress! You have beautiful teeth. It looks like you are near the end. I'm excited for you, and a little jealous!

[metalliKa]

Great progress! You have beautiful teeth. It looks like you are near the end. I'm excited for you, and a little jealous!

Thank you BD! Time flew by so quickly! It seems like it was only yesterday that I got fitted and now 8 months later, I'm nearing the end of my journey. I hope nothing comes up as a surprise in the next few months. That'll really put a damper on things.

[newbite]

Your smile is gorgeous even with the braces on! They're going to look incredible with the braces off!

I was looking at your before photo and I may have said this before but we had very similar pre-braces teeth, especially on top. Mine finally straightened out and yours have certainly straightened out. Yay for braces!!

[27braces88]

Ah I'm super jealous of your teeth. They looks great!

[metalliKa]

Your smile is gorgeous even with the braces on! They're going to look incredible with the braces off!

I was looking at your before photo and I may have said this before but we had very similar pre-braces teeth, especially on top. Mine finally straightened out and yours have certainly straightened out. Yay for braces!!

I responded in your journal thread. But yes, I can't believe that a tiny wire can get my teeth so straight. Braces are definitely the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Ah I'm super jealous of your teeth. They looks great!

Awww...don't be! In six month's time, your teeth will have straightened out and the comparison from before will be significant.

[metalliKa]

First of all, I want to apologize for my diseased mouth. A cold sore decided to flare up on the day of my 9th adjustment (which was 12/1/15) and I was hesitant in posting update photos. However, after a week, I feel no time is ever the right time so here I am with photos right after the adjustment, cold sores and all. I've been lazy and as I see no more improvement to my teeth...I am no longer interested in taking photos and think my teeth actually look worse now than from my last adjustment. I guess the novelty of being in braces has really worn off for me.

Upper arch: I got a new wire, 20/20 NU (that's what I heard the ortho instructed the tech, still not used to all these ortho jargons), rectangular, and three steel ties across the two centrals. No power chain this time.
Lower arch: New wire, (18 SU, again as instructed by ortho to tech), no steel ties and power chain.
I got alternating red and green ligs to help get me in the mood for the upcoming holidays. I just feel so blah this year for reasons I can't explain. I mean, I should be ecstatic as my teeth are in a much better condition than they were a year ago. Blah! Anyways, a week has gone by and without the power chains, I see small gaps opening up again between both upper canines and laterals. I also see black triangles on the lower left lateral and just notice now the slight anterior open bite on that side. With these issues popping up, I am not sure if I can get debraced by March; though I'll still put my trust in my ortho and believe that he knows what he's doing.
The new wires gave me some discomfort; but brave old me, I wasn't about to submit myself to pain medications...instead, I chew gums on the hour and by day two, I was pain free.

Progress photos below...again, excuse my diseased mouth! And yellow teeth!

[juliets]

wow - what amazing progress - you've made me feel better about my brackets and braces

[metalliKa]

wow - what amazing progress - you've made me feel better about my brackets and braces

Thank you juliets! Give yourself some time to adjust to the braces and once you see movement, you'll be so happy you got them.

[juliets]

Thank you

[metalliKa]

Had my 10th adjustment today. A lot went on and I was in the chair for a good 45 minutes!

The ortho started with the lower arch. I had mentioned to him last time about black triangles on the lower left three front teeth so today, he did a bit more IPR to close those small gaps. I think he went a bit overboard and now my left lower central is a tad bit smaller than the right. Hopefully, once those gaps closed, the difference will be less noticeable. My first lower right molar is missing so for the past 9 months, my second molar hasn't been engaged until today. Not sure why it got engaged since we are not trying to close the gap due to bone loss and I felt no desire to ask. I trust that the ortho knows what he's doing and is doing all things for my best interest. After, he proceeded to work on the upper arch. Before he could, I asked if I can say something. After expressing that I didn't want the upper canines longer than the upper centrals, he agreed to extrude my uppers and intrude my canines some bit with bents in the wire. He also shaped my canines explaining that he didn't want my teeth looking fake like dentures because denture teeth are basically perfect teeth. I nodded as I certainly don't want denture teeth. So now I have pointy canines, which I hope once they are intruded, I'll be a little more happy with them. Anyways, I got new thicker wires (didn't catch what thickness, but definitely my gums are sore) and power chain and steel ties and ligs. Same ole, same ole. There hasn't been any mention of a possible debrace date...at this point a month or two delay is not going to be that big of a deal to me. I want to make sure I am happy with my result and debracing at the right time will lessen my chance of any unforeseeable relapses.

Another thing is, as of today, I am braces debt free! I made my last payment and although it was a lot of money to part with, it's like a burden has been lifted off of me.

Progress pictures below...I'm now ready to suck my fangs into something delicious...mozzarella sticks!

[NeilH]

Just thought I would drop by and say hi! And what super progress, they are coming along nicely and it sounds like you have an ortho who you have a good relationship with and is willing to listen and address your wishes.