Life Behind Brackets

[Dougsey]

All right metallika, time to fess up...

Sometime between your first post and now, you snuck off and had porcelain veneers installed, yes?!?

Seriously though, you have natural beautifully shaped teeth and now that they are lined up... WOW!

[metalliKa]

Wow! This is truly encouraging - if I achieve half the progress you have then I'll be thrilled! Your teeth look incredible - well done to your orthodontist and to you, for looking after the braces so well.

Worth waiting a little while longer for debracing to achieve perfection. Excited for you!

Thank you! One thing I take away from all of this is that patience really is a virtue.

Beutiful. Can't wait to see your photo after debracing. My journey started only six weeks ago and I'm looking forward to the final results in 1.5 to 2 years. Thanks for posting!!

Thank you!

You will find that the first first months are the most uncomfortable, yet they also are the months with the most movement and progress. Time will fly be quick so brace yourself. Hahaha Excuse the pun.

Wow, your teeth look amazing! If my teeth end up looking half as good as that, I'd be thrilled! Can't wait to see what they look like after debracing!

Thank you! Have faith in your ortho and yourself. All will be great by the time you get your braces off.

Your teeth look great!! You must be so happy it's almost over. I'm pretty new at this and have zero ortho knowledge. I hope my ortho makes my teeth look amazing like yours. It will be a surprise to see because I have no I idea where he wants them nor a vision of what a perfect smile looks like. I hear he is a perfectionist so I'm trusting him. I don't mind the braces but I'm DREADING the elastics. I haven't even asked when those come on.

Thank you!

Elastics are definitely not fun! They will cut your cheeks so have wax plenty. Next time you're at the ortho's office, do let him know what your expectations are so he'll have them in
mind and treat them accordingly. Don't think you're a bother if you have questions or concerns. I asked my ortho so much questions at each adjustment that he kidded I should take on becoming an ortho. I don't know if that was subtle sarcasm but I asked away anyway.

Wow. I've said it before but your teeth look amazing. So perfect. You can definitely be your orthos poster girl for a beautiful smile. Can't tell in your before's but with me because one tooth imparticular was crooked it would slightly distort my lips. Now my lips look even and dare I say voluminous. I'll miss that when the bling comes off. Lol.

Thank you! I'll never get to be on a Crest billboard but maybe on the billboard at his office. Hahaha

Yes, I do notice I have more lip support now. When I smile, my upper lip doesn't curl under anymore.

All right metallika, time to fess up...

Sometime between your first post and now, you snuck off and had porcelain veneers installed, yes?!?

Seriously though, you have natural beautifully shaped teeth and now that they are lined up... WOW!

Thank you!

My ortho is an excellent craftsman of teeth. He reshaped my upper centrals and canines. And he said on debracing day, I will get the Hollywood treatment. LOL

[metalliKa]

I have a feeling I'll be hearing very good news at my next adjustment. All the excitement and anticipation of the approaching debracing announcement is getting me all hyped up and nervous!

For instance, last night's dream woke me up in a clammy and delirious state. I dreamed my upper left central incisor was dangling loose, only held to the others by the bracket. It was not only loose, it was full of cavities and rotting and easily peeled off like diseased finger nails you see in zombie movies!

[27braces88]

You've got to be done soon. Your teeth are perfect. I think you'l be getting good news too.

When is your next adjustment?

[metalliKa]

You've got to be done soon. Your teeth are perfect. I think you'l be getting good news too.

When is your next adjustment?

I hope I get good news at my next adjustment, the 24th, in exactly two weeks! There are a few minor things I wish can be corrected but I'm absolutely fine if can't. I went in to close a tiny space on my lower left, but ortho said it's not a gap but how my two teeth are sitting against one another. However, he put a power chain from canine (right) to 1st molar(left) to ease my mind. Also we are extruding the left upper lateral some bit with a bend in the wire. I'm still on triangle elastics til the very end. Whether these two minor concerns are corrected or not by my next adjustment, if ortho is satisfied, they are coming off no matter! And I'll get the clear essix retainers.

[onwardsandupwards]

Metallika your teeth look amazing! You must be so excited to be nearly finished. Your photos have given me some much needed encouragement as I've definitely started to feel extremely impatient, so seeing yours looking so great has helped tremendously! I can't wait to see your debraced pics

[metalliKa]

Metallika your teeth look amazing! You must be so excited to be nearly finished. Your photos have given me some much needed encouragement as I've definitely started to feel extremely impatient, so seeing yours looking so great has helped tremendously! I can't wait to see your debraced pics

Thank you! I just realized we both have the same ticker!

Yes, hopefully, I'll receive the good news at my next adjustment and nothing major will come up to set it back. Just knowing that I'm in the home stretch is a big relief.

Just keep plugging along, before you know it, you'll be in the chair again for debracing!

[uche123]

Your teeth are amazing

Well done to your Ortho and to you of course

[metalliKa]

Your teeth are amazing

Well done to your Ortho and to you of course

Thank you! My ortho is an excellent teeth carver! I hope they look as good without braces!

[metalliKa]

I went in for my 15th adjustment today and was told if I wanted to get out of jail, I could. "Heck yeah!" I think I'm still dreaming so a thorough report will be due later.

[EWUgal15]

WOOOOOOO! Congratulations!

[NeilH]

Wow, congratulations! What a super result, I bet you must be delighted. And welcome to the world of retainers, do you have them yet and what type do you have? Did this come as a complete surprise, reading your other posts I knew the day was coming but not that soon. I'm so pleased for you.

[Prometheus]

Mahalo MetalliKa, Congratulations, your teeth look beautiful, what a wonderful result, and done in time too! I imagine your are very happy to have them off. We got braced almost at the same time last year, unfortunately I am looking at another 18-24 months, things are going very slowly...as Dan would remark I must have a thick skull -P

[27braces88]

Ahhhh so happy for you! They look AMAZING!!!

[metalliKa]

WOOOOOOO! Congratulations!

Thanks! I think I'm still dreaming! It hasn't really sunk in yet, and I feel like I have no teeth!

Wow, congratulations! What a super result, I bet you must be delighted. And welcome to the world of retainers, do you have them yet and what type do you have? Did this come as a complete surprise, reading your other posts I knew the day was coming but not that soon. I'm so pleased for you.

Thank you! I kind of expected it as nothing has changed in the last few months. Then my bite shifted after I went snorkeling this past Sunday. When I bite down, my left side was pounding. I didn't think anything of it so I went in yesterday for my adjustment and told the ortho about it. He agreed that the bite shifted a bit. He had me bite on carbon paper and file whatever to settle the teeth. After the third time, my bite was good. He asked if it was good and told me that if I'm not happy, we have to adjust the wire but if I'm happy, we can debrace! So off came the braces that same day! And yes, I'm already in clear retainers, night only! I'll write more once Im able to gather my thoughts.

Mahalo MetalliKa, Congratulations, your teeth look beautiful, what a wonderful result, and done in time too! I imagine your are very happy to have them off. We got braced almost at the same time last year, unfortunately I am looking at another 18-24 months, things are going very slowly...as Dan would remark I must have a thick skull -P

Aloha! My teeth are not perfect and I had wished the upper canines could have been filed a little shorter and not as pointy. Ortho said in an ideal set of teeth, the canines should be the same length as the central incisors and also sharp. The point gives a youthful look; whereas, blunt canines is show of worn down teeth, aging. Hahaha And also, they look fake, like dentures. Well, I certainly didn't pay $6K to have my teeth look like dentures.

Your day will come. My treatment was purely cosmetic. Had I suffered from tmj and jaw issues, I think I'll be in braces much much longer.

Ahhhh so happy for you! They look AMAZING!!!

Thank you! They're not perfect, but I know orthodontia can only fix so much.