If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!
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My teeth have always been horrible and have just gotten worse and worse. When I was 19-20 and my wisdom teeth came in they made the problem even worse. I had severe crowding and chipped teeth.
Finally, after getting a job with insurance that covers adult orthodontics, I decided to look into getting this problem fixed. I had always had girlfriends and was engaged to be married (because of my infectious personality, of course) so that wasn't the motivation. I just wanted to feel good about myself and my appearance, which until lately, I really didn't have much reason to do.
The first ortho I visited wouldn't even go further than telling me I needed palattal expansion surgery. After hearing about what that is all about, I refused. He said he wouldn't even touch my mouth unless I got it done. At this point, I felt pretty let down and discouraged figuring I was going to be a yuckmouth my entire life.
A few weeks later I got the motivation to try another ortho. This one was much more accomodating. He promised no surgeries! I decided to make the plunge!
After wearing removable expansion appliances for 9 months, I got the braces on - without any extractions or surgeries (aside from wisdom teeth over 1 year prior)
You may have noticed a tooth trapped on the bottom behind the others? The ortho swore he was going to be able to save it from being extracted. I called BS on him, but he proved me wrong...
Spacers: 1/26/05; 2/6/06; 3/15/06; 4/24/06
4 First Bicuspids removed: 2/2005
Metal Braces, top and bottom: 3/1/05; Debanded 7/26/07
Hawley retainers top and bottom
Before I got into this whole scene, I was also amazed that they could pull a tooth forward so successfully. It is almost miraculous, especially since you've lived with those dental problems for so many years!
Do you plan to get some bonding on the top chipped tooth when you're all done? Just wondering.
I'm the owner/admin of this site. Had ceramic uppers, metal lowers ~3 years in my early 40's. Now in Hawley retainers at night!
Holy Mole-y! That is amazing! That is so great that you stuck it out (although I guess you really didn't have too much of a choice ).
I noticed that you have a lot one of your bottom incisors exposed to the root. I do too. Has your ortho suggested a gum graft? I was kind of wondering because my ortho told me that I would need to get that done after my braces were off and I wanted to see how much pain and money it will cost.
Do you plan to get some bonding on the top chipped tooth when you're all done? Just wondering.
Thanks for the encouragement. It feels good when other people recognize your progress, too.
The one dentist I've been going to says I should get some kind of cap on it (the kind where they have to saw your tooth down and then put a tooth looking thing over it). Id rather get some bonding done but, being "cosmetic" my insurance doesnt cover it and I have no clue what the cost will be.
Either way, yes, I am getting that fixed when the braces come off.
I noticed that you have a lot one of your bottom incisors exposed to the root. I do too. Has your ortho suggested a gum graft?
He hasn't said anything about it. I would like to see it fixed since looking at it is pretty annoying
WOW WOW WOW!!! When I was looking at the before pics, I thought the dentist had to pull out that one tooth, but now it's totally in place! That is soooo great! Woo hoo!
The one dentist I've been going to says I should get some kind of cap on it (the kind where they have to saw your tooth down and then put a tooth looking thing over it). Id rather get some bonding done but, being "cosmetic" my insurance doesnt cover it and I have no clue what the cost will be.
I did that to my tooth and first I got it bonded then a cap/crown thing. They ground down my tooth into a post that the fake tooth goes over. Right now I have what I think is a bunch of bonding/composite material over the post until insurance will pay for a new one because my first one was ugly. It was $200 for the composite stuff and it doesn't look bad. I wrote more about it under my thread Mackenzie's Braces if you want to know.
How did you chip yours? I fell on a gym floor when i was 8.
How did you chip yours? I fell on a gym floor when i was 8.
I got in a bike accident when I was about 13-14. I was riding down the street against traffic and some van pulled out right in front of me and I smacked right into it
I'll check your thread, too. I need to get ideas about what exactly it is I'm going to have to endure after the braces come off
I have a composit stuff on my second left upper tooth- I had not full develop tooth and it was looking like cone. A very small one, smaller then the smallest bracet (just to let you know how small it was;-)) I had it done 4,5 years ago, and had no problems with it. I am really happy with this stuff, as the other options I feel are more invasive
6/4/2005: 2nd premolar extracted+ spacers in
6/13/2005: clear braces: top and bottom
next 'date' on 18th Nov. ...and the bottoms might be off then?!:-) top will stay until Dec. before xmas.
The obstinate tooth has made a lot of movement but there is still a lot of torque there...the top of the tooth is further forward than the bottom. Also, since I've been wearing elastics it seems the top and bottom arch have come out of alignment, at least from the way it looks in the front.
Still lots of work to do but definately more progress
Last edited by Dmourning on Thu Jun 08, 2006 5:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
I just read your story and WOW what a huge change. I bet you are really glad that you got braced.
Take Care
Shawnie
Braced - 10/04/05
Treatment - 30 to 36 months
Ceramic uppers, Metal lowers
Impacted canines-Crowding-Crossbite
6 baby teeth!
Canine exposure surgery of two teeth 3/29/06
2nd canine exposure of one tooth 11/15/06
). 
