Finally braced 3/16/10 (pics)

Dilema · **Posted:** Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:40 pm

great progress mate

fosterp · **Joined:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:04 pm **Posts:** 293

Been a long time since I updated this and I figure people like looking at pictures of braces progress. This is about a year and half after the last photo, and a total of almost two years in braces.

Changes in the second year are much more subtle than the first year. I've had bite turbos on and off twice (on my second set now) and I absolutely hate them. They cause my posterior teeth to extrude, and then when they are removed my bite feels really off for the next couple months as I try to "clench" my jaw closed but I cannot because the teeth had been extruded. My bite eventually closes back up, so I am not sure of the intent of the turbos.

I had a TAD inserted above my upper right first bicuspid for the purpose of intruding that side of the arch since my bite is "canted" (meaning the teeth are not horizontally level) and you can see what that looks like in the last picture. The TAD has been in for about 6 months and from what I can see there is some intrusion but very little from my perspective (though the ortho thinks it is doing a good job and he probably knows better than I do).

I think most of the changes come in the form of making my teeth a lot more symmetrical compared to the mess that they were before. One thing I am sorely disappointed about is the amount of space where my missing molar is on the lower right. The braces seem to have done very little for opening this gap and it doesn't look like I will be able to have a full size implant in that spot to make it "like it used to be." Haven't really asked the ortho about it since I am waiting patiently and I would assume he realizes whats going on.

Other than that...my treatment was estimated at 24-30 months and we are almost to the 24th. I don't know if things really look close to being finished though. I am going to be moving away for law school in the summer so hopefully they will be off by then...but its really hard to tell at this point.

BracedInNOLA · **Joined:** Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:28 pm **Posts:** 51

I would definitely ask about the hole for the molar implant. Maybe the ortho forgot/whatever that you're going to get an implant and is working towards closing the gap? Or at least not maintaining it at 'full size'.

fosterp · **Joined:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:04 pm **Posts:** 293

Here is another update, over a year later from the last picture, and my teeth look almost exactly the same. I am due to get the braces off in a few weeks...with a catch. They are going to take them all off, and then REBRACKET my upper front 6 teeth. His reasoning is that ridiculous number of bends in the wire in order to fix the "cant" (that is where the bite/jaws are not perfectly horizontal) is acting as a counterforce to the movement required of my teeth in front.

The only big difference visually is that the midline is for the most part lined up, but you can't really see from the picture since I was lazy and took only one. I actually have sort of a "dual bite" where my jaw can shift a few mm to the left still where my jaw previously rested naturally - I'm not sure if or how this would be fixed. I still have the TAD in my upper right jaw, and it seems that that might remain even when the braces are removed and there will be some type of bonded wire holding that side of the bite. At first he said they would remove that one and put a new one on the inside so it can't be seen, but then last adjustment he mentioned just leaving that one there...I will probably insist on having a new one on the inside since I have suffered enough with these appliances in my mouth for three years and I think I deserve to have a nice smile unobstructed by metal.

After taking this last picture I have realized how ridiculously YELLOW my teeth have become. I didn't have the whitest teeth starting out, but drinking coffee every day with braces for three years has not been kind. Perhaps it is just the bad lighting of the picture...but man my teeth looking pretty disgusting right now - but at least they are a lot straighter. I will be doing some hardcore professional whitening as soon as possible. Perhaps the stained powerchain is sort of adding to the illusion...So let this be a warning to all you coffee drinkers...

I also thought my teeth looked pretty good until I took this picture. It seems that my upper teeth can still be considerably improved. I don't really understand the slanted look that is going on...

fosterp · **Joined:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:04 pm **Posts:** 293

Also, I would be interested to here the opinion of people on this forum of whether or not I should get more IPR done on my two upper front teeth. They have already been reduced vertically by a few mm, and very slightly reduced on the outside edges. My ortho measured them and they have the normal height/width proportions, however proportionally compared to the laterals they are a bit larger than normal. Its hard to picture though the subtle changes from IRP so I'm not sure if I should do something that won't be reversible.

fosterp · **Joined:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:04 pm **Posts:** 293

And for sesame and giggles, here is what they would look like after whitening

Kipepeo · **Joined:** Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:19 pm **Posts:** 571

I think they look pretty good. Can you take a photo of your upper arch from below? I'm not really seeing this canting you're talking about. But I agree about the insane number of bends. When you get that many he runs the risk of breaking the wire trying to contort it more. And if that happens you're starting over with that wire. It takes quite a while to get all those bends back in just right.

fosterp · **Joined:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:04 pm **Posts:** 293

The cant is mostly gone now. You can see it in the older photos in this thread though. It was mostly my front teeth that were uneven, the laterals especially. The lower arch also had the same problem. Its almost as if my bite "collapsed" on one side because of the missing molar. It took a long time to intrude that side into the place it is at right now.

TMJJill · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:18 pm **Posts:** 557

I actually have TMJD. One of the 'symptoms' of my issue was having multiple bites. I've been in braces to establish a permanent "correct" bite. With my arch development and movement of teeth, I now only have one bite.

What does your orthodontist say about your dual bite? How is he treating this with your upcoming changes in treatment?

Is your orthodontist a Functional Orthodontist? If not, it might not hurt to have a consult with one to ask just those questions.

I really think you want to address this now as a priority so you don't have worse problems develop after you get your braces off. In my opinion, that is even more important than the canting of the teeth. TMJD problems can develop when bites are off.

The IPR is up to you. I think your teeth look good as they are.

Finally braced 3/16/10 (pics)

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