Joney - update 29 June 08 - top brace off

Message

#31 Post by **joney** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:02 pm

Thanks Karen, they're definitely listening. I saw an ex-colleague today who hasn't seen me since I got my brace and she commented that she could see a lot of change. Most people don't comment, I worked quite closely with this colleague and she became a good friend so I appreciated her comment.

Regards
Joney

#32 Post by **flesh-was-sweet** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:46 pm

Fantastic progress - I hope the next few weeks and months bring just as much!

#33 Post by **joney** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:48 am

16th January 2007

I had my first adjustment this morning. It was a bit of an anticlimax really. The ortho just took the wire off, no trouble with the doors thank goodness. He examined my teeth, put the wire back on and trimmed it. I don't know what I was expecting really, he told me that we have to take it slowly and the bone needs to regrow and a lot of room needs to be made on my bottom arch. I just noticed that my spring (to make space for lower hidden incisor) has an extension, I guess those teeth will be pushing further apart over the next few weeks. My next appointment is in six weeks which is sooner than the normal 10 weeks with damons. At least that pokey wire on my right has been trimmed.

I suppose I have to learn patience, my daughter has a brace and within a month her spring had opened enough room for her slightly wayward tooth to be bracketed. I can't really compare myself to a 13 year old though with flexible growing bones.

No point in posting pics really as things look pretty much the same as previously.

Regards
Joney

#34 Post by **Brunoise** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:28 am

JONEY!!!

Fantastic!!!! I am sooooooooo envious. I want my braces too!! Your crowding is really sorting itself out. Your ortho is right, you have to go a a measured pace ----you don't want to lose any teeth in the process.

Looking forward to seeing your next pic of the bottoms.

#35 Post by **joney** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:48 am

Hi kk
Thanks for dropping by. I guess your right, it is good that my ortho is anticipating my movement by giving me the six week appointment rather than being prescriptive. Actually as the day has gone on I have thought more and more that it was a good appointment. I'm pleased with my spring extension and have been very lucky in my brace experience regarding lack of pain.

Brunoise, you are quite right, I don't want to lose any teeth and my ortho is right to make considered adjustments. Don't worry, you'll have your brace soon and be on your way. I remember feeling impatient once I had taken the decision to get braced.

Regards
Joney

#36 Post by **joney** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:45 am

Hi linda21

I think your suggestion about the wires is a good one, in fact my daughter suggested the same. She went to the same ortho practice as me but was treated by a different ortho who used to curl her wire at the end. Because of my extractions I anticipate a lot of wire movement.

Last night I had a headache across my temples similar to the one I had when I first got braced, I wonder if this is how my body responds rather than tooth pain. I feel fine today and I am sure that the teeth connected by the spring have moved further apart so I am pleased.

Thanks for the good wishes.
Regards
Joney

#37 Post by **florencegal** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:38 am

Hey there Joney! As promised, I'm here to check up on your progress after pretty much disappearing after the first week or so. And boy am I impressed! The movement already in that first photo is incredible, your top arch certainly is getting whipped into shape so fast

I'm so pleased for you! Like you, I haven't really had any pain to speak of, just yesterday after the 1st adjustment things started to hurt when I tried to floss - so I gave up and will try again tonight. I really hope your headache has kept away?

You definitely should get the ends of your wire bent inwards away from your cheek - mine are and they don't poke at all. They are a great way to measure progress though, aren't they?! It was so nice of your good friend to make such a positive comment, it really does help boost you along that little bit better. I hadn't told any family apart from my parents about getting braced so was curious what everyone's reaction would be when I went home to Wales for Christmas, but as usual no-one seemed to care that much (in a good way!). More like, "oh that's interesting, you have braces - pass the turkey" rather than "what the ***!" which I was kind of expecting! (my family tells it like it is

).

How is the eating going now? It takes some getting used to having to cut everything up doesn't it?

Here's to seeing more great progress like you have up til now - roll on adjustment no. 2!

x

#38 Post by **antsika** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:58 pm

Hi joney, great progress in the previous pics! I also don't see any changes lately, but as the wire starts to stick my tongue I know I had some movement.

I wish you continuing progress!

#39 Post by **joney** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:20 am

Thanks everybody for the good wishes and support.

I noticed last week when I was flossing that the wire on the bottom arch (only to 2nd premolars at the moment) had come away from the bracket so I called to make an appointment with the ortho.

So I went along there this morning and the ortho said that he thought that the wire had come out because so much space had been created with the spring and the extension that was fitted last time. He took my bottom wire off and fitted a new one. Then he started fiddling with some extra wire around my hidden incisor on the bottom. Afterwards I asked him what the extra wire was for and he told me it was to bring that naughty incisor forward. Obviously he thinks there is enough space. I am sooooooooo happy

to think that after all those years of that incisor being hidden it will be working it's way towards the arch. Funny how something so small can make you so happy, other people would just think it was crazy, wouldn't they, but I know my fellow archwirers will understand my happiness.

My teeth are beginning to throb a bit now but I don't care. To get that guy hooked up is an unexpected surprise.

I kinda miss the spring as I had gotton used to it, it feels strange now not to have it there but I'm not complaining.

I'm off to the hygienist next week and may take some photos then. My teeth just look a nasty colour compared to a lot of posters here so the photos will have to wait.

The ortho told me to keep my scheduled appointment for Feb 27th so perhaps he has plans for my top arch then. By the way he snipped the wire on the back of the top so it's good not to need wax.

Hope that incisor doesn't hurt too much as it makes it's way forward to join it's friends.

Regards
Joney

#40 Post by **joney** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 8:08 am

Hi Ken, amazingly it is not sore and I am sure it has moved a bit already. All I ever seem to feel is a sort of tightness and a bit of tenderness but not soreness, I guess I am one of the lucky ones.

Thanks for the good wishes linda and KK. Below is a photo which shows the hidden incisor, it has an ordinary bracket on it not a damon one, I think those bracets are better for wrapping the wire around. The photo looks a bit orange, I don't know how people here get such good photos, anyway at least it gives an indication of what my teeth are like. This photo was taken on 14 Jan so it is a bit old now, the canine is much more upright now and there is a lot more room where the spring was. Springs are great!

You can see the extent of my openbite also quite well here, that is the thing that is worrying me most. Funnilly I never even realised I had an openbite before but now I am just perplexed by how it can be fixed with elastics. Anyway I guess we are in the hands of the experts.

Regards
Joney

#41 Post by **joney** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 8:24 pm

Thanks KK and Denise

Joney this will be an interesting journey to watch

I would rather that my teeth were boring to be honest KK but I think that if they can fix an overbite with elastics then hopefully they can fix my openbite too.

I think my camera is just not very good but I'll keep trying. Whenever I use the flash there is no definition.

Denise, I have had an openbite ever since I can remember, I just didn't realise it until I undertook my orthodontic adventure. For me I can't imagine what it will feel like to have my front teeth touching. The strange thing is that it has never caused me any problems with eating or speaking. I'm not sure when elastics come on the agenda, no doubt I will find out. My wayward one is on the wire now and edging forward, I am so happy about this.

Regards
Joney

#42 Post by **Lisa65** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 4:05 am

Glad you got that naughty tooth hooked up at last Joney! I'm sure it will soon come out to join its friends. I know what you mean about small changes making us really happy which would seem mad to non-brace wearers, but to us it is a major deal. That's what is so good about this place.

Regarding the photos, I'm lazy and I get hubby to take mine

but using a digital camera in macro mode needs pretty precise focusing as the depth of field is so small. Do you use a mirror to see where you're pointing? You might need to take several before you get one good one.

Take care

#43 Post by **joney** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:05 am

Well I have at last discovered how to take some photos even though they are not very good. I took them in the daytime so it was as simple as this and not using a flash.

My tooth has definitely moved forward so I am really happy about this. No pain, just a feeling of tightness which is great.

Still a way to go but I'm happy with my progress.

Regards
Joney

#44 Post by **LithpingLitha** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:06 pm

Joney, that's great progress!

#45 Post by **joney** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:34 pm

Thanks for the positive comments Bracedagain, KK, and LithpingLitha. Really nice of you to say that you think I'll end up with one heck of a smile linda21. Like I said at the start of this journey I'll be happy with a nearly normal smile anything else will be a bonus but this is nice to hear, I appreciate that.

My top arch is on the move again on the right hand side as the wire is poking again which means movement (that's where my extraction gap is, the ortho warned me about this) back to the wax up there until my next appointment in a few weeks I think, but this is good news.

That incisor continues forward and amazingly without any twinges or anything!

Regards
Joney