Blue's 8 years and counting...

[blue]

If you think your 2 years in braces are bad, this will make you feel better... Senior year of high school, 1999. I was 16 years old and I still had baby teeth for upper canines. My dentist had told me the adult teeth would eventually erupt, but it just wasn't happening because they were both fully impacted. Enter my orthodontist and oral surgeon. Both upper canines were removed by the oral surgeon, and then the adult canines in the roof of my mouth were surgically exposed so that brackets for my orthodontist could be applied to them. I got a full set of upper and lower braces with wires bent back to attempt to pull the adult canines forward. And then I waited... and waited...

Eventually, like 2 or 3 years later, my orthodontist decided that the teeth were ankylosed, or fused to my jaw. My oral surgeon then attempted to luxate them, which really means "wiggle them around and BREAK THEM OFF so that they can move!" Fast forward five years...

Over that course of time I ended up having two additional luxation surgeries because the teeth just wouldn't move. Finally, my upper left canine decided to erupt and move in place, but the upper left never did. In fact, it was extracted when I had my wisdom teeth removed. I couldn't help but think to myself, "What a waste!" After all that time, between patiently waiting and multiple surgeries, they just went and ripped the thing out. At some point I will be getting a permanent implant to fill the space. I'm sure that's going to feel lovely, but after 7 total teeth extracted (4 wisdom, 2 baby canines, 1 adult) and multiple luxations over the course of nearly 8 years now, I think I can handle it.

Just yesterday my braces were removed and I got my Hawley retainers. (I thought black acrylic would be an appropriate choice to express how I felt about this whole thing. I also got silver ligs every time. No use in highlighting my braces.) In all honesty, right now I'm feeling like the year of high school, 4 years of college, and two years after weren't so bad compared to these things. I am a 24 year old professional in an office work environment and I got pretty good at hiding my braces, but now I can't help but talk like a complete idiot. I have a fairly small mouth to begin with and all of this extra plastic makes it feel like I'm trying to function while gnawing on a giant wad of Big League Chew. The prospect of 6 months of constant retainer wear is just depressing.

I'm sorry I can't offer a more inspirational story, but with 8 years of treatment and counting, I plain hate braces and I'm not even totally pleased with the results. You'd think after all this time I'd have perfect "movie star" teeth, but that adult canine that I had pulled in just doesn't look right. I also still have to get that implant. My retainer actually has a fake tooth on it to fill the gap until that time, but I still can't smile in the mirror without noticing it.

If you're ever feeling down about having braces, cheer up! It could be worse!

[lz]

I can see how you would feel so down about the whole thing. Going through so much to not get results your pleased with.
Maybe you'll be happier when the retainer is gone.

[rosiepoo]

i appreciate ur story blue. thank you for sharing it with us.

i also have a compacted tooth that is ankylosed ( i hope im using that word correctly) because quite frankly you have taught me that word. ive tried to research it but couldnt caused i didnt know its medical term. and because of your experience i am more relaxed about the oral surg advice to not take it out or wait for it to come out but to simply leave it there. and proceed with ortho w/o.

i guess they have decided to go that route becasue unlike you, i am 33 y/o and chances are that it will not come out on its own. and i am not a dentist but i am going to guess that they thought they had a fighting chance in your case and i believe you fought hard for that chance.

i wish you well, and i always say that WE are our own worst critic.

rosanna