2.5 month comparision (pic)

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#1 Post by **ishasha** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:55 pm

I finally got a copy of my original pictures from my ortho, so I thought a comparison would be encouraging... But it looks like the original picture for the uppers is not centered very well so it might not be a good comparison.

The lowers are still naked so I don't have anything to compare with.

There are occlusal pads on two of the upper molars to prevent the teeth from biting into each other.

I thought I've made a lot of progress but my ortho just looked at my teeth for about 10 seconds, told the assistant to change to a stronger wire and left.

The assistant my upper arch needs to be more rounded before the lower backets will be put on. But I just can't wait....

#2 Post by **ishasha** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:00 pm

Sorry, I don't know why the picture didn't show. Here it is again (I had to move to another website).

#3 Post by **LadyTr0uble** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:08 pm

Great progress!!!

#4 Post by **Sbebs** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:09 pm

Wow ishasha great progress in such a short time!

#5 Post by **platinum** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:24 pm

Wow!!!

So much has happened in a such a short time!!!!

#6 Post by **choccyface** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:25 pm

I can't believe the differance in just 2.5 months, great results!

Sarah x

#7 Post by **ishasha** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:35 pm

Thank you guys. Nothing is more encouraging than the words from my fellow metal mouth friends.

#8 Post by **ishasha** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:13 pm

Looking good Ishasha! Your right side is getting to it. The left will be soon to follow. There must be a slow gene in our left side teeth. My left side is taking it's sweet time to sort its self out compared to the right. Your lowers will be banded before too long!

Don't worry about your ortho not commenting. Remember he sees teeth, teeth and more teeth every day. He may not realize how much us older adults really care about how much our teeth have moved. Once I let my ortho know I was interested in the whole process he became more open with me to discuss my progress.

Thank you for the comment Denise. I really need comments on my teeth. My ortho almost never comments on my teeth. He always leaves me as soon as possible----without saying something like "I'll see you next month" so usually I don't even know he is leaving. And when I wanted to ask a question I found he's already gone.

Frankly this is too strange to me. But my colleague recommended him and when I complained this to my colleague she said oh we chatted a lot in the hallway

(her daughter is the patient). So I am bearing with him... Maybe you are right, I should let him know that I need to know the progress and what's coming...

About the teeth----how do you know which side is left and which is right? I noticed that the picture I got from my ortho's office has the front picture just the flip of the rest. In the above picture, the left columns are from my ortho's office. In the first one, the left side in the picture is my actual right side; in the next two pictures that shos the arches, the side in the picture match the reality. I don't know why did the flip. I had to take the first picture on the right column in the mirrow to match the direction.

So, Denise, you are referring to the left side, which left side do you mean?

#9 Post by **ishasha** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:55 pm

Denise, I'm innocent...

It's the malicious ortho...

But I actually agree with your left side gene theory...

#10 Post by **overseasmel** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:15 pm

Your upper arch has had some really noticeable, positive changes! Hope your teeth keep up the good work!!

#11 Post by **ghostmyimag3** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:50 am

Are they going to attach a bracket to your sideways tooth soon?Other than that i definitely seen some progress underway! Congratulations!

#12 Post by **ishasha** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:49 am

Guys/Gals, I have been super-busy these several days and when I finally slipped in to see my post, Wow, you guys are so nice. I really appreciate your support! And hope everyone make nice progress!

Karen, you are always so nice. Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions. Now that everybody says this has been a short time, I started to realize this is INDEED just a short period time.

So I'll be patient. Yes, your suggestion of asking the ortho questions before he started is good. I'll do that next time. I just wish he was more interactive, you know.

ghostmyimag3, yes, the ortho said he will attach a bracket to my sideways tooth later when there is space. My ortho said in the evaluation session that there are two options for my case which is crowding: one is teeth extraction (2 in the uppers and 2 in the lowers), the other is tooth slenderizing. He'd like to try the second one first because he thinks teeth extraction would probably move my teeth too inward and therefore affect my facial profile.

I don't know when that one is going to turn yet. But I definitely can't wait.

akireamil, yes, I've had 4 adjustment in 2.5 months.

No, it's not the routine. The plan is to visit the ortho once per month. But because I had to go see my ortho quite often when I just started the braces, I ended up changing the wires earlier.

To be specific, one week after the first wire was put on, I had to go see the ortho because one of the upper incisors bit right on one of the lower teeth and I was having trouble sleeping. The ortho went ahead and changed a new wire.

He also put some occlusal padd on two of the upper molars to prevent the teeth from fully biting into each other. But then I started grinding them a lot. And after 20 days I went in again because the pads were worn down so much that the teeth were hiting on each other again. The ortho changed a wire for me again. I had my doubts for changing wires so frequently at that time and the assistant said: your teeth are ready for it. Don't worry, this is good thing. I guess he meant as long as my teeth are ready for the new wire it's good to change it earlier to shorten the progress. And he also said I can keep the originally 2nd appointment. So 23 days after the actual 2nd adjustment, I went in for the 3rd adjustment. After that, things started to move in the "normal" pace: I didn't have the 4th adjustment until a month after.