TPA & Turbo Torture

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mmym29
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:47 pm

TPA & Turbo Torture

#1 Post by mmym29 »

hey everybody. ive been lurking here for a few months but first time posting :) i'm 17 and I got full braces (not sure if there ceramic, but they are clear) on dec 27th, 2006. My teeth were very straight before except for my right second front tooth turned inwards a bit and it always bothered me a ton. I went for a consult when I was 15 and of course the ortho gave me a million reasons why I needed braces (cross bite and such) but my parents couldn't afford braces. Then a couple months ago my mom started working for the same ortho and brought me back for another consult. He said he would do the braces totally free, and the tooth that was turning it seemed to be getting worse, so I said what the helll and went for it. Now I'm not so sure I made the right choice :(


When I first got them on I couldn't eat a thing for an entire week except smoothies. The back molor brackets had hooks on them for the TPA that would be put on in a few months, but the hooks where razor sharp and cut my tongue up beyond belief. I couldn't function w/o wax. Finally after about 3 weeks I got them fixed and evrerything was fine. I went for my first adjustment in march and they put on bite turbos. The turbos gave me a terrible lisp for 2-3 weeks but finally it went away and I got used to them. By that time of course it was time for another adjustment. I got heavier wires on top and bottom and they put the TPA in. WHAT A NIGHTMARE. I really don't know why this is even such a device. I can't swallow, it's hard to breath, I choke / gag on my own saliva (sorry!), food gets stuck in there, it's just a mess. I'm sure I will get used to it just like I did with everything else, but I really can't imagine this thing ever feeling like it's not there. It's so huge and uncomfortable. I need some encouragment that this was a good decision and that it will be worth it and get better :( I don't want to sound ungrateful as I know others are paying tons for braces and here I am getting them at no cost, because that's not the case. I know i'm lucky, i'm just fed up w/ all the work, time and effort that came along with these things :-\

P.S.- how in the world am I supposed to kiss anybody with this TPA?!? LOL- is that even possible?
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KatK
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:36 pm
Location: PA

#2 Post by KatK »

Hey there!

I actually logged on because I'm starting to feel like I'm going crazy with my expander also. I constantly feel like I'm choking too!

We don't have the same type of expander, but I can tell you that it seems to come and go for me. I'll have good weeks and bad (I assume due to different positions with my teeth bothering more than others.)

As far as making the right decision - trust me you are. Do you mean your canine tooth is turned out? That's the exact reason I'm doing mine also. I have all sorts of other issues, overbite, TMJ, crowded lowers... but I can't wait to have that canine tooth put back into line! :-) I'm 24 now and wish I had done it years younger when I was 17!

Stick with it - it'll seem like a small amount of time in the long run. AND it's FREE! :-) It's a good excuse to eat lots of icecream!!!

--And i'm quite sure you'll be fine with the kissing!
~ Pendulum on December 1st
~ Damon lowers March 27
~ PENDULUM OFF MAY 22nd!
~ Palatal Bar installed May 22nd..
~ Damon clear uppers May 22 too!
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Lisa65
Posts: 3469
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:12 pm

#3 Post by Lisa65 »

I have a TPA and I found it hard for a few weeks. The best advice I can give you is to act as if it's not there as much as you can. It's hard but the more you think about it the worse it will feel.

It hasn't stopped me kissing hubby or doing "anything else" for that matter :lol: It sounds like you've had a lot done in a short space of time, but just as you got used to the turbos and the braces, you will get used to the TPA in time. It might not seem worth it now, but once you have lovely teeth you will be glad you went ahead and did it.

Hang in there!

Lisa
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mmym29
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:47 pm

feeling better now

#4 Post by mmym29 »

KatK- Thanks for the all the reassurance! I don't feel so alone in all of my suffering now :)

I'm not sure if it's my canine tooth that was rotated, but here's a picture of it Image

And yes, lots of ice cream has been consumed in the past 3 days since my adjustment!!

I just keep thinking of the end result. I see your getting uppers on May 18th, Good Luck!!

KK- I will def. get some sea salt tomorrow and do a rinse, hope it helps!

Also, I did a search and found lots of stories and advice- Thanks!

Thanks for all the support, good luck and take care as well :)

Lisa65- You're right, the more I focus on how annoying it is, the worse it really does feel. I'm trying to forget about it as much as possible.

I'm just taking it day by day, i'm sure I will get used to it soon enough just as I did with the turbos.

Thanks, and good luck with your treatment :)

All- I'm glad to hear that none of you think kissing will be an issue, lol! Hopefully I will get to test it out for myself in the near future and let you know how it goes- hehe:)
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mmym29
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:47 pm

feeling better now

#5 Post by mmym29 »

KatK- Thanks for the all the reassurance! I don't feel so alone in all of my suffering now :)

I'm not sure if it's my canine tooth that was rotated, but here's a picture of it Image

And yes, lots of ice cream has been consumed in the past 3 days since my adjustment!!

I just keep thinking of the end result. I see your getting uppers on May 18th, Good Luck!!

KK- I will def. get some sea salt tomorrow and do a rinse, hope it helps!

Also, I did a search and found lots of stories and advice- Thanks!

Thanks for all the support, good luck and take care as well :)

Lisa65- You're right, the more I focus on how annoying it is, the worse it really does feel. I'm trying to forget about it as much as possible.

I'm just taking it day by day, i'm sure I will get used to it soon enough just as I did with the turbos.

Thanks, and good luck with your treatment :)

All- I'm glad to hear that none of you think kissing will be an issue, lol! Hopefully I will get to test it out for myself in the near future and let you know how it goes- hehe:)
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ABraces2007
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 5:37 am
Location: Spain

#6 Post by ABraces2007 »

hi, mm,
I`ve been into TPA for 3 months now... believe me, soon you will not even remember you have it... it was a torture first days as well, even a week or so, cause this tpa was constantly cutting my tongue and when i ate the food constantly got stuck between the arch and my throat- that was horrible, i even couldn`t breethe properly first day or two.
But when the first week passed, i learned to deal with this tpa, so, now i don`t even know if it`s still there... and of course i can kiss and everything...
Good luck with your tpa... mine is still there and i don`t know when it`s going out.. so, i`ll probably be with this tpa during allmost all my treatment.
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