This morning I went to my case presentation. My ortho was great and answered all of my questions. He maintained a timeframe of 24-30 months and said I'd be wearing elastics probably after one year. I also need to have four teeth extracted. I have a crossbite, an overbite, and lots of crowding, but he said nothing that seemed alarming.
One thing I'd like to bring up in case others are in a similar situation is payment. I am a grad student, and although I make pretty good money as a fellow/grader/lecturer, I am poor in the context of the real world. So, I saved the money for my braces and put a sizeable down payment on them today, but planned to use the office's free financing for the rest of the amount. Well, I was denied. I made them call the financing place so I could talk to them because luckily my credit is really excellent. Ultimately, though, I just made too little. Luckily, I had a credit card and was able to pay the rest so my payment is completely taken care of now, which is nice. (I don't know what other offices are like, but in this one, I had to have all of the balance reconciled in some way today.) Just wanted to mention this because I know some others are grad students/college students or otherwise may be in a similar financial situation. The office was really confident I'd be approved for the financing and they were wrong...if it's a concern, it may be worth investigating.
So, I have the spacers in, too. Not a terribly pleasant experience, but I'm surviving. Initially, my gums were really irritated (sort of like when you stab yourself with a toothpick, if that makes sense.) It's been about two hours now, and I just have a mild headache.
So, on January 3, I'm getting my extractions. Then I'm getting braced on January 5. It's amazing to think about it!!
On the extractions, will they give me an antibiotic for infection or is that not a concern? I was planning on going the route of no gas, just local...have others done that? I wasn't knocked out when I had my wisdom teeth taken out and wasn't traumatized, so I'm assuming this will be okay, too.
Spacers in, treatment started
Moderator: bbsadmin
Spacers in, treatment started
four bicuspids removed 1/3/06
clear uppers and metal lowers placed 1/5/06
timeframe for braces: 24-30 months
Hello Dena
Same as you, I have the spacers in since last thursday to the next thursday (22nd). At the early hours they only disturbed a bit, but the next days have been increasingly in pain.
Also same as you I'm financing the treatment, and the bank asked me for a signature of my father. For the first moments I was very upset because I wanted to finance it by my own, but my father offered by itself his help (not to pay me the treatment but to sign for a payment warranty). I have ever made decissions by my own, and have payed also this decissions (last chance was to buy my lovely suzuki motorbike, wich costed me the same that is going to cost the ortho treatment )
Regards from Spain ,Dena
Same as you, I have the spacers in since last thursday to the next thursday (22nd). At the early hours they only disturbed a bit, but the next days have been increasingly in pain.
Also same as you I'm financing the treatment, and the bank asked me for a signature of my father. For the first moments I was very upset because I wanted to finance it by my own, but my father offered by itself his help (not to pay me the treatment but to sign for a payment warranty). I have ever made decissions by my own, and have payed also this decissions (last chance was to buy my lovely suzuki motorbike, wich costed me the same that is going to cost the ortho treatment )
Regards from Spain ,Dena
gsx--
you reminded me of something--thanks! I hope my earlier comments about paying for the braces didn't sound too heartbreaking to anyone. I forgot to mention that the financing office with my ortho offered to finance my braces if I had a co-applicant (like a parent, I suppose.) That wasn't a possibility for me so I just paid for them. But that may be something others can take advantage of.
gsx, where do you live in spain? I studied abroad in Segovia about 5 years ago--I love it there...as you might notice from my photo icon
you reminded me of something--thanks! I hope my earlier comments about paying for the braces didn't sound too heartbreaking to anyone. I forgot to mention that the financing office with my ortho offered to finance my braces if I had a co-applicant (like a parent, I suppose.) That wasn't a possibility for me so I just paid for them. But that may be something others can take advantage of.
gsx, where do you live in spain? I studied abroad in Segovia about 5 years ago--I love it there...as you might notice from my photo icon
four bicuspids removed 1/3/06
clear uppers and metal lowers placed 1/5/06
timeframe for braces: 24-30 months
Hi Dena,
Congratulations on beginning your ortho treatment. Regarding the extractions, I think you should be fine with a local anesthetic, especially since you had a local when you had your wisdom teeth extracted. I was told that gas relaxes the patient while the procedure is done but from your post it seems you deal with these type of procedures like me - not a majorly stressful situation.
Just curious because I will have spacers placed in mid-January for an expander in my upper arch, what happens after they remove the spacers on 12/22/05 since you will not be getting your braces until the first week in January? If they are removed, isn't there a chance the spaces may close up?
I'm glad you were able to resolve the financial situation regarding paying your ortho bill - you seemed to not stress and was able to go to your alternate solution. But, if you were suppose to be able to pay the remaining balance interest-free, wouldn't these payments be paid directly to the orhto's office? maybe not, every ortho office has their own policies regarding bookkeeping.
Good luck with your ortho treatment.
ssfw
Congratulations on beginning your ortho treatment. Regarding the extractions, I think you should be fine with a local anesthetic, especially since you had a local when you had your wisdom teeth extracted. I was told that gas relaxes the patient while the procedure is done but from your post it seems you deal with these type of procedures like me - not a majorly stressful situation.
Just curious because I will have spacers placed in mid-January for an expander in my upper arch, what happens after they remove the spacers on 12/22/05 since you will not be getting your braces until the first week in January? If they are removed, isn't there a chance the spaces may close up?
I'm glad you were able to resolve the financial situation regarding paying your ortho bill - you seemed to not stress and was able to go to your alternate solution. But, if you were suppose to be able to pay the remaining balance interest-free, wouldn't these payments be paid directly to the orhto's office? maybe not, every ortho office has their own policies regarding bookkeeping.
Good luck with your ortho treatment.
ssfw
Quad-Helix expander: 1/20/06 - 1/16/07
Upper braces: 5/19/06; lower braces: 9/7/06
Braces removed: 8/19/08
Received retainer: 8/26/08 - wearing retainer 24 hours/day
Next appt.: 11/18/08
Upper braces: 5/19/06; lower braces: 9/7/06
Braces removed: 8/19/08
Received retainer: 8/26/08 - wearing retainer 24 hours/day
Next appt.: 11/18/08
Hey ssfw
I think my post and gsx's got mixed a bit. My spacers went in today (Dec 20) and are coming out on January 5 when I get braced (but gsx gets spacers out on Dec. 22). I hope the soreness eases because that will be about 15 days with the spacers, which is a bit longer than others it seems. But, I'm guessing that the duration of time and the extractions will ease that up a bit too.
As for the payment, at my ortho's office, they don't take care of any of the finances in house, unless you pay up front. So, I planned to put 2K down and finance the rest (they have many financing options, but if I went with 18 months then I wouldn't have to pay interest.) But, because they use a financing institution of some sort, it was that institution that decided to deny me (which I'm still a little grumpy about, just on principle...but it worked out, so it's okay.)
I replied to one of your other posts about the spacers. They aren't too bad so far...I've had a headache most of the day. My teeth are tender though--my ortho said I could eat whatever I felt like I could handle. Today I stuck with fish sticks, soup, mashed potatoes, and a milkshake. I can chew with the back teeth, but I think there's a combination of soreness and fear of dislodging the spacers (I've been checking them all day). Also, when I bite, I can feel the spacers (so I can feel them between the teeth and also when I bite) so that's kinda weird too. I'll keep you posted though.
I think my post and gsx's got mixed a bit. My spacers went in today (Dec 20) and are coming out on January 5 when I get braced (but gsx gets spacers out on Dec. 22). I hope the soreness eases because that will be about 15 days with the spacers, which is a bit longer than others it seems. But, I'm guessing that the duration of time and the extractions will ease that up a bit too.
As for the payment, at my ortho's office, they don't take care of any of the finances in house, unless you pay up front. So, I planned to put 2K down and finance the rest (they have many financing options, but if I went with 18 months then I wouldn't have to pay interest.) But, because they use a financing institution of some sort, it was that institution that decided to deny me (which I'm still a little grumpy about, just on principle...but it worked out, so it's okay.)
I replied to one of your other posts about the spacers. They aren't too bad so far...I've had a headache most of the day. My teeth are tender though--my ortho said I could eat whatever I felt like I could handle. Today I stuck with fish sticks, soup, mashed potatoes, and a milkshake. I can chew with the back teeth, but I think there's a combination of soreness and fear of dislodging the spacers (I've been checking them all day). Also, when I bite, I can feel the spacers (so I can feel them between the teeth and also when I bite) so that's kinda weird too. I'll keep you posted though.
four bicuspids removed 1/3/06
clear uppers and metal lowers placed 1/5/06
timeframe for braces: 24-30 months