Progress report at 18 months

[mominbraces]

So I've been in braces a year and a half now. The
original projection was for 2 years (meaning I'd get
them off next March), but with one thing or another
I will consider myself lucky it I am out of this in
a year from now. So what have I got to show for
it? I had an underbite, lots of of crowding, incisors
stuck way out while canines were were pushed
inward. Canines are now all exposed, and incisors
are slowly rotating into position. I have worn
lots of different closing devices: power chains,
springs, buttons, and closing loop wires. Even
with all that, I have very conspicuous gaps on
top , much larger than I would like, although
slowly closing. My bottom teeth have presented
a major challenge to the ortho, as well as holding
up the progress on the top teeth, which is one reason
why my upper gaps are slow to close (no room
for them to move to until the bottom teeth are
in place). Apparently the bottom teeth are just
not arching properly, and the ortho tried for
months to move them with conventional
wires before he gave up and switched to a utility
wire. It's working, but it is an annoying and painfull
arrangement.

On the plus side I long ago lost my self-consiousness
about wearing braces. And even though much remains
to be done my smile finally looks better now than
before I began. Relations with the ortho and his
assistant were rocky at the beginning, because
they always wanted me to smile and be happy
about everything, especially when I was in
pain from some crummy wire or appliance or unhappy
about extractions. Frequently saying stuff like maybe
I should bail out this whole venture since they only
wanted happy patients. I haven't heard any of that
talk in a long time, and the ortho and I have
become very chummy. He says I have a high pain
tolerance, so I guess that's a sign of commitment.