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For the last 2 weeks I've been in both box and closing elastics, a round lower archwire and a top archwired on the four front teeth only. The idea was to finish closing/settling my bite and then deband in the next month.
At today's appointment I found out that my lower jaw is wanting to slide backward (old habits apparently) and my right upper canine had started rotating in (also back to its former position). Plus my overbite (ortho's term) started to re-emerge somewhat.
So then we started talking jaw surgery--ortho: "yeah you have a gummy smile, like me. but does it bother you?" me: "yes it does" ortho: "well do you want jaw surgery?" me: "nope, sure don't" ortho: "between now and our next appt I want you to think about whether you would rather have a a perfect bite or a comfortable jaw. i would rather see you with a comfortable jaw" me: "me too (of course).
So then back on went a full top archwire and a heavier bottom archwire, and class II elastics, and I"ll go back in 3 weeks. Then we'll see if we can try to settle the bite again. I guess my biggest concern is whether my bite will be stable when I'm done. Particularly given the canine rotation--but as my husband pointed out, I will have a retainer (rather than the nothingness for the past 2 weeks, aside from an elastic pulling it downward). Just don't want to have spent the past 2 and a half years and all this money for nothing in the end.
I will concede that my canine rotated back into the right place the second the wire went on and that my jaw is wanting to sit more forward after just a few hours of elastic wear---but I still want to have my pity party just a wee bit longer
So has this happened to most/many people at the tail end of treatment? I know a lot of you have talked about tweaking, and a couple have mentioned delays--Ms. TiaLia springs to mind--is it common for people to feel this way? Am I freaking out over nothing??
I realize I should have asked my ortho and I will--I just wonder if this is common 'end of treatment jitters' or if he'll think I've gone off my rocker...
Meryaten wrote:IOh, and if that canine keeps wanting to rotate after debanding, then maybe he'd be willing to put you in a bonded retainer to help with that. Don't give up.
That's a good point--I hadn't thought about that. I know my original ortho had that in the plan but this one said I would likely bite the wire off. However, it might be worth a try to keep things in line. Thanks for the encouragement Meryaten!
I feel the same way. I was supposed to be done this month, and I go back next Monday for another evaluation. However, I have a bad feeling that I won't be done. One of my top front teeth need to rotate a little more and move up. I have taken one step forward and three steps back many times I feel like. During the fall, they tried to get my bottom two front teeth to turn and it took 3 adjustments before they realized that "oh there is too much glue underneath the bracket so they are not on flush with the teeth." As soon as they moved the brackets, my teeth had turned by the time I got home that day . I also feel like they "ignored" my top at this point and should have realized that they needed something extra to tweak that situation. Also, while fixing the bottom, I was back in the most flexible wire which means that I had no elastics for MONTHS and of course all the work the elastics had done to my bite was for nothing. Also, last adjustment my midline had shifted (who knows why) so then I left with elastics from bottom left canine to top right canine. It was fun to say anything that started with "th" . Anyway, I have decided to try not to get anxious and upset, It is what it is and it is going to take the time it does, but I still get frustrated sometimes when all I want is to be done. Hang in there !
Maria
Hi Maria
I was out of town last week and just got back online. Thanks for the encouragement. So how was your appointment? Did you make any progress?
I got a call from my ortho's office saying that he fully expected my right canine to rotate with the new wire and it will get addressed at my next appointment. But I can call him if I want to go in sooner.
So a week's vacation has certainly helped put things in perspective--the teeth will (hopefully) be done soon and in the long run a couple more weeks or even months--egad--will not make a huge difference.
I actually go in today at 3:40 for my appointment. I have made progress, but I know it is not enough. So it will be interesting to see if he will tell me to just keep using the elastics or make some more drastic changes like IPR and change to a steel wire. I'll let you know what happens after my visit today. I am actually not very excited to go today. I have always been looking forward to the visits knowing that I am one step closer each time, but with the few setbacks I have lost some of my excitement. Oh well, it is only time we're talking about.
I actually lost a friend to cancer last night, so that puts things in perspective for me. She left a 6 and 8 year old and a husband behind, so how important are my teeth, really. Also, I read about people who are in braces for 2,3, and 4 years; so it doesn't really matter if mine go over by a few months. I feel like I am still lucky to probably be in the 1.5 year range. Continued good luck with yours!
Maria
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I hope that you are able to support her family and that you get support as well.
Sorry for the delay in responding. My computer has been finicky lately.
. I also feel like they "ignored" my top at this point and should have realized that they needed something extra to tweak that situation. Also, while fixing the bottom, I was back in the most flexible wire which means that I had no elastics for MONTHS and of course all the work the elastics had done to my bite was for nothing. Also, last adjustment my midline had shifted (who knows why) so then I left with elastics from bottom left canine to top right canine. It was fun to say anything that started with "th" 
. Anyway, I have decided to try not to get anxious and upset, It is what it is and it is going to take the time it does, but I still get frustrated sometimes when all I want is to be done. Hang in there