TPA OFF, progress pics, and lots of questions!!!

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#1 Post by **venusasaboy** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 3:03 am

Hi guys! Well, I got my upper and lower TPA off a few weeks ago, and that's really cool because they worked SO WELL. And now I don't lisp or anything. I'm pretty happy with how my teeth aren't all narrow anymore. So here is what they look like:
-BEFORE

-AFTER

I noticed now I have this gap between my two front teeth, but oh well. It's kind of cute. There are some things i'm kind of confused with, though. Here is a picture of my teeth before braces or anything:

notice how my bottom teeth don't show at all? i have NO IDEA why that is. But i've noticed they show more now, and I wonder if they are going to show a lot by the time I get my braces off? So you will be able to see my top and bottom teeth just by having me smile? Why didn't they show in the first place? Please let me know if you have any ideas!

These are pictures, in order, of my braces up until most recent:

I am kind of worried because my top teeth don't really show progress at all. They still kind of look how they always have, and i've had braces on the top for 5 months now! I know some of you had really crooked teeth and after 2 months they look as straight as mine do! It doesn't make any sense. Also, if you notice my left and right teeth, the ones right next to my two front ones, are higher up and kind of slant toward the front ones. why has that not straightened out yet? Is it because clear braces are slower? Because my bottom teeth were so crooked and they are already straight but i've only had braces on the bottom for three months! they are metal, though. so if anybody has any ideas on why this is, please tell me!!

Also, I was wondering if any of you can tell if my teeth have made progress. I really cannot at all, except on the bottom and now my arch is wider but that is it. I'm dissappointed in my upper teeth. Maybe they are not moving because they were never really crooked to begin with but still..i'd expect some change.

And one last thing! what color are the glow-in-the-dark ligs? i've seen some that are pink and some that are blue and some that are green but what do they look like in everyday regular light, when they aren't glowing? I wanted to get them on my clear braces but i don't want it to look like i got clear ligs that turned yellow or anything! if you have pics or if you can help with these, please reply!

thank you all for reading i really do appreciate it. :][/img]

#2 Post by **Tin Man** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 8:07 am

I never had TPA appliances of anything like that, but your experience is shaping up to be alot like mine. When I first got my braces on my bottom teeth did not show much when I smiled because I had a bit of an overbite plus a slight overjet. Over time as my top teeth were brought back and my bottom teeth came forward, they started to show a little more and more and now they are a welcome addition to my smile.

As for the top teeth/bottom teeth progress thing - I didn't see much progress in why top teeth for awhile. My bottom teeth were scattering all over the place but the uppers were staying put except for some leveling. One day my ortho slapped on some powerchains and then progress was made in a few days. It probably all has to do with your ortho's plan. Sometimes you have to do alot of work with one arch before you move to the other.

Hope I answered all you questions!

#3 Post by **littlesheila** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:45 am

hello!
I'm having the same kind of TPA as Venusasaboy so I know how it feels! Well it's no fun at all and even after 10 months i cannot say i'm properly used to it expecially for the lisping so i'm glad for her if she's done with it

I have all metal braces on top and bottom but i don't really think clear are slower than metal cuz ortho said to me it would have been the same whatever i chose. I went for all metal and it's not as bad as it seems. I was mainly afraid of staining, but i can't deny that the ones in this pic are barely visible. Lucky you girl.
Gosh i better stop before i go totally random here!!
Good luck you all!!

#4 Post by **akabraces** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 11:49 am

hey venusasaboy!

love the pics--they look
great!

any chance you can share why
you got clear on top?
i'm trying to decide myself
now and am going back and
forth about it...

thanks!

*aka

#5 Post by **venusasaboy** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 1:18 am

Hey! Well, originally I really wanted just all metal, but at the last minute I saw the clear model and decided to get clear just because I know i'm getting older and I don't want boys to notice me for having braces, or for people to still think i'm in highschool or anything! That's mostly why I chose the clear, because I looked more sophisticated and they just kind of blend in and give your smile/mouth a smoother, cleaner look. I'm really happy I have clear now because then I look in the mirror sometimes it just looks like I have straight teeth and I don't even notice having braces. People still notice them, but they always say they love them and wish they had gotten clear when they were younger. It all depends on what you're going to be happy with in the long run because remember! You're going to be stuck with them for like, 1-4 years!!! Good luck and i'm sure whatever you choose, you're teeth will end up looking excellent :]

#6 Post by **braces-boy** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:10 pm

Hello venusasaboy

Your story was very interesting to me, I have just got an upper TPA and I am very depressed

I find it so difficult to eat/swallow food. I thought it was just a temporary thing till the brace was fitted but now I know it is not.

#7 Post by **rockexrolloh** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:35 pm

hey, we're myspace friends! haha. do you have any pictures of your top and bottom teeth? i'm getting clear braces on top and regular metal ones on bottom. just wondering what it looks like.