SEPTEMBER 2010 BUDDIES!!

[chicago29]

Yeah, it was early February but my ortho moved it up. He got no argument from me

[DrBlur]

chicago, that is awesome! Tomorrow your braces come off, that must be a great feeling! What's next for you then?

[mamaneedsanewjaw]

Very exciting Chicago!!!!

Can you even believe that tomorrow your teeth will be free of metal!?!?!

[chicago29]

Woo Hoo!! At the risk of sounding completely inappropriate, I'm NAKED!!!

OK, just my teeth are. It feels weird, that is for sure.

It has been a VERY LONG road, but one that I'm so, so happy I went down. As for what's next, I will need some gum grafts at some point, but I'm not doing anything for the next couple of months...that much I know!

I'll certainly still be on this message board, so I look forward to hearing everybody else's debracing updates!

-Chicago29

[jake95]

Congrats Chicago. Enjoy ur new look.

[**Stephie**]

Seems I haven't been on here in ages really, and seems Chicago is doing well and congrats on getting debraced. I'm sure it feels great to eventually have them off now. Hope everyone else is doing well who had surgery in september.

Update on me:

At moment I still have my braces although have an appointment on the 14th of this month, my orthodonist seemed to think from my last appointment with him that it might be time for the braces to come off. I've been wearing the elastics since the surgery was done, just to get teeth lined up correctly etc and seems like they are almost perfect now from what I can see in the mirror anyways

Just wondering though if anyone else still has any numbness left at all? I still am left with a little bit on the bottom left of my chin just below my lip. Hoping this does come back eventually but I'm at the stage now where I do not even notice it anymore.

Hope to hear how everyone else is doing

[**Stephie**]

Just thought I'd update again... Braces are Off!!!

So I had an appointment this morning with my orthodonist and was surprised when he told me it was time for the braces to come off. So now I've my clear retainers which are hardly noticeable to anyone, well unless your up close.

[chicago29]

Congrats Stephie!!!

[mamaneedsanewjaw]

I too, got my braces of on March 3rd!! SO HAPPY TO BE DONE WITH THIS!

[chicago29]

Congrats Mama!!! Can you believe that 6 months ago we were swollen, bruised, battered, depressed, blah blah blah!!?? I'm happy you're too at the end of the road!

[mamaneedsanewjaw]

Chicago- I KNOW! It is crazy to think that how fast it has gone! It really seems like yesterday that I was getting my braces on, getting ready for surgery, feeling like total shiat after surgery, swollen, then getting better and better each day and now we are DONE! Except I did read that you are thinking of the sliding genio, wish I could give you advice on that but it seems as if it no big deal compared to what you have already been through! Keep us posted!

Hope all of the other buddies are doing well!

[**Stephie**]

Wondering if anyone has the clear retainer to wear top and bottom at the moment? I got mine once the braces came off and find it a little hard at the moment to get used to them...hoping it gets a little easier soon. Only really annoying thing about them is ummm mouth is watering all the time.

Can't wait to the day wear I'm free of everything. Couldn't believe the difference the surgery and braces have made, as cant stop looking at my teeth in the mirror at moment To most people that will sound kinda silly but guess were all doing that at moment

[chicago29]

Stephie,

I wear the essix (clear) containers on top and bottom during the day. At night I wear a hawley on top and the same essix on the bottom.

I agree the clear retainers are kind of a pain - They do impact your speech somewhat (although you get used to this), they "collect" saliva which is a pain, and the little buggers are hard to keep clean. I bought a "dental spa" with a UV light which I use to clean them nightly, and I use Effident twice a week. I've also found they can be a bit hard to remove from your mouth.

In any regard...get used to them because you will likely be wearing them 24/7 for at least a year or two. I can't say I "like" them, but they sure as hell beat the braces!! And, nobody notices these things unless you are right up close to them

Congrats on being debraced!

-Chicago29

[**Stephie**]

Nice to know that someone else out there is feeling the same way as myself about these retainers. Though I do agree they beat wearing the braces.

Worst part is getting them out! Getting them in is alot easier seeing as last time I took them out to eat I spent like 10minutes trying to get them both out. Guess you get the hang of taking them out eventually

Have my next appointment in June, where I see both my orthodonist and my surgeon. I've been told at moment to wear my retainers all the time until my next appointment with the exception of taking them out to eat.

Still can't believe my braces are completely off

[DrBlur]

Hi all! Nice to see everyone has been progressing nicely since all of the surgeries in September. To give a little update, after I finished expanding 2 weeks post-op, I had a HUGE gap and my ortho wired my expander so it wouldn't move anymore and told me to come back in November. I started getting powerchains in Nov. in order to move the front four teeth together and as of my last appointment in February, I no longer have a gap in front! But I do have a large gap between my canines and the front teeth. I have an ortho appointment this Friday (2 days) and I'm hoping the expander can be taken out and they can start bringing the rest of my teeth up front to close all gaps and straighten. One thing I've been a bit miffed about is that they've sort of been ignoring my lower teeth, which had been straightening out nicely. My bottom front teeth are MORE crooked now than they were before braces! I also have a crossbite (I did before surgery) so that will need to be addressed in the future. They told me 2-2 1/2 years from surgery to fix everything with the braces, so I'm hoping that schedule still holds.