27 and braced again, and they are off!!!!!

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#46 Post by **Drama Queen** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:56 am

Hey,

Well another month has flown by and I am coming up to (what I hope is) the half way point - on 25 April I will have been braced for 9 Months - on one hand it feels like an eternity and on the other hand the months have just flown by.

Anyway todays adjustment - No changes to my bottom arch. The ortho took my top wire out rebent it a little and then put it back. I dont have to wear the triangle elastics at night, but I am now wearing class 2 elastics that stretch from my back molars up to a little kink in the wire near the front side of my teeth. (the same formation that I had when I was first introduced to elastics) for the usual 24/7.

So all in all not so bad at this point.

Lau xx

#47 Post by **Drama Queen** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:42 am

Well today is my 9 month anniversary and if all is going to plan I should be at the halfway stage in my treatment. At the moment it feels like I am now standing at the top of the hill and the next 9 months I will be slowly climbing down to the bottom and when I get there I will be braceless!

Lau xx

#48 Post by **Drama Queen** » Wed May 09, 2007 3:12 am

Hey,

Well today was my 10th adjustment. My ortho said that there was improvement. No major changes, just took off the elastic wire I have attached to my bottom arch spring things and tied some new wire on. Still have to wear the elastics that I was told to wear at my 9th adjustment, and as usual the pain is starting to set in today.

I have had a real down month with my braces, the worst month really since I started this journey. I dont know why but I have felt more self conscious and had real low self esteem, so bad in fact there were points where I just didn't want to carry on anymore, cos everytime I looked in the mirror I hated what I saw staring back at me! Stupid really. Though I am feeling a little more positive now, I mean I am coming up to my 10 month mark on the 25th of May so I think if I have come this far I know that I can see it through.

Lau xx

#49 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:37 am

Hey,

Well today was my 7th adjustment. Nothing done to my upper arch just new clear ligs. On my bottom arch he bent the second wire that i have resting at the top of my brackets a little, so now it feels tighter, and he repositioned by elastics ties that I have, and changed my ligs - so now at the mo they are gleaming new.

Still need to wear the elastics but using slightly smaller ones this time, that come in a red packet, so I sense these are going to really hurt once they start pulling - but hey no pain no gain and all that.

My ortho said that my bite was beginning to look nice and he was really impressed with how clean i keep my teeth and my ligs - which is always nice to hear.

Next adjustment is in 5 weeks time.

Lau xx

#50 Post by **Drama Queen** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 4:14 am

Hey,

Thanks for the support. Elastics haven't been too bad yet, so hopefully they will continue to stay that way.

Lau xx

#51 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:22 am

Hey,

Today was my 12th adjustment. The Ortho said its looking nice. No changes on my upper arch just new ligs. On my bottom arch my Ortho removed the auxcillary wire that I had resting on the top of my brackets along with several springs (only have 2 springs now) and elastics ties - it feels amazing like I have a bit more room on my bottom arch now with just the brackets and wire - and of course new clear ligs. Still have to wear my class 2 elastics.

In about 2 weeks I will have been braced for a year - can't quite believe it seems like only yesterday I started all of this.

Lau xx

#52 Post by **Drama Queen** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:14 am

well today is my 1 year brace anniversary.

Can't believe it, seems like only yesterday I started all this with the tears and the trauma (I still have those sometimes on my down days I have to admit). Hopefully I only have 6 months to go. On one hand it doesn't seem like there is long to go, on the other hand it feels like forever!

Anyway been to the dentist and hygenist today, and got top marks from both of them for my oral hygenie, so that is a bonus as well today.

Here's to the next 6 months (hopefully

) of being braced!

Lau xx

#53 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:08 am

Hi,

Just got back from my 13th adjustment. Not much to report really, all my ortho said was "its getting there" (he is a man of many words!). Changed my clear ligs top and bottom. I only have to wear my diagonal elastics at night, but I also have to start wearing elastics up and down from top 3 to bottom 4 during the day, to help close my open bite. I can only imagine the pain when I wake up in the morning with these new elastics!

Back in 4 weeks for my next appointment.

Lau xx

#54 Post by **Niki** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:28 pm

Congrats on the year mark!

#55 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:21 am

Stop Press.......my bracket broke off yesterday, it is the one at the back next to my lower right molar band. Called my ortho to see if I could get an emergency appointment, as my next adjustment is in 2 weeks time and that is too long to leave it the way it is. Am going in to see him at 4.30pm today.

And to think I was only thinking to myself the other day that I haven't had a broken bracket for well over a year now...famous last words!

Will keep you all posted

Lau xx

#56 Post by **Drama Queen** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:56 am

Hey,

Well had my emergency appointment yesterday and the ortho replaced my broken bracket. The pain is really starting to set in now - just taken a couple of nurofen in the hope that will help.

Adjustment is in 2 weeks time.

Saturday will be my 13th month anniversary

Lau xx

#57 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:44 am

Hiya,

Just got back from my 14th adjustment (its took me over 2 hours to get into work cos of the tube strike and I am knackered!). The Ortho said "its looking nice" - I am starting to wonder if he says anything else as he has told me this during my past few adustments. He just changed by clear ligs for me as they were a little yellow and he told me to double up on my up and down elastics which go from top 3 down to bottom 4 and to carry on wearing the diagonal elastics at night. I can almost feel the pain I am going to be in when I wake up tomorrow morning already!!

Anyway next adjustment in 4 weeks - the sage continues!

Lau xx

#58 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:56 am

Hi again,

Been for my adjustment today. My ortho removed the 2 springs that I had on my bottom arch, which is nice as it feels less crowded down there now. He wants me to carry on with doubling up on the elastics from my upper 3's to lower 4's as they havent moved as well as he hoped - sigh! But at least I dont have to wear the diagonal elastics at night as well, so I suppose that is a bonus.

Back in 4 weeks as usual!

Lau xx

#59 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:31 am

The saga continues....

Just got back from my 16th adjustment. He put an elastic type tie thing across my top five teeth, which is now starting to hurt. I have to carry on with doubling up on the elastics on my upper 3's and lower 4's which I have to wear 24/7 and have to wear the dreaded box elastic across my top and bottom front teeth, but luckily that is only at night. Changed my clear ligs so they look all shiny and new and that was it......back in 4 weeks.

Last Thursday was my 15 month anniversary, so it is slowly getting to the end....I hope!!

Lau xx

#60 Post by **Drama Queen** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:39 am

Hello,

Just back from adjustment 17. The ortho took out my top wire and bent it a little and then put it back in (havent had any wires removed and bent for a while so it feels like something is actually being done when he does!), he changed my ligs so they are all shiny and new, though he was trying to persuade me to go for some green and red ones for christmas, but I decided to stick with the clear ones! Gotta carry on with doubling up on the elastics on my upper 3's and lower 4's which I have to wear 24/7 and have to wear the box elastic across my top and bottom front teeth at night.

It was my 16 month anniversary on Sunday.

Next appointment is in 6 weeks. When I went to book my appointment with the receptionist she said that its amazing to think that next time I am there it will be coming to an end! I was like I hope so, cos the ortho hasnt said anything so I am hoping that she knows something that I don't. Well once January comes around I will have been braced for 18 months (which was my estimated sentence) and my monthly payments will stop, at least whether the braces comes off around then or not I will have a little bit more extra money each month after that!

until next time........ Lau xx