Impressions today

Message

#1 Post by **Audra** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:25 am

My appointment for impressions (and sorting out financing) has moved up from June 13 to this afternoon. This means I may be able to get my braces placed before July 7 now!

I know it's weird to be excited, but I have been wanting to do this for 10 years.

#2 Post by **Jill52** » Fri May 30, 2008 4:55 pm

Great news - I know what it feels like to have waited a long time. In my case it was just finding the courage, but it took me at least 10 years too. I hope your b-day comes really soon.

#3 Post by **Audra** » Fri May 30, 2008 9:13 pm

Thanks for the replies!

I am really thinking about doing a blog/braces story with pictures. I've never done anything like that before, but I think this might be a journey worth documenting.

I didn't end up getting the impressions today. I had a pre-molar extracted Monday (failed root canal) and so they thought it was a bit too soon (should have said that before they told me I could come in today, but that's okay). We'll try again Monday.

I think my b-day might still be July 7. I'm sure it'll come sooner than I expect.

I really love this site and I'm sure it'll make my journey all that much better - and hopefully easier.

#4 Post by **catfish** » Sat May 31, 2008 11:18 pm

Audra - Congratulations on your upcoming B-Day! I'm sorry to hear that you had a failed root canal, and that it may delay your journey. I lost a tooth for that reason too. No fun!

Ken - where are you finding these awesome emoticons?!! I love them!

#5 Post by **shoezy** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:38 pm

Hello Audra,
Congratulations! You're on the way to your new smile! Good luck with everything hun.

-S

#6 Post by **Audra** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:31 am

Hey everyone. Thanks for all your kind words.

I'm actually not sorry about the failed root canal. Years ago (after I had it done) a naturopath informed me that root canals are not good for your health, and I've had trouble with that tooth this entire time. At the periodontist, he (as have every dentist I have visited) told me I should consider orthodontics to fix my bite. He told me it was the perfect time since he may have to take the tooth. So I started the ball rolling. It was the push I needed. So here I am, now moving forward. I'll get an implant when all the orthodontics is complete.

So, today we try again for the impressions. The extraction site feels not bad today, so we'll try for the impressions again at 3pm.

#7 Post by **2shy** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 1:27 pm

Hi Audra congratulations on starting your journey. I will look forward to your blog and lots of progress! I hope you don't mind if I ask have a question what consitutes a failed root canal? I have a tooth that has had a root canal following some fairly poor attempts at sorting a cavity. I had wondered if infact i would have to lose the tooth ( its a molar so i wouldn't look forward to it) but what sort of problems have you had and what was the deciding factor in having to have it removed.

thanks

#8 Post by **Audra** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:38 pm

I don't mind the question about the root canal. I think basically a root canal is done to save a tooth, that would otherwise be extracted. A failed root canal is a tooth that has had a root canal - but eventually has to be extracted due to complications. For me, the tooth never felt right after the root canal. It hurt frequently -I was told it was "phantom pain" -because a root canalled tooth is dead. 9 months ago at a routine check-up/cleaning, the hygeinist found a deep pocket (9 mm) and pain/sensitivity in the gum around the tooth when probing. The dentist referred me to a periodontist to have it checked out. He thought it was a possible root fracture as a tooth with a root canal can be very brittle. So he did an exploratory procedure to open the gums and see if there was a fracture. A fractured root tip cannot be saved so the tooth must be removed. It was fractured and there was an abscess pocket so he had to take the tooth out. Now I'll get an implant after all the orthodontics are done.

#9 Post by **catfish** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:18 pm

That is very similar to my experience. I had a root canal in one of my molars many years ago (in my teens). My dentist did it himself, rather than send me to an endodontist (that should have been a clue...)

Many years later (mid-twenties), I started feeling something "funny". My new dentist said I can't be feeling anything since the root is dead. (I hate it when I feel something and someone tells me I don't really feel it. Who is going to know what I'm feeling besides me?!) Eventually he discovered that the dentist did not successfully remove all the nerve in one root. So I had to go have the root canal redone! That was an icky procedure! He must have been dissolving the old root filling (I don't know what it's called) with some kind of solvent. The smell was horrible, nauseating, and lasted for what seemed like forever!

Fast forward a few more years (mid-forties). That tooth never felt normal. So I'm sedated for my osseous surgery, and I vaguely hear the periodontist tell me I'm losing the tooth. Turns out the root was fractured, no way to save it.

That was a failed root canal.

#10 Post by **Audra** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:38 am

Catfish - yes, that sounds a lot like my experience.

I also hate when I'm told "you shouldn't feel anything", but I definitely know that I do. I mean really, how can you not know when a tooth hurts to chew on. Come on!

Anyway, I'm glad to have it gone.

And whether it psychosomatic or not, the pain in my lower back is a lot better since they removed the tooth. Go figure.

#11 Post by **Audra** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:56 pm

Hahahahaha.

You're a regular comedian Ken.

#12 Post by **Audra** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:18 pm

And it's totally appreciated

I finally succeeded with the impressions yesterday. This ortho sends them off for indirect bonding trays to be made (They are damon braces so they use Insignia software apparently). The bottom mold didn't work well (wouldn't set) so had to be re-done (most of it was left behind in my mouth - blechhh). I had to brush my teeth before she tried again to get all the blue gunk out.

Two sets had to be made - one for the bracket bonding trays, and one set to send to the oral surgeon. So, all in all, I had 5 trays done - two on the bottom that worked, one that failed and two on the top.

The taste of that stuff was NASTY. So I went over to "Cookies by George" and grabbed two cookies on the way back to work to try to get the taste out of my mouth.

I can hardly wait to see what the etching compound and bonding cement taste like....

#13 Post by **angel84** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:47 pm

Wow I think that your post almost described me to the T! I, too, am sooo excited about getting my braces and have been wanting them for what seems like forever. Here's to our someday beautiful smiles!!!

#14 Post by **EmBraceAble** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:06 pm

Audra wrote:I don't mind the question about the root canal. I think basically a root canal is done to save a tooth, that would otherwise be extracted. A failed root canal is a tooth that has had a root canal - but eventually has to be extracted due to complications. For me, the tooth never felt right after the root canal. It hurt frequently -I was told it was "phantom pain" -because a root canalled tooth is dead. 9 months ago at a routine check-up/cleaning, the hygeinist found a deep pocket (9 mm) and pain/sensitivity in the gum around the tooth when probing. The dentist referred me to a periodontist to have it checked out. He thought it was a possible root fracture as a tooth with a root canal can be very brittle. So he did an exploratory procedure to open the gums and see if there was a fracture. A fractured root tip cannot be saved so the tooth must be removed. It was fractured and there was an abscess pocket so he had to take the tooth out. Now I'll get an implant after all the orthodontics are done.

Hi:

What happens if the failed root canal is one of your front upper teeth? Is there any way they can "bond' it in until the braces come off?

#15 Post by **Audra** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:29 pm

I don't really know for sure. I think I've read a story from someone on here who had a front tooth removed and they braced a fake tooth in place so it looked like she still had a tooth. It was not an implant yet.