Re introduction: Patrick. User name: NotBob1

[NotBob1]

Hi again.
So I originally came here with the user name of "Patrick". (My real first name) Unfortunately, the board did not like me or my isp or something because I was always locked out by some "DeBug Mode" page everytime I would try to log in. So....after many hours of trying to get it to work by cleaning up my computers, I decided to try a new registration. It works! So here I am again!

I won't go into great detail all over, if anyone is interested, just look at my previous five or so posts within the last week or two under "Patrick" .


So my date is Janruary 10th, I am a second timer at 36 years old. I am nervous still, yet it is getting better. I now notice more adults with braces. Maybe to make me feel better???? There are quite a few, actually.

I have been trying to practice saying Hi to people and talking to them while putting myself "in the mode" of having braces and trying to be normal and not try to hide my smile. (Make any sense?) My biggest fear is looking like I am trying to hide them. So I go out to a local outdoor mall here in Seattle, tell myself that I have a shiny smile and try to interact with people and not hide it. Hopefully I will be able to glide right into this!!!

At present the Ortho wants to do the bonded brackets first, install spacers, and then do the bands. I have three crowns (grind at night) on my lower and they apparently -have- to be done in bands. Whether that means all molars will be in bands, I don't know. I suppose it does not matter.

My wife is supportive of me in this as she will likely be next! (although she would be supportive anyway.) We can't afford to do two of us, plus having both of us wired up might look a little like walking around with matching sweatshirts all the time!!!

I was told I have to do a diagonal elastic right across the front (Yippee!!) and wear it 14 hours per day and 24 hours or as much as possible on the weeknds to correct a midline issue. (This will be the hard one) Does anyone else have any experience with this? I don't know that I have seen this before.... I want the mid line issue corrected asap, therefor wearing it all the time would be better, but I think that my Dr. has a heart and realizes that it is very difficult to get someone to hook one across like that during the business day.

Anyway, I just wanted to re-introduce myself as my user name makes me look like I just posted for the first time. I will likely be here for awhile as it appears there is a very supportive group that understands. I thank Lynn again for providing this excellent resource and thank all of those who contribute. I hope I can contribute some good information over the next couple of years!

-Pat (Formerly Patrick, now NotBob1)

[Shawnie]

Hi Patrick

Glad to see another person from Washington - Welcome!

I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to hide your braces. It took me a little while to feel like I was holding my mouth in a normal position. Didn't want people to look at me and think what's wrong with her mouth! I'd much rather have them know that I have braces.

Anyway, keep us posted

[NotBob1]

Thanks for the response Kiwi & Shawnie.

I still go back and forth on it, I kind of wish the Orthodontist would get me in earlier as this back and forth thing is murder!!

So are there few people on this board from Washington State? Maybe we could do a roll call? I'm new here, so maybe that has been done already or it won't work for some reason....It's just a thought.

I am trying to get the Ortho office to respond to an email I sent asking what will be done on the different placement dates. She wants to do it in two phases whereas I would prefer one. I suppose I could call, but I hate to be a pain in the butt!


I suppose it doesn't really matter as what is going to happen is going to happen and my knowing about it beforehand is not going to change anything.

Anyway, Thanks again for the re-welcome!

-Pat

Currently: NotBob1
Formerly: Patrick

[Teigyr]

Pat,

Count me in as another person from Washington!

I also know how it feels to want to hide my braces. I finally reached a point where I don't care and I am not the most subtle of people. Now when I want to smile or something, I do it as widely as I can! I figure people will notice them anyway, you know?

Jane

[johnnys_angel]

{ I also know how it feels to want to hide my braces. I finally reached a point where I don't care and I am not the most subtle of people. Now when I want to smile or something, I do it as widely as I can! I figure people will notice them anyway, you know? }

Good for you, Teigyr! Wear 'em with pride

[NotBob1]

I am just going to be me and try not to hide them. I also decided today (while sawing a Christmas tree) that I am going to do the whole diagonal elastic thing as much as I possibly can to get this done. As others with this type of set up have stated here: You get a few looks directly at your mouth until they realize you have braces and it's one of those rubber bands. I'm just going to do it.

I finally did get an email back from the ortho office, but it was an email telling me "Everything will be allright" That's not exactly what I'm looking for, I'm not 13. I want some facts. So I emailed back letting them know that I need to have an understanding of what is going to be done, approximately when, and with what. They are probably going to think I'm a pain in the butt. Hey, for just a hair shy of $7,000.00 I can be!


So, Teigyr, you are a Seattlite as well? Great! Atleast I am not the only one in Seattle doing this!! I know I am not....There are tons. Some of my clients even. I notice atleast 2-3 adults per day around here with braces. I have started noticing lately. (Hmmmm....I wonder why)

So I was emailing with an old friend and I was telling her about my second go around with braces and the fact that the last time I was in them was about 20 years ago when I was dating her. She cracked up and told me that her husband would be doing the same thing and for the second time as well. So it's no biggie.

Thanks for the vent opportunity!

[leah]

HI, Patrick, Welcome and congrats on being braced... I think I have the same diagonal elastic thing you are talking about. It bothered me at first too but now I smile proudly, get alot of silly looks but, I dont care. I wear mine pretty much all the time. I figure the more its on there the faster it will be fixed.
Goodluck with everything,
Leah

[NotBob1]

Hi Leah.

So you must have a midline discrepency then? I have not yet had my braces installed, they come Jan. 10th. I was shown a picture on a computer of the elastic going basically from my top left incisor to the bottom right uhhhh.... not sure what it is called, but, it's the lower incisor. (Maybe that's what it is called!) It sounds like you have the same type of thing going on. I am trying to digest this and I know I will be shy about wearing this one. (The side ones top to bottom probably won't bother me)

So are you supposed to wear it 24/7 or are you doing this of your own volition?

Do people ask you about what it is, or do most people look for a second and then realize that it is related to your braces?

Have you been wearing it from the beginning?

Is it hard to open your mouth all of the way?

I don't mean to hit you with the 20 questions drill, but I am trying to find out what reactions I may get so as I am prepared. I am only supposed to wear it 14 hrs plus full weekends, but I was told "the more the better" and I am trying to get myself prepared to do it 24 hours when it happens. I'm sure that if I just wear it for a couple of weeks, it'll be no big deal. I'm just chicken!!!

Thanks for the response(s)!

[leah]

Hi, Patrick

I've only had this configuration for about 2 weeks. At this point I'm ready for everything to be over so I don't care what I look like anymore. I did have to laugh when I saw this one though. I have a 4 year old boy and he tell me to open my mouth and he strums my elastics like a guitar. it is so funny. And the only poeple who have ever looked at me funny have been kids. Adults don't seen to say anything. I really don't think they even notice.
Best wishes,
Leah

here a blurry picture of what you will probably have
[img][img]http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/3743/d ... eth6ea.jpg[/img][/img]

[NotBob1]

Thanks, Leah.
Yeah, mine is even the same side. I can see that your midline is off a hair, but mine is off about triple of that.... I am hoping that it will be awhile into the treatment before I get hit with the diagonal elastic, but, as you said "get it over with". It actually isn't as noticeable as I had thought.

Thanks for the encouragment!!!!

[NotBob1]

Well, tomorrow is my big day. My wife was kind enough to take the day off to go with me! Nothing like having a security blanket when you go to get your braces. We are going to just go roam around town the remainder of the day so as I can get used to them and talking to people. I am going to let "Number 1" run the shop for the day. Hopefully my guys don't burn the place down.

I am compiling a list of questions for the doc. and weeding out the unnecessary ones. I want to make certain I don't end up with any surprises and have a clear understanding of what is going to take place.

It's funny, I'll walk in to the Ortho office tomorrow with a set of pearly whites and walk out with a rack of metal. Shocking. As I stated before, I have already done this, however, I still think I am going to be a bit shocked when I look in the mirror.

My wife says she is going to take pictures for her scrapbook. She found these Orthodontic background pages on eBay. I'm not too sure I'm up for this....I can just see it now: someone is visiting and she shows them our photo album and there's Pat on a few of the sheets having things glued to his teeth. Greeeeaaaaattttt. I think I'll let her take the pics, but I will reserve the right to veto the placement of them in the album.

So, as it says below...."1 day" Wish me luck. Damn, I'm nervous. Really nervous. Ya know, for me, it's not the dull ache or the sensitive teeth upon biting into a soft sandwich, it's the reactions of people I know and work with. New people won't think a thing, the ones I've known for awhile are a different story. Am I vain? Kind of like the Carly Simon song about James Taylor? I suppose I should be happy that this is all I have to worry about. There are people with cancer going in for chemo treatments at the same time I am getting braces. They would likely trade places. I would trade it out if I had cancer. I have no reason to complain at all and need to knock it off!

So now that is in perspective.... I'm ready. (for the next 15 mins.)

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant. I needed it. I'll gladly read other rants from members when their time comes. Or should I say: ??

[NotBob1]

Thanks, kiwi. I appreciate the story of expecting people to notice, or, even care for that matter!!!! It's true. It's all in me.

So today was the day. I'm at about hour 12 now and ready for bed. Metal spring seperators X 8, and she put all of the bonded brackets on but no archwire!!! OUCH! I must have ticked her off with my questions. This was basically a spacer appointment and she added the bonded brackets. I suppose next Wednesday when the molar bands and archwires are in will be my official day.

So I ordered a bunch of stuff from DentaKit. The little kit is great! I used it already when we went out for lunch after the appointment. I also ordered the "Comfort covers" and let me tell you....those things are an ABSOLUTE LIFESAVER! Especially with having those brackets on there with no archwire.... Both arches cliped right on and I just bypassed the teeth that were out of line.

Anyway, before I hijack my own thread with raving about a product, I just want to say that I am partially there, and will keep this updated as I move along.

I suppose I need to change my ticker now??!!

[NotBob1]

The spacers are fine, tight flossing this morning, though. The other teeth are getting scrunched. She told me the wire spacers are less painful than the elastic ones. Seems to be true so far.

The Comfort cover is clear, so the funny thing is that from 5' (1.5m) it looks normal, like there is a wire in it.....weird. So I am using it on both arches until next week. Hopefully I won't need it after the wires are in. I'll hace to get another set as I trimmed these for the bonded brackets only.

I'm still perplexed as to why leave me without an archwire for a week???!!!! I remember doing that for half a day to get my teeth cleaned and it sucks now as bad as it did then. Wait a minute....I'm not supposed to say sucks, or I can now???? I can't remember.

[leah]

Hi Patrick,
I saw you reply post on ask the doc about your midline. I just wanted to tell you that they can do amazing things. It might take a while to correct, and still may not be perfect, but you know you are your worse critic. My midline will never be straight with my top lip line, but my teeth do now meet evenly. (finally). I just wanted to assure that even if it is not perfect, no one except people on this board will ever notice. Just think you are on your way to you perfect smile...

Best wishes,
Leah

[NotBob1]

Hi Leah.
Thank you. You are right, it might bug me, but no one else will know. She seems to think that it will be able to be corrected with elastics. I guess I don't understand if that gets your jaw used to closing in a different position or if it is to slowly budge all of the lower teeth over by a couple of milimeters. I'll have to ask next Wednesday.

Day three with the spacers.....They were a little sore lastnight, but not too much tonight. I wonder if I am out of the woods??? I took a little Advil lastnight, but I don't know that I really needed it.

I did not wear the covers at all today. Seems to be OK, although annoying. I suppose I am better off to get it over with and let them tear up the inside of my mouth a bit....