Look, no braces!

If you have finished with your orthodontic treatment and are wearing retainers (or will be soon), this is a special place to connect with others in your (enviable) situation. Ask a question or make a comment about life post-braces.

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joplin
Posts: 639
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:38 am
Location: Europe

Look, no braces!

#1 Post by joplin »

Joplin is joining the naked!
I was debanded yesterday and here are the results:
Image
Here's the before pic:
Image

I'm wearing a "2 in 1" kind of Hawley-retainer-expander for the first couple of weeks/months before getting to final retention phase. Ortho still wants to manipulate my upper left molars that tend to lean into a cross bite. This appliance is supposed to fix that.
I also have permanent retainers behind both my front uppers and lowers. See here for more details on my retainer experience so far: viewtopic.php?t=444&start=405

I hope to get that missing corner of the left (my left) front tooth fixed at some point, although it doesn't look as bad in this picture as in some of the earlier ones.

Here are my photos from day 1 until yesterday: viewtopic.php?p=34190#34190
Case: Impacted canines, crowding & crossbite.
Treatment: SARPE 2004/10/6, RPE 2004/9/28 - 2005/1/31, w-arch until 2005/11/22, impacted canines extracted 2005/5/18.
Braces on: top 2005/6/2, bottom 2005/8/30.
Braces off: 2008/6/9.
Retainers, phase one: expanding Hawley retainer 24/7, bonded retainers on top & bottom.
Retainers, phase two: Hawley on top, bonded both top & bottom, positioner for night time use.

User avatar
jennielee81
Posts: 2144
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:31 pm
Location: The Old Line State

#2 Post by jennielee81 »

WOW, LOVE YOUR NEW SMILE!!!!!
"Life is an occasion; RISE TO IT!" --Mr. Magorium
I wore Damon 3's and Opals for 20 months at age 42. Braces off January 2007
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=3535 a little more about me here: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/co ... 961130.htm

User avatar
*melissa*
Posts: 485
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:47 pm
Location: sunny cali :)
Contact:

#3 Post by *melissa* »

Your new smile is beautiful!! :D

jamie315
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:39 pm
Location: PA

#4 Post by jamie315 »

Hey youe teeth look great, Congrats

joplin
Posts: 639
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:38 am
Location: Europe

#5 Post by joplin »

Thank you, everyone! I can't believe they are mine to keep :D
Case: Impacted canines, crowding & crossbite.
Treatment: SARPE 2004/10/6, RPE 2004/9/28 - 2005/1/31, w-arch until 2005/11/22, impacted canines extracted 2005/5/18.
Braces on: top 2005/6/2, bottom 2005/8/30.
Braces off: 2008/6/9.
Retainers, phase one: expanding Hawley retainer 24/7, bonded retainers on top & bottom.
Retainers, phase two: Hawley on top, bonded both top & bottom, positioner for night time use.

stevon
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 1:36 pm

#6 Post by stevon »

Absolutely marvelous! You should be very proud. That is an amazing transformation and your new smile is truly stellar!

Congrats!

browneyedgrl
Posts: 1302
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:29 pm
Location: Central Florida
Contact:

#7 Post by browneyedgrl »

Your teeth look great!

B
Started the journey for the second time on January 10th 2008~Ceramic uppers and metal lowers. Removed on June 2nd 2009.



Image
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jjames
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:03 am
Location: GA

#8 Post by jjames »

HOLY CRAP those are some good looking teeth!!! You must be estatic :lol: You were debanded same day I was - they look awesome!

TigerLily
Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:48 am
Location: London

#9 Post by TigerLily »

Wow....!!!!!

They look amazing.

joplin
Posts: 639
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:38 am
Location: Europe

#10 Post by joplin »

Thank you, thank you, thank you! And congratulations, jjames!!!
Case: Impacted canines, crowding & crossbite.
Treatment: SARPE 2004/10/6, RPE 2004/9/28 - 2005/1/31, w-arch until 2005/11/22, impacted canines extracted 2005/5/18.
Braces on: top 2005/6/2, bottom 2005/8/30.
Braces off: 2008/6/9.
Retainers, phase one: expanding Hawley retainer 24/7, bonded retainers on top & bottom.
Retainers, phase two: Hawley on top, bonded both top & bottom, positioner for night time use.

EramusBraces
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:56 pm

#11 Post by EramusBraces »

Gorgeous! :] Congratulations on making it through!
Image

Sara
Posts: 58
Joined: Wed May 28, 2008 3:14 am
Location: England
Contact:

#12 Post by Sara »

I have just started my journey- and I have spent many days wondering if it really will be worth it- but looking at your beautiful perfect smile it will be. congrats..... you must be so proud

xxx
Age 28- Upper lingual- Lower Ceramic Braces
Fitted 27th May 08
Phots on www
- updated a year on with pictures! (look bottom of pg 1)
Image

ishasha
Posts: 86
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:55 pm
Location: Oklahoma, USA

#13 Post by ishasha »

Wow, fantastic!!! Congratulations!
Uppers braced on 10/24/2006
Lowers braced on 6/25/2007

Image

Image

User avatar
emily25
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: uk

#14 Post by emily25 »

Fantastic, you must be over the moon. they look great. Hoping mine turn out any where near as good as yours. :)

joplin
Posts: 639
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 1:38 am
Location: Europe

#15 Post by joplin »

Thanks, everyone!

First of all: boy I love posting in the Naked Tooth section now after a long stay at Our Braces Stories :banana:

The latest: I had my first post-braces appointment at the ortho's today. Turned out that there is a new tongue related problem: previously the problem was that my tongue insisted on resting behind the lowers and I needed to learn to make it rest up against the palate. I learned, but now the tongue is pushing my upper teeth outwards on the left side and opening up gaps between those teeth.

OK, this is a problem, but I think I quite like the solution my ortho suggested: they are making me a positioner (like this http://www.woodlandsorthodontist.com/im ... tioner.jpg) to wear at night only. It should "teach" my tongue to behave and simultaneously do a final touch up for my bite. The good news is that if it works I wouldn't have to wear a day time retainer at all - besides the permanent ones on both top and bottom, of course.

Next appiontment is for the molds (yack!) next week, and the week after that I'm going to get the positioner.

Oh, and on Monday I'm going in for my first post-braces dentist's appointment - hoping no cavities will be found! I will also ask my dentist is she thinks that broken corner of my left front tooth could be fixed a little.
Case: Impacted canines, crowding & crossbite.
Treatment: SARPE 2004/10/6, RPE 2004/9/28 - 2005/1/31, w-arch until 2005/11/22, impacted canines extracted 2005/5/18.
Braces on: top 2005/6/2, bottom 2005/8/30.
Braces off: 2008/6/9.
Retainers, phase one: expanding Hawley retainer 24/7, bonded retainers on top & bottom.
Retainers, phase two: Hawley on top, bonded both top & bottom, positioner for night time use.

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