weird_wired's exciting story (going TOPLESS!)

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Website · #61 Post by **alexa** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 8:19 pm

Those are pretty nice ligs...and I wish I could get my teeth to look that white!

#62 Post by **weird_wired** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:02 am

Thanks Karen! It's not actually pink, it is two shades of purple. However it has perhaps come out a bit more pinkish in that picture. I can't get to the regular colour picker - it seems to be down (Network Error) but if you see on this page:

http://www.dochealey.com/ortho_colorbraces.htm

The colours nearest to what I have are Navy Blue (it looks purplish on my monitor at least) and Purple. It is a slightly more pinkish purple compared to the darker, more blueish purple in the alternating ligs.

I thought of you when he chose purple! I think of it as your colour

#63 Post by **M1k3y** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:26 pm

Incredible smile.

#64 Post by **weird_wired** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:15 pm

Well, it has been a very long time since an update, because there really isn't very much to tell. I've had a few more elastic configurations, but that's about it. Mainly I am kind of in stabilisation mode, from what I can work out, with this extra wire underneath the archwire holding everything firm.

Midline update
My midline finally corrected itself (only when I got to use the stronger elastics though, the weaker ones did nothing) but it wrecked my bite on the left side. So when the midline was fixed, my ortho put new elastics to fix the bite - and it corrected itself in 1-2 days! I think the midline may have shifted back a little bit - or perhaps it never got to perfection in the first place? - but my orthodontist says it is fine.

Exciting news!
The really exciting news is that in less than a week's time, on Tuesday, I am due to have my braces removed. I have booked an hour-long appointment, and the ortho is going to clean my teeth and put the permanent retainers on. I've requested upper and lower, I want to minimise the relapse as much as possible, though I know that statistically some is likely to occur.

Teeth cleaning confession
I will confess that I haven't been cleaning my teeth so well under the wire, and they are a bit stained. The main reason for this is laziness and apathy - also disillusionment because even when I cleaned really thoroughly in previous months, I still got staining. Ah well. The other reason is that it is a lot harder to get a brush under there, due to the extra stabilisation wire, though as there are slimmer brushes available that's not much excuse, I know.

So here we go. The first part of my journey, corrective treatment, is coming to an end.

The second part of my journey, life with retainers, is about to begin.

#65 Post by **Granola** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:26 pm

I've been following your story, and am completely ecstatic for you that you are at the end of your treatment. I can't wait to read about your braces removal experience, and hear about what the permanent retainers feel like.

Your teeth look fantastic. Enjoy those last ligs!

#66 Post by **weird_wired** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 4:23 pm

Thanks so much guys! I will definitely write the experience up in full, even if it's a bit gruesome (which I am rather expecting it will be).

#67 Post by **schoolglue** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:23 pm

Your teeth look awesome! I'm jealous!

#68 Post by **jenfire** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:01 pm

Good luck at your appointment. Getting your braces off should be very exciting; I wish you the best!

#69 Post by **weird_wired** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:27 am

Thank you everyone for your lovely kind comments!

Well, I got the upper ones off! There wasn't time to do both sets. It was still very exciting, and not nearly as painful as I imagined. The cleaning them after was far worse than having the brackets popped off (because a couple of them are a bit sensitive to cold water/air spray.

But the best news is that ALL the staining came off, and my ortho doesn't reckon I need the bleach strips I've ordered!

First, some pics:

1. This morning
I've been really good and not Photoshopped out the staining:

2. This evening
This one is not Photoshopped at all, all I did was correct levels and slighlty increase colour saturation, so it wouldn't get too faded with Save For Web (useful tip for any photo you want to web optimise):

Now the nitty gritty:

Putting on the permanent retainers
1. Piece of wire is cut and checked for length against upper teeth
2. Blue etching(?) gel is put on behind teeth, then removed
3. Spray wash and dry
4. Wire put on, with blobs of glue, then fixed with blue light tool

Popping off the brackets
1. Pliers taken, and they pop off teeth
2. Really doesn't hurt at all, not even a twinge
3. Also didn't feel like my teeth would break/crack or be pulled out
4. Only problem one was one broken bracket, which came off in pieces
5. Metal back brackets were no easier than the ceramics, in fact one was harder to get off than anything

So most of my fears were quite misplaced!

Cleaning
1. Coarse drill/sander thing to get big lumps off
2. Finer drill sander, little spinning wheel thing
3. Polish paste applied and finer wheel to polish it all up

That's pretty much all I remember. I really didn't like the cleaning bit as mentioned, becase of cold air/water, as I have some sensitive teeth.

The feeling
1. Yes!!! They do feel slimy/very slippery! You get used to it after an hour, after then it's just kind of nice.
2. Upper permanent wire: not obtrusive at all. Very smooth on the tongue, nothing like a brace. I can't even feel the glue blobs.
3. I tested eating with it - pizza and crisps (so lots of crust and crunch) and nothing gets stuck in the permanent wire at all.
4. And yes - it's quite strange not having to "pick your teeth" after eating - the uppers at least. The lowers got clogged with pizza as usual!

I pick up my upper retainer on Thursday, and it's going to be one of those clear ones

#70 Post by **jennandtonic** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:16 pm

CONGRATULATIONS on going TOPLESS! (that sounds so funny, hee hee hee!) They--your teeth, that is--look beautiful!

Also, thank you for posting what it felt like to get them off...I now have something to look forward to, hahaha.

#71 Post by **weird_wired** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:37 pm

Thanks!

Yes - getting them off was really not bad at all. The only difficult one was a ceramic bracket that had already broken, and one of the metal ones.

I am just quite weirded out at how white they were, because they were not this white going into braces. So I have no clue what happened.

#72 Post by **weird_wired** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:15 pm

Retainers update

1. Permanent wire
The permanent wire is so lovely and unobtrusive, I cannot describe how happy I am to have it. I was so worried food would get stuck in it, but it pretty much never happens (and is easy to secretly lick/suck out if it does, unlike trying to pick stuff out of a front brace with your fingers or a pick). And it means when I eat, I don't feel so freaked about relapse.

2. Removable retainer

Two days afterwards my clear retainer was ready. It was hell to put on at first, and when I tried to take it off, it was so hard that for a few seconds I thought: "this is it! I'm going to have to leave it on there for the rest of my life, I will never be able to brush or floss again!"

But I got it off, and it has got better now, but it has made my teeth a bit sore. Rather like when one first gets a brace, but not as bad. One day after first getting my brace off my back teeth were a little achey (shifting?) but since the removable retainer they're fine.

It's my front teeth that hurt and are sensitive. Not too badly, but I hope it subsides soon.

Despite that, I love this retainer. I feel "safe" and protected wearing it. And I can put tooth mousse and stuff into it soak my teeth in goodness.

#73 Post by **Granola** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:46 pm

Wow, your teeth look absolutely amazing! I am so happy for you!

What a relief that the debanding went much better than you'd imagined! I've had a few brackets rebonded, and the removal wasn't the worst part, it was definitely the sanding (on my sensitive teeth). So glad to hear that you tolerated it all so well!

I bet that they whitened even more than they naturally were with all of the cleaning and polishing.

What a great surprise (though maybe they were always whiter than you imagined?).

Your permanent retainer sounds wonderful. I am hoping that this is what is planned for me, so it is good to hear that you are having a positive experience. How are you finding flossing with it? The assistant at my endodontist's office told me she has one, and that she got to the point where she could pop regular floss behind it (I couldn't figure out how she could make that work).

You have such nicely shaped teeth, and the results are simply amazing. Congratulations!

#74 Post by **diande** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:27 am

Your teeth look good!

#75 Post by **weird_wired** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:59 am

Thanks so much everyone!

Granola wrote:Your permanent retainer sounds wonderful. I am hoping that this is what is planned for me, so it is good to hear that you are having a positive experience. How are you finding flossing with it?

*slight look of guilt*

I haven't actually tried yet. I got fed up with flossing with the brace, and used to use a wooden toothpick thing instead. They are impregnated with tea tree oil and cinnamon oil and stuff, and taste really nice. And a couple of places that have more space between, towards the back, I use an interdental brush.

Now you have reminded me, I will try it and give it a go!