Sim's Story - The Nightmare is Over! Naked pics!

[SimInsomniac]

Let's start with some good news: 13th July is still on!
I went in to get my repair today after quite a long wait. She seems very nice, and it's likely she will remove my braces as well when the time comes!
A new bracket has been fixed onto the offending tooth, but due to the tilting, the wire couldn't be put in with the door shut, without downgrading the wire. So what's been done is that the wire is in place but being held in by the powerchain elastic across my uppers, so fingers crossed this works.
Already the tooth is going back to where it was: I have a bite again!
The only slight complaint is that the tooth is looking as if it will stay lower than the other incisors, again because of the relapse the bracket had to go in a slightly higher position to the previous. This doesn't bother me though, and I can live with it definitely, it wouldn't be worth the trouble of correcting now.

We'll have to see how this progresses over the final(?) 2 weeks, but it's looking promising *touch wood*!

Sim

[SimInsomniac]

Thanks Linda and Karen!

It is fantastic news, but perhaps I haven't properly thought things through over the past 48 hours.
I've come to the conclusion tonight that I will most likely cancel my removal. It depends really, but for aesthetic reasons I don't think I'll be happy with the way my teeth look in 2 weeks time.

As I mentioned the other day, the re-cementing has worked, but to avoid downgrading the wire and keeping the bends in the current one, the bracket has been placed higher than before, and as a result the offending tooth is a couple of mm lower than the other. Since Monday, it's become increasingly frustrating to look at in the mirror and it feels like I've taken 1 step forward and 2 steps back. The alignment is almost how it was before the breakage, but this makes the appearance worse. These still aren't the teeth that my ortho (might as well call him "Dr H" from now on before things get confusing) gave the go-ahead to.

So the best case scenario, perhaps a bit ambitious but worth being optimistic! My plan is to phone the office tomorrow morning and see if my regular ortho can see me next week to adjust things if he can. Then if he feels that the tooth can be levelled within 8 days, I can still be debanded the following week; all goes to plan, everyone is happy!

The other, probably more likely option is to cancel the removal if I can't see Dr H in time, but then try and keep the "retainer fitting" to see him and get adjusted. I don't see why they wouldn't allow that. Then I'd have to get the next available debanding appointment for when he thinks they'll be ready, let's assume it would be another 4-5 week wait as before, so that would see me finishing in August, maybe early September. Not the end of the world at all, but it would be nice to start my final school year in September with dazzling newly naked teeth!

This is all pretty calculated and making assumptions, but I realise now it's definitely key that things are perfect. I don't want to regret this for several years just because I wanted my braces off a month or two earlier.
Who knows what will happen now? I should have a better idea by tomorrow so I'll keep you informed!

Sim

[Miss Smiley]

I don't think you went through all this work just to be unhappy with the final product. Finish it off how you want to end it. Regarding the office scheduling, I would just play their game and go along with it.

[SimInsomniac]

Hey Miss Smiley, Karen and Linda.

The new arrangements are quite interesting, not what I expected and it could be cutting things very fine!
I will be keeping all appointments for now, and seeing Dr. L (who I saw on Monday) on Tuesday 10th July: 3 days before my "removal"! She will see what she can do to adjust the teeth and assess whether I can go ahead with the 13th. If not, I cancel the removal yet still see Dr. H the following week, when I would have got my retainers. After that, I should have another date and provided there's no more mess-ups, I'll be done soon enough.
Perhaps I could inquire about having a bonded retainer placed until I get retainers, maybe that will stop any more setbacks like this happening.
It's nice that there's some hope left. Maybe the tooth will raise in just 3 days! We shall see...

Sim

[SimInsomniac]

Thank you Rage!

All is going ahead on Friday!!!

I went in and discussed my teeth and how Dr. L thinks they are overall. We both agree on the few minor imperfections, and she thought they were likely only noticeable on close inspection. I still wasn't happy with the uneven incisor positioning so she's filed it down to about the same height, and also rounded it out to make it more symmetrical. Yes, it's not as good as having the whole tooth moved up and the gumlines are at different heights, but seriously no one will notice! The overlapping will stay, again it's very slight and would take longer to correct. I was originally thinking of just cancelling the whole removal and having everything "perfect" but right now I'm mentally ready for the debanding, I don't feel like I can cope with another month or two.
So now it's onto the preparation for Friday. I might look into home whitening kits and get some apples or other forbidden foods ready.

Pics should come on Friday hopefully, until then bye!

Sim

[Laurie]

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Miss Smiley]

LUCKY YOU!!!! It's nice that you can be satisfied enough to take the braces off.

[Granola]

Sim, this is so exciting. I'm really happy for you! I can't wait to hear all about your D-Day, and see photos of your naked teeth!

[Granola]

Sim, I'm so excited for your D-day tomorrow. I will be thinking of you and checking here to look for a post from you. Good luck!!!!!

[SimInsomniac]

Here am I already, so eager to share it all! It's probably barely Friday for a lot of people here but I had my appointment at 8:40, got the procedure explained to me and it began...
All the brackets came off easily and very quickly. The brace came off as a whole with the wire and powerchains still on. Next was the cement removal and this was definitely the worst part. The back teeth were extremely sensitive, like I was biting into ice cream or something equally cold. It took a while to finish all the sanding and I finally got to run my tongue along the fronts: it was heaven!
Moulds were done, and they weren't nearly as bad as what I thought they were going to be, I used to gag but I seem to be over that reflex.
Finally, a couple of close up photos for records. No X-rays as I expected but oh well, maybe another time?
Then that was it, done after about 15 minutes. I got to look in the mirror and I was really speechless. I know this sounds cliché but you think you can guess what your naked teeth will look like, but they really do look much much better than I thought they would. The small imperfections I saw with the metal in weren't noticeable at all! Of course they looked big, and it didn't look like me, as most people will say having finished.

I then bought an apple! It was amazing, no mess... It made the whole 22 months completely worth it alone. I also brushed when I got home, There is quite alot of marks in the corners of my teeth, so it's going to need a lot of attention, perhaps I can see if the hygienist can see me at some point.

So next Thursday I get my essix retainers, I just hope things don't move too much in 6 days, especially after the incident a few weeks back. In the meantime these teeth need some whitening! They're so yellow! I may try and get some of those Whitestrips off of eBay, as they aren't available in the UK as far as I know.

Finally, the photos! The flash did make them look whiter than reality.







Overall, I'm so pleased with the result. Today's a bit surreal at the moment, so maybe I'll come back down to earth a bit later on.

Thanks for all the support I've had since joining. I wouldn't be where I am now had it not been for you people!

Sim

[Miss Smiley]

Lookin good Sim!! That apple sounds really good!

[cwatt1]

Sim,, your teeth and smile look beautiful! Any requests for modeling come your way yet

As someone who's just started on his own braces journey, I'm going to use you as inspiration. Congratulations

[Granola]

Sim, your teeth look absolutely fantastic! I am so happy for you! Your apple sounded so good. Enjoy your first day of being naked!

!!!!!Congratulations!!!!!

[alexa]

Your teeth look so great! Congratulations!


Man...makes me even more excited for 13 days from now...I am totally buying an apple first thing!!!

[joney]

Beautiful Sim, absolutely beautiful. Enjoy those naked teeth, and I'm sure you won't, but don't forget to smile.