BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
Looks great!!! I get braced on Friday and just looking at the difference a year makes. WOW!!! I am so excited to start my braces journey!!!!
Jillianleab is NAKED!!! Pics included!
Moderator: bbsadmin
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Jillianleab
- Posts: 924
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
Thanks, insanemommy03! When you first get braced it will probably feel like a year is so far away, but once you get back into the swing of life, you will be shocked at how fast time goes! I'd advise you to start a blog like this one to track your progress, or keep a private one for only you to see. I was nervous about posting pics at first, but I'm so glad I decided to do it, because I can see how far I've come. So even if you keep them hidden on your computer in a locked file, they will be valuable and encouraging later on!
Hope your appointment goes well and your treatment goes even better!
Hope your appointment goes well and your treatment goes even better!
~jlb~
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
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Miss Smiley
- Posts: 2008
- Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 11:59 pm
- Location: Sunny SoCal
- Contact:
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Jillianleab
- Posts: 924
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
Meryaten - Thanks once again for your kind words! I hope my story helps someone else during their braces experience; I think that's what many of us here strive for. I had my doubts about keeping a log of my progress at first, but I've found it is very helpful and really encouraging. I'll admit I'm quite the vain one when it comes to mirrors... 
but I only do it alone! I'm constantly checking and examining and looking at my gaps and my movement! It probably keeps me from noticing small changes since I inspect so much, but that's what the pics are for! To answer your question, I was a mouth breather at night, and since my bite has closed and the overjet reduced I don't do it as much. I never thought my teeth were the problem, but now I see they in fact, were. My lower centrals... ugh. Only since the bend in the wire have they gotten all wonky, I think in the process of closing the black triangle it was bound to happen. I hope we are able to fix that next appointment, but if the black space has to close first, I'll just have to wait!
Miss Smiley - Thanks for the envy, but you'll get there too!
KK - A big thank you to you as well for your continued support and kind words! I'm amazed by the changes in my upper arch; I never knew it could get so wide! Oh, and the dancing broccoli emoticon is very cute!!
jt2lang - I think my attitude has helped things along; but as I said, it hasn't always been positive! Once I figured out the braces were going to be there whether I liked them or not, well, I changed my 'tude!
I'll be sure to make another update for my appointment on June 11, hopefully I'll have good (naked) news, but if not, I'm sure I'll at least have SOMETHING to say!
but I only do it alone! I'm constantly checking and examining and looking at my gaps and my movement! It probably keeps me from noticing small changes since I inspect so much, but that's what the pics are for! To answer your question, I was a mouth breather at night, and since my bite has closed and the overjet reduced I don't do it as much. I never thought my teeth were the problem, but now I see they in fact, were. My lower centrals... ugh. Only since the bend in the wire have they gotten all wonky, I think in the process of closing the black triangle it was bound to happen. I hope we are able to fix that next appointment, but if the black space has to close first, I'll just have to wait!Miss Smiley - Thanks for the envy, but you'll get there too!
KK - A big thank you to you as well for your continued support and kind words! I'm amazed by the changes in my upper arch; I never knew it could get so wide! Oh, and the dancing broccoli emoticon is very cute!!
jt2lang - I think my attitude has helped things along; but as I said, it hasn't always been positive! Once I figured out the braces were going to be there whether I liked them or not, well, I changed my 'tude!
I'll be sure to make another update for my appointment on June 11, hopefully I'll have good (naked) news, but if not, I'm sure I'll at least have SOMETHING to say!
~jlb~
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
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Jillianleab
- Posts: 924
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
Today was adjustment number eight!
I had my usual 10:45 appointment (before lunch, and before most of the kids are in too!) and as soon as I walked in was sent to the back. I sat with the same assistant who braced me, and who did my last adjustment. My ortho came over and started looking around… bite, open, bite, open… and said, “I think I want to take these off at your next appointment. The tops at least.â€
I had my usual 10:45 appointment (before lunch, and before most of the kids are in too!) and as soon as I walked in was sent to the back. I sat with the same assistant who braced me, and who did my last adjustment. My ortho came over and started looking around… bite, open, bite, open… and said, “I think I want to take these off at your next appointment. The tops at least.â€
~jlb~
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
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Jillianleab
- Posts: 924
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
Thanks, Meryaten, Ken, KK, Rage!
My ortho is really great, and has always listened to me when I have a concern. He treats me like an ADULT, which is nice. Plus he has a good sense of humor (like when he teased me way back when over having my expander out!), which makes for better appointments.
I'm trying to not get too exited about the fact I might be topless so soon, because I know that so often we are told one thing and another happens. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I can't help it! Then there's the part of me that feels guilty because there are so many people here who have been in braces longer, put up with a lot more than me, but I get mine off first... It just doesn't seem fair and it makes me feel bad!!!
I wonder how and why it is that I've progressed so quickly and the Negative Nelly in me says, "you aren't getting them off - your roots are in the right place!" Ahhh.... the joys of having braces.....
Pictures of my progress and vacation to follow soon!
My ortho is really great, and has always listened to me when I have a concern. He treats me like an ADULT, which is nice. Plus he has a good sense of humor (like when he teased me way back when over having my expander out!), which makes for better appointments.
I'm trying to not get too exited about the fact I might be topless so soon, because I know that so often we are told one thing and another happens. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I can't help it! Then there's the part of me that feels guilty because there are so many people here who have been in braces longer, put up with a lot more than me, but I get mine off first... It just doesn't seem fair and it makes me feel bad!!!
I wonder how and why it is that I've progressed so quickly and the Negative Nelly in me says, "you aren't getting them off - your roots are in the right place!" Ahhh.... the joys of having braces.....Pictures of my progress and vacation to follow soon!
~jlb~
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
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Jillianleab
- Posts: 924
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
I haven't updated my story recently, so settle in and get ready for an epic!
I left my last appointment thinking my tops would come off soon, but as time went on, I could see they wouldn't be ready. I had almost no contact point between my front teeth, and no contact point at all between my upper left central and left lateral. There was also a small triangle-shaped gap between my centrals. I was bummed to say the least! I kept looking in the mirror and saying, "Am I just being picky? Can I be happy the way they are?" Finally I decided, no. I felt I've come this far, and fixing these little issues to be 100% satisfied would be worth a little extra time in braces. I had my 9th adjustment today, and spent all night tossing and turning, wondering still if I was too picky. I made it to my appointment on time (early, actually!) and settled into the chair. My ortho came over and did the "bite open bite" thing, and asked what else I thought we needed to do. I told him my issues, and he took a look and agreed. He argued a bit about no contact point between the centrals, but I told him I can tell it's not there when I floss - it's not there! He told the asst to put on a laceback (I think, I've forgotten now) across the top four to pull everything together. He said to put a bend so the triangle gap will close. He did warn me that my teeth will only fit together so well since they've had years of being crammed together and wear. I said that's fine, I understand that. So the asst got to work pulling a wire around my uppers this way and that, and I could tell instantly it was MUCH tighter than a powerchain or even a new wire! She finished and I remarked how tight it was. She asked if it was too tight, because she didn't want to cause me pain. I said no, and she said "Good, because he might want it tighter!" My ortho came back to inspect the handiwork and she asked if he wanted it tighter. He said if I can take it tighter, go ahead, make it tighter, it won't hurt anything. So she pulled and tugged some more and tighter it got! Finally she said, "Ok, that's enough!" and went to work on the lowers. I got a step down for my pesky cuspid that won't go where it's supposed to, and a few bends around the lower centrals to close up a few little gaps.
Then it was time to make the next appointment.... The asst called to my ortho how many weeks, and he came over, looked at me and said, "Make it two. Or one. It doesn't matter because those spaces will close in two days anyway." The asst looked at me and I told her I could do either (all the while wondering, does this mean I'm DONE???). She said, "Well.... how about next Friday?" I was a little bummed because that's closer to two weeks than one, but, what's a few days, right? So we start discussing the time, and she says, "Hold on, I need to know if this is a regular adjustment, or debanding." She asked my ortho and he said, "If you can come in early that day, debanding."
Yippee!!!! Wahoo!!!! Hooray!!! She said they do debandings as early as they can in the AM because they make the retainers on site, and on Fridays they close early, so my D-day is set for Friday, July 27, 2007 at 8:30am, and my appointment for retainer fitting is the same day at 10:30am. 
I confirmed before I left that this is only a partial debanding (the lowers are staying put), but hey, I'll take what I can get! I asked what if they wern't ready to come off, and she said that I'd keep coming in one to two week time frames until they were. So the end is certainly near!
So there you have it. My original estimate was 18 - 22 months. Then it was revised to 18 months, possibly less. I always expected 16 months (don't know why) and here I am, at 14 months with a d-day! Amazing.
Even more amazing? The space between my central and lateral is closed (from just 6.5 hrs of the laceback) and the contact point between my centrals is much, much stronger. The triangle space is smaller, and seems to be getting smaller as I think about it! I don't want to jinx myself, but I can't see how they WON'T come off next Friday! Hell, I think they could come off THIS Friday!!!!!
And the moment you've all been waiting for - piccies!
I didn't take any last month (I was busy!), so you are looking at a two-month comparison. I'm lazy and only took a pic of my smile.
My midline is a bit off, but that's not important to me.
And for the ULTRA comparison - check out what I looked like one month into treatment
:
I left my last appointment thinking my tops would come off soon, but as time went on, I could see they wouldn't be ready. I had almost no contact point between my front teeth, and no contact point at all between my upper left central and left lateral. There was also a small triangle-shaped gap between my centrals. I was bummed to say the least! I kept looking in the mirror and saying, "Am I just being picky? Can I be happy the way they are?" Finally I decided, no. I felt I've come this far, and fixing these little issues to be 100% satisfied would be worth a little extra time in braces. I had my 9th adjustment today, and spent all night tossing and turning, wondering still if I was too picky. I made it to my appointment on time (early, actually!) and settled into the chair. My ortho came over and did the "bite open bite" thing, and asked what else I thought we needed to do. I told him my issues, and he took a look and agreed. He argued a bit about no contact point between the centrals, but I told him I can tell it's not there when I floss - it's not there! He told the asst to put on a laceback (I think, I've forgotten now) across the top four to pull everything together. He said to put a bend so the triangle gap will close. He did warn me that my teeth will only fit together so well since they've had years of being crammed together and wear. I said that's fine, I understand that. So the asst got to work pulling a wire around my uppers this way and that, and I could tell instantly it was MUCH tighter than a powerchain or even a new wire! She finished and I remarked how tight it was. She asked if it was too tight, because she didn't want to cause me pain. I said no, and she said "Good, because he might want it tighter!" My ortho came back to inspect the handiwork and she asked if he wanted it tighter. He said if I can take it tighter, go ahead, make it tighter, it won't hurt anything. So she pulled and tugged some more and tighter it got! Finally she said, "Ok, that's enough!" and went to work on the lowers. I got a step down for my pesky cuspid that won't go where it's supposed to, and a few bends around the lower centrals to close up a few little gaps.
Then it was time to make the next appointment.... The asst called to my ortho how many weeks, and he came over, looked at me and said, "Make it two. Or one. It doesn't matter because those spaces will close in two days anyway." The asst looked at me and I told her I could do either (all the while wondering, does this mean I'm DONE???). She said, "Well.... how about next Friday?" I was a little bummed because that's closer to two weeks than one, but, what's a few days, right? So we start discussing the time, and she says, "Hold on, I need to know if this is a regular adjustment, or debanding." She asked my ortho and he said, "If you can come in early that day, debanding."
Yippee!!!! Wahoo!!!! Hooray!!! She said they do debandings as early as they can in the AM because they make the retainers on site, and on Fridays they close early, so my D-day is set for Friday, July 27, 2007 at 8:30am, and my appointment for retainer fitting is the same day at 10:30am. I confirmed before I left that this is only a partial debanding (the lowers are staying put), but hey, I'll take what I can get! I asked what if they wern't ready to come off, and she said that I'd keep coming in one to two week time frames until they were. So the end is certainly near!So there you have it. My original estimate was 18 - 22 months. Then it was revised to 18 months, possibly less. I always expected 16 months (don't know why) and here I am, at 14 months with a d-day! Amazing.
Even more amazing? The space between my central and lateral is closed (from just 6.5 hrs of the laceback) and the contact point between my centrals is much, much stronger. The triangle space is smaller, and seems to be getting smaller as I think about it! I don't want to jinx myself, but I can't see how they WON'T come off next Friday! Hell, I think they could come off THIS Friday!!!!!
And the moment you've all been waiting for - piccies!
I didn't take any last month (I was busy!), so you are looking at a two-month comparison. I'm lazy and only took a pic of my smile. My midline is a bit off, but that's not important to me.
And for the ULTRA comparison - check out what I looked like one month into treatment
:~jlb~
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
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Miss Smiley
- Posts: 2008
- Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 11:59 pm
- Location: Sunny SoCal
- Contact:
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SimInsomniac
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:30 am
- Location: England
- Contact:
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Jillianleab
- Posts: 924
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 5:00 pm
- Location: Northern Virginia, USA
- Contact:
Thanks for stopping by, everyone!
alexa, good luck on your d-day, we will have to compare notes!
Caroline, I AM stoked! Since my gaps are already closed I'm fighting the urge to call my ortho and demand I get seen THIS Friday!
Miss Smiley, there are some differences in the two-month comparison. Things look a lot "tighter" or something.... thanks for letting me know it's not just my imagination!
rhonda, thanks for the compliment, and to answer your question, YES I feel bad for the rest of you! I feel bad for the people who were in braces when I came to this board and will be in braces when I leave! It just doesn't seem fair, but, well, I don't feel so bad I'm going to leave them on!
Sim, I hope things go well too! I'm terrified now my teeth are going to start to overlap or something!
Ken, thanks for the graphic, it made me smile!
Thanks, everyone! I'll be sure to post piccies when they come off!
alexa, good luck on your d-day, we will have to compare notes!
Caroline, I AM stoked! Since my gaps are already closed I'm fighting the urge to call my ortho and demand I get seen THIS Friday!
Miss Smiley, there are some differences in the two-month comparison. Things look a lot "tighter" or something.... thanks for letting me know it's not just my imagination!
rhonda, thanks for the compliment, and to answer your question, YES I feel bad for the rest of you! I feel bad for the people who were in braces when I came to this board and will be in braces when I leave! It just doesn't seem fair, but, well, I don't feel so bad I'm going to leave them on!
Sim, I hope things go well too! I'm terrified now my teeth are going to start to overlap or something!
Ken, thanks for the graphic, it made me smile!
Thanks, everyone! I'll be sure to post piccies when they come off!
~jlb~
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
Braced 5/19/06 - Full Metal Mouth!
Went topless 07/27/07!
Totally NAKED 08/30/07!
See my braces story with lots of pics here:
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 2806#92806
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MommaDucky
- Posts: 124
- Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:04 pm
- Location: Saint Paul, MN
- Contact:
jlb~
I'm fairly new to this website -- I only got my braces on May 31st of '07, but I took the time and read all of your posts. What a dramatic change! You have a beautiful smile. I bet it's very exciting knowing that you are just DAYS away from getting those suckers off! I know I look forward to having mine off, but I'm going to be patient and make sure I'm totally happy.
Congratulations! I hope everything goes well. I'll look for your next post!
I'm fairly new to this website -- I only got my braces on May 31st of '07, but I took the time and read all of your posts. What a dramatic change! You have a beautiful smile. I bet it's very exciting knowing that you are just DAYS away from getting those suckers off! I know I look forward to having mine off, but I'm going to be patient and make sure I'm totally happy.
Congratulations! I hope everything goes well. I'll look for your next post!