Braces for Aussie Rob

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#1 Post by **aussierob** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:55 am

Hi folks, well today is my first day in my new metal braces.

Here's some pix I posted a while back of my "before" teeth:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... g_2137.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... g_2135.jpg

My problems are: very crowded/rotated teeth on bottom, very deep bite (I'm biting right up onto the gumline of the inside of my upper teeth) plus overbite with mildly protruding upper front teeth. Add to that my grinding and "undulating" bite level as well as narrow arches (teeth tilting in) and there's a fair bit to fix!

My greatest concern in starting treatment was that I would need to lose 1 or more teeth - after my startup consultations (and records/moulds) the ortho doesn't think any extractions will be needed - I was SOLD!

So last week (31 Jan 05) I had spacers put in (took poor ortho three attempts!)

And today (7 Feb 05) ... ta dahhhh ... BRACED!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... forum1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... forum2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... forum3.jpg

As far as my braces go, I had the bottom brackets applied via indirect bonding (for better accuracy and less time in the chair - some of the angles are pretty wacky) and the top brackets applied manually. Only my first molars (the ones towards front of mouth) are banded right now, the second molars will get banding later on.

When applying the archwires my ortho has used a combination of wire ties and clear o-rings ... the wires are on the more severely rotated/crooked teeth where o-rings would wimp out.

To stop me biting onto my lower brackets I've had build-ups of composite stuck onto/into my banded molars - the "propped open mouth" feeling will take a bit of getting used to!

Hope you've enjoyed this first posting of my Braces Story ... my first adjustment is mid-March (at 6 weeks) ... will update then!

#2 Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 5:26 am

Super, Aussierob!

You are on a grand journey to better health and a better smile. Good luck to your new smile and thanks for sharing your pictures.

#3 Post by **Nanski** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 8:14 am

Well Mate, you're on your way now aren't you!!!

....and keep those cards and letters coming, we will love to see you're progress, you're gonna be amazed at the results!!

#4 Post by **aussierob** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 1:24 am

Hi folks, a mini-update:
Here I am at 2 weeks in braces, it's going very well so far. I think I can see a slight movement/change in some front/bottom teeth but it's too small to be plainly seen. I know that to my tongue things are starting to feel different!
The braces are settling in well, only a few sore spots that came up in week one but are now no longer sore.
I notice that when I grin widely the insides of my cheeks drag on the sharp ends of the arch wires as I stop grinning - this isn't painful but it is unsettling (feels like I'm going to stab/gouge my cheek) ... I hope I get my rear molars banded soon so that the arch wire ends further back in my mouth and won't drag on the cheeks like it is now.
Eating with a propped-open mouth is OK, I'm preferring low-chew foods like noodles and pasta and curry... yes my clear o-rings are now bright yellow... but I can't stay away from curry as its a soft low-chew food with lots of flavour!
I think I have my flossing routine down pat, I can brush and floss fully in 10 minutes.
Anyways no pix for now, maybe in another 2 or 4 weeks I'll have some real movement to show off!

#5 Post by **aussierob** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 2:30 am

aussierob wrote:I think I can see a slight movement/change in some front/bottom teeth but it's too small to be plainly seen

Well, I've been fiddling with some photos and animation and I think the magic of time-tapse photography shows some movement!

Check out:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... 2weeks.gif

The frame with the paint dots on the brackets is the first day of braces... looks like the crooked front toofs are levelling against one another!

Can't wait until I get a decent (heavier) arch wire and tighter ties on the brackets (right now they're loose and not all fully tied in) - I'm halfway to my first adjustment.

Hope my next photo at week 3 shows more movement... if so I'll update the animation.

SEEYAS

#6 Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 3:58 am

I can already see the movement - that's great Aussirob!

#7 Post by **aussierob** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:21 pm

Thanks Attagirl2, Nanski and everyone, your support is much appreciated!

Well, it's week 3 - I'm very happy with my latest photo effort ...

BEHOLD! 3 weeks in 0.5 seconds...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... 00to03.gif
(paint dots on brackets = day 1)

I'm very happy with how things are moving along. I want to get a full ligature tie on the RHS lateral incisor (it's only half tied to the arch wire at the moment) but that'll come soon.

Anyway keep on truckin' and see you in the forums

#8 Post by **2hOtT2HaNdLe01** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:13 am

that great progress!!! good job!! lol..although the animation makes it tougher for me bcuz i like to REALLY deeply examine things, but o well, dont mind me im too picky!!! keep at it!!!

#9 Post by **josephine** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:14 pm

Very cool, you can really see that one incisor moving!

#10 Post by **Nanski** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:40 pm

Well ya!!!

#11 Post by **aussierob** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:50 am

Hi-diddly-ho

Six weeks in braces, my first adjustment today. Ortho is very pleased with the progress, she was surprised that my crowded bottom teeth have moved as quickly as they have (at the start she was saying that they'd probably move more slowly than average) Its plain to see how much has changed when comparing my model with the current! Of course my photo animation (posted earlier) tells the story.

Changes:
Top... new arch wire, white (paint) and I think it's a square profile - looks like there are edges on it. The white is quickly wearing off! Wire ligatures on incisors and rear bicuspids (the bicuspids need pulling outwards into the arch shape and they are angled funny ... the elastic o-rings didn't fully engage the wire) I think this arch wire is one of those heat-activated ones ... I took a swig of cold drink at lunchtime and could feel a change in the top teeth pressure! That's a weird sensation. The ends of the arch wires were trimmed (with drill) to be flush with the back of my molar band tubes so I hope to have no "wire snag" for a while!

Bottom... same arch wire but re-ties all around, everything except bicuspids in wire ties. Before the adjustment the old wire ties were loose (and some brackets not fully engaged) but now they are all tight and fully tied on (yay!) I expect to see more big moves in the next 3-4 weeks so watch this space for photo updates!

I've been complimented on my oral hygiene "you're keeping everything really clean - remarkable with braces" ...

and I was given a special ortho toothbrush (that's a bit cart-before-the-horse ... or is it "shut the gate after the horse has bolted"?)

So yeah it went very nicely, all over in 40 minutes. I've got a little upper jaw tenderness a little in the area of the rear bicuspids (no surprise there) along with my old mate "headache" so I've popped a nurofen.

Seeyas in a few weeks with PIX

#12 Post by **aussierob** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:52 pm

Hi folks,
Back again with a animation update.
As for teeth, feels like I am getting back my ability to chew: I'm beginning to feel some more "contact points" between teeth other than the lumps stuck onto my molars - feels good but I can't bite into (take bites out of) anything because of sore front teeth.
My bottom front teeth are moving pretty quickly and it's tempting to push the "bumpy" parts into place with my tongue ... to move things along! My tongue says the inside of my bottom teeth is feeling a lot more even at the front and now the only big divots are my "cornerstone" canines.
My top teeth are going places too ... not just the bicuspids: my right incisor and lateral are "buckling in" and I can feel a definite "corner" intruding into my top arch. From the looks of it my right incisor needs to rotate a little bit anti-clockwise (from my point of view) so it's parallel to the other incisor (I can see this is how the bracket is positioned on the tooth) ... all I can see for now is the buckling and enlargement of space to the left and right of that incisor.
Minimal pain/discomfort. I'm liking the feeling of "ouch" cause it means progress!!!

Ah well enough microscopic navel-gazing... here's the animation from week 0 to week 3 to week 7

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/ ... 7-bott.gif

WOOHOO look at em fly!

#13 Post by **nahky** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 2:32 am

Yeah you can really see the progress. Just lookin at the shape of the archwire change is pretty awesome. Good job with animation mate.

seeing that change in just 7 weeks is very encouraging to me.

#14 Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 3:05 am

Looking good Aussierob!

#15 Post by **Dodger(UK)** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 6:09 am

Great progress made in only 7 weeks AussieRob!! - That's the best thing about having braces, when you can compare the movement of your teeth to when you started out.

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Braces for Aussie Rob

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