Renee's Story

[Kipepeo]

The one thing about braces that I don't like is having the ortho messing around in my mouth with appliances and tools. I always fear they will slip and hurt me. If I had been in your shoes I would have requested someone more qualified finish the job after she messed up the first time. I know, I know, people have to learn, and I'm totally ok with that SOMETIMES...but not for dental things. I've had surgeries done in teaching hospitals and endured 10 needle sticks before the certified nurse tried to get an IV started. Not for dental - nope!

[Chaplains Assistant]

Had another adjustment today. Ortho said I can stop elastics I was more than happy. He said I did fantastic with them and he wished the kids would wear them the way I did. My orginal sentence was 24 months but today he said I'm way ahead of schedule and won't be in braces anywhere near that. I was even more happy. Have to go every 2 weeks for new powerchains to close 2 pesky gaps that won't close. I'm more than ready to be debraced so I can have regular food including steak. My lips are so chapped and hurting and no matter how much lip balm/chapstick I use they stay this way. along with the nice crack in the corners of my mouth that are killing me. Anyone have suggestions how to heal these poor babies?

[Chaplains Assistant]

Had adjustment today stronger wires on top and bottom - ortho said 19/25's I think. New powerchain on top. Ortho said to come back in 2 weeks for panos and he's going to move some brackets gain (drats) that means lip spreaders and more cracked corners of my lips Well 2 weeks is on my birthday so that sucks. When I checked out the receptionist said they can't do 2 weeks cuz orthos on vacation so I get to go in on 6th of September. Now I got a pokey wire and hubby is trying to bend it but darn thing keeps bending back Still haven't mastered pics but darn it we're going to try again.

[Chaplains Assistant]

Had another adjustment on 9/6 with panos. Ortho moved 2 lower brackets to help the root move to the correct position. Changed bottom wire back to lighter weight since they moved brackets. had another adjustment on 9/26 put the heavy bio wired back on. Said everything is doing great and moving better than he expected. He said again I'd be out in no time so I asked the dreaded question as to a guess when I'd be out since he sentenced me to 2 years and I was only at a year on 8/26. He said my braces wouldn't see "groundhogs day" which is 2/2/12. So 4 more months - I know things can change but anything before the 2 year mark is fine with me. He also said I may end up back in elastics but I'm ok with that too as long as I get debanded before August. I go back on 10/18 - 3 week interval for me. He has me on the fast track. Will post again after my next adjustment.

[Chaplains Assistant]

Well today I got debraced happy that they're off but definitely not happy with the results - 5mm midline shift that can't be fixed unless I want double broken jaw surgery.

So I get to my appointment at 1:00 - first one there after their lunch break. Sit and sit and sit some more waiting for ortho to get out of a meeting with some guy about a new office buliding ortho bought. By now it's 1:30 and all the seats are full of waiting patients. The tech makes a few popping sounds and pulls my brackets off and then the molar bands with a dw more tugs. She let's me go rinse out since the water in the little sink at our station wasn't working.
So the ortho comes over looks at the kid to my left, walks past me to the kid on my right and finally get's to me when another ortho tech tells him there are more patients on the other side. So he says to me you don't mind do you - what was I going to say. My tech was so pissed she went over and told the other tech off for me .

So the ortho finally gets to me and now it's 2:00. He starts to use the drill thing to take off the glue and it isn't working well so he makes the new kid sitting in the chair to my right stand up and so he can finish the glue removal. He working hard to get the glue and his hand slips and the drill cuts a big gash in my life and I'm bleeding all over the place. We get that stopped and he finishes my glue removal. He pops my retainers in one at a time makes a few minor bends here and there, then he uses another type of drill head and takes some of the acrylic off to make it fit better. He done and gone and now it 2:30. The tech polishes them up and sets an appointment for 4 weeks. Now remember nobody has showed me how to put retainer in and out or given me any instructions either. I ask questions she answers and apologizes saying he was supposed to have showed me while he was working on them. I make my appointment for 5 weeks because the week I was suppoed to be there he's on vacation. Whatever

Teeth feel really weird and smooth - made spaghetti for dinner cuz teeth are sensitive and hurting a bit. Have gagged a few times on the bottom retainer and my mom laughs at me and says now you know what dentures feel like

I wasn't all to happy to be there for 2 hours but it's over and done with and the end result is my teeth are freeeeeeeeee