Rainbow Warrior - The Reformation

[RainbowWarrior]

The story of my teeth starts when I was just 2-yrs old. My mom would put soda into my bottle to 'calm me down' when I was crying. My teeth started to decay, and my dentist pulled my four front teeth at just 2-yrs. old. I went through school without my four front teeth. I was made fun of a lot by my classmates. They called me 'vampire' and 'rattlesnake' and 'four-eyed geezer'. My teeth finally grew in at 9-yrs. old, and they were way too big for my small mouth. My teeth became very crowded. I stopped smiling.

I first went into treatment at 15-yrs. old. When I turned 18, my braces came off and I was given a retainer. I was a very happy 18-yr. old! I smiled all the time, and I had so much confidence! I let my sense of humor show and made a bunch of friends. I lost my retainer a few months into it, and my teeth started to move. My mom owed the orthodontist money that she didn't have, so I was not able to get a replacement retainer. My teeth eventually shifted so much that they ended up worse than before I went into braces! I stopped smiling again.

I made several visits to the dentist over the next few years. The dentist told me that I have to fix my 19 cavities and get my wisdom teeth removed before I could consider braces again. As a Paramedic student, it was very difficult to save up money for treatment. I would save a few hundred at a time and eventually fixed the cavities. I had my wisdom teeth (paid $2000 out of pocket) removed at the end of 2011.

I went to my first adult orthodontic appointment to learn that I had severe gum recession on my front bottom teeth, and I would need a peridontal gum graft before I could go into treatment again. Even after insurance, I would have to pay $4000 out of pocket. I felt hopeless for a few months. I saved up all of the money that I could over the next year.

Before scheduling the gum graft, I decided to see another orthodontist for a second opinion. This orthodontist was very friendly and I felt a renewed sense of hope. She agreed to let me enter treatment without the gum graft! Before I knew it, I had been fitted with ceramic upper and lower brackets!! I paid the orthodontist the money I had been saving and scheduled my extractions upon her request.

My dentist extracted 2 bicuspids from the uppers, and 2 from the lowers. Even with nitrous oxide and lidocaine, I still felt a lot of pressure and felt every root rip out of my mouth. It felt like the dentist was harvesting carrots from my brain!

It's now 4 days post-extraction and I am still learning how to eat. It's really difficult, but I am careful not to complain too much. I am so grateful to be in braces again! It's been a long, long journey and I wasn't sure I would ever have a pretty smile or an aligned bite!!

My wire gets put in in three days! I can't wait! I will be taking weekly pictures to document the progress. Follow me if you want!

[RainbowWarrior]

Before:

[Angel269]

Congrats on starting your journey.

Hope that you can see progress quickly, like I have done with myself.

Look forward to hearing more and seeing photos as your treatment progresses.

[starfish88]

Hi

Just wanted to say your lowers looked a lot like mine, I had loads of gum recession too apparently caused by the bad positioning of my teeth. The ortho said that there was a good chance mine would improve with braces so I wouldn't need a gum graft, what about yours? And great job with the saving. I wanted braces all the time I was a student and have finally got them after a year of work. Its hard but so worth it.

Good luck - it won't be long till you have all your confidence back.

[RainbowWarrior]

Update::

I got the wires! I have a full titanium wire on the lowers, and two side wires on the uppers. The orthodontist said that we have to start moving those canines back before we can work on the front teeth. It's been two days since the wires went to work, and I can already floss between the canines with ease.

Also, today I have strep throat. So not only do my cheeks have the sharp, searing pain from the wires shredding them to pieces, but it hurts to swallow. My adenoids look like they have ulcers on them. Lots of green tea and veggie broth today!

I go back to the orthodontist in five weeks! That seems like forever! I've been going every week for the past few weeks, so five seems like a long time. I suspect I will have some nice little gaps next to my canines when I go back! I can't believe I could possibly have straight teeth in the next few months!

[NICURN85]

Hi Rainbow W,

Congrats on starting your journey for a second time! I am glad you were able to do it with the savings and everything. I look forward to following your story on here. Make sure to keep us posted. I know how you feel when you have been going weekly to the ortho and then you get an appointment almost a month down the road. My last appointment was on July 19th and my next one is not until Aug 14th and that is to install my bottom wires and bands. The top ones were installed on the 19th, but I needed 2 bicuspids removed on the bottom and got them extracted yesterday so they wanted to give me sometime to heal before they installed my bottom wire and band! I hope you are not in too much pain today from the wires and all the pressure since you are dealing with strep throat. I hope you have a quick recovery from that!
Get WELL SOON!
~Kimmie

[RainbowWarrior]

Week 1 is complete!! It's been pretty brutal. My strep throat is finally clearing up I managed to fight through it with garlic and apple cider vinegar. And lots of butternut squash soup!! I'm so sick of soup. I eat maybe once a day, and it's the consistency of baby food. And now I am 7 lbs lighter! (I can't really afford to lose the weight... hoping I can start to eat more soon!)

Okay so the strep is pretty much gone, to be replaced with two magnificent ulcers on the inside of my right cheek. Ohhh my gosh, it hurts so bad to speak, or smile, or anything! Luckily, I have rediscovered the wonders of Orajel, and have been applying copious amounts all morning. I will survive. I have developed a new sign language with my friends. Instead of smiling, I hold up a smile shape up with my hands. Ha. :- ). I feel like I look angry all the time. I'm really not angry.. my mouth just looks this way!! I'm actually super freaking ecstatic! It just hurts too much to show it right now!!!!

I was hoping, by some miracle, that I would see a tiny little glimpse of some movement, or SOMETHING!! But, I don't even have a wire across my top front teeth. Nothing has changed.. not that I can see anyways. Hoping to grow some new gaps in my teeth so I can get the wire put on across the top!! Next ortho appointment is August 29th!! MOVE TEETH!!!!!!!

[RainbowWarrior]

Orthodontic appointment on August 29th. Got things tightened up a bit and rubber bands replaced. I was hoping to get the wire installed on upper teeth, but orthodontist said it will probably be another 2-3 months before that happens

Things are definitely moving! I have more than enough space between my teeth to floss! 5 weeks ago, it was difficult to force floss to go between any of my teeth, and it would usually just end up breaking. I have a nice sized gap beside my premolars on both sides (on the top). Definitely feeling the soreness, but it's a nice reminder that the teeth are actively being pulled back.

I've also noticed that it's much easier for my upper lip to close now. A few weeks ago I was having to force my lip to close, and now it is doing so naturally and without difficulty.

I am still wishing that things would move along more quickly. I just really want my two front teeth to be even. That's really my big issue. It will probably be the end of the year before that gets corrected. But, I guess i've spent 27 years with messed up teeth, so what's a few more months? It will happen before I know it!!

I can't wait to smile!!

[Duncan5]

Glad things are moving, hopefully you'll have the full top wire soon. Bottom arch looks like it's straightened up a fair bit too.
Bad timing with the strep; I keep a jar of anti-bacterial alcohol gel next to the floss - sticking fingers in mouth, uurgh!

D.