OK--This was not the plan!

[klobird]

Hey Kip!! Good to hear from you!

OK, so I am now afraid that I will still be in braces this time next year. My teeth are now in rebellion. I guess peaceful really means peaceful. As in dead asleep. They aren't moving even a smudge. I keep looking (like constantly) to see if the teeth that need to move match with the opposite teeth. Absolutely NOTHING is happening! So ya, the ortho said "finishing" as in "if the teeth move a millimeter a month" like they should....hmmmmm...I don't have any clue what he could possibly pull out of his bag of tricks next.

It's good to be hearing from those of us who pretty much were newbies together--just to see where we are all at...Kip,with all my posting etc, do you really think I would leave you in the dust?

[Kipepeo]

I sure hope you don't. My next appt isn't until 5 sep. Then I will ask my ortho for his time estimate. Billing said 12-15, assistant said 18-24, yikes.

Maybe we will get the same debanding date next year, hah!

[VancouverJude]

Hey K-bird,

Maybe your teeth are on summer vacation? Har har.

In 1.5 months I'll hit my 2 year mark, and I tell ya, the amount of movement these past 4 months has been outrageous. Tons. Especially (actually somewhat worryingly but Ortho sez okay) my lower front teeth. Well, all my teeth were pretty seriously tipped in to begin with.

Are you sitting down? My Forsus came off the other day. Elastics are okay so far. I'm such a sissy, just waiting for the rubbing to start chafing...augh. After dinner I put my elastic on, with bare fingers, just like the big kids.

Here's the posting I put up today on bracesreview

take care, Jude


======================


Almost two years into braces (Oct 6th) and I'm just now in elastics as of yesterday.

I had that dreaded Forsus on the right side of my mouth for far too long and while the Ortho was pretty close to taking it off, this past weekend I inadvertently helped move the timing up. I'm so used to the Forsus that it's easy to forget it is there and I somehow managed to try to take a big bite of a toasted bagel on the wrong side of my mouth.

This in itself would be an act of a Higher Power as I have zero bite right now on the left side of my mouth, the appliance itself did the "chewing" and I heard a crunch-scrape sound and sure enough the bracket had come off my lower canine. The tooth kind of ached a bit but the rest of the Forsus was still attached to the wire, and caused no problem. [I didn't break the Forsus.]

I left a message on the Ortho's office phone to please squeeze me in on Monday. These things always seem to happen on the weekends.

Yesterday I got the bracket fixed, and as my next checkup was only a week away the Ortho decided to put the Forsus away (hopefully for good, we shall see) and start me on elastics. Only on the one side, I'm pretty sure there are names for the configurations but I really haven't looked into them much before. I do know the job of the elastic in this case is to start pulling the teeth up and together.

I can not express how creepy it has felt to have had no bite on my right side for at least seven of the months I've worn the Forsus. Sure, it pushes the teeth over, but one downfall (which no one tells you about of course) is it causes your teeth to dip down and eventually have to be pulled up. The other downfall is it tends to rotate the lateral incisor, as it did mine.

There have been some positives about the Forsus, but If I had a choice to do it all over again, I might just have picked elastics. Mind, we were moving things 3.5 tooth widths over to the left.

I just put on my first elastic by myself, and the hardest part is that I have to take off my eyeglasses and get super close to the mirror to see what the heck I'm doing. I'm using the little plastic thingy they gave me. I bet in no time I'll be changing them with just my fingers in mere moments.

The brand name is Energy Pak elastics made by Rocky Mountain Orthodontics in Denver. Mine is the heavy gauge 3/16" 5oz ones. The name is Skateboard and has a cartoon of a smiley face dude riding a skateboard.

This page is the elastics catalogue with pix. Exciting. LOL:

https://www.rmortho.com/wp-content/u...qYnfFLS0Blhvlb

I'm definitely feeling some new sensations as the elastics are pulling in a new direction. I actually got out of bed last night to take a couple of tylenols.

Anyhoo! I think I'll just keep this post about the elastics. Will write soon about how I'm feeling about the whole braces experience. Right now "Meh" is where I'm at. The process is taking much longer than I thought. My debrace estimate was 2.5 years (April 6th) and I don't see that happening. Maybe I'm wrong.

[klobird]

Hey Jude!! So good to hear from you!! Good 'ole Forsusless you!!

So ya, that d*mn Forsus--I sure hope he threw mine in the garbage!! And you know what--in my opinion, it is ten times easier to just put the elastics in and out with my fingers. I sometimes eat food when I'm driving, and then put the elastics back in afterward--ok, ya, while I'm driving---but it seems no different than manually rolling the window down while driving. That's how easy it is now to put the elastics on.
I don't have to look in the mirror or even think about it. You'll get there!

I hope our debonding date is close to each other!! Wouldn't that be fun?! Mine may be next April too--that would be 2years. But we all know how that is...!!

My midline is just not lining up--I went online to see the other things they can use--one thing is TADS--the tiny screws in your gums to anchor the wire or elastic. I'm not really afraid of those. Everyone online says they have absolutely no pain when they screw them in. But also my ortho assistant says the ortho has only used them once since he's been in practice--8 years. Sooo, the other thing is cross elastics--where they cross in the front of your mouth from one side to the other. Since it's one more thing I said I would never, ever do---well, I can probably count on it then....

My time in braces could be described as fun, scary, exciting, anxiety-producing, annoying, challenging, and rewarding!!

Hey Jude--if we have debond dates that are close to each other, we should get together just before getting them off! Maybe meet in Vancouver for lunch or something!!

[klobird]

I had an adjustment today--I had no idea what new torture device he could come up with. Apparently, neither did he....

On the other hand, when I left I felt like he didn't do anything and it actually kind of p*ssed me off.
I mean, I really don't want to be in braces for a hundred years because my bite won't get right. Whatever
"right" is...

So ya, well HELLO!!!! He did do something because I can really feel it on my bottom teeth! He did say he was going to try to move the bottom teeth to get the midline to line up a little more. But when I left, I was like--well, that was a rip-off adjustment...HAHAHAHA...hmmmm....

So anyway, at the next appointment he is going to do some IPR on my bottom teeth. He said it was sort of "cheating" to get my midline closer to correct. I guess to get it perfect, according to my regular dentist, I would probably need surgery. She asked if my ortho ever mentioned it--he hasn't.. It wouldn't matter anyway--I don't know how anyone can afford that! I really don't...I wonder about it sometimes...

So anyway, if he's going to be sawing on my teeth at the next adjustment--which is ions from now--(actually October 29), I'm going to ask if he can fix up my top two front teeth a little. One is a teeny bit chipped. My regular dentist said it would take a little bondo, or the ortho could do "something". We'll see...

This is the most boring part of braces EVER!!!! At least now I am sooooo used to them, that it is actually not like horrible or anything...just pretty boring....

Still happy I got braces!!! Really, really glad I did it!!

[klobird]

YAY--I'm at 18 months today!! 1-1/2 yrs!!

Anyway, I also had an adjustment today...Ya, and I sorta started out the appt. by being a b*tch...hmmmm...ok, well here's what happened...

I have had the same ortho assistant ever since I complained about bugar face asst...(who isn't there anymore--she is having a baby-can't imagine who would want to -...eeks--was I really going there...??)

Anyway, after bugar face, the office manager set my record up so that I would have this one particular ortho assistant...well,today out comes a different assistant. And I told her that I usually have the other asst. (ok, ok, she was busy...)...sooo, she said well when she's done she can come over here. Well.......so I said no that's ok, that's fine--and then I just said, "She treats me like a human being..." Only I didn't say it very nice like--it just came out b*tchy...

And I did let this new one do the assisting, and she did start out the appt. by acting like I wasn't even there, and she did change right after I said that, and she did start talking to me as if I am a human being and not just another body in the chair. So, it ended ok, but I was a little embarrased by being like an old lady b*tch witch...

OK, well the appt. was fine. The ortho did the IPR--on several upper and lower teeth actually--it was no big deal...he said my top front teeth had really hard enamel. I got new power chains--yay, I'm glad because the deep sky blue color was really fading. And then next--ah yes, there's always a then next...

I got 6 more elastics hooks added so I can do this really big box elastic on my right side at night!! 6 more hooks to start poking me whenever they feel like it!

Oh well, there is a wonderfully bright side!! At my next appt. on December 11, he is going to start the detailing--which means I will really be on the home stretch!! I asked if I was still on track to finish at the 2 year mark (which is 6 months from now) and he said "Oh, ya..." Whooopppeeee!!!! It's getting closer and closer!!

[NICURN85]

I am glad everything went well with the new assistant. I know it was exciting to actually hear those words about you were on track. I have a question: How do they add the hooks for elastics? They are going to be a part of my treatment but I don't have any hooks as of now for the elastics!

[klobird]

Hey Nicurn! Thank-you for your comment!

I thought it would be uncomfortable when she was going to add the hooks, but it was if they were just snap on or something--it was that fast and easy.

The new box elastic I wear at night is really tight. And it has one part that kind of comes in the front of my mouth--so I can't lick my lips which is really annoying. At least it's only at night.

Nicurn--I have had elastics since the beginning. So long that now my jaw is kind of uncomfortable when I take them out for a period of time. I don't mind them at all and haven't for a very long while. This new box thing, since it's only at night, will be fairly tolerable. I mean I'm asleep most of the time!

[Kipepeo]

Hi Klo - OMG you're so funny! However, at your age everyone expects you to be b*tchy! j/k! I'm so happy that you're getting close. But I still worry you'll leave me here. I'm the one who'll be in braces for 100 years, because I'll probably graduate to something else, like linguals, or TADs, or something that is very time consuming.

I had a different assistant at my last visit. I like my usual one, so I was a little bit, like, um...ok! But I see this assistant every time I go in, working on other patients. She seems professional and knowledgeable, so I wasn't too worried. Her style was a little different, and she was more professional than my usual. I wouldn't mind having her for good.

[klobird]

Kip!!

I promise I will not leave you!! But if I text you after I get my braces off and you don't respond--well then you're going to be traveling down the yellow brick road by yourself!!! (Watch you'll get yours off 1st!!--but I will be happy for you as well.........maybe............OK OK, I will be happy for you too dammit!!)

I was thinking earlier just how cool it is that after people get braces and get along to 3,4,5 months, they start helping the newbies, who are forming there group of bloggers, and it's a cycle that continues. And how the ones who are further along start supporting each other as they get closer to the end. It's just neat how that works.. this is just a really good site for people in braces!! It has helped me soooooooo much.

Even though I have about 6 months to go--it still feels like I have 2yrs to go....it's weird...like it's never really going to happen....

[iBorg]

I've tried to be a support for a few folks. I'm one of the sick people who for the most part enjoyed braces. I know that sounds weird but I was able to focus on the reasons I was doing it. I was ashamed of my smile, ok terrified to show it. I also had terrible TMJ. Getting braces meant I was doing something for myself. I was investing in myself. I quickly had a better smile than I could remember. My TMJ bounced around to some periods of being out of control to know being brace free for almost three years to having TMJ issues just a couple of times. I now actually will smile versus hiding my teeth with a stupid closed grimace. I never could get a handle on that.

Ok, maybe enjoyed braces is the wrong way to put it. I enjoyed the results of the treatment.

Klo, your time is coming quickly to join the league of speed flossers. No more under the wire and find the end stuff. It is SO worth it! Although I have to admit, your current elastics configuration doesn't sound like much fun.

[klobird]

Hey Iborg!! Good to hear from you!

I will miss braces because I feel unique, quirky, and more interesting for my age at 56. If you knew me personally you would know that anything quirky sparks my interest. So ya, in that regard, I will really miss them....but I really am looking forward to debanding day! I want popcorn!!!

Ya, this new huge box elastics configuration is not the easiest one I've had. It's really tight--one band stretching around 6 hooks. But by far not the worst thing I've had with braces.

It's all good--I am really looking forward to the "detailing" phase. It's when the ortho is going for the "aesthetics", so ya,I am soooo excited!!!

[iBorg]

I've been watching you and a few others.....like my namesake Borg, Resistance is Futile.

I do miss what you call quirkiness. When I was braced, with some people, it gave a topic of conversation besides sports. I was able to talk to strangers and have conversations. Without braces, that doesn't happen as often. I actually had kids at church seek me out to talk to me about my braces. I lack that reason now and don't have the same interaction with the kids. I miss that.

I also miss the appointments. On appointment days I'd go out for a nice breakfast, then go see what different things my ortho had planned for me. It was exciting to see the progress.

Now I religiously wear my retainer so I'll never need braces again and get a happy streak when I look at my teeth. I even smile.

[klobird]

Hey Borg--really enjoyed your last post--

[Kipepeo]

"Speed Flosser" - My ultimate goal in life!