Finally braced! Progress pics included

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#106 Post by **stepher7** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:42 pm

Thanks rwashington! It is kind of nice when people tell me "I never would have thought you would need braces", because it makes me feel like maybe not everyone noticed how bad they were before lol but I definitely noticed, and I know it's worth it in the end to have straight teeth and a good bite!

#107 Post by **stepher7** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:38 am

I had another appointment yesterday. Fairly boring, but I guess that was to be expected since it was just to change my powerchain and take a new x-ray. I go back on Jan. 30 and I was told that they'll be scheduling a half hour for that one, so I'm hoping that means there will be some more progress.

I got a new chain put on from canine to canine, and then they put these elastics called twin ties on from each canine back to the last bracketed molar. It seems a little strange to me to do it that way, almost as if the powerchain and the twin ties would be working against eachother, but I'm not the one with years of schooling to know what I'm doing, so I'll just roll with it for the next 6 weeks and hope that something more exciting happens at my next appointment.

Nothing too exciting to report, I probably won't post pictures until my next appointment. I find that things are changing so slowly now that taking new pics every month basically just looks like the same pictures over and over lol I hope everyone else's journeys are going well!!

#108 Post by **brace33** » Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:55 am

congratulations

#109 Post by **stepher7** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:13 pm

So I mentioned in my last update that at my adjustment last week I got these things called twin ties. They're basically just an elastic that goes from my top canine to my top back molar to help close gaps. Well, if anyone else out there has experience with these things, I feel for you!! I don't know if it was just my bad luck, but within about 2 days of having these stupid things in my mouth, the inside of my lip on one side was completely swollen and puffy!! I had a lump on the front of my face basically lol the elastic was just in a bad spot I guess and kept rubbing when I talked. I smartened up pretty quickly and put wax over it, so all throughout my Christmas holiday I've had wax over it 24/7 to avoid getting a swollen face again. Sigh.....I'm going to mention it the next time I go in and hopefully they won't put those on me again!!

#110 Post by **stepher7** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:20 pm

Oh glorious progress!! Today I FINALLY got one of my tilted premolars wired up!! I could not be more excited, because that means that it will be on the move and getting in line where it should be. I still have the coil there because the wire they put into that bracket is just a piggy back wire (it's on top of the thicker archwire) so I guess they just left the coil springs to make sure there continues to be space for that tooth. The right tilted premolar hasn't joined the party yet, and got another coil spring on it, but I go back in 8 weeks and we'll see what's happening then. I'm coming up on 1 year in braces (hard to believe!!!) so there isn't too much exciting stuff happening these days, so I'm super happy to have this one tooth in action. My ortho asked if I was happy with where my top teeth are sitting because he said they're pretty much set. I feel like they're looking pretty good, other than some levelling issues, but I'm assuming most of that fine tuning stuff happens closer to being debraced. He said the other option would be to remove some teeth, but I said if I can keep them I want to so he said that's what we'll do. Anyway, here are some updated pics since I haven't posted any in quite a while. There are obviously issues with the level of some teeth, but I'm trying not to be too bothered by little stuff like that since I know I still have at least a year in these babies so there's lots of time to sort out all of the picky stuff.

Day 1

10 Months 3 Weeks

Day 1

10 Months 3 Weeks

Day 1

10 Months 3 Weeks

The newly wired tooth!

And some more exciting news.....I got engaged!! I'm very, very excited and could not be happier

We're planning for May 2014, so that should give me lots of time to let my teeth get beautiful and get these things off before the wedding!

#111 Post by **lau** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 6:21 am

Wow what a tremendous progress! Congrats on your 1 year anniversary too

#112 Post by **stepher7** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 6:57 am

Thank you for both!! My 1 year braceaversary is coming up too, on Wednesday. I'll post some more progress pics then, even though I don't think they're totally different but there has been a bit of progress with the one premolar that just got wired last time (I think).

Sun Mar 04, 2012 9:01 am

Wow what a difference, you are making fab progress! You should have a 1 year anniversary treat to celebrate

#114 Post by **stepher7** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:39 pm

Thanks!! It really is crazy now to look back at the day 1 pictures. As much as I dislike my braces at times, I am so so so happy that I got them. Now I only have 1 more year (give or take) until they're off, and I know that will fly by!!! I'm beyond excited to have a perfect smile for the first time in my life

#115 Post by **elseegee64** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:53 pm

Hi stepher! Just found your post. Thanks for sharing your story. I'll be checking back and re-reading after I get my elastics. Congrats on your one year and your engagement!

#116 Post by **stepher7** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:26 pm

Thank you!! Good luck with your journey, trust me the time will fly by!!

#117 Post by **stepher7** » Wed May 30, 2012 8:39 pm

I haven't posted any updates here in a while, and I've had some awesome progress with my lower arch, so I thought I would share a quick update on how my teeth are doing!

I've been braced for almost 15 months now...where has that time gone? It's crazy to look at the before pictures now because I can't really remember what my crooked teeth felt like. I do remember how self conscious I was of my smile, and lately I've been finding that I'm smiling a lot more with a big smile that shows my braces. I haven't really done that since I got braced, but I think now that the end is (sort of) in sight, it's easier for me to just accept the braces. I'm so happy that I got them, and I'm caring less and less what other people might think. It was an investment (financially, emotionally and mentally) that has been worth everything that has gone into it, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat....although I don't plan on ever doing it again once they're off! lol

So, here are my updated pics. I'll show my day 1 pictures and I'll also include my lower arch picture from my last photo update from January just to show the progress that has happened there. Both of my previously tilted premolars are wired up now, so everything is lining up so nicely!

Day 1

14 Months 3 Weeks

Day 1

14 Months 3 Weeks

Day 1

10 Months 3 Weeks

14 Months 3 Weeks

I had 2 brackets repositioned today to try and level out a couple of the top teeth, and I can actually already see a slight difference! I think I have super fast moving teeth, which is ok with me! There are still some alignment issues with my midline and whatnot, but there's still time to work on that stuff. Only (an estimated) 9 months or so to go!

#118 Post by **GillyWeed** » Wed May 30, 2012 8:50 pm

They look sooo good. You must be absolutely thrilled:))) Congrats on your progress and on your engagement! I know I'm a little late but here's to wishing you all the happiness in the world

#119 Post by **stepher7** » Wed May 30, 2012 9:01 pm

Thank you so much!! I am soooo happy with how my teeth are looking! My ortho was even so kind as to pull up my before picture of my bottom teeth while I was at my appointment today haha he sees crooked teeth all the time, so for him to comment "Wow, look at what they used to look like" means to me that they really have come a LONG way!

And thank you for the congratulations! I'm loving being engaged and getting started on wedding plans. Even though we're still 2 years away, we have started on some of the big stuff (venue, photographer, etc.) and I've been gathering LOTS of ideas, so the vision is really coming together in my head and I can't wait

#120 Post by **stepher7** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 2:19 pm

Today I got the BEST news at the orthodontist....they set my debrace date!!!

He put the finishing wire on the bottom and I go back in 8 weeks to make sure it's doing what he wants it to, and 4 weeks after that I go back to have them removed!!! February 4th my teeth will be set free

Now I just have to hope that nothing changes when I go back in 8 weeks! lol Here's to hoping that the next 12 weeks fly by!!

Metal Mouth Message Board

Finally braced! Progress pics included

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Another (boring) appointment

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Evil twin ties!!

PROGRESS!!

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Update

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Re: Finally braced! Progress pics included

Debrace date is set!!!!!!!!!!!