Metal Mouth Message Board

luchababe wrote:

drgnchsr36 wrote:Wow, your teeth look great!!! You should go out and buy something special I think I'll do that to at my year mark...

You could do it twice since you technically have 2 brace days!

Hehe.. true. Buy something EXTRA special for the bottom brackets since those are the ones that really hurt!!

GORGEOUS TEETH !!!!!!!!! Congrats on your 1 year

Yes buy yourself something pretty and a new lip gloss to show off your new smile. I just got the Burts Bee lip shimmer in Peony and Carmel and love them. Never could wear "lipstick" before because it would always rub off on wonky tooth but this stuff is awesome and its a chapstick/ lipstick in one.

You have beautiful teeth!

Thanks for all the compliments everyone!

Appointment #13, I think. Whatever.

Fresh powerchains. The assistant seems to have twisted each loop between the brackets for some reason.

Still have to wear elastics. Note to self: right side, daytime, bottom molar to top canine. Both sides, nighttime, bottom molars to top canines.

They oughtta give out diagrams.

Back in another 4 weeks.

<rant>

Nuts. Just brushed my teeth after lunch and noticed a new blotch of tartar on the bottom tooth that had the SAME kind of blotch LAST YEAR, almost TO THE DAY. WTF?

Not going back for a cleaning until the beginning of Feb so now I get to fret over this for two more months. It's right near the gum line too so I worry that my gum will slowly move up to cover it.

I'm so looking forward to this braces thing to be over. I never had these kinds of problems before them.



</rant>

luchababe wrote:Appointment #13, I think. Whatever.

Fresh powerchains. The assistant seems to have twisted each loop between the brackets for some reason.

Still have to wear elastics. Note to self: right side, daytime, bottom molar to top canine. Both sides, nighttime, bottom molars to top canines.

They oughtta give out diagrams.

Back in another 4 weeks.

Hmm..so you only need to wear one elastic during the day?

Another ortho visit. Powerchains are off. Have to wear an elastic on the left side only now, 24-7, to get my midlines right. Was told at the next visit the Dr. would take my bottom wire out and torque it a bit to start evening my bottom teeth out. Back in 4 weeks.

Boring update but this is a good place for me to keep track of everything.

At least you only have to deal with one elastic I did that for awhile.. was kinda nice only having to remember it on one side..

luchababe wrote:They oughtta give out diagrams.

Believe it or not, mine actually DID give me a diagram! I'm in zigzag elastics on both sides (jaw wired shut), and he asked me if the assistant had given me a picture. I said, "No, she just told me how to do it," so he took out a little sheet of paper that had a diagram of all your teeth and drew on it. I didn't really need it, but it will be helpful in case I get amnesia, or something.

:Sigh:... I yearn for the day when I only wear one elastic...

Back from the ortho. Had front bottom bracket moved up a smudge and a thinner wire put in to help bring that tooth down. Now have bumpers on front two teeth and both molars at the back on the bottom. My teeth don't touch anywhere so no burgers for me for at least 6 weeks. No elastics for now because they don't do them with this weight of wire. Dr. kept referring to doing "detailing" so I'm thinking that's what happens near the end of braces.

It's bee about 6 since the ortho did his work and I SWEAR the tooth that had the bracket repositioned has already started to move. I SWEEEEEEAAAAAR it. The last photo I have is from Dec. 28 but I've been looking at my teeth long enough, and there's been little enough movement to memorize where everything is, that I swear that tooth has started to come down. Amazing. It I didn't have this stupid bumper on it, I could really tell by the feeling it has on the inside of the upper front tooth. It used to be the only tooth at the front that touched it since it was the highest. This is just like having braces for the first month where you're astonished when things finally start moving!

Wow! Brilliant pictures! Thank you for sharing - I'm getting clear on top and metal on the bottom as well and am simultaneously nervous and excited... I will be posting plenty of pictures, too!

And yet another ortho appointment done.

Took out the thinner wire on my bottoms and put BACK IN the thicker square wire that I used to have in. Apparently they kept it at the last visit when they replaced it. Interesting. Two bumpers on my two bottom front teeth. Back into elastics, 24-7 for 4 weeks. Bottom molar to top canine on both sides. This time the elastic is Heavy instead of Super Heavy. They're just teeny skinny things it's a wonder they do anything at all.

And thanks to everyone that's commented here. Love all the feedback! Must post my 16 month photos when it comes time.

You've done a great job with your story and awesome pictures! I'm still trying to get the picture-taking down, but I have time to practice! Thanks for your share!