LeahRuth's self-ligating braces story *pictures*

[LeahRuth]

Thank you Chelsea! ^

~~


Okay 6 more days until I get to start working on my bite! My teeth are looking lined up pretty nicely, gap closed, until you take a look at the left side of my mouth

8 months:



I was pulling my lip back with my finger, excuse the face wonk




I'm not quite sure if they can fix my bite entirely with elastics. At my consultation they were discussing surgery because my lower jaw bone is too short, but no one has brought it up since.


*sigh* I can't imagine almost 2 more years in these things. I hope their 30 month estimate was way off D:

[LeahRuth]

Today I had another adjustment

9 months ago



5 months ago



TODAY!


They put some fancy bend on the top wire at the front there. Don't know what it's supposed to do but it hurts.


So today was a bit of a rollercoaster.

After being looked at by the ortho, he said that i'd be ready for lower jaw surgery around the end of May. The woman at reception calls the place to book a follow-up consultation with the surgeon.

Consultation: May 11th

Surgery: They're book until September.





So, my teeth are all in the right place for surgery and I have to wait another 6 months.

Which means it's THAT much longer I'll be in these braces.

I'm going to call and ask them to contact me if they get any cancellations. I just want this over with!!

[LeahRuth]

Hey everyone, it's been a while!

The last few months, my adjustments have just been them taking off my wires, letting me brush my teeth, and then putting the same ones back on. I was told my teeth are in position for my lower jaw surgery now, and it was just a matter of waiting until October for my surgery. (They're booked!)

So when I went in for another adjustment today I wasn't expecting much.
Well, they decided they wanted to close a small gap that formed, and fix both my upper and lower midline so...

I'm a rubber mouth.

3 elastics, and 1 elastic powerchain on the lowers (went for turquoise, was tired of curry/kimchi stained grey/yellow)




what worries me is how far my lower jaw is being pulled to the right.
My finger nail is pointing between my two front, bottom teeth.

Are they over-compensating a bit? My lower jaw was only a little bit to the left, and now it's lightyears to the right.




The orthodontist also mentioned something about this fixing my upper midline (not lined up with my nose or philtrum) but I didn't think that was possible with elastics?

Sorry for the incompetent post, my head is in shock!

[LeahRuth]

It's been a while since i updated here.
I got my pre-surgical records done yesterday and so I have new pictures of my teeth!

Before braces vs. 15 months with braces
I burnt the roof of my mouth on a springroll, so that's why it's really red between my two front teeth






someone failed at brushing...





SO... only 11 more days until my lower jaw surgery to fix that awful bite!

Here are my super unflattering "before" pictures. 15 months ago, and yesterday.



We'll see how it looks post-surgery


Random: how old do I look? Ever since my braces I've been "accused" of 17, 15, and "under 14" Be honest!

[catgyrl]

LeahRuth-

Yes, you do appear to be a teenager - lucky you! Why are those before/after pics of you unflattering? I think you're lovely.

Your teeth look great, too! I was going to ask what color your original powerchain was, but I'm guessing that it was silver/gray, right? I'm on the lookout for colors that don't stain, but I'm too chicken to get anything too dark on the top (the bottom teeth I don't care about).

I think your front teeth looked cute with the gap. I'm very strange - since I've never had a gap between mine until now, I never liked them. Now I think they're cute.

Best of luck on your surgery!!!
-Cathy

[LeahRuth]

I think gaps are cute on other people - just not on me! it's strange haha.

Well, I am a teenager for a few more months, but I think looking under 14 is a little sad.

My original powerchain was grey, but I decided to move onto colours because of the staining. I've had turquoise, purple, and pink. I've only had them on the bottom teeth so I can't say too much about the top... but I think it's fun to go for a little colour I say jump right in!

[catgyrl]

Oh, I don't think you look 14. But take it from an old fart like me (42), it's nice when people tell you you look younger than you are. Just a couple hours ago we had a photographer here in the office to take some pics, and I jokingly asked him if he could PhotoShop out braces. He said he absolutely could, and then told me one of his classmates had braces on, and she's "REALLY OLD, like me." I asked him "How old is REALLY OLD?" He said, "Mid-40's." I told him my age, and he said, "You're really 42? You look like you're in your late 20's!" Bless his lying little heart... haha

Thanks for the info on your powerchain colors. My next adjustment is next week, and though I don't think he'll put a chain on me, I think I'm going to change my regular lig colors to some sort of color.

-Cathy

[nessness]

In the second picture, you look like a spitting image of Kaley Cuoco if you know who she is

[LeahRuth]

My post-op pictures are all here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54793913@N ... 026796785/

[LeahRuth]

Got my braces off on June 11th 2011!! Lots of before and after pics.

Lateral Ceph before & after (before wisdom teeth removal and braces, after lower jaw surgery and braces)


Pan xray before and after, with permanent retainers




This side was really bad, my bite was awful









YAY! I'm so happy

[Kipepeo]

I really admire you for going through all that, and I'm sure you are just ecstatic with the results. Your teeth look fabulous. They did a great job.

[LeahRuth]

thank you! I'm so happy they're off now. I'm loving the shape but they could really use some whitening

[Harriet]

wow, what a journey you've been through! Your teeth look amazing now, what a relief it must be now it's all over though.