Braces story - 28 years old

[cbraces678]

Fourth adjustment.

I am just over 6 months with braces now, and I had my fourth adjustment today. Not a lot happened or changed really. I was in a 16 "ni-ti square wire" top and bottom, but today I went down to size 14 wires. I have a really REALLY stubbornly rotated tooth (premolar), so my Ortho wanted to go down a wire size and really make sure that the wire is maximally engaging the tooth. I got 2 steel ties on that one really rotated tooth, and on another tooth that is just slightly rotated (same as last appointment). I am continuing with tortoise heavy elastics in a triangle again.

He seemed pretty happy with how my bite has progressed since starting elastics. At a recent appointment he said my teeth weren't straightening out as quickly as he thought and that he expected the alignment to be further along at that point, so it was nice to have good feedback about my bite progress. I'm hoping that maybe within the next few appointments we will get to remove the molar build ups and really work on my bite. There have been no dramatic or visible changes, so no photos. I am back in 4 weeks for my next adjustment!

[Malinan]

What a progress you have hade already based on the pictures.

It´s so interessting to read about how often everybody goes for adjustments, which wires they have, see the progress in pictures and so on.
Wish you all the best in you continued journey,

[cbraces678]

Another adjustment.

Today we bumped up the wire. Last month, I stepped down to a 14 square niti from a 16 square niti to get a tooth to rotate. Well that worked, so today they put it a 16x22 rectangular niti. I can feel quite a bit more pressure already. I was also wearing heavy elastics in a triangle configuration, and they said I can take a break from elastics. I guess that is good news! I go for a dental
Cleaning Monday so I will post progress pictures after that.

[cbraces678]

Here are my update progress pictures from the first day I got braces until today.

My front teeth have definitely straightened out quite a bit, and I notice a decrease in the slight over jet I had. In the first photo you can see that my top teeth kind of sat on my lips when I smiled. They don't do that anymore. I'm quite happy with how things are aligning. Although there is still some aligning to be done and a few little random gaps, I think the main goal at this point will be working on my bite. It has also progressed pretty well so far.

Only 16.5 months to go (well, hopefully not any longer that lol)!

[Jethro]

Congrats on the fast movement...they really do look fantastic. Hopefully you'll be finished long before the quoted 16 months. Are you still wearing these dang elastics? I was given a new configuration that requires 3 of these...yikes!

All the Best,

Jethro

[cbraces678]

Congrats on the fast movement...they really do look fantastic. Hopefully you'll be finished long before the quoted 16 months. Are you still wearing these dang elastics? I was given a new configuration that requires 3 of these...yikes!

All the Best,

Jethro

Thanks Jethro! I am hoping to be done sooner. My bite still needs quite a bit of work though, so we will see how it goes. I am on a break from the elastics this month actually. My ortho was pleased with my wear of the triangle configuration, so I get to take this month off. I imagine I will get new elastics at my adjustment in a couple weeks. 3 elastics??? Wow! I can feel the pressure just reading that. I hope it is going well for you and everything is going along nicely.

[cbraces678]

Well, I’ve been in this 16x22 wire for nearly a month. It must be doing a good job. I think that was the most pain I’ve ever had after an adjustment. I couldn’t eat for about 3 days. My teeth are not as tipped in, so my molar build ups touch again rather then my premolars hitting first. I’ve also got lots of little gaps that have opened up in the last month. One in peticular is beside my front tooth and it is driving me nuts. The gum is weird shaped between those teeth because that tooth was crossed under, so it makes the gap looks even worse. I know it’s part of the process, so I’m happy it means things are moving. Is it crazy to be hoping for a powerchain to close it up LOL. I heard silver powerchains stain... any recommendations for a good colour choice if I am given that option? Or have you had a good experience with silver not staining?

Pictures added. First, is a comparison of my top arch from the beginning of treatment. Second is the annoying gap Haha.

[SinkFullOfDinner]

...lots of little gaps that have opened up in the last month... Is it crazy to be hoping for a powerchain to close it up LOL. I heard silver powerchains stain... any recommendations for a good colour choice if I am given that option? Or have you had a good experience with silver not staining?

Not crazy at all! Gaps opening up in front drove me especially nuts, too, and I was pretty much willing to do whatever it took to get those closed up. For powerchain color, I found that silver worked well. I always preferred clear...for about two weeks, or until turmeric sneaked in from somewhere, whichever occurred first. I wasn't willing to do real colors, but if you are it sounds like some of those hold up well also. I think there are different "silvers" out there. Some seems more grey while others are lighter. I believe the ones I stuck with are actually called "iridescent silver." I'd expect it to just blend in with the metal brackets.

[assertives]

The gaps can be closed with powerchains. That's what my ortho used to close my extraction spaces on my lower arch.

As for colors, I've tried pretty much every color that my orthodontist carries with the exception of white, clear, grey and orange. The only colors that I find withstand stains (especially turmeric and curries) well are black and that st Patrick's day green. The rest all kinda would still stain/fade to a somewhat ugly color no matter what I ate/drank or didn't eat/drink.

[cbraces678]

Hi!

Thanks for the replies!
I think I will give regular silver a try if my ortho says he wants a power chain on. I was hoping to have it just blend in with the silver. I haven't been bold enough to put colours on my top teeth as of yet. My appointment is in a couple days (Wednesday morning), so I am crossing my fingers that I am ready for that. Thanks again guys! Happy New Year.

[cbraces678]

6th adjustment!

I am now in my 9th month of treatment, and this was my 6th adjustment. My bottom wire stayed the same (16x22 niti). The only change on the bottom was some new steel ties - super ouch. As for the upper, the wire was changed to an 18x25 niti. I also got a "light" power chain to close up some of the gaps that have formed. I was really happy that the ortho brought that up because, as I mentioned above, this one gap beside my front tooth looks horrendous LOL. I went with silver, so we will see how it holds up. Luckily my appointments are only 4 weeks apart, so if it stains it will be changed soon anyway. Another month elastic free as well. I am back at the end of January, just before my 29th birthday. I haven't asked for updates/feedback on progress since three adjustments ago, so I plan on asking next appointment. I figured I'd let a couple appointments go by to let some more movement happen, and then ask again.

Thanks for reading, and happy New Year!

[cbraces678]

A progress update.

I had a specific thread on this issue, but wanted to put it in my story thread as well.

I was having a concern with gum recession around one particular tooth. Today I saw a periodontist about it. I need a frenectomy and a gum graft on that tooth. Luckily, it won't really affect my ortho progress at all. I go for my next ortho adjustment Tuesday morning of next week (the 29th), and then the frenectomy/graft will be a few days later on Monday Feb. 4th. The periodontist said I will need to give it 4 weeks to heal before going for another adjustment. That's basically on track for when my next adjustment would be scheduled anyway, so that makes me really happy. The gum graft she is doing will be to strengthen the gum, not correct the gum line at this point since orthodontics cause that to move anyway. Once I am out of braces, we will go over it all again and see if it needs more grafting or if anywhere else does. I asked if any of this could wait, and she said no it will only continue to get worse and it needs to be dealt with now. The gums are thin there to begin with and then the frenum is pulling on the thin gum causing it to recess and hurt.
I was happy to hear that I have absolutely no gum disease, and that the recession I do have (other than this 1 tooth) is all fine for now. She recommended I keep an eye on my front teeth where the roots are prominent and the gums are thin (the uppers she wasn't overly concerned about, but the lower gums are thinner for sure). She hopes it will actually improve over the rest of my treatment because she thinks my teeth will likely need to move back a bit which would help reduce the prominent roots. I will likely schedule regular appointments with her just for check ups and to keep and eye on the gums throughout the rest of my ortho treatment. I will see what she recommends, but maybe every 4-6 months.

When she was doing my evaluation she said "Basically class 1 on the right side" and that's it. When I first got braces I was class 2 on the right side and class 1 on the left side. The left must be looking good, and the right has improved from class 2. I am really really happy to hear that things are starting to line up properly.

I can't say I am looking forward to the procedure, but this issue has had me worrying quite a lot over the last month or so, so knowing it will be corrected is a wonderful relief. I will keep it updated here!

[Meowmeowbeans2]

I had my grafts done prior to braces, and now I go to perio for checkups each 3 months while I’m in braces.

[cbraces678]

I had my grafts done prior to braces, and now I go to perio for checkups each 3 months while I’m in braces.

How did you find the gum graft procedure? I’m a bit more nervous for it than the frenectomy. She is taking the gum from behind one of my top last molars.

[Meowmeowbeans2]

The procedure itself is quick for one tooth - like 30min from numbing to leaving! The worst pain I thought was the numbing wearing off and transitioning to the 600mg Ibprofrin. As long as you stay on a pain meds schedule, doesn’t hurt at all - I did the 600mg for 2-3 days for pain/swelling prevention, then tapered off for days 4-5. I also had 7 days amoxicillin preventative antibiotic and a medicinal mouthwash to use for a week.

I recommend doing it like Thursday or Friday and planning to stay home 3-4 days so you don’t have to talk and move your mouth too much. The liquid/soft food diet for a week or so is annoying but you survive! I stocked up on Ensure, Mac and cheese, soft creamy pastas, ice cream, puréed soups - things without chunks that get stuck in your teeth or need a lot of chewing. The whole week is a mind game of worrying that there is food or something messing with the graft - DONT LOOK or you’ll freak out even more!

Stiches come out 7-10 days later and then you can eat anything (I was usually avoiding chips and sharp things for another week to be cautious) and brush the affected tooth but not the gum. After a month or so you brush it normally again.

The first tooth kept on and off aching for about 6-8 weeks after - like randomly my jaw and tooth would have aching pain for about 10 seconds. Dr said that’s normal. 2nd one never bothered me at all after the surgery. Both look good now.

Let me know if you have other specific questions. For me the trick was taking a few days off, staying on top of pain meds for 2-3 days, and having all soft food ready at home. It’s not a huge deal if you’re prepared!