BraceFace2o1o's Story

[maeby]

Hi Chrystal! I just wanted to pop in and say that I've appreciated getting to read about your journey and I'm really curious as to whether you got those questions answered or not! I hope so.

[kellyb]

amazing progress! i hope i can see changes so quickly

[BraceFace2o1o]

Hi Chrystal! I just wanted to pop in and say that I've appreciated getting to read about your journey and I'm really curious as to whether you got those questions answered or not! I hope so.

Hi maeby, thanks for stopping by and having a read through. I managed to bring up the questions at my last appointment (beginning of March) and my mind has been put at ease. My Ortho estimated another 2 - 3 months to go (although he said it could end up being a little more) and that we're pretty much done apart from 2 or 3 tiny gaps. He put a metal powerchain on my lower front teeth to reclose that darn gap. I also mentioned my crossbite? and he said that once the lower teeth have moved to close the gaps it should be ok, so fingers crossed for that.

amazing progress! i hope i can see changes so quickly

Hi kellyb, thank you! I'm sure you will... I think we see a great deal of change within the first few months and then things seem like they are slowing down to the eye but they aren't really

[BraceFace2o1o]

It's been about 3 months since I last posted pics, thought I'd post a recent one. This photo was taken on March 12th 2012 and for some reason it's the opposite way round, the gap between my lower central and lateral incisor is actually on my right not my left. Also added a 'before' photo (taken a few days after upper braces were fitted) beside.

Loving my squashed nose


lol

For some reason my midline looks way off in the new photo. In reality, it actually is off, but not by as much as it appears in the photo. This is something I forgot to mention at my last appointment so will bring it up at my next.

[BraceFace2o1o]

For some reason my latest photo in my previous post isnt' snowing up, says its been deleted... I have no idea why. Oh well. 

So the other night while flossing my teeth in front of the bathroom mirror, as per usual, something caught my eye and then I ended up having a full inspection of my teeth. Doing that left me feeling quite annoyed and unhappy. I noticed a few things that still need correcting and that I dislike. 

1) when I look in the mirror up close I can see that my two upper front teeth (central incisors) sit slightly like this \ \/ / rather than like this | | | ... I have no idea if they're meant to sit that way or not, if not, I know I don't like the way they look and want them corrected (I think doing so would also lessen the black triangle I have between them). 
2) my upper left lateral incisor (tooth number 2) sits further forward/sticks out more than my right lateral incisor. Although my left one is slightly bigger and a different shape (its less worn due to the way my teeth met prior to braces) to the right one, I do remember the right one being pulled forward/outward at one point and I'm guessing it may have slightly relapsed somehow. 
3) my lower right canine still isn't properly straight, well it's not as straight as the left canine. It's still slightly rotated (before braces it was rotated a lot). Also it's tipping towards the lateral incisor which is only visible from the right side, it's as if the bracket was positioned a certain way to rotate it but now it needs repositioning to correct the tipping. 
4) I think my upper midline is off, slightly to the right
5) tonight when flossing I noticed the floss went between my upper front teeth rather easily, when I looked closer I could see a very minute gap, like so tiny no one would notice but me. But still, it's freaking me out because I have absolutely no gaps in my upper arch so I have no idea how this tiny gap has appeared. 

I guess I am feeling annoyed and unhappy because at my appointment before the one just gone my Ortho said that we're waiting for the lower gaps to close and then I'll be done. Well what I want to know is why haven't the above 5 things been noticed? well ok, 4 things seeing as I only noticed the gap between my upper front teeth tonight. I clearly do not just need the lower gaps closed because there's still work that needs to be done and if that means I'll be in these braces for another 8 months then so be it!

Sometimes I wonder if my Ortho is missing some of the things I mentioned above because he always looks in my mouth while I am laying down and he only sits on my right side (saying that he really should have seen the tipping of the lower canine then). I personally think he should get me to sit up in the chair with him sitting/standing directly in front of me and then ask me to smile to see what's going on at that angle rather than just looking at my teeth lying down with my gob wide open. 

Now I am working myself up figuring out how I'm going to bring all these issues up at my next appointment and how I'm going to explain them too. I know that I don't want to hear that nothing can be done, that would p*ss me off after paying nearly £3000. 

The ups and downs of braces, oh what fun!

[roxie2519]

lol are you sure this is your teeth you are talking about? it kindda looks like mine

[Maia]

How did you managed to insert that countdown of your braces days down there?

[BraceFace2o1o]

Well I still haven't mentioned my concerns to my Ortho. I had to cancel my recent appointment due to illness but it's been rebooked for next week and I hope to bring up my issues then.

lol are you sure this is your teeth you are talking about? it kindda looks like mine

Lol . I wouldn't worry too much roxie, you've still a long way to go! At the beginning my treatment time was estimated between 18 and 24 months and I am now just over 17. Nearly a year in and my Ortho said I'd be finished by about August, then a few months ago it sounded like possibly June/July but I doubt that will happen once I mention my concerns (if he agrees to correct them that is).

How did you managed to insert that countdown of your braces days down there?

I made it at http://www.tickerfactory.com. Then after making it I entered the code into my signature here on archwired

[BraceFace2o1o]

So had my appointment and managed to bring up my issues. The left upper lateral incisor does look as if it's sticking out more than the right one but my ortho and his assistant said it's the shape of the tooth making it look that way. Because of the way that tooth was positioned before braces it was not worn down at all, so it's a lot more bigger and curved than the right one... which explains why I think it's sticking out more. I guess my only option to try and match things up would be to have some bonding on the right tooth, which I am not keen on so will end up just living with it.

I tried to explain that my two upper front teeth are more like this \ \/ / rather than | | | which he struggled to see at first until the assistant agreed. He had a look and said more so my right one? and I said yes. He has noted on the computer that he will reposition that bracket at my next appointment... if he doesn't I'll be reminding him!

Since my appointment the space between my lower right incisor and lateral incisor has completely closed (only had about less than a mm to go). He has put an elastic on the hook of my lower right canine to my lower right 1st molar to close a couple of the gaps I still have there. I am now wondering if he should have asked me to change this elastic or to juse leave the one he's put there . I am worried that he may have been distracted and forgot to tell me to change it - and I'm worried if I don't change it the elastic will weaken and nothing will have happened to my gaps in the next 4 weeks until my appointment. Hmm, looks like a phone call is in order to make sure, but it wont be until Tuesday now because of the bank holiday.

Other than that I had a couple of wire ties changed and that's pretty much it really.

Oh, my bite is still awful. Damn when will it be alright! He said that once the gaps close on my lower right side it should correct the bite problem I am having on my right side... personally I just can't see it happening. I just wonder how it will be fixed, I am not having these darn things off until it is! Yeah, so maybe I am being picky about the look of my teeth and moaning about wanting them fixed, but seriously my bite is WAY more important. I haven't been able to chew properly for over a year now due to this weird bite that's been caused since being in braces.

Here is a pic that I tried to take of the dodgy bite on my right side (excuse my fat thumb in the way):


Here is the left side:


Here is a pic of how my teeth are looking now (lol I look a funny colour thanks to my bathroom lighting):

[Cassandra]

Hey, I've just spent hours reading your posts from the first page I'm not yet braced but I feel all your info has really helped. I've always wondered, looking at people's before and after pics whether they are really happy with some tiny imperfections and how far the orthos are willing to go to correct these towards the last few months of treatment. I also find it really interesting that he gave you the pallet expander as an adult. So... hows it going?

[BraceFace2o1o]

Hmm be good if we could change the title of our stories, I am NO longer 24 lol.

Anyway, just an update really as I hardly visit the forum anymore. Yeah, the novelty of braces wore off ages ago

So a few adjustments have been done, not much going on really. Wires being changed, ligs/wire ties etc. No more elastics, can't even remember when I last had elastics it's been that long.

I had a shock at my latest appointment. My ortho said to me "if you're happy then we can remove your braces at your next appointment"... I was like that totally came out of nowhere! and to be honest I then thought WOW brace free next month?! but I then remembered my bite on the right side just still does not feel right! I am not really cool with leaving it like that. So I mentioned it to him and he just basically said it will most likely require elastics again and will be addressed at my next appointment which feels like aggggggggges away (about another 6 weeks). He also mentioned removing my brace apart from on that side... what the? that didn't even make sense to me and maybe I heard him wrong. I just remember getting home and thinking, hang on, what about the rest of my teeth? wont they move not being braced or retained?! eek, no thanks. I guess I'll just have to see what he says at my next appointment. But yeah, could have been de braced next month, now it's been delayed because of my stupid bite, so probably another 2-4 months left . I am so bored of these braces. I am fed up of not being able to eat certain things, food getting stuck, using floss threaders, floss getting caught and shredded on the wire ties... the list goes on and on - I am fed up and want them off!

Ok so there are a few things I'm not really happy with. 1) a few black triangles, a tiny one between my 2 upper central incisors and a bigger one between my upper left central incisor and lateral incisor 2) my upper right lateral incisor is smaller, more worn and a different shape to my upper left lateral incisor 3) my bite on the right side is not right!. Ok, so 1 was caused by having braces and I can always have bonding to fill the triangles but I dunno if I will. The triangle is bigger between my upper left central and lateral because of the way these 2 teeth were positioned prior to having braces, they were so overlapped that the gum was short. The gum filled the 'triangle' or whatever it's called but now the teeth are straight it's as if it's stumped and too short. Number 2 was not caused by braces and braces cannot fix this issue, it's just the way my teeth have been worn and weren't perfectly shaped to start with, so bonding is an option... but again I don't know if I'll bother. Number 3 was caused by braces and I do think these damn braces could fix it, well ok, along with elastics. I am not getting these things off until it's sorted, or until it's sorted as much as it possibly can be.

My ortho did mention that braces can only do so much and I am at the point where braces have done their job and nothing more needs doing and they wouldn't be able to do more anyway. It's a case of knowing when to stop. He said my teeth look great... and in my opinion they do compared to how they were before, but I see some things I dislike right now. I am only human! but possibly being too picky and need to remember my teeth were not perfect to begin with and braces wont give me a hollywood smile, veneers will.

So yeah after that long essay I need to accept the few things I dislike as braces cannot correct them, or pay to have some bonding done.

When I was flossing my teeth at night having had my adjustment earlier that day I was annoyed to see a small gap had opened up. I then remembered that he tightened my wire/tie powerchain that is connected to my lower 4 front teeth, obviously too much and it's created a gap between the canine and lateral incisor (the canine is not attached to the powerchain). ARGH I was so peed off at it as I thought the only thing left to be corrected is my bite. Now I have a gap opened up because of my orthodontist tightening something too much. It is very small but still I can see it and it wasn't there before my appointment! Gutted because it feels like it took forever for him to focus on them gaps and then for them to close and stay closed and now this has happened . I can't mention it to him for another 6 weeks either.

Hopefully I wont have to be in the elastics too long and will be brace free in another 10 weeks .

I also need to ask some questions about retainers, I have quite a few and forget them so need to write them down. Some I can remember right now:
1) How soon will I get my retainers after having the braces removed?
2) Am I still having the permanent retainer on the upper as well as the lower teeth? When?
3) Do I get a choice in what type of retainer I have? (hawley or clear)
Can't remember the rest right now, but I'm sure they will come back to me

[BraceFace2o1o]

I'm like a mad woman researching retainers! I remember being obsessed with braces when I wanted to get them, well just before I got them... it kinda took over my life and people got fed up of hearing about it I am sure. Now, it's retainers! lol.

So in a previous post I mentioned my upper central incisors were angled like this slightly \ \/ /:

I tried to explain that my two upper front teeth are more like this \ \/ / rather than | | | which he struggled to see at first until the assistant agreed. He had a look and said more so my right one? and I said yes. He has noted on the computer that he will reposition that bracket at my next appointment... if he doesn't I'll be reminding him!

Well... my ortho did reposition the bracket. When I got home from my appointment I looked in the mirror to see just how much he had moved the bracket and I couldn't see a difference, maybe VERY slight difference. I felt rather upset that the next 5 weeks would be wasted and the tooth wouldn't move. At my next appointment I mentioned that the tooth hadn't moved so he checked the tooth and said it was straight, not slanted/angled (I dunno what to call it) like I thought - because I was having a bad day that day I just went with it and agreed but deep down I was annoyed.
Anyway the other night I was looking at a picture that I took of my teeth back in May 2011 and could really see the slant in my front teeth, particularly the right one (left tooth in the photo), but back then I didn't notice it at all . This week I took another photo the same as the May 2011 one to compare and I am glad I did because the right tooth is no longer slanted like before, so the reposition of the bracket must have worked! I think the main reason I wasn't convinced it had moved was because when the bracket was repositioned my ortho said I might get a small gap between my front teeth (which I guessed would happen when the tooth rotates) but it never did, yeah the teeth loosened a bit as I was able to get my floss in between really easy, but no gap appeared. Oh well never mind, something happened and it took me comparing 2 photos to realise .

The photo taken in May 2011:


Photo taken this week (July 2012:


That means the only problems I have now are the bite on my right side and my lower right canine *touch wood*... then I should be done. Bring it on.

[NICURN85]

Your teeth look GREAT!! I know you must be excited researching the retainers. I just started my journey 3 days ago with brackets and spacers. I am really hoping the space is being made in between my teeth because I have not had any pain since they were put in! I wish you luck in your research for your retainers and I hope your bite cooperates and you can be debanded soon!!!

[BraceFace2o1o]

Your teeth look GREAT!! I know you must be excited researching the retainers. I just started my journey 3 days ago with brackets and spacers. I am really hoping the space is being made in between my teeth because I have not had any pain since they were put in! I wish you luck in your research for your retainers and I hope your bite cooperates and you can be debanded soon!!!

Hi NICURN85, thank you so much!

Congrats on starting your braces journey. It's so exciting isn't it? So you will have your archwires pretty soon! When I had my spacers I experienced no pain at all and worried too that the spaces wouldn't be created, but all was fine. One of my spaces even popped out slightly at the top (bottom half was still between the teeth) and I worried it would interfere but all was ok and I was able to get my bands on fine.

Thank you, yeah fingers tightly crossed... although it will mean elastics again

[NICURN85]

Thanks!! I am really excited to start my journey and its so nice to have people on here to talk with while Im going through. On Thursday I will be getting the archwires!! I am glad you have made me feel better about the spacers and having no pain! One of mine have popped up but I can still see it down at the gumline. I can't wait Until Thursday so I can floss really well back there!!