Joplin's Story (photos on page 12)

[joplin]

Hi! I'm on vacation, just logged in for a quick check up. Nice to see you were thinking of me, Loop & Pamela
I haven't given much thought to my teeth lately, but yes, there are VERY small, tiny little changes. Nothing dramatic. Those laterals are still crooked, but if you know the signs to look for, you can see they have changed a little. I was expecting faster changes than this but I'm not concerned, not yet at least So much other stuff on my mind on a holiday
Oh BTW, congratulations on getting braces free again, Pamela!

[joplin]

Here's Joplin, back from her vacation. I think during those 4 weeks my teeth took a vacation too: nothing seems to have happened since my first adjustment in late June. Those laterals are still not behaving as I'd like them to. Still sticking out just like in my avatar Well, one morning I was happy about that after having a nightmare in which they came right through my face like on a rhino!
I'm afraid this w-arch I'm still wearing is actually stopping some movement... But that's just guessing, I'll know more after my second adjustment on Wednesday. Boy I WISH they'll take out this w-arch sooner than later. Getting sick of it

I spent part of my vacation in Portugal. Spotted one set of braces on a young lady working in a tourist info in Porto, but what really made my day on our way home was a German flight attendant of Lufthansa, around my age, with full set of braces, elastics and all, and not minding them at all! She was cool! Hello there, if you just happened to be one of us on this board

My own braces caught some attention too. I was on this antiques market near Lisbon, having a look at an elderly lady's tablecloths, when this lady suddenly spotted my teeth. She pointed at my teeth and at hers in turns very excited and talked and talked. Too bad I don't speak a word of Portugese, I have no idea what got her going so! Maybe she was trying to say she wore them in her time or something. Hey, don't come telling me people don't pay attention to ceramic braces, I'm not bying it It was funny though. A little confusing, but funny.

So, next adjustment on Wednesday, let's see what they'll tell me.

[joplin]

Update, 2. adjustment:

They did not tell exactly what I wanted to hear. That w-arch will be there for several more months until I'm ready for a thick enough arch wire that will hold things steady on its own. That wire is at least two wires away from where I'm standing now

Anyway, I got a new wire today. It's that usual silver kind, no cute white teflon for me anymore. That's ok, I think this looks just fine too. Makes me feel like I now made it to the "real" arch wired league. More teeth credibility

Tomorrow I'm getting spacers for lower molar bands they will put on next week, 4 of them. I have an appointment for a filling tomorrow morning, so I asked if I could come for the spacers right after that. The combinaton of the sensitivity the spacers are going to give me AND a dentist's drill just didn't sound too appealing.

So, my current shopping list is:
- spacers tomorrow
- first set of molar bands next week
- second set of molar bands in two weeks
- new ligs on uppers and braces on lowers on August 30th

Then I'll be fully braced and half bankrupt.

[HollyDontSpend]

Joplin,
I just wanted to let you know that I am wishing you well on your treatment. I have been keeping up on your story (even though I only posted once I think). I hope that you are doing better after your extractions!

[joplin]

Thanks for thinking of me It's been quiet on my front lately. I've had all four of my lower molars banded now and will get lower brackets and the works in the end of August. The beginning of my treatment was so loaded with surgery and nasty appliances that now I'm happy to be just a regular braces wearer with nothing major to report

[HollyDontSpend]

That's great! Nice to just move along from that whole surgery stuff and work with some slower paced braces. Good luck Joplin!

[decisionmade]

Joplin..I can relate..I can't wait for surgery and expander and extraction days to be far behind me and get on with the braces!!..I may even hold on to my expander rather than place it on those train tracks..we'll see..I've enjoyed tracking your story.all very helpful

[joplin]

Update, adjustment 3:

Today I got my lower braces, now - ta-dah! - I'm fully braced. Boy, I never considered my lowers to be that crooked really, but now that they've got the brackets and the wire on it looks like a different story They are crowded, got to admit that now.

I also got a piece of powerchain on my uppers. It goes over my front teeth from a bicuspid to bicuspid and it is supposed to start bringing those stubborn laterals closer to where they should be. Finally! I hope to see the powerchain work as magically as I've heard people tell here.
(Edited two days later: Took a better look in the mirror and realized the powerchain only goes from a lateral to lateral, over 4 teeth that is.)

This time the ortho brought up the old issue of extracting my lower second biscuspids (teeth #5). In the beginning of the treatment we agreed to wait and see if she could find a way to save them, but the tone of her voice somehow told me I should get ready to let them go. Bummer. But extracting bicuspids is no biggie, right? Right?
She said we'll have new molds taken in a couple of months as my treatment proceeds, and she'll study the options and then let me know what needs to be done.

Next stop September 19th for new ligatures.

[hannah164]

Joplin,
Congratulations on getting lower braces! Hope you don't have too much pain. Sounds like you should be seeing some movement soon! YAY! Thats too bad about your bicuspid but you'll get through it if you've already gotten this far. I had two permanent teeth, I don't know which ones, extracted because I was missing them on the top and according to my ortho everything needs to be symetrical. Well, whatever the orthos think is best I guess.
Good luck on your treatment!

-Hannah

[Dodger(UK)]

But extracting bicuspids is no biggie, right? Right?

..a doddle compared to extracting impacted canines Congrats on getting fully braced by the way.

[joplin]

Thanks, everyone! Pain was there for the first 24 hours, but I only took one ibuprofen for the night, just in case. So it wasn't all that bad, really. Now those lowers are just sensitive to touch and brush, but the main problem is how these ceramic brackets scratch the inside of my lip. OUCH! They are really sharp! Eating was actually painful with them rubbing against my lip. Wax is my best friend today.

Nice to see you still stopping by, Dodger

[Manda]

Joplin, I just wanted to congradulate you on getting your bottom teeth braced. I can't wait to see how your progress is going, I bet there are noticable changes already! Best of luck

[joplin]

Thank you, Manda! Noticeable, hardly, but I'm counting on this powerchain to do something about these rotated laterals. I'll try to take & post some new pictures soon.
I'm glad your uppers are coming together so nicely, Manda!

[Clo]

Hi Joplin,

long time no see as I wasn't very much around here lately.
Congrats on being fully braced by now !
BTW, I noticed your thread was viewed more than 14000 times.
You are getting quite popular, having such a big audience !

Cya !

[joplin]

BTW, I noticed your thread was viewed more than 14000 times.
You are getting quite popular, having such a big audience !