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Opera Gal, I'm sorry that it's taking so long for everything to fall into place. I'm there with you.
I've never stopped eating corn on the cob while having braces on. I just let the corn get all smushed in and Waterpik it away after I'm done. Only problem is it seems that most of the corn ends up in my braces, and not in my mouth, but once you've loaded it all up with corn mush, then you start getting some of the good stuff
Happy 4th folks!!! What joy to wake up and find a inch long gash in my bottom lip. WTH??? Looks like one of the koby hooks got caught during what little sleep I had, and opened up my inner lower lip. OUCH!!!
2/2/09: metal braces T/B
8/20/10: braced removed (18mons, 18days), hawley retainers T/B
9/16/10: LR central incisor extracted (failed root canal)
2/23/11: implant/bone graft
9/15/11: implant crown placed, lower lingual bonding corrected
9/21/11: upper bonding on lateral gaps from upper arch forward advancement
10/17/11: new hawley retainers w/plastic tubing over the 'social six' wire, both T/B
101 degrees and I'm hanging out under the AC, waiting for the gash in my lower lip to finish healing. Wax wax and more wax to keep it from getting re-caught on the koby hook..bleh! I'm surprised the wax hasn't melted out of my mouth with the heat wave!
2/2/09: metal braces T/B
8/20/10: braced removed (18mons, 18days), hawley retainers T/B
9/16/10: LR central incisor extracted (failed root canal)
2/23/11: implant/bone graft
9/15/11: implant crown placed, lower lingual bonding corrected
9/21/11: upper bonding on lateral gaps from upper arch forward advancement
10/17/11: new hawley retainers w/plastic tubing over the 'social six' wire, both T/B
A little more than a week to go until my next adjustment and I am anxious! Really really really hoping to get rid of these elastics!!! I might even ask the dreaded question "how much longer?". I think I have reached the point in my treatment where there will not be anymore big movement, so it is very frustrating/boring/annoying/etc. Ah well, that is my mini-rant: back to your regularly scheduled blogging.
2/2/09: metal braces T/B
8/20/10: braced removed (18mons, 18days), hawley retainers T/B
9/16/10: LR central incisor extracted (failed root canal)
2/23/11: implant/bone graft
9/15/11: implant crown placed, lower lingual bonding corrected
9/21/11: upper bonding on lateral gaps from upper arch forward advancement
10/17/11: new hawley retainers w/plastic tubing over the 'social six' wire, both T/B
I learned in my three and a half years of being a metal mouth, the MOST difficult thing with braces is when movement seems to come to a stop and all that is happening is your bite is being corrected. Your teeth look good, your ortho hasn't changed an archwire in the last three visits and all that happens on an "adjustment" is a new powerchain and three more packages of elastics.
And your unsatisfied. You're unfulfilled.
All you want is the ortho to say you're almost done.
And you're sick of braces.
Let me just tell you, before you make out like the fat lady singing the blues (and I'M NOT CALLING YOU fat), just remember, it will be worth it. A few extra months is just a bump in the road to a lifetime of beautiful smiles.
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
Ha Ha iBorg, like I'd never heard the 'fat lady' joke before, based on my profession. Have you heard the one comparing men to wine grapes? Neither are fit to bring to the dinner table without being stomped on first!
2/2/09: metal braces T/B
8/20/10: braced removed (18mons, 18days), hawley retainers T/B
9/16/10: LR central incisor extracted (failed root canal)
2/23/11: implant/bone graft
9/15/11: implant crown placed, lower lingual bonding corrected
9/21/11: upper bonding on lateral gaps from upper arch forward advancement
10/17/11: new hawley retainers w/plastic tubing over the 'social six' wire, both T/B
Based upon some of the things I've seen in the past two days, I'd probably agree that most men aren't fit to come to the table and those that many of those that do shouldn't.
Been a hard couple of days. What I can't figure out is why hospital patients will stand in the rain to smoke.
I need to quit now before I "get started."
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
What a dream I had: normal adjustment, except when the doc came in, she put her hand in my mouth and said 'time to come off' and both arch wires with brackets/bands attached just popped off my teeth at once, landing in her hand!!! I thought it was sudden and easy and delightful and such a fantastic surprise...then I woke up
2/2/09: metal braces T/B
8/20/10: braced removed (18mons, 18days), hawley retainers T/B
9/16/10: LR central incisor extracted (failed root canal)
2/23/11: implant/bone graft
9/15/11: implant crown placed, lower lingual bonding corrected
9/21/11: upper bonding on lateral gaps from upper arch forward advancement
10/17/11: new hawley retainers w/plastic tubing over the 'social six' wire, both T/B
And here I thought just hearing the magic words 'you can stop elastics' was going to be the big news of the day!!! Sat in the chair, doc came in, same ol same ol 'bite down open up bite down open up' routine, and then the words of release from elastic bondage. I was so happy, with thumbs up and chair-dancing included. She then said I might want to hold off on celebrating...and I thought *oh no*...then said the glorious words 'they are ready to come off'. I nearly leapt out of the chair, I'm not kidding!
Doc will call the dentist to get him to sign off on debanding, and then she will schedule a retainer molds appointment a few days before the debanding appt right now slated for Aug 20th...OMG...I just typed *debanding* twice...I still can't believe it!!! The tech and doc were laughing when they asked 'so what colours for your last time? Rainbow maybe?', and sure enough, I went with NEON rainbow on the bottom and silver on top. I might swap out to the same on top after the molds appt, for the last few days.
For those of you still plodding along thinking the end will never come...it does...it really does!
2/2/09: metal braces T/B
8/20/10: braced removed (18mons, 18days), hawley retainers T/B
9/16/10: LR central incisor extracted (failed root canal)
2/23/11: implant/bone graft
9/15/11: implant crown placed, lower lingual bonding corrected
9/21/11: upper bonding on lateral gaps from upper arch forward advancement
10/17/11: new hawley retainers w/plastic tubing over the 'social six' wire, both T/B
Accidents happen or miracles happen. Either way CONGRATS!
Enjoy your silver smile for the next few weeks and start dreaming of the one forbidden food you're going to seek out.
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
Thanks karen, and coinky dinks, I was JUST reading up on which retainer cleaners work well..lol. I did check out a fun site for retainer cases, but alas, they are all waaaay too young in designs. Somehow, I doubt the 'Hello Kitty' case would be taken very seriously. Shhh, don't tell.. I'm considering adding sparkles to the acrylic portion of both hawleys...lol
2/2/09: metal braces T/B
8/20/10: braced removed (18mons, 18days), hawley retainers T/B
9/16/10: LR central incisor extracted (failed root canal)
2/23/11: implant/bone graft
9/15/11: implant crown placed, lower lingual bonding corrected
9/21/11: upper bonding on lateral gaps from upper arch forward advancement
10/17/11: new hawley retainers w/plastic tubing over the 'social six' wire, both T/B
I had great success with Retainer Brite. One of the best places to buy it is the site's sponsor, DentaKit.com. They have a one year supply for $41.00. Here's a link: http://www.dentakit.com/rebr1yesu.html
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
I thought it was sudden and easy and delightful and such a fantastic surprise...then I woke up 
