Good luck with the surgeries; everything will be fine!!
That necklace sounds like a great idea
.Lin's Story - Extractions, Canine Exposure, and Weirdness :)
Moderator: bbsadmin
Lin, I am so happy for you that you have found a nice surgeon...having a good, and sweet doctor make such a great different.
Good luck with the surgeries; everything will be fine!!
That necklace sounds like a great idea.
Good luck with the surgeries; everything will be fine!!
That necklace sounds like a great idea
.
~~~~~~
Ceramic top braces: January 9th, 2006
Metal bottom braces: May 1st, 2006
Thanks, Flora2006 and linda21!
I do hope the surgery goes well...
I called the surgeon's office back and asked if I could keep my teeth after the surgery, and they said no because (in the U.S.) it is against OSHA "because of the blood and sharp edges". Uh? Nooo.... I checked the OSHA and CDC websites afterward and found out that's not true (OSHA regulations just apply to the handling of such objects that have blood by the employees there who might dispose of them... but it isn't against regs for ME to handle them... and, sorry, but I'm pretty intimately familiar with the "sharp edges" on my teeth as they HAVE been in my skull for a good part of the past quarter-century). But I'm not sure if I'll be able to convince them of what OSHA policies really state. That whole thing kind of took the wind out of my sails. I don't want them to just throw my teeth away. Maybe it's an absurd point to argue, but really, it should be up to me. Somehow I don't think I'll infect myself with some unknown disease with my own teeth, or like, get slashes from the edges of them that result in catastrophic blood loss.
In any case, the stress of the upcoming surgery is really getting to me. That combined with the stress of impossible deadlines at work (taking on far more than usual and trying to actually meet said impossible deadlines so I can afford at least a week off work...) just has me really out of sorts. If I could just understand exactly everything involved in the surgery, I might feel better. Instead, my thoughts just go to how I could die from the anesthesia, what if my heart condition complicates things, what if the surgeon sexually molests me while I'm unconscious, what if he does other stuff against my will while abusing anesthesia on me like that one dentist when I was a kid, what if he damages a root to a healthy adjacent tooth (one of my top front two teeth), what if he can't get the tooth out at all, what if this, what if that. Can this please just be over with... why did I decide to relive my worst experience in life yet, and up the ante even more with that horrible impacted canine? I almost wish I could rent a stranger to be my driver/caretaker for the whole thing, rather than mortifying myself in front of people who know me all over again. Plus, said caretaker is psyching me out by worrying that this time will be as bad as last time for me, which makes me worry more and start to expect that it will be as bad as last time or worse. I really want to be optimistic and positive... the unknown is so frightening to face.
I do hope the surgery goes well...
I called the surgeon's office back and asked if I could keep my teeth after the surgery, and they said no because (in the U.S.) it is against OSHA "because of the blood and sharp edges". Uh? Nooo.... I checked the OSHA and CDC websites afterward and found out that's not true (OSHA regulations just apply to the handling of such objects that have blood by the employees there who might dispose of them... but it isn't against regs for ME to handle them... and, sorry, but I'm pretty intimately familiar with the "sharp edges" on my teeth as they HAVE been in my skull for a good part of the past quarter-century). But I'm not sure if I'll be able to convince them of what OSHA policies really state. That whole thing kind of took the wind out of my sails. I don't want them to just throw my teeth away. Maybe it's an absurd point to argue, but really, it should be up to me. Somehow I don't think I'll infect myself with some unknown disease with my own teeth, or like, get slashes from the edges of them that result in catastrophic blood loss.
In any case, the stress of the upcoming surgery is really getting to me. That combined with the stress of impossible deadlines at work (taking on far more than usual and trying to actually meet said impossible deadlines so I can afford at least a week off work...) just has me really out of sorts. If I could just understand exactly everything involved in the surgery, I might feel better. Instead, my thoughts just go to how I could die from the anesthesia, what if my heart condition complicates things, what if the surgeon sexually molests me while I'm unconscious, what if he does other stuff against my will while abusing anesthesia on me like that one dentist when I was a kid, what if he damages a root to a healthy adjacent tooth (one of my top front two teeth), what if he can't get the tooth out at all, what if this, what if that. Can this please just be over with... why did I decide to relive my worst experience in life yet, and up the ante even more with that horrible impacted canine? I almost wish I could rent a stranger to be my driver/caretaker for the whole thing, rather than mortifying myself in front of people who know me all over again. Plus, said caretaker is psyching me out by worrying that this time will be as bad as last time for me, which makes me worry more and start to expect that it will be as bad as last time or worse. I really want to be optimistic and positive... the unknown is so frightening to face.
Hi Lin!
Hope you are hanging in there, and sorting things out as your surgery date approaches.
Just wanted to pop in and give you a
and a 
Hope you are hanging in there, and sorting things out as your surgery date approaches.
Just wanted to pop in and give you a
and a Uppers placed 2/8/06--Inspire ICE ceramics
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
linda21, Karen, & Granola... Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. It really has helped me in the past week and tonight to keep thinking positively. I just need to push on through... I am trying not to focus on my fears as much. I guess the alternative would be never facing my fears to make my life and myself something better... I don't want to be that kind of person. It's just too easy to let it all slip by; I'd rather work hard at this life and be proud of it.
Today I had my first dental cleaning since my braces went on. Boy, was that a shocker! I never knew a cleaning could hurt so much. The woman who did the flossing was kind of rough, and there was a lot of blood from it on my cleaning "bib". I know it's greatly my fault, since I don't floss often (rarely, in fact)... my teeth are so tightly crammed together. I keep hoping that after my extractions, there will be more space between my teeth for me to floss regularly.
I also had a dental exam with my new dentist. He used this crazy weird new laser thing to check for cavities/problems in my teeth. Apparently it measures the density of the enamel at different spots, and it makes this whining sound as it does. The lower pitched the sound is, the better the density of the enamel is. The higher, the likelier there is to be a fissure or hole that decay is already eating at or may soon do. Ironically, the more the laser-music-box sounds like a dental drill, the likelier one is to have to deal with one.
In any case, I walked out of the dentist with a "treatment plan" estimate of nearly $3000. I couldn't believe it. The laser found issues with two teeth that need to be fixed. They even took photos of the teeth inside my mouth to show me the fissures and how decay was going to worsen there. I have decided to play it smarter, though, and lucky I did... I went back home and checked my ortho's extraction order to my oral surgeon (I thought photocopying it before giving it to my oral surgeon might prove useful)... sure enough, the dentist wanted to fill one tooth that will be extracted anyway! Lucky me! So it's only one filling in the near future for me. I'm not keen on that idea (I HATE novacaine shots), but it sure does beat two fillings. Seriously, who wants to pay to have a tooth filled and then pay to have it extracted a week later? Insanity. Good thing someone's paying attention. I was disappointed that the second filling wasn't going to be in a tooth to be extracted too. Can't have everything.
The dentist also wants to do 3 gum grafts at nearly $800 a piece for three teeth that have very little gum tissue at their base on my front lowers. He said that the overcrowding has caused it (which is plain to see... one tooth even has its root exposed and is very sensitive). Apparently the braces won't help, since the moving teeth will cause the gum tissue to stretch/diminish further on those teeth. I am putting my foot down here, though. I might have this done in 2007, but my oral surgery will max out the amount of dental insurance available to me this year. And I am not paying for that out of pocket, nor will I die without this in the next ten months. Apparently my mouth is a walking, talking goldmine for every dental-related professional in the whole darn town.
But, my dentist seemed like a really sweet and caring person. Interestingly, his hygienist (who has worked for him for 24 years) told me that the first oral surgeon I saw was definitely not someone I would want to be seeing. Her face darkened at mention of him, and she said that he does a lot of cosmetic surgery stuff like liposuction and how that kind of makes one think that dealing with inside the mouth is another matter. She also mentioned that the oral surgeon I have committed to is excellent. Very good news indeed.
About six conversations today with folks at my dentist's office (including my dentist himself), both in person and on the phone have also convinced me to go for exposure instead of extraction of my canine. The dentist explained very clearly to me why the canine is so functionally critical to the stability and well-being of my mouth/teeth/bite. I am disappointed that neither my ortho nor my oral surgeon could explain this to me before. But I am heartened, because now it feels like the right thing to do. I think it means that the surgery will be less intense, as there will be less bone-drilling. Eight months of pain pulling the tooth down may not be as bad as I thought, and even if it is, I guess my dentist is right that the eight months will be worth it, as it will mean a lifetime of a much better bite.
So, now I need to contact my ortho and oral surgeon and see about changing the plans. They may not be happy about it, but I'm the boss as far as this goes. I don't care if it even means an extra month or two of ortho treatment. Clearly there are no shortcuts to doing things the right way. Ever since I decided, I have felt better, because it makes my surgery seem just that much more routine and everyday. I know that tons of people do it and survive it, and I think it means my surgery will be much easier.
I'm sure that all of these offices are getting tired of hearing from me! But after the next few months I (hope)/think things will be mostly downhill. There will be elastics and all kinds of stuff, but if I can get past all the needles, knives, and drills, I will be so relieved. The gum graft thing will be another story, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it... (and when insurance can pay for it).
Oh, and Granola... I finally took a real look inside my mouth toward the back and saw the wires sticking out a good bit!! You might laugh, but my cheeks have been catching on these for weeks now, and I had honestly thought that it was just the hook on the buccal tube they were catching on. I guess that's not the case! Luckily my first adjustment is soon, so that won't be an issue after that. I know they are going to take the brackets off the teeth to be extracted (I need to ensure they know I want to do exposure now... I suspect this might mean one more premolar extraction beside my problem canine to give more room). I wonder if they will leave the archwire out for the surgery or not?
Thanks again for all your thoughts and support, all. I <3 my ArchWired family! I really couldn't do this without everyone here... no one in any of my other circles has any idea of the mess, nuisance, and pain of all this! Not to mention the fear. I used to think braces were just about gluing metal to one's teeth as carefreely as one might paint one's fingernails silver. HA.
...love (your life) like you've never been hurt...
Today I had my first dental cleaning since my braces went on. Boy, was that a shocker! I never knew a cleaning could hurt so much. The woman who did the flossing was kind of rough, and there was a lot of blood from it on my cleaning "bib". I know it's greatly my fault, since I don't floss often (rarely, in fact)... my teeth are so tightly crammed together. I keep hoping that after my extractions, there will be more space between my teeth for me to floss regularly.
I also had a dental exam with my new dentist. He used this crazy weird new laser thing to check for cavities/problems in my teeth. Apparently it measures the density of the enamel at different spots, and it makes this whining sound as it does. The lower pitched the sound is, the better the density of the enamel is. The higher, the likelier there is to be a fissure or hole that decay is already eating at or may soon do. Ironically, the more the laser-music-box sounds like a dental drill, the likelier one is to have to deal with one.
In any case, I walked out of the dentist with a "treatment plan" estimate of nearly $3000. I couldn't believe it. The laser found issues with two teeth that need to be fixed. They even took photos of the teeth inside my mouth to show me the fissures and how decay was going to worsen there. I have decided to play it smarter, though, and lucky I did... I went back home and checked my ortho's extraction order to my oral surgeon (I thought photocopying it before giving it to my oral surgeon might prove useful)... sure enough, the dentist wanted to fill one tooth that will be extracted anyway! Lucky me! So it's only one filling in the near future for me. I'm not keen on that idea (I HATE novacaine shots), but it sure does beat two fillings. Seriously, who wants to pay to have a tooth filled and then pay to have it extracted a week later? Insanity. Good thing someone's paying attention. I was disappointed that the second filling wasn't going to be in a tooth to be extracted too. Can't have everything.
The dentist also wants to do 3 gum grafts at nearly $800 a piece for three teeth that have very little gum tissue at their base on my front lowers. He said that the overcrowding has caused it (which is plain to see... one tooth even has its root exposed and is very sensitive). Apparently the braces won't help, since the moving teeth will cause the gum tissue to stretch/diminish further on those teeth. I am putting my foot down here, though. I might have this done in 2007, but my oral surgery will max out the amount of dental insurance available to me this year. And I am not paying for that out of pocket, nor will I die without this in the next ten months. Apparently my mouth is a walking, talking goldmine for every dental-related professional in the whole darn town.
But, my dentist seemed like a really sweet and caring person. Interestingly, his hygienist (who has worked for him for 24 years) told me that the first oral surgeon I saw was definitely not someone I would want to be seeing. Her face darkened at mention of him, and she said that he does a lot of cosmetic surgery stuff like liposuction and how that kind of makes one think that dealing with inside the mouth is another matter. She also mentioned that the oral surgeon I have committed to is excellent. Very good news indeed.
About six conversations today with folks at my dentist's office (including my dentist himself), both in person and on the phone have also convinced me to go for exposure instead of extraction of my canine. The dentist explained very clearly to me why the canine is so functionally critical to the stability and well-being of my mouth/teeth/bite. I am disappointed that neither my ortho nor my oral surgeon could explain this to me before. But I am heartened, because now it feels like the right thing to do. I think it means that the surgery will be less intense, as there will be less bone-drilling. Eight months of pain pulling the tooth down may not be as bad as I thought, and even if it is, I guess my dentist is right that the eight months will be worth it, as it will mean a lifetime of a much better bite.
So, now I need to contact my ortho and oral surgeon and see about changing the plans. They may not be happy about it, but I'm the boss as far as this goes. I don't care if it even means an extra month or two of ortho treatment. Clearly there are no shortcuts to doing things the right way. Ever since I decided, I have felt better, because it makes my surgery seem just that much more routine and everyday. I know that tons of people do it and survive it, and I think it means my surgery will be much easier.
I'm sure that all of these offices are getting tired of hearing from me! But after the next few months I (hope)/think things will be mostly downhill. There will be elastics and all kinds of stuff, but if I can get past all the needles, knives, and drills, I will be so relieved. The gum graft thing will be another story, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it... (and when insurance can pay for it).
Oh, and Granola... I finally took a real look inside my mouth toward the back and saw the wires sticking out a good bit!! You might laugh, but my cheeks have been catching on these for weeks now, and I had honestly thought that it was just the hook on the buccal tube they were catching on. I guess that's not the case! Luckily my first adjustment is soon, so that won't be an issue after that. I know they are going to take the brackets off the teeth to be extracted (I need to ensure they know I want to do exposure now... I suspect this might mean one more premolar extraction beside my problem canine to give more room). I wonder if they will leave the archwire out for the surgery or not?
Thanks again for all your thoughts and support, all. I <3 my ArchWired family! I really couldn't do this without everyone here... no one in any of my other circles has any idea of the mess, nuisance, and pain of all this! Not to mention the fear. I used to think braces were just about gluing metal to one's teeth as carefreely as one might paint one's fingernails silver. HA.
...love (your life) like you've never been hurt...
I was really surprised that the dentist wanted to do fillings! I have taken better care of my teeth lately than I have all my life. But I think the problem is actually that there is an old filling in my molar that has decayed, since the composite is old and apparently not the best material in the world. It looks a bit stained/brown, too, so if they can make it shiny white and new again, I guess that's not so bad. I hope.
Since I'm doing the exposure now, I'm guessing that my ortho will pull the premolar adjacent to my canine tooth. Which means.... I don't have to pay to have that tooth sealed like the dentist wants! So that's $200 in savings in not having work done on teeth to be extracted anyway.
I called my ortho almost two times a day all week, just trying to find 3 minutes to ask him if I can do exposure instead of extraction. This is important since my first adjustment is Tuesday and they need to take the correct brackets off and know how things will need to be adjusted now. I was honestly about to change ortho's, lose a lot of money, and use the ortho my dentist recommends, but then I finally reached my current ortho and confirmed the change in plans. My personal opinion... good ortho service should include 5-10 mins per month of being able to have the ortho's undivided attention for questions that irrevocably affect the rest of one's life. My ortho is too busy to spare even 2 minutes for me, it seems. I have lost respect for him, but the financial penalties for pulling out now are more than I am able to take on. I guess being friendly and knowledgeable isn't good enough in an ortho anymore, to me. A good ortho has to be accessible, too. If only I had known. My list of complaints with my ortho grows longer by the day...
My schedule of fun and laughs:
Tuesday, March 21: First adjustment (get some brackets removed, too)
Tuesday, March 28: Get one molar filled and another tooth sealed
Wednesday, April 5: Big surgery day
Of course, the surgery date might change if I need to schedule another appointment with my surgeon to go over the changes in plan.
I spent some time with a flashlight and a dental mirror the other night, and made a really interesting discovery. I actually found my impacted canine in the roof of my mouth!!! It's not erupting or anything, but by comparing that area to the same area on the other symmetrical side of the roof of my mouth, I was able to identify an unmistakeable hump where the tissue et al goes over the tooth. I pressed on it and it felt much different from pressing on the opposite side. The opposite side was smooth and firm. Pressing on the impacted tooth gave a different kind of resistance. This is exciting to me, because it seems like it won't be very hard to get to, to expose the tooth. I'm actually thinking that this might not be as bad as my wisdom teeth surgery, now. The teeth that are going to be extracted don't have the same mega-roots that wisdom teeth do, and there isn't cutting, this time, to get to them. The exposure should be the only cutting required, and now it won't be as much cutting.
In a way, what I fear most is just the anesthesia! And the pain/knowledge of the procedure, of course.
But bring it on, because I want this out of my life forever, and soon. I'm even tired of hearing myself worry about it.
Since I'm doing the exposure now, I'm guessing that my ortho will pull the premolar adjacent to my canine tooth. Which means.... I don't have to pay to have that tooth sealed like the dentist wants! So that's $200 in savings in not having work done on teeth to be extracted anyway.
I called my ortho almost two times a day all week, just trying to find 3 minutes to ask him if I can do exposure instead of extraction. This is important since my first adjustment is Tuesday and they need to take the correct brackets off and know how things will need to be adjusted now. I was honestly about to change ortho's, lose a lot of money, and use the ortho my dentist recommends, but then I finally reached my current ortho and confirmed the change in plans. My personal opinion... good ortho service should include 5-10 mins per month of being able to have the ortho's undivided attention for questions that irrevocably affect the rest of one's life. My ortho is too busy to spare even 2 minutes for me, it seems. I have lost respect for him, but the financial penalties for pulling out now are more than I am able to take on. I guess being friendly and knowledgeable isn't good enough in an ortho anymore, to me. A good ortho has to be accessible, too. If only I had known. My list of complaints with my ortho grows longer by the day...
My schedule of fun and laughs:
Tuesday, March 21: First adjustment (get some brackets removed, too)
Tuesday, March 28: Get one molar filled and another tooth sealed
Wednesday, April 5: Big surgery day
Of course, the surgery date might change if I need to schedule another appointment with my surgeon to go over the changes in plan.
I spent some time with a flashlight and a dental mirror the other night, and made a really interesting discovery. I actually found my impacted canine in the roof of my mouth!!! It's not erupting or anything, but by comparing that area to the same area on the other symmetrical side of the roof of my mouth, I was able to identify an unmistakeable hump where the tissue et al goes over the tooth. I pressed on it and it felt much different from pressing on the opposite side. The opposite side was smooth and firm. Pressing on the impacted tooth gave a different kind of resistance. This is exciting to me, because it seems like it won't be very hard to get to, to expose the tooth. I'm actually thinking that this might not be as bad as my wisdom teeth surgery, now. The teeth that are going to be extracted don't have the same mega-roots that wisdom teeth do, and there isn't cutting, this time, to get to them. The exposure should be the only cutting required, and now it won't be as much cutting.
In a way, what I fear most is just the anesthesia! And the pain/knowledge of the procedure, of course.
But bring it on, because I want this out of my life forever, and soon. I'm even tired of hearing myself worry about it.
Lin, good to know that you are feeling that impacted tooth 
Looks like your schedule is full but everything will be fine, don't worry to much about it. Things will be good soon
It really sucks that it's hard for you to talk to your ortho...it shouldn't be like that. My ortho is the greatest and he always makes me feel welcomed. Hopefully things get better, if not maybe try talking to him face to face and express how you feel. I know that can be hard but sometimes people like that need to be reminded that they are being payed for a service and thus the customer should be 100% satisfied.
Good luck with everything and let us know how the adjustment goes.
Looks like your schedule is full but everything will be fine, don't worry to much about it. Things will be good soon
It really sucks that it's hard for you to talk to your ortho...it shouldn't be like that. My ortho is the greatest and he always makes me feel welcomed. Hopefully things get better, if not maybe try talking to him face to face and express how you feel. I know that can be hard but sometimes people like that need to be reminded that they are being payed for a service and thus the customer should be 100% satisfied.
Good luck with everything and let us know how the adjustment goes.
~~~~~~
Ceramic top braces: January 9th, 2006
Metal bottom braces: May 1st, 2006
Woohoo, LIN! Congrats on being able to feel that impacted tooth! You couldn't feel mine, and they came down okay, so yours is bound to be near the surface... YAY!
Also, congrats on getting the exposure... it won't be all that bad, and you'll have a full set of teeth when you're done!
Also, congrats on getting the exposure... it won't be all that bad, and you'll have a full set of teeth when you're done!
Pamela W.
FORMER IMPACTED CANINES,
FORMER IMPACTED CANINES,
I am very excited about the idea of the impacted tooth being close to the surface.
And fyrelight, I think you were right all along! Exposure seems like a better route, and it will give me a full set of symmetrical teeth when I'm done! I think it will look and feel better
Karen, are you going to expose yours? And I will definitely make sure they unbracket the right teeth... I have learned to pay very close attention to all of this now.
I had a dream last night that my whole bottom archwire popped out. And then I was thinking in my dreams about how I wish I had gotten ICE ceramics on top like Granola'a instead of the ones I have. Weird mind
And fyrelight, I think you were right all along! Exposure seems like a better route, and it will give me a full set of symmetrical teeth when I'm done! I think it will look and feel better
Karen, are you going to expose yours? And I will definitely make sure they unbracket the right teeth... I have learned to pay very close attention to all of this now.
I had a dream last night that my whole bottom archwire popped out. And then I was thinking in my dreams about how I wish I had gotten ICE ceramics on top like Granola'a instead of the ones I have. Weird mind
Every time I think I can almost start to handle whatever is thrown at me next, something happens that completely throws me off 
I had my first adjustment today. I wasn't even worried about it beforehand, I honestly thought it would be routine, pop the brackets off for the teeth to be removed, replace ligs, tighten wires, etc. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
The actual adjustment stuff really wasn't bad. It's uncomfortable when they tighten the wires and do the little twisty clicky tool thing. But the bracket removing issue was a whole other story.
First, the assistant pinched and tugged and pried the brackets off. It felt like some of my teeth wanted to come off with the brackets. But the honest-to-God worst thing I have faced yet was when he went about scraping the glue off my teeth. I guess it was basically a type of pliers he used with a sandpapery bit on it (only metal scrapey bits?) He scraped and scratched and pinched and everything short of putting his foot on my ear while trying to pinch-scrape-pulverize the glue off my teeth. I had no idea something could hurt like that, in that way. It was horrible, and I was sure that my tooth would come out, get cracked, or the extreme force he was applying would result in him losing the grip and the tool flying into my eyes. The pain was incredible! I tried so hard to take it, but the pain made my eyes start to water and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face as I laid there. My whole body was shaking from it and I got drenched from head to toe in my own sweat, which went through my clothes... and I'm the kind of person who only sweats if she's running a marathon... in a desert.
I just can't believe how horrible that was. When I asked on the "Naked Tooth" board if this is what I can expect when ALL of my brackets are removed when my braces come off eventually, somebody suggested that maybe he was doing it wrong. I looked back at every debanding/debracketing post I could find on ArchWired to see if everybody goes through this, and it sounds like most don't, though a couple seemed to, to an extent.
If getting braces off is going to be anything like this.... I honestly don't think I can handle it. I would rather keep them on the rest of my life. Every tooth filling and novacaine shot and everything else I have ever had cannot compare to the pain of today's glue-scraping. It couldn't come close to how bad the wisdom teeth surgery was, but damn... the pain tolerance bar needs to be raised somehow. I almost kissed my floor when I got home tonight, it was such a miserable afternoon. I can't imagine how much worse it would have been had I not taken two aspirin beforehand.
On the other hand, I'm fearing Tuesday's tooth filling a little less, now. I won't jinx myself by saying it can't possibly compare to the pain of today, but... in my experience, it shouldn't possibly...
Well, despite scaring all the kids and teenagers by walking out of the ortho's office with a red, puffy, i've-been-crying-i'm-an-adult-crybaby-wusface, I survived, and the brackets are off. Oh yeah, and the "problem" glue (one spot was worse than all the others) came from a bracket that had apparently broken and had to be replaced.
I got silver ligs this time, I decided to go low-key until the future gaps in my mouth close somewhat.
I got the stupid extraction order from my ortho after nagging him with about a dozen phone calls all last week. And they managed to remove the right brackets today, and yes, I paid for it, and for nagging, and for wanting the best out of my treatment. I have no pride left, but hey... let's see how much more dental torture Lin can stand in the next month!
Sorry, I just can't believe how much worse this stuff gets. I don't think I would have gotten braces had I known about things like today.
Lessons in patience, strength, self, friendship, love, determination, tolerance, honesty, pain... I'm not sure how much else can be packed into a single year for a single girl. The going theme seems to be, how much can I stand, how determined am I? How patient can I be? A sign in front of a church I drove by on my way home ironically announced, "Patience, it carries a lot of wait!" I guess that's true. Wait and pain. Pain and wait. In just about every way in my life. Sometimes I just want all of it to stop so I can catch my breath, when it tries to bring me to my knees. Sometimes I just want it all to go away.
Well, here is a new photo of my teeth, following my first adjustment, preceding my extractions/exposure surgery. Mind the nasty brown coffee stains on the clear bumper ligs. I kind of like the silver ligs for their subtlety for now:
I think my midlines have straightened out a little bit, but I don't see much progress anywhere else. Hopefully that will change after the extractions. All four first premolars will now be extracted, along with that lonely little baby canine there.
I need to push back my surgery date, unfortunately, since I need more time to work on 3 simultaneous deadlines at work, and I can't exactly delegate since I run the company with one other person.
Karen, it's so disappointing that you can't bring your canine down! Does it hurt at all where it is impacted? It must be ankylosed up there with the roots of your other teeth? I hope that you can close the gap successfully, maybe your teeth just have their own sense of time when it comes to how fast they want to move. Maybe the trick is that we have to be as stubborn as our teeth??
I had my first adjustment today. I wasn't even worried about it beforehand, I honestly thought it would be routine, pop the brackets off for the teeth to be removed, replace ligs, tighten wires, etc. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
The actual adjustment stuff really wasn't bad. It's uncomfortable when they tighten the wires and do the little twisty clicky tool thing. But the bracket removing issue was a whole other story.
First, the assistant pinched and tugged and pried the brackets off. It felt like some of my teeth wanted to come off with the brackets. But the honest-to-God worst thing I have faced yet was when he went about scraping the glue off my teeth. I guess it was basically a type of pliers he used with a sandpapery bit on it (only metal scrapey bits?) He scraped and scratched and pinched and everything short of putting his foot on my ear while trying to pinch-scrape-pulverize the glue off my teeth. I had no idea something could hurt like that, in that way. It was horrible, and I was sure that my tooth would come out, get cracked, or the extreme force he was applying would result in him losing the grip and the tool flying into my eyes. The pain was incredible! I tried so hard to take it, but the pain made my eyes start to water and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face as I laid there. My whole body was shaking from it and I got drenched from head to toe in my own sweat, which went through my clothes... and I'm the kind of person who only sweats if she's running a marathon... in a desert.
I just can't believe how horrible that was. When I asked on the "Naked Tooth" board if this is what I can expect when ALL of my brackets are removed when my braces come off eventually, somebody suggested that maybe he was doing it wrong. I looked back at every debanding/debracketing post I could find on ArchWired to see if everybody goes through this, and it sounds like most don't, though a couple seemed to, to an extent.
If getting braces off is going to be anything like this.... I honestly don't think I can handle it. I would rather keep them on the rest of my life. Every tooth filling and novacaine shot and everything else I have ever had cannot compare to the pain of today's glue-scraping. It couldn't come close to how bad the wisdom teeth surgery was, but damn... the pain tolerance bar needs to be raised somehow. I almost kissed my floor when I got home tonight, it was such a miserable afternoon. I can't imagine how much worse it would have been had I not taken two aspirin beforehand.
On the other hand, I'm fearing Tuesday's tooth filling a little less, now. I won't jinx myself by saying it can't possibly compare to the pain of today, but... in my experience, it shouldn't possibly...
Well, despite scaring all the kids and teenagers by walking out of the ortho's office with a red, puffy, i've-been-crying-i'm-an-adult-crybaby-wusface, I survived, and the brackets are off. Oh yeah, and the "problem" glue (one spot was worse than all the others) came from a bracket that had apparently broken and had to be replaced.
I got silver ligs this time, I decided to go low-key until the future gaps in my mouth close somewhat.
I got the stupid extraction order from my ortho after nagging him with about a dozen phone calls all last week. And they managed to remove the right brackets today, and yes, I paid for it, and for nagging, and for wanting the best out of my treatment. I have no pride left, but hey... let's see how much more dental torture Lin can stand in the next month!
Sorry, I just can't believe how much worse this stuff gets. I don't think I would have gotten braces had I known about things like today.
Lessons in patience, strength, self, friendship, love, determination, tolerance, honesty, pain... I'm not sure how much else can be packed into a single year for a single girl. The going theme seems to be, how much can I stand, how determined am I? How patient can I be? A sign in front of a church I drove by on my way home ironically announced, "Patience, it carries a lot of wait!" I guess that's true. Wait and pain. Pain and wait. In just about every way in my life. Sometimes I just want all of it to stop so I can catch my breath, when it tries to bring me to my knees. Sometimes I just want it all to go away.
Well, here is a new photo of my teeth, following my first adjustment, preceding my extractions/exposure surgery. Mind the nasty brown coffee stains on the clear bumper ligs. I kind of like the silver ligs for their subtlety for now:
I think my midlines have straightened out a little bit, but I don't see much progress anywhere else. Hopefully that will change after the extractions. All four first premolars will now be extracted, along with that lonely little baby canine there.
I need to push back my surgery date, unfortunately, since I need more time to work on 3 simultaneous deadlines at work, and I can't exactly delegate since I run the company with one other person.
Karen, it's so disappointing that you can't bring your canine down! Does it hurt at all where it is impacted? It must be ankylosed up there with the roots of your other teeth? I hope that you can close the gap successfully, maybe your teeth just have their own sense of time when it comes to how fast they want to move. Maybe the trick is that we have to be as stubborn as our teeth??
Dear Orthodontists and Orthodontic Assistants of the World:
My mouth and the metal and ceramic in it are not like all the inner enginey bits of a car. Please do not hammer, pry, scrape, or otherwise maim, torture, and test the limits of said metal and ceramic bits in it. Or I will run over your toes.
My mouth is not an undergraduate art student's wire sculpture masterpiece. Please do not treat it as such by embellishing on all its pointy bits. Or I will flunk you.
My mouth is not a dishwasher. Please do not dump bad tasting gunk and silverware in it and try to run it through the pots and pans cycle. Or I will jab a fork in you.
My mouth is not the Eiffel Tower. Please do not try to see how many people can peer at it all at once while craning their heads and commenting on the engineering merits of the scaffolding. Or I will push you off the top with your promotional orthodontic office t-shirt as your parachute.
My mouth is not a garden. Do not whimsically pluck teeth from it as one might pluck turnips from the ground. Or I will pluck a turnip and throw it at you.
My mouth is not a bank. Every unit of remarkable pain you provide within my mouth should not result in another couple hundred dollars leaving my wallet. I want to take a ligature off and trade it in for a very stiff, endless drink at a very fine bar, and I am not the kind of girl who goes to bars. Do not try to ameliorate your financial situation by aggravating mine. Or I will start using your mouth as my piggy-bank.
We all know that my mouth is actually an elaborate case-mod for a wicked cool LED circuit and Morse code light-communications device. The fun should stop there!
Love, your bestest best friend in the whole wide world,
Lin.
My mouth and the metal and ceramic in it are not like all the inner enginey bits of a car. Please do not hammer, pry, scrape, or otherwise maim, torture, and test the limits of said metal and ceramic bits in it. Or I will run over your toes.
My mouth is not an undergraduate art student's wire sculpture masterpiece. Please do not treat it as such by embellishing on all its pointy bits. Or I will flunk you.
My mouth is not a dishwasher. Please do not dump bad tasting gunk and silverware in it and try to run it through the pots and pans cycle. Or I will jab a fork in you.
My mouth is not the Eiffel Tower. Please do not try to see how many people can peer at it all at once while craning their heads and commenting on the engineering merits of the scaffolding. Or I will push you off the top with your promotional orthodontic office t-shirt as your parachute.
My mouth is not a garden. Do not whimsically pluck teeth from it as one might pluck turnips from the ground. Or I will pluck a turnip and throw it at you.
My mouth is not a bank. Every unit of remarkable pain you provide within my mouth should not result in another couple hundred dollars leaving my wallet. I want to take a ligature off and trade it in for a very stiff, endless drink at a very fine bar, and I am not the kind of girl who goes to bars. Do not try to ameliorate your financial situation by aggravating mine. Or I will start using your mouth as my piggy-bank.
We all know that my mouth is actually an elaborate case-mod for a wicked cool LED circuit and Morse code light-communications device. The fun should stop there!
Love, your bestest best friend in the whole wide world,
Lin.
Lin, I just lost a really long post that I wrote to you. I can't rewrite it right now, but I'm here reading, and sending you support and encouragement!
Uppers placed 2/8/06--Inspire ICE ceramics
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
Lower (stainless) placed 2/23/06
Treatment time: 17 months (estimated was 12-18 months)
Debonded: July 11th, 2007
Next appointment: June 2008 for retainer & nightguard check
Thanks for your thoughts, all And Granola, I'm sorry you lost your post! I know how frustrating that can be, but I thank you for your support just the same
I am really motivated now to not do anything that could break another bracket. Also, that last experience has really got me worrying less about the next few steps in my treatment. Honestly, I think very little can top that (knock on wood).
Right now only my upper and lower front teeth are wired (no premolars or molars), and they sure do feel on the move. Very sore, but nothing unexpected or unbearable. After the first 24 hours of my adjustment, the teeth on bottom shifted enough (though not visibly) to cause about 10mm of wire to stick out from the last wired bracket!
My once negligible TMJ issues have worsened lately. I was up from 4-6 AM or so last night after waking up with pain near my left ear/jaw joint... it woke me as I was laying on my left side sleeping. It has started to flare up now and then in the past week... it will start to hurt to touch lightly, or to move my jaw, and sometimes my left ear will pop when I swallow, and of course when I yawn my jaw pops. I think this might get better after the extractions, I do hope so!
At this point I really don't care, I want those premolars out and that canine exposed! I know these few months are the hardest part of my entire treatment, so I'm just hanging in there. I just have to keep things in perspective, this is a piece of cake compared to what a lot of people have to go through, both in dental/ortho treatment and in life.
~
(Forgive me for rambling:)
Bringing this adult canine in is pretty symbolic to me. Maybe that's part of why exposure seems like a wiser option to me, now. I can't expect everything to change overnight, I can't expect the gaps to close so quickly, I can't expect it all to go gracefully or painlessly. It all takes time and strength and patience. Just the same, I'm letting go of some childish things in losing my baby tooth. Closing doors again that are meant to stay closed. Leaving some of my naïveté behind me. Listening to words of truth within me. I have spent too much time and energy on hanging on, and now is the time to spend that time and energy on forging on ahead. Now is the time to take flight into the future.
When I was a little girl, I used to think, "Why me, God? Spare me this pain, spare me that hurt. Make a miracle, make this painful thing not happen, aren't I special enough that you can protect me? Make this life easy!"
Now I believe that I am simultaneously special and insignificant enough that God/The Great Mystery/The Way/I AM/The Pattern/Whatever You Call IT would see to it that what is meant to be happens, just as it does, just as it should. The pain reminds me that I am alive, that I strive, and that I no longer ask to be protected from growing stronger into whatever it is I am meant to be. It has to be this way.
Bring it.
(end lengthy ramble)
And Granola, I'm sorry you lost your post! I know how frustrating that can be, but I thank you for your support just the same I am really motivated now to not do anything that could break another bracket. Also, that last experience has really got me worrying less about the next few steps in my treatment. Honestly, I think very little can top that (knock on wood).
Right now only my upper and lower front teeth are wired (no premolars or molars), and they sure do feel on the move. Very sore, but nothing unexpected or unbearable. After the first 24 hours of my adjustment, the teeth on bottom shifted enough (though not visibly) to cause about 10mm of wire to stick out from the last wired bracket!
My once negligible TMJ issues have worsened lately. I was up from 4-6 AM or so last night after waking up with pain near my left ear/jaw joint... it woke me as I was laying on my left side sleeping. It has started to flare up now and then in the past week... it will start to hurt to touch lightly, or to move my jaw, and sometimes my left ear will pop when I swallow, and of course when I yawn my jaw pops. I think this might get better after the extractions, I do hope so!
At this point I really don't care, I want those premolars out and that canine exposed! I know these few months are the hardest part of my entire treatment, so I'm just hanging in there. I just have to keep things in perspective, this is a piece of cake compared to what a lot of people have to go through, both in dental/ortho treatment and in life.
~
(Forgive me for rambling:)
Bringing this adult canine in is pretty symbolic to me. Maybe that's part of why exposure seems like a wiser option to me, now. I can't expect everything to change overnight, I can't expect the gaps to close so quickly, I can't expect it all to go gracefully or painlessly. It all takes time and strength and patience. Just the same, I'm letting go of some childish things in losing my baby tooth. Closing doors again that are meant to stay closed. Leaving some of my naïveté behind me. Listening to words of truth within me. I have spent too much time and energy on hanging on, and now is the time to spend that time and energy on forging on ahead. Now is the time to take flight into the future.
When I was a little girl, I used to think, "Why me, God? Spare me this pain, spare me that hurt. Make a miracle, make this painful thing not happen, aren't I special enough that you can protect me? Make this life easy!"
Now I believe that I am simultaneously special and insignificant enough that God/The Great Mystery/The Way/I AM/The Pattern/Whatever You Call IT would see to it that what is meant to be happens, just as it does, just as it should. The pain reminds me that I am alive, that I strive, and that I no longer ask to be protected from growing stronger into whatever it is I am meant to be. It has to be this way.
Bring it.
(end lengthy ramble)
Progress.... I never thought I would have such great things to say about getting a filling, but honestly the filling I had done a few days ago was the best filling I've ever had done! My dentist is an absolute sweetheart, very gentle and kind. He treats his patients like people with feelings, not like "just a mouth." I didn't even feel pain from the novacaine shots he gave me, and everything after that was a breeze. I even told him that the whole thing was easier/less painful than that last ortho visit (and truly I would rather have that filling done a hundred times over again than relive the last ortho visit).
Saw the oral surgeon again today and we have finalized plans for the exposure route. Too bad it will cost an extra $500 or so!! But it must be done. All that's left now is the surgery, all the other big hassles to clear the way are DONE.
Saw the oral surgeon again today and we have finalized plans for the exposure route. Too bad it will cost an extra $500 or so!! But it must be done. All that's left now is the surgery, all the other big hassles to clear the way are DONE.
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Way Too Old For This
- Posts: 668
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:23 am
Lin, I'm just getting around to reading some of these Braces Stories. Most of the time I only have time to read the Metal Mouth Forum.
I love your sense of humor and the way you write. I'm sorry some of your ortho experiences haven't been the best. Especially having brackets removed. I have one or more brackets removed everytime I go, and it never hurts. Last time he even scraped a bunch of glue off of Ruth that was left from the exposure 'chain'. Maybe you experienced more pain because it was your first adjustment. My first adjutment was very painful, but after that they haven't been as bad. Lets hope your next one is better.
Do you have a new date for your surgery yet? When you wrote about finding your imacted canine by the 'hump' reminded me a lot of Ruth. I had a definite hump. It seemed like Ruth was so close to the surface, I don't know why she never popped through.
Good luck, and hang in there. I love the LED thing. I used to work with a bunch of engineers, and loved them all. They were so much fun. You remind me of them.
Pam
I love your sense of humor and the way you write. I'm sorry some of your ortho experiences haven't been the best. Especially having brackets removed. I have one or more brackets removed everytime I go, and it never hurts. Last time he even scraped a bunch of glue off of Ruth that was left from the exposure 'chain'. Maybe you experienced more pain because it was your first adjustment. My first adjutment was very painful, but after that they haven't been as bad. Lets hope your next one is better.
Do you have a new date for your surgery yet? When you wrote about finding your imacted canine by the 'hump' reminded me a lot of Ruth. I had a definite hump. It seemed like Ruth was so close to the surface, I don't know why she never popped through.
Good luck, and hang in there. I love the LED thing. I used to work with a bunch of engineers, and loved them all. They were so much fun. You remind me of them.
Pam
Wired on Sep 16, 2005, left canine exposed on Oct 5, 2005, at 52 years old.