Cowlypso's Quest - Springs!

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#61 Post by **cowlypso** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:05 pm

First adjustment- Powerchains!!!

Went in for my first adjustment today. I wasn't really expecting much. I figured he'd probably just either leave in the first archwire and change the ligs, or maybe put in a little bit stronger archwire. Guess it's good to go in with low expectations, because then you get surprised with good news!

My teeth are all loosened up and ready to roll. So I got new archwires (17 stainless steel...) and powerchains. Definitely wasn't expecting to start powerchains to close my extraction gaps this early. Yay!

I'd already had my colors picked out, and was just sitting there trying to decide whether to alternate or just do one on top and one on the bottom. So that solved that problem. I've got a blue powerchain from 1st molar to 1st molar on top and the same in purple on the bottom. Skipped one loop over each of the extraction gaps.

I'm definitely sore after that! Just when he was putting the archwire in, before they put on the powerchain, it felt tight on the top. So I knew it was going to be a bit of an adjustment. Things are moving around already. Before I even walked out of the office, I noticed that when I bite down, my lower incisors are hitting my uppers just a tad (not the brackets, just the teeth). So that's a bit sore. And the occlusion in my molars is all off again. The weirdest part is when I bite down on my molars, I can feel it pulling along the archwire all the way around to the incisors.

So I had chocolate ice cream for dinner. And some parmesan goldfish. I think it'll be soup tomorrow.

Okay, since I know you're only here for the stunning photography, here you go:

Hmmm.... You like how those two front teeth have traded places? I don't get it either. Ortho says it's okay, though. Minor adjustments that can be made later. I just think it's funny that the one was a little in front before, now it's the other. Maybe they're racing. (I promise I didn't mirror-image the photos, either... Check out the fillings.)

#62 Post by **lionfish** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:20 pm

Nice colour combination!!

#63 Post by **PrincessMelody** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:57 pm

WOW, what an eventful first adjustment. My first adjustment was so boring... all I got was a lig change. Powerchains already... very exciting. Your bottom arch is looking quite nice as well as your top. Looks like your extraction sites have healed quite nicely. Looking forward to seeing those powerchains get to work on your gaps.

#64 Post by **cowlypso** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:15 am

Well, I figured out why I'm so sore.... Not only did I get powerchains, but I noticed when I was flossing last night that my new archwires are rectangular! So I got all kinds of new stuff thrown at me on Tuesday. I can still chew on my right side, as long as it's fairly soft.

My left lower first molar isn't very amused with all of this. I noticed a bit of a gap between it and the second molar when I was flossing last night. I think it's considering a forward migration in response to the powerchains. It's definitely sore! I'll give it a few days to figure out if it's going to play anchor or try to move into the extraction gap. I'm assuming that the solution would be to bracket the second molar back there, so if I call the ortho to ask about it, I want that first molar to have wiggled enough so that I don't have to have a spacer in there! The right side seems to be holding steady with the molar and the premolar pulling on the same team.

Going out to lunch at IHOP today... Eggs and pancakes... Nice and soft. Mmmmm...

#65 Post by **Lisa65** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:21 pm

The powerchains look good, Cowlypso. How are you getting on with your head gear now? I'm asking because it looks like I might end up having one after all, and I was wondering if you were used to it now?

Rectangular wires are definitely a shock when they first go on, but they really tweak the teeth into line.

Here's to continued progress for you.

#66 Post by **cowlypso** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:06 pm

Headgear is going along with no problems at all now. Once we got it adjusted so it didn't hurt my ears, it was compressing a nerve in my face, but he adjusted it again and I've been fine since. I don't have any pain at all when I wear it (I know others have said it makes them sore). I'm also lucky that I don't really drool much with it.

The best way I've found to sleep with my headgear is to use one of those neck roll pillows. It's just a cylinder that you're supposed to sleep on your back with this cylinder under your neck. But I sleep on my side (or on my stomach with head turned to the side) and that causes issues with headgear. So I sleep with the upper part of my head on this pillow and my face sort of suspended in midair. This is the kind of pillow I'm talking about... http://www.nextag.com/roll-pillow/search-html You can get them for pretty cheap. I got my pillow-length one for $12. While I was there I also saw the lumbar support pillow, which is the same thing but shorter, so I picked one up for traveling and it was also very cheap. I absolutely cannot sleep without my special pillow!

But I've gotten used to the headgear. It's just like the braces. For a while it's weird and strange, but then you hardly even notice it. I can actually be sitting there with it on and not even feel it unless I think about it.

Oh, and lunch was great... Vegetarian chili inside an omelet covered with salsa, and honey-nut pancakes with blueberry syrup. Mmmm...

#67 Post by **sdp5543** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:06 am

You are absolutely hilarious. I love reading your story. The laughter you interject helps me deal with my braces. Thanks!

#68 Post by **Tin Indian** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:34 pm

Sound like you had quite the major ajustment Cowlypso. Hope those new wires and chains are doing you right. Nice color combo. Glad to hear your headgear expierence is going so smoothly.

#69 Post by **cowlypso** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:22 pm

Okay... long time, no post. It's been crazy here! Just your usual end of the semester stuff, but enough to keep me more than busy.

Had my adjustment last Wednesday (4/11). It went pretty well. Nothing major at all. Not even a wire change. The assistant took out the old powerchains, the ortho came over and looked, then put in new chains without even touching the wire. Guess that wire's still got some work to do!

I got a lovely hot-barbie-pink chain on top, but managed to stain it less than 24 hours later, so I went in and got it changed to something a little more durable. I still like it, though. And I'm loving the teal. It's darker than it looks in the pictures, but very fun.

Here are the latest pics, compared to 6 weeks ago...

#70 Post by **MissSMILEY** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 12:15 pm

I have been cracking up in front of the computer reading your entries. I haven't laughed like this in a while. You are a riot.

#71 Post by **cowlypso** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:41 pm

Hmm... I'm a little late here. But better late than never.

My last adjustment went pretty well. No major problems. The powerchains weren't quite doing the job we'd hoped, though.

So, we kept the same archwires (although the assistant did take them out so I could brush and floss). And then the fun began...

I got wire lacing across the fronts, from canine to canine. I got a lig on each of my premolars. Then I got a spring across each of my gaps, from canine to molar. Then I got a lig on my canines to help keep the springs on. Unfortunately, that arrangement of ligs was not conducive to colors, since they are only on my canines and premolars. So I just put gray on there. No color at all.

Here are my progress pics since the last adjustment. New on the left, previous adjustment on the right.

My gaps are definitely closing more with these springs. Especially the lower left one. On the lower left, I had 2mm of archwire clipped off after just 3 days! It's slowed down some since then, even though the ortho said that the springs should provide a more continuous force than the powerchains, which lose their force over time.

My nance is bugging me a bit, because I've got this patch of palate in between it and my front teeth that is swelling a bit. It gets scratched up every time I bite into things. Especially when I nail it with something like a pretzel. Yeowch. You can see that I've got this little red swollen lump there...

The good news is that the ortho said that I don't need to wear the nance the whole time I'm in braces. Just until the gaps close. Which will be another 6-12 months. But at least it's not 2 more years!

I also saw the dentist for my 6 month exam and cleaning. NO CAVITIES!!!

The hygienist had oh-so-much fun cleaning my teeth and flossing them for me.

She also confirmed that the gap around part of one of my molar bands isn't just a small gap, but was actually a canal that went all the way through from the bottom of the band to the top. I went to the ortho this week and he ground the band down and put some cement on it and stuff.

So, life goes on. And springs are very good for saving leftovers for a snack later.