Metal Mouth Message Board

So today was quite a big day! I had my 6th adjustment, my 10-month anniversary is today, AND (drumroll please) my ortho thinks my braces will come off in the next one or two appointments!

Here's the story: I got to the office about 15 minutes early and they let me go back. My ortho comes and starts looking, doing the bite close thing, and says, "So when are we taking these things off?" and I said, "How about tomorrow?" he said, "How about at your next appointment?" My jaw dropped! I said, "You're kidding. You mean you my next appointment as in six to eight weeks from now next appointment? No way." We talked about how long I've been in (10 months today) and he said maybe not the next appointment, but probably the one after that for the uppers. The lowers might have to stay on a little longer than that. He said we want to make sure the roots are in place, but he thinks the uppers at least will be gone for bikini season! Hip hip hooray!!!!!

The rest of the appointment I was sort of floating... but I got a new wire on the bottom with another goofy bend (similar to the bend I have on top) and I have a light elastic on the right side again. After the heavy ones I had the first time around I honestly can't even feel this one!

Here are some pics to compare from last month and this month. The only issue I still have on the top is the tooth on my right with the weird bend in the wire. It's got a tiny little gap and isn't really properly in line, but that is what we are still working on. As you can see, my arch has widened more than I ever thought possible, and I'm really please with everything else. If anyone notices anything that I don't with regards to the top, please tell me; I'd rather keep the braces on and get better results than have them off and be bothered by something that could have been fixed easily!

That's great news, jillianleab. I have to say your bite is looking fantastic.

Thanks everyone! I still can't quite believe I'm this close... but I've been telling everyone it seems! I hate to get my hopes up if it doesn't happen, but the idea that I could be brace-free for my birthday (May 6) or anniversary (June 1) or hubbys birthday (June 10) or my trip to the beach (June 15) is just so exciting! I obviously have a lot going on in the coming months!

My next adjustment is April 30, so I guess then I'll have a better idea on if they come off so early or not. I'm so scared my roots won't be set and that my teeth will drift back... I know I've read about it happening to others on this board. I trust my ortho, but I can't help being paranoid! Maybe I'll see if we can do an x-ray before de-bracing... is that common? I have no clue!!!

Just been catching up with everyone's story on here... Fantastic news that your braces might be off soon!...

Well I've hit the 11th month! My next adjustment is a little over a week away, so I'm waiting to take pictures until then. Also, I've been busy with schoolwork and I'm really lazy and don't feel like it.

Things are going well with my teeth, I suppose; I've developed a small gap on the top (left of my front teeth) which is bugging me each time I notice it in the mirror. So, I guess no de-bracing at my appointment, as I want no gaps! Other than that the top looks good, and the bottom still looks pretty good too. I guess I'll see what my ortho has to say when I go in! I'm getting anxious about having them off, that's for sure. I know many people here have been at this longer than me but for some reason the past few months the braces have really lost their novelty... I'm getting more and more irritated with food getting stuck, the long OTT cleaning process, blah blah blah, complain complain complain! I know it's not that bad and I hate to complain, I guess I'm just in one of those moods!

complain over! On to other things... school is keeping me really busy this quarter, and I have midterms coming up soon. Shortly after that I have three papers due (two 10-12 page, one 5-page) then it's on to finals. But the bright side is - I'm on track to graduate this December! Yay me!

I'm also looking forward to some upcoming vacations... I know, you all are saying, "didn't you just get back from one??" and yes, I did The next two trips are much smaller in scale and a little easier on the wallet! Hubby and I are taking the dog to the Outer Banks in North Carolina mid-June for a week (while I'm on a school break) to stay in a tiny beachfront bungalow with window units and 70's-style furnishings!. I think my mom is joining us for a bit on that one, as a thanks for watching the dog while we were just away in the Caribbean. Then, in September we go back to the Outer Banks with a few family members (mom, grandma, brother, cousin maybe...) and ALL the dogs (3) to stay in a big, beautiful beachfront house! I might just go in June and not come back, I'm really missing the sound of the ocean right now! Is it sad that I'm 25 and ready to retire?????? I turn 26 next month, does that make it better????

Look for pics next Monday - I promise I'll take some after my adjustment! Hopefully I'll have some news about de-bracing... good news, that is!

Thanks for reading!

Today was my 7th adjustment and I got quite a bit done! I have the same wires on top and bottom, but with a few extra bends. On the bottom, they re-did the bend to help close my gap, and put a bend in the center to eliminate the dreaded black triangle! Then they placed a powerchain on the two bottom teeth to help get them moving. On the top, I got a powerchain going across the top six to help pull them together and remove the little gaps I was worried about. In addition to that, I'm still in an elastic; Scandinavia triangle on the right side only. He doesn't seem too worried about how often I wear them; at first he said, "Just at night" then he said, "About 50% of the time" then he said, "Just wear them and if it hurts, take a break." Well ok then! The asst said if I wear them all day one day, then at night the next that should be good. I know I'll screw myself up trying to remember when I wore them all day and whatnot, so I think I'm going to do all day Monday, Wednesday and Friday, then nights the rest of the days.

There was no mention of debanding this appointment, and I didn't want to mention it and press my luck! I go back in six weeks, and I hope all of my little issues are taken care of by then. Maybe they will come off then... just in time for my trip to the beach!

Here are some pics of my current issues; everything else looks pretty much the same.

Here's my current smile:


Here's my top right gap. Very small, but there's no contact point.


Here's my top left gap. This one is a little bigger and can be noticed when I talk.


And here's my bottom gap where the kink in the wire is.


I couldn't get a pic of the "black triangle" since the powerchain is in the way. You all know what they look like!

Next month brings my one year braceaversary... it's really gone by quickly!

Thanks, Meryaten and KK! I feel like I might be getting close to the end, but I have to stop myself and say it hasn't been that long, how could I be so close??? I'm certainly glad I've responded to treatment so well, but it makes me wish I had done it sooner since it's been so easy!

Having that darn triangle elastic is a pain and I could really do without it. I think it's actually helping keep my bottom gap open, as it pulls one way while the wire pulls the other. I think that's why it hasn't closed yet...

I guess we will just have to see what the next six weeks brings!

Wow Jillian your teeth have come along quite a bit in just about a year. Congrats on hopefully having a "D" day soon!

Patricia

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Denise! I have to say, I'm a little embarrassed you remember mine, as I can't remember what date yours is! Please don't hold it against me!

I'm sure your laterals will scootch into place soon! My progress has been really quick, which scares me because I worry about relapse. But every day I think about how it's all been SO WORTH IT!

Wow! Lookin' great! I looked back at your first pics and your progress is awesome!

Jillian, Your teeth look absolutly fantastic and in just a short time. What time frame did the ortho give you originally?

Amazing results!

Happy one year braceaversary to me!

Wow. I really can't believe it's been a year already. I'm amazed at how fast time has gone by and how much progress I've made. It's incredible to think that I'm possibly almost done (ortho DID say bikini season....) or at the least that I'll be done in six months (he said no more than 18 months total)! I've learned so much from this site and through this journey, and I'm so glad I did it. I recently re-read my story from start to finish, and I can see the transition from "I-hate-these-@%$&*#-things" to "I've got 'em, might as well get used to it"! I'm so glad I made that transition, because it has helped in making it through the hard days and I'm sure has helped the day go faster! I honestly never thought I would get to the point that I didn't notice the braces 24/7, but I have. I wouldn't go so far as to say I LIKE them, but I'm GLAD I have them!

For evidence of why I'm glad I have them, here are pics from my first month compared to today. These pics were taken on my one-month mark; I don't have any from sooner than that.











All that with only braces and archwires! I had that blasted expander for I think about two days, so all that movement is just from the braces! I'm very lucky that I've responded to well to treatment, and I know I'm not the norm. If anyone is reading this and thinking of getting braces, or just got braces and is wondering if it is worth it... well look at the pics above! Of course it's worth it! I really think this is the best decision I've ever made for myself. Once the braces are gone I will have so much more confidence and less anxiety about social situations. I didn't have a lot of problems with those things before, but now there's none to be had!

The things I mentioned in my last post about the gaps in the front and my black triangle are closing nicely. The gaps have reduced a lot, and I can tell the powerchain is still doing it's job. The black triangle I THINK is getting smaller, but it's hard to see. My ortho put a bend in the wire to raise the teeth up, and a power chain to close the gap. Right now the teeth have moved up a lot (see pic below), but I can't tell for sure if the gap is closing. My other gap on the bottom is getting smaller, but I still think it will need to have a bracket re-positioned to get it fully closed. I'll mention that on my next appointment! Here's a pic of my "sticky up teeth" (the two lower front):



You can see they are a bit higher than the rest of the teeth on the bottom. I keep knocking them on my top teeth and get a twang of pain! Eh, I'll get over it!

Anyway, my next adjustment is June 11, just days before I go to the beach for a week. I'll be reminding my ortho if his "uppers off in time for bikini season" remark and see if maybe, just maybe I get a surprise partial debanding! I'm not counting on it, but positive thoughts my way can't hurt - so bring 'em on!

I want to say thanks to everyone on this site who has taken the time to answer my questions and others' questions. This site has been a huge help while I've been in braces, and I really wish I had found it sooner. Thanks especially to those of you who have kept up with my story and offered words of encouragement along the way!

They look fab they've made amazing progress in a year!

Your teeth look a similar kind of shape to mine, so your latest pic has given me something to look forward to.

Here's to you being topless in time for bikini season.

Here's to you being topless in time for bikini season.

I do, in fact, prefer to be topless for bikini season!