Catgyrl:
I stumbled upon your story after following the "Do's and don'ts for Unbraced People." I'm now unbraced but had a three and a half year brace adventure. You seem to be trying to have fun with this. That's good. There's bits of the process that is unnerving (why is my treatment going longer than expected ?), but it is a good thing especially if you were always aware of your teeth. I went from being ashamed of my smile to being proud to show off my wires and brackets. Now I'm quite willing to show my smile.
Enjoy the excitement of movement and a smile forming. There will come a time, when things will slow to a crawl. Take heed that every journey has its fast and its slow parts. Enjoy each one. Be proud of what you're doing.
This is a good thing. Remember one bit of wisdom throughout. This is not something being done to you. This is something being done for you.
The best of luck to you.
Mike
Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...
Moderator: bbsadmin
Hey iBorg/Mike!
Thanks so much for checking out my story. First off, I have to get this out of the way: I LOVE ALF!!! Every time I see one of your posts with your avatar, I smile.
Okay, back on topic. I really am trying to have fun with this process. Had I not ended up with self-ligating brackets, I'd probably be sporting hot pink ligs! Funny, isn't it, how self-conscious of my smile I was prior to getting braces... and now I can't stop smiling. You are absolutely right: this is not something being done TO me; it's something I'm doing FOR myself. Many people don't understand that, and personally, most of the time I don't have the time or inclination to try to explain it to them. In the past 2 months, I have come across exactly ONE person who was genuinely interested in braces, and who asked intelligent questions.
Three-and-a-half years? My... you are a patient man. I have a feeling mine might take longer than normal to actually see big results, since they weren't that crooked to begin with. But I've had this overjet for so long, I cannot picture what I'll look like without it. I'm excited...!
I'm sure the fun will start once I start getting powerchains and elastics. I see the ortho on Friday. I'm such a freak - I'm looking forward to it!
-Cathy
Thanks so much for checking out my story. First off, I have to get this out of the way: I LOVE ALF!!! Every time I see one of your posts with your avatar, I smile.
Okay, back on topic. I really am trying to have fun with this process. Had I not ended up with self-ligating brackets, I'd probably be sporting hot pink ligs! Funny, isn't it, how self-conscious of my smile I was prior to getting braces... and now I can't stop smiling. You are absolutely right: this is not something being done TO me; it's something I'm doing FOR myself. Many people don't understand that, and personally, most of the time I don't have the time or inclination to try to explain it to them. In the past 2 months, I have come across exactly ONE person who was genuinely interested in braces, and who asked intelligent questions.
Three-and-a-half years? My... you are a patient man. I have a feeling mine might take longer than normal to actually see big results, since they weren't that crooked to begin with. But I've had this overjet for so long, I cannot picture what I'll look like without it. I'm excited...!
I'm sure the fun will start once I start getting powerchains and elastics. I see the ortho on Friday. I'm such a freak - I'm looking forward to it!
-Cathy
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Under Construction
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:25 pm
Why, thank you! I'll take any little bit of improvement I can get. The bottom arch is really the only super-visible improvement I can see. The rest, I think, is wishful thinking. LOL!Under Construction wrote:WOW! Your pictures are amazing! I can't believe how much your bottom arch has rounded out since you started! It looks so great! I can't wait to get my bottoms on too so my smile will be nice and wide and beautiful!
Great stuff, Cathy. You must be so happy! Now let's get our gaps closing!
No kidding - LET'S GET THESE GAPS CLOSED!!! I'm so anxious and excited to get that started, I actually called my ortho's office today to see if they would be able to tell me if I'd actually be getting powerchains on Friday. Alas... they were closed.
My gap hole is almost closed, so I don't see any reason why they can't put one on. You're lucky your gap is narrower than mine.I hope so, Ken. I was wondering if, after my front teeth are pulled back and over, my top lip might just cover my teeth completely. I sure hope not. Then I'd have a wide smile with no teeth showing. haha
I still can't fathom how they're going to fill up that huge hole on my left side, when my midline isn't nearly as off as the width of that gap. I guess it will be a combination of moving my back teeth forward, and my front teeth back?
For kicks, I called my ortho's office and asked if they had any before/after pictures of their patients, and they said that they don't because they don't want people to have "unrealistic expectations" of what their teeth might look like afterward.
Then I'd have a wide smile with no teeth showing. hahaI still can't fathom how they're going to fill up that huge hole on my left side, when my midline isn't nearly as off as the width of that gap. I guess it will be a combination of moving my back teeth forward, and my front teeth back?
For kicks, I called my ortho's office and asked if they had any before/after pictures of their patients, and they said that they don't because they don't want people to have "unrealistic expectations" of what their teeth might look like afterward.
things are looking oh so great for you cathy. congrats you must be pretty darn excited. It hink it's interesting how I am noticing more movement on your bottoms yet you have the thinner wire there. That's what I have and i guess i under estimate them 
great job!
great job!
My Brace Story:
http://archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.p ... highlight=
1st Adjustment: 6/12/10-wire .014, top n bottom
follow my blog @ http://www.honneyinthesun.com
Thanks, cosmo! I guess maybe because my bottom teeth were the most "crooked", so they're the ones that responded quicker than the others. I went for my 2nd adjustment today (see story below), and he said I probably wouldn't see much difference to the top until my teeth start moving over and back.cosmo wrote:things are looking oh so great for you cathy. congrats you must be pretty darn excited. It hink it's interesting how I am noticing more movement on your bottoms yet you have the thinner wire there. That's what I have and i guess i under estimate them
ELASTIC – FINALLY!!!
Went in for my first cleaning since being braced, and I must admit… it was one of the more pain-FREE cleanings I’ve ever had. She said that my diligence in flossing really paid off because my tartar buildup was only very mild as compared to how it used to be. Teeth came out nice and clean.
On my way out, I passed by my ortho’s office (next door) and saw they were still open at 3:30 PM. On a whim, I went in and asked if they had time to do my adjustment today instead of 7:00 AM tomorrow morning, as originally scheduled. Turns out they had just enough time before the next patient, so they took me in. He looked at my teeth and said, “Hmmm… getting straight!” I said, “Where?” He laughed and said, “You don’t see it?” I told him I look at them every day and I only see improvement on the bottom. He said I probably wouldn’t see much change in the top until he started moving my teeth over.
They changed my wires again (Top: .016/.022 with the stops around the left central incisor; Bottom: .014/.025 with one stop.) She hadn’t even closed the brackets and I could feel the difference. She gave me an evil laugh… I think she gleans great pleasure out of torturing us.
He then attached a hook to my upper left canine bracket and I got… AN ELASTIC!! I’m so stoked! I'm such a DORK, but am so happy to finally get this show on the road. He was kind enough… this time… to inform me that the little yellow dot on the hook will fade away with brushing. (Thanks doc… coulda told me that when ALL of my brackets had those little dots on them in the beginning!) LOL!
He said that he’d check me in 4 weeks, and then he may start me on elastics. Now I know how he'll do that with my lower brackets that don't currently have hooks – he’ll just attach them when the time comes. Cool – kinda like Legos, you can just build on.
Here’s a pic (click for larger view):
Went in for my first cleaning since being braced, and I must admit… it was one of the more pain-FREE cleanings I’ve ever had. She said that my diligence in flossing really paid off because my tartar buildup was only very mild as compared to how it used to be. Teeth came out nice and clean.
On my way out, I passed by my ortho’s office (next door) and saw they were still open at 3:30 PM. On a whim, I went in and asked if they had time to do my adjustment today instead of 7:00 AM tomorrow morning, as originally scheduled. Turns out they had just enough time before the next patient, so they took me in. He looked at my teeth and said, “Hmmm… getting straight!” I said, “Where?” He laughed and said, “You don’t see it?” I told him I look at them every day and I only see improvement on the bottom. He said I probably wouldn’t see much change in the top until he started moving my teeth over.
They changed my wires again (Top: .016/.022 with the stops around the left central incisor; Bottom: .014/.025 with one stop.) She hadn’t even closed the brackets and I could feel the difference. She gave me an evil laugh… I think she gleans great pleasure out of torturing us.
He then attached a hook to my upper left canine bracket and I got… AN ELASTIC!! I’m so stoked! I'm such a DORK, but am so happy to finally get this show on the road. He was kind enough… this time… to inform me that the little yellow dot on the hook will fade away with brushing. (Thanks doc… coulda told me that when ALL of my brackets had those little dots on them in the beginning!) LOL!
He said that he’d check me in 4 weeks, and then he may start me on elastics. Now I know how he'll do that with my lower brackets that don't currently have hooks – he’ll just attach them when the time comes. Cool – kinda like Legos, you can just build on.
Here’s a pic (click for larger view):
I thought every ortho office took before and afters....? Mine did. I don't see how seeing them would give anybody an 'unrealistic' expectation, everybody has a different mouth lol. It's actually nice to see examples of treatment that look great when finished that look similar to how you're starting because then at least you know it's correctable and you have a reasonable expectation that the results will be okay...For kicks, I called my ortho's office and asked if they had any before/after pictures of their patients, and they said that they don't because they don't want people to have "unrealistic expectations" of what their teeth might look like afterward.
whoa whoa!! me likey the lego lol. The new wire size seems thinner the the .018 or am I worng and they are thicker? I am glad you decided to stop by and just get over and done with. I can't wait to see what these elastics do for you. Thanks for the great pics.
My Brace Story:
http://archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.p ... highlight=
1st Adjustment: 6/12/10-wire .014, top n bottom
follow my blog @ http://www.honneyinthesun.com
alimommy1
I agree with you. They actually DO take before pics of each patient; I guess they just don't put them together in a folder for others to see. My ortho office is a very odd one. If I went in there and didn't say a word... they probably wouldn't say much, either. There's an atmosphere of "business only" and no socializing, per the office manager (ortho's wife). Being the semi-rebel that I am, I would really like to say something to them about it, but... they're the ones working on my teeth and I don't want to ruffle their feathers, lest they decide to "accidentally" hit a sore tooth, or something.
Ken & Cosmo
I thought it was amazing the way they were able to just poke the hook in one of the open spaces in the top of the bracket. I was kind of wondering why there were so many open areas there, giving that they're SL brackets and don't need ligatures to go in there. Now I know! I'm gonna have LEGO TEETH by the end of all this.
Cosmo - as for the size of the wire, it may be skinner (not really sure), but it sure FEELS heavier. Where it used to look almost straight on the bottom now looks like a baby roller coaster.
By the way... my teeth are freakin' KILLING me this morning; even worse than my first day of braces. And my bite is totally screwed again, too.
My hygeinist thought I had worked in an orthodontist's office before, given that I knew so much about it. I told her "Nope - just researched the internet and I post on a wonderful message board that gives me more advice than my ortho ever could."
-Cathy
I agree with you. They actually DO take before pics of each patient; I guess they just don't put them together in a folder for others to see. My ortho office is a very odd one. If I went in there and didn't say a word... they probably wouldn't say much, either. There's an atmosphere of "business only" and no socializing, per the office manager (ortho's wife). Being the semi-rebel that I am, I would really like to say something to them about it, but... they're the ones working on my teeth and I don't want to ruffle their feathers, lest they decide to "accidentally" hit a sore tooth, or something.
Ken & Cosmo
I thought it was amazing the way they were able to just poke the hook in one of the open spaces in the top of the bracket. I was kind of wondering why there were so many open areas there, giving that they're SL brackets and don't need ligatures to go in there. Now I know! I'm gonna have LEGO TEETH by the end of all this.
Cosmo - as for the size of the wire, it may be skinner (not really sure), but it sure FEELS heavier. Where it used to look almost straight on the bottom now looks like a baby roller coaster.
By the way... my teeth are freakin' KILLING me this morning; even worse than my first day of braces. And my bite is totally screwed again, too.
My hygeinist thought I had worked in an orthodontist's office before, given that I knew so much about it. I told her "Nope - just researched the internet and I post on a wonderful message board that gives me more advice than my ortho ever could."
-Cathy
wooho! archedwire! no kidding, i now know terms and stuff that I didn't know until I joined this forum.
Aw man, I was so escited that my wires was straightening out i didn't know that putting on a new one can make it look like a rollercoaster again I just want the wire to be straight.
no kidding, i now know terms and stuff that I didn't know until I joined this forum.Aw man, I was so escited that my wires was straightening out i didn't know that putting on a new one can make it look like a rollercoaster again
I just want the wire to be straight. My Brace Story:
http://archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.p ... highlight=
1st Adjustment: 6/12/10-wire .014, top n bottom
follow my blog @ http://www.honneyinthesun.com
Hi Cathy
Sorry to hear about your discomfort with the new wire. I recently got a new one myself, so I know kinda how you feel....but that's what keeps 'em moving. I don't mind the pain so much when you can see movement!
Interesting to hear about your 'lego" arrangement...I guess that answers a lot of questions we had about how your ortho was going to fasten things.
Have fun with your one elastic. I must be a dork too, cause I can't wait for elastics either...
Mike
Second Time In Braces - Estimate 12-14 Months
Sorry to hear about your discomfort with the new wire.
I recently got a new one myself, so I know kinda how you feel....but that's what keeps 'em moving. I don't mind the pain so much when you can see movement!Interesting to hear about your 'lego" arrangement...I guess that answers a lot of questions we had about how your ortho was going to fasten things.
Have fun with your one elastic. I must be a dork too, cause I can't wait for elastics either...Mike
Second Time In Braces - Estimate 12-14 Months
Thanks, Mike!
I'm used to the new wire now, but my bite sure has shifted. Before, when he would tell me to "bite down", I'd really have to make a concerted effort to line up the back teeth, which made my front ones stick out more. Now, I can almost just "bite down" normally, without much effort. I noticed that the elastic is working at closing the gap, albeit verrrrryyyyy slowly.
My next appointment was scheduled 2 days before an 80's concert here, so I called them back to reschedule. I don't want to be trying to get used to elastics and new wires, while trying to sing and dance!
-Cathy
I'm used to the new wire now, but my bite sure has shifted. Before, when he would tell me to "bite down", I'd really have to make a concerted effort to line up the back teeth, which made my front ones stick out more. Now, I can almost just "bite down" normally, without much effort. I noticed that the elastic is working at closing the gap, albeit verrrrryyyyy slowly.
My next appointment was scheduled 2 days before an 80's concert here, so I called them back to reschedule. I don't want to be trying to get used to elastics and new wires, while trying to sing and dance!
-Cathy