Joplin's Story (photos on page 12)

[joplin]

Pam, the problem is the lack of space on my arch: the method that was used in your case wouldn't work for me without making the space needed first = extracting #4's. Without doing so the hiding canines would need to be pulled straight forward towars my lip first, instead of down towards my lowers, and for that we would need forces only headgear could help create. I'm sorry, hitting the stupid language barrier again Thanks for giving it a though anyway
Only when we'd be sure those canines are actually moving we could extract the #4's and start pulling the canines down the way you described. The headgear method would only be a test drive to find out IF the canines are ever going to move in the first place.

Eleni, thanks

[anton02]

Just a little encouragement: You have already survived RPE. You will survive everything else. And if the headgear method is just a test drive, it will be definetely worth a trial, it won´t be for years

[joplin]

Here is a photo of my new appliance that replaced the palatal expander a week ago: (picture removed)

This is how my bite now looks in all its questionable glory :


Anyway it looks better now than when we started: in the beginning my midline was half a tooth's width off and the crossbite was a lot worse.
This photo is from September 2004:


I'm sorry about the poor light in the first two photos, but I hope they give you the idea of what's going on.

What do you think this appliace is? My ortho wants to call it a "palatal arch" but to me it looks like a quad helix. Those "arms" against my premolars and molars are supposed to push one or two teeth further outwards.
This appliance i giving my tongue a hard time, but not as much as the RPE used to.

The rest of my image gallery can be viewed at http://www.geocities.com/jopliini/photos.html

[Dr. Randall]

The appliance is a W arch. There is another name for it that I just can't think of right now. It works like a quad helix, but without the loops in it, it generates more force than a quad helix would. Looking at your pictures, I have a tough time seeing how you could fit all of the teeth in. I think that extractions of some sort are in your future. If I remember correctly, your panorex showed that the canines are in a pretty decent position and I could certainly justify the removal of premolars to get the canines into position. That is the best I can giveyou with the information that I have.

Randall

[drrick]

prob ext's in your future.

[joplin]

So the W arch is not as uncomfortable as a quad helix and is more effective at the same time - sounds like a good deal
Any idea how long one of these is usually worn, anyone? After all I've had the actual palatal expansion completed with a regular RPE by now. I forgot to ask my ortho and my next appointment is 5 weeks away.

[joplin]

I met the oral surgeon today. He thinks removing the impacted canines probably is the safest way to go in my case. By my panorex and examining my mouth he could not tell how those canines are situated exactly and what kind of procedure will be needed to get them out, so he sent me off to have some more x-rays taken, "scanora" says the referral. That should tell in more detail the positioning of the impacted teeth and their relations to the roots of the teeth next door.

Those x-rays will be taken next Monday and I won't hear the OS's comments on them until later in March. The waiting game continues, but in a way I'm relieved: gives me more time to adjust to the idea of really letting my canines go.

The OS said he would rather remove the canines and the remaining two lower wisdom teeth in one session: one appointment, one recovery. Anyway I heard myself say I might like to get rid of those wisdom teeth first, to make at least something happen while the destiny of the canines is pending. The OS said those w-teeth seem like a "regular case" with nothing special to worry about, so I thought why not get it over with asap.
I can't believe myself: I used to have a huge fear of dental treatments and here I am asking for some

The OS both surgeries can be done in local anesthesia, but to me he recommended some sedative medication to take care of the anxiety, because I do have a tendency to be nervous and scared about such procedures. True. So no general anestehesia is necessarily needed, which sounds good to me.

"How long will such procedures take?", I asked.
The OS smiled (I guess people always ask this question) and said "the wisdom teeth will be removed in 22 minutes and if we remove the canines too, together the whole treatment should be done within one hour".
I said "Oh I thought it would take longer to remove those canines, isn't it a difficult operation?".
He said "Yes, it is, but I've had a lot of practise".

He told me had removed 200-300 pairs of canines during his career! Boy, at least that many brothers and sisters are walking out there without their canines! Add all other oral surgeons' patients and there is a lot more than that. Somehow I find that comforting.
He also mentioned a couple of celebrities with missing teeth (laterals or even a front tooth) and asked if I had noticed anything strange about their smiles. Nope, can't say I would have. That too is comforting. Well, none of them lacked any canines though

More plans will be made on basis of those scanora pictures, so again I'm just holding on.

Patience, oh patience, stick with me!

[Katypooh]

Wow - still more waiting! But as you say, at least you have time to get your head round what is needed, and once those pesky canines are out, you can get on with your treatment and not worry about them any more!
(I know, easier said than done...)

I'm glad your surgeon said he has had lots of practise - that would make me feel a WHOLE LOT better I think!

So Joplin, dish the dirt, which celebs are missing which teeth?

The only "ortho-celeb-gossip" I ever got, is apparently my orthodontist was speaking to Kylie Minogues orthodonist, and he said he had a lot of trouble gettting it to look right because she has disproportionally large teeth!

Katy

[joplin]

You're right, Katy. As long as those canines are in there they will keep haunting me and stopping us from starting the braces part of the fun. The day they are out - and all the teeth that should remain in still remain in! - things should get going.

Yes, this OS is a very nice guy, I like him and trust him. He's the one who did my SARPE + one wisdom tooth removal and I 've been very pleased with his work so far.

Finnish celebrities probably wouldn't ring any of your bells but let's say one former prime minister was mentioned. He only had one front tooth.

[Dodger(UK)]

Those canine's have proven very troublesome for you joplin - Shame they can't be brought down, but as it's a very complex case, maybe it would be best to get them taken out, and then crack on with the rest of your orthodontic treatment, and getting your teeth nice and straight.

[EyeSpy21]

Great, Joplin, that things are beginning to move along now. So the next x-rays will determine whether the teeth will be removed from in front or behind the arch?

As for no general anaesthetic... you brave woman! I'll opt for knocked out thanks, I don't want to know anything about it!

[joplin]

EyeSpy, yes, that, and I'm hoping those x-rays will tell also more about their behaviour in the aspect of whether or not they could be moved instead of removed.... Yeah, I'm still not letting go of the remote possibility of having them brought down after all It's funny how I'm suddenly so attached to something I've never had, don't you think???

On the other hand, my first bicuspids are nowadays looking rather caninelike as they've been pushed outwards and forward. They actually could pass for canines, if you don't pay educated attention to them. I hope to be able to send a fresh smile photo soon to show what I mean. The one in the avatar is not valid anymore, in a good sense, mind you
I'm trying to say that it's not the cosmetic image I'm too worried about, but what my bite lacks without having the canines in their right places.

Well, those x-ray pictures can tell a lot, like maybe the canines are in such bad positions that removing them may seem like bad idea in the end of the day, but this is all just guessing. Better let the pictures tell their story.

I swear I'm not a brave woman, anything but! I've had a severe fear of dentists all my life, until recently when I've been a regular customer, at times on a weekly basis. The simple truth is I'm more scared of the anesthesia itself, and I have a hard time reasoning the fear away. I do hate the idea of being awake through it all, that's obvious, but the idea of being knocked unconscious freaks me out. The SARPE surgery went fine and all , but still... I trust my oral surgeon, and if he thinks I can pull through with the help of IV-sedation and local anestehesia only, I opt to believe him.

If I really pull through all the surgery parts in flying colors, boy will the actual orthodontics part seem like kids' stuff, I'm sure!

[Katypooh]

But thats exactly why you ARE brave! I have (had?) a severe fear of dentist and also of anaesthesia too (it must be common!), and to be able to overcome that fear and go to the dentist and find out about scary procedures and hear things you don't want to hear, put yourself through SARPE is very brave indeed!

Someone who isn't scared of dentist isn't being brave by going to one are they?

Don't underestimate what you've already achieved personally by dealing these fears and getting on with it.

Go girl!

Katy

[Kathy in VA]

Wow! I just got done reading all six pages of this thread and I am impressed with what you've been through since September. That palatal expander has done quite a bit even though it hasn't given you enough room for the canines.

Good luck with your surgery. I had my wisdom teeth removed under local anesthesia as well and didn't think it was much fun. Do take the sedative. I think it will help.

[joplin]

....and the journey is still in the beginning!
Yes, looking back now I'm pleased with the RPE result even though it was a tough ride and did not solve the canine issue. My teeth are still a mess but I like my new facial figure more now. Goodbye sunk in mouth area, and HELLO my new cheek bones Nice bonuses, I think.