Smilehope's story

[drbucky]

Wow - your progress pics look amazing!

[Angel269]

Look forward to seeing your updated progress Smilehope.

[smilehope]

Still ouch. It's funny how you can spend 6 weeks between appointments and think not much has happened, yet things have progressed to another stage of treatment. Serves me right for staring at my teeth too much!






After a year I've finally worked out how to post pics bigger than a thumbnail. Not sure it's a good thing. I'm going to my regular dentist for a clean next month. I miss my electric toothbrush - my teeth never stained when I used it! Ortho wanted me to use manual ortho toothbrush (although to be fair I never asked him if I could use my electric one!)

[plugnickel69]

It' s amazing how well bonding can work for that triangle between you incisors. I had it done about 15 years ago and you would never know.

[jem]

Hi Smilehope,

Your teeth are looking ever better. You must now have a good idea of what the end result will look like. I hope the big new wires are not giving you too much grief.

I have a similar figure 8 arrangement of white ligature wire spanning 3 of my incisors. My ortho called it a holding wire and it is there to stop my IPR gaps which were closed by powerchains reopening. I have had it for about 5 months and it hasn't been a problem to keep clean or otherwise. I can get an interdental brush easily between it and my teeth and my archwire.

I think orthos also wire teeth together like this to move them en bloc, so if you have any element of overjet, you may find yourself in elastics to pull all six teeth backwards together.

Best wishes

Jem

[smilehope]

Thanks, guys. I'm not too worried about the huge black triangle yet. I don't think it shows with normal talking or smiling - only when I laugh (or do cheesy grin for camera). My teeth have a lot of moving to do, and as Jem says, they'll all come back inwards together - when my gaps start closing (I haven't got powerchains on them yet). I think they might just be ok. My 2 front incisors are still a bit angled in yet.
Generally it's not too bad a stage to be at. My smile is so much better than before braces, that the braces are now less bad than the wonky teeth were. Good for confidence.

[Angel269]

They look great. Good to see that things are progresing nicely

[jem]

Hi Smilehope,

When my 2 central incisors had straightened up, I had a small triangle between them. I needed IPR anyway for space at the front so my ortho did some IPR between the two centrals which got rid of the triangle when the IPR gap was closed with a powerchain. Maybe your ortho can do a little IPR to help straighten out those edges? I appreciate that having had extractions, you have no to find space.

I have enjoyed seeing the great strides you have made in each set of progress pics and I look forward to seeing the next ones.

Jem

[Flossify]

Hi

Smilehope your pics look great! Thanks for sending me a pm, at the moment I'm a newbie so not allowed to read it or send one back yet but I will reply after a few more posts!

Thanks!

[smilehope]

Does anyone find it never pays to guess what will happen next? I was assuming I'd get powerchains for my extraction gaps, but I've joined the elastics club instead. I think I have got away lightly though, as my elastics go along not between my wires. I had hooks added to my upper wires in front of my canines, but as they don't stick up like bracket hooks do, they don't rub. I'll try & do pics tomorrow if I get to the computer.

Oh, and the elastics don't hurt at all. "Gentle but steady pressure" ortho said. I can't wait to see how fast the gaps close!

[plugnickel69]

I miss my electric toothbrush - my teeth never stained when I used it! Ortho wanted me to use manual ortho toothbrush (although to be fair I never asked him if I could use my electric one!)

So use your electric toothbrush!!! Why wouldn't you ask your ortho? The worst he could say is don't use it.

[smilehope]

Ok, so here are the latest pics, with new hardware. I really can't believe it's been nearly a year. For anyone just starting out - it does go really quickly!


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[smilehope]

Shame my pearl ligs have already stained - I was staying with my mum, and the evening of my appointment this week she cooked curry!

[jem]

Great progress in a year, Smilehope. Your bottom teeth look just about finished. Presumably your remaining time will be closing those gaps and making sure your bite works well?

Jem

[smilehope]

Thanks, Jem. Nothing seems to have happened with my lowers for ages - but there are still some gaps between my incisors and the midline is way off to the left. I'm assuming he'll address those things later when my gaps are closed and he's working on the bite.

I'm trying not to worry about the bite yet - I suppose it'll be a few months to close my gaps. At the moment I can bite better than ever, but only if I shift my lower jaw back which then isn't the right position for my TMJs, so my jaw is aching quite a bit.

I'm planning to take up the hobby of watching paint dry, as a fast-paced passtime!