Meemoo's journey

[Meemoo]

Hey all,

I thought it'd be a good idea to chronicle my experiences and share them with like minded people, so here I am! Unfortunately I don't have any pics at this stage (ortho still has them all) but I'll be getting an official copy of my treatment plan soon and hopefully they'll put my pics in there.

I'm 28 and have decided to get braces to fix a few problems that bug me - my teeth are way too crooked in the front and it makes me self-conscious. The big problem is that one of my lower incisors is way out of line and it's pushed the top front tooth out to a horrible angle. Also, my bottom teeth are constantly hitting on my soft palate every time I fully close my mouth and my lower jaw is too far back, which makes me feel really uncomfortable.

Yesterday was my appointment with my orthodontist to get all my options and they recommended three different treatments. The first was to get braces on my upper to cosmetically straighten my teeth but it wouldn't fix any of my bite issues, and there's a chance my teeth will relapse even with retainers, due to the bottom tooth being so far out of place. The seond choice is to have braces upper and lower in order to straighten the teeth and improve the bite. Four extractions will be needed to do so. The last option was to have the braces and also lower jaw surgery in order to get my profile looking perfect.

I'm going for the second option - the extractions plus upper and lower braces. I'm not going to go through surgery if it's just for perfecting, not actually fixing anything. I have the choice of full metal, full ceramic, or ceramic upper and metal lower. Due to the cost, I'm thinking full metal ($5800) as ceramic is an extra $750 per arch. I'll also have to pay an extra $880 at the retainer stage and I'll need Hawleys due to the way that they have to extrude my molars with the braces.

Invisalign and linguals were an option if I really wanted but they were very honest and said that they wouldn't do as good a job as the standards. If I went the Invisalign route, they'd have to put traditional braces on for 3-6 months anyway. Apparently, the linguals wouldn't be able to put force on the teeth as well as they need also.

Today, I called my dentist to organise the extractions. Lucky I did as they're booked out for a month due to the upcoming school holidays. I'm getting the extraction consultation on the 20th April and extractions will likely be happening on the 7th May. They want to use sedation to do it as so many are coming out at one time.

So, all going well, my braces should be going on before the end of May! (The ortho wants braces on 2 weeks after the extraction).

My total treatment time is estimated to be 12-14 months Absolutely delighted by that considering what the average treatment time is!

[Meemoo]

It's starting to feel like ages before anything actually gets started - still over a month til I even get the extractions.

I just want things to start now 'cause the sooner it starts, the sooner it's all over with! And the sooner I'll stop obsessing and settling into a new routine.

One good thing is that now I know my teeth are getting fixed, I'm less paranoid about what I do to my teeth haha.

[Meemoo]

Thank you againbrace

I'm updating as I have my pics to show you all the issues with my teeth. Also, my consultation re extractions has been moved forward to the 13th April so I may have the braces on a little sooner than I thought, depending on when the dentist can actually fit me in.

Here are my pics



I'm hopeful that that'll mean a very good outcome when the braces are done.

[catgyrl]

Good luck to you, Meemoo! You teeth/overjet look a lot like mine, and we have a similar treatment plan (upper and lower metals w/extractions, though mine is just one... I HOPE!) I got my brackets and wires done already, except for the one tooth that's going to be yanked.

Yes, you will find that the anticipation is the longest, most stressful part. I tell you, the night before I got my braces (last week), after 2 weeks of waiting, I was utterly EXHAUSTED. I didn't have to worry about sleeping well that night because I was so tired, I slept like a baby.

Thanks for sharing your pics, and I hope to see more. Good luck with your extractions and braces!

-Cathy

[Meemoo]

Thanks catgyrl - and yes, the waiting is the most annoying part!

Amazing to think that the only actual visible sign of my problems is two crooked teeth lol.

[Meemoo]

Quick update!

Extractions are being done on 28 May, separators go in on the 9 June and brace day is the 16 June!

[Princess Kaguya]

Sounds like we are going to be on similar timelines. It's comforting to know that we will be going through similar treatments together.

[Meemoo]

Ahhh my teeth get extracted on Friday - 3 days time! Bit nervous 'cause four premolars are going - I hope it's the right move.

[Jay04]

Good luck with your extractions. I had two out on Friday. It's not so bad, it's just waiting for them to heal which is annoying. I hate getting food stuck in the gaps where my teeth once were. My family found it amusing watching me trying to eat at first too. I'll just say it wasn't very successful in my case! Haha. I guess I should have worked my way back up to solid foods.

[Meemoo]

Extractions are done! I look like something out of a horror movie the way my mouth keeps bleeding lol.

It wasn't painful but it was rather unpleasant - especially my top ones 'cause they had to do so much manipulating to get them out. Deep roots and stubborn teeth it appears!

It's so odd feeling such giant gaps - there's certainly plenty of room in my mouth now

I got to keep my teeth too!

[Meemoo]

And today the spacers went in. They don't feel so bad, at least not yet. Definitely not as awful as I was expecting!

Exactly one week til I get braced - 2pm 16th June. I'm planning on asking for purple ligs if I'm getting the metal braces that use them. May as well have fun with my "full metal brackets" hehe.

[ninath1]

Hi there Meemoo!

My front upper teeth are exactly like yours! But my lowers are a lot more crooked than yours. I've got serious overcrowding going on! And I'm going to the Ortho on the 16th June at 2.50pm - just after you, but he said he is only going to glue the brackets on on this visit and I will have to wait a week before the wires go on.

Has your Ortho indicated how long it will take to get that naughtly little over-lapper in the front to fall into line?? My Ortho is very, very nice but very, very non-commital!

Good luck on Wednesday - hope it goes well for you!

[Meemoo]

Thanks Ninath! I've been quoted a total treatment time of 12-14 months, so I'm hoping the uppers will straighten within a few months Did you have to have extractions for yours? I was kind of surprised to learn that I'd need 4 taken out but I'm trusting it's the right thing to do.

In other news, my parents have ponied up for part of the deposit so the funding won't be as difficult as I thought it'd be (It's a 3k deposit but with health fund and my parents helping, I should only have to find 1.1k or thereabouts with any luck )

Can't believe there's only 2 days to go! And that my BF and his family want to go to a steakhouse on the very first night they go on! It's gonna suck sitting there eating soup...if I even go lol.

[ninath1]

Yes Meemoo I had my pre-molars top and bottom taken out (eeww) and to be honest, I can't at this point think how the gaps will ever be filled as I didn't think I needed THAT much space in my mouth, but from reading lots of others threads, losing your pre-molars seems to be the norm???

Roll on tommorow (Tuesday) and I can finally get this brace show on the road!

Good luck Meemoo!

[Meemoo]

I think the same thing - there's a hell of a lot of space now that my extractions are done - do I really need that much?!

I'm hoping it doesn't take me long to get used to the braces 'cause I have plans to go to a steakhouse 8 days after they go on and I don't want to be stuck on soups and fries while I can see others enjoying delicious steak!