Carriere, Lingual Arch, Ceramic Braces at 58

[KayKay]

I've wondered about getting braces for a while. I didn't need them as a teen - I had gorgeous teeth. But had some oddities in my mouth. For one - I have an extra bicuspid on the top left. It was healthy and fully rooted and so at some point a dentist decided to pull a molar in the back to keep the extra bicuspid since my bite looked good with it. The pulling of the molar left a bit of room in the back that went unnoticed until my 20's when my wisdom teeth arrived in place. And now, with an extra big "molar" (err, wisdom tooth) and an extra bicuspid, I have far too many teeth causing a tooth in the front to turn crooked and causing my bite to hurt on occasion.

My vanity was in place to begin with. I hate this crooked tooth where it was straight in my youth. And the bite is annoying - I've been chewing on my right side for years. But even with that, I consulted my dentist who sent me to an ortho to discuss my options. We all thought he would pull that extra tooth.

Not so. Instead, a lingual arch and carriere' with elastics will pull all those teeth back further into my mouth. Two things the ortho said (I think, if I remember well enough in my foggy old lady brain) - He doesn't like pulling teeth of older people. You just never know when I will need an extra tooth, he said. They might be dependent on each other after all these years. And second, it is more work to fix the bite with a gigantic gap. At this point, it should be an easy fix.

The lingual arch and carriere' were installed after 2 weeks of spacers - just on the left side. Eating is a chore. In fact in the first 10 weeks of the lingual arch, I lost 10 pounds. I could afford to lose it but it is not an ideal diet system.

I'm scheduled for my braces on January 21 and I'm looking forward to it. I think. Although now I'm not sure after reading karencoutts blog posts about her ordeal.

My concern even before I get my braces - even with the current set up in my mouth, eating is a chore - not only because they are sore and hurt but because nothing in my mouth feels like it fits anymore.

My bite feels off. My teeth feel "taller" or perhaps the bite is hitter closer to the front of my mouth instead of the back (?). At any rate, it is a bit alarming to me. Is this ok? Will I regret this braces decision when this is finished because my bite no longer matches up at all? Will I wither away more poundage?

Wax: I use two different kinds. I use the silicone wax on the spiky bands that are for holding the elastics. I wear the silicon there automatically 24/7 because those spiky things feel like I have a pinecone in my mouth. Ouch, eh? I use a white, fat regular wax in about a 1 inch rope, softened and applied to the top of my carriere'. I learned the first few days that without a padding above the bar - my cheek is torn up from the "low profile" of the carriere'. Which bugs me. Or apparently I have fat chunky cheeks which grab the bar and irritate the inner lining of my mouth.

I'd like to try to come back and update my journey as I can.

Until then I will ponder these questions:

Is it ok that my teeth attached to the carriere' feel like they are moving? Slightly wiggly?

Is it ok that my lingual arch on my right side (the only side I can bite down on to tear at soft foods) seems flatter against my teeth than the left side which seems to be willing to stand straight up and my tongue can't leave it alone?

Is it ok that my bite is already "off" and I'm fretting about food in the future?

[arciedee]

I started my journey with Carriere distalizers, too. I think some wiggliness in the teeth is normal (your teeth ARE being moved, after all), but based on my experience, keep an eye on it. I ended up with my upper canines (which the front pads of the distalizers were attached to) becoming over-extruded. It added another level of adventure to my experience. So if things start feeling extra wiggly or you notice a lot of tooth sensitivity, don't ignore it like I did... bring it to your ortho's attention and get it checked out.

As for the lingual arch, mine never felt quite right and somehow the molars it was attached to got over-extruded as well. Eating was really a chore by the end of my distalizer experience! I ended up with an open bite in the front and none of the back teeth seemed to meet up to grind food properly. The good news is that once I got the distalizers and LLA off my bite started to settle down and it's been much easier to bite and chew since. I think once you get into braces things will start to feel much, much better! The worst part (in my estimation!) is almost over!

Congratulations on taking the steps to a new smile... it can feel like an extraordinarily long and tumultuous journey at times, but it's worth it!

[KayKay]

Oh thank you! That is encouraging to hear. I didn't know if braces (Mine will be clear ceramic) will be a worse experience or easier. I thought the lingual arch will stay on for part of the initial braces portion but perhaps I misunderstood. I'll know soon enough though since I have a little over 2 weeks to go before they go on.

And sounds like what you are describing is similar to my own concerns. The longer this carriere' and elastics have been in - the weirder my bite has become!

You said this: I ended up with an open bite in the front and none of the back teeth seemed to meet up to grind food properly.

I'm not sure what an "open bite in front" might be - but when I take out my elastics, my bite feels crooked mainly because my left side bicuspids hit but the molars in the back don't - In fact when I bite down, I can't bite both sides at the same time and have anything match - My molars (with the bands) feel taller. Add to that - when I bite down carefullly and watch in the mirror, my front teeth appear to now almost hit - when I had a regular upper over bottom connection. (I'm not sure about vocabulary yet - learning about all this as I go!)

Thankfully I only have one carriere' (on my upper left) since that was the side he has to move back into place.

Thanks for posting to my questions.

[KayKay]

Oh one more question: Water pik. Is there a particular style/feature that everyone likes? I've been somewhat successful with hygiene so far but with braces coming soon - I want to be prepared!

[KayKay]

Super excited. My dentist office called. They have a cancellation tomorrow afternoon so I can get in for a teeth cleaning before the braces go on. I discovered I was scheduled for teeth cleaning the week after my braces go on. Thankfully this was changed. Yay!

[KayKay]

Teeth cleaned and gold star from hygienist for my current precision level.

My waterpik arrived and I'm going to begin to figure it out in preparation of my brackets and wires coming soon. I'm planning a trip to the grocery store to stock up on ice cream. Sounds decadent, doesn't it?

[KayKay]

I'm more worried than ever at the condition of my bite since this lingual arch, carriere' and elastics. Although the system has moved the teeth over, I can no longer put my front teeth together. My teeth on the moving left side hit first, keeping me from being able to bite anything on the front with any accuracy.

Thankfully, my braces are scheduled for Wednesday. 3 more sleeps for that. I'll drill the doc about my concern with my bite. Seems backwards to me to make a bite worse while making it better (?)

And thankfully my carriere' comes off on Wednesday - because I'm so tired of the scraping on the inside of my cheek. I wear wax but even with that, its tiring - the constant pressure and irritation. I haven't gotten relief from it.

Wish the lingual arch would come off on Wednesday too but I fear it will stay on for a while at the beginning of the great brace adventure.

The waterpik is a NICE luxury. Love the way it feels. Love putting warm water in it and just massaging my gums and cleaning.

I'm worried about eating once I get the braces. I've already lost weight in the past 4 months. I'm normal weight but could lose a bit more - but I do like to eat. I'm not a happy hungry person.

There I am. Worrying. Will trust the One who made me - this will come out ok. 58 is quite old for this adventure!

[KayKay]

This morning was a challenge. My carriere' was removed - under trauma. The back came off easily. The front - was painful and stuck and was not going to come off. Instead of popping it off it required cutting it off. Ouch.

Then the task was to chip/polish off the cement and prepare my teeth for ceramic brackets.

The mouth guard thingee was ok. The tongue guard was not. After gagging repeatedly on it, they gave me a biggish thing to bite between my front teeth. This worked for me while they attached the lower brackets. Then I got a break to get up out of the chair and rest my jaws for a short time. Then it was back for the uppers.

I mentioned my concern over my bite - now misaligned badly. I mentioned my "longer" tooth that was the front of the carriere' my upper left canine. Apparently the pressure that was put on that tooth caused it to be too long - which is the thing that is messing up my bite. Because this tooth is now longer than the others (they had a vocabulary word for a tooth that has gotten longer than the others but I can't remember what they called it), it hits the tooth below it - and none of my other teeth are long enough to touch.

Add to that - this long canine has potential to knock off the bracket on the tooth below - as it slightly nudges the top of that bracket.

And so - to save the lower bracket and to manage the odd feeling of a messed up bite - The orthodontist built a bite ramp for now. Its one more weird thing for my tongue to explore in my mouth but it helpful. Ortho told me he would adjust it as the months go by - because eventually I wouldn't need it as the teeth move into place.

The wires were put on with pearl colored bands (little rubber bands?) and immediately the work began.

For lunch I drank Chicken Tortilla soup and then used my waterpik after lunch with warm water. A couple of ibuprofen. A glass of water (My mouth is so dry!) and I'm set for my first afternoon. I have plans for a vanilla milkshake for dinner.

My next appointment is in 6 weeks. A checkup and separators on the upper molars to add bands. ANother appointment following in 2 weeks where I'll get upper molar bands and new wires.

I was told the lingual arch will come off once I am outfitted with the heavier wire. Seems to be 2 appointments away.

I wish I had a better handle on the vocabulary (names of teeth and ortho procedures and gizmos - but I figure I'll learn.)

[KayKay]

Day 2.

I've already developed some sores in my mouth where I didn't realize the braces were rubbing. In fact, although I added some wax before I went to bed last night, I woke up with the beginning of sores - one main spot in the middle front bottom area. Another where a bracket is rubbing randomly on the left front side. Am now adding wax to those area and hoping this will pass.

Still annoyed at the feeling of the braces. Also very very sore. All my teeth are sore - but especially the teeth that belonged to the CD-elastics pre-braces project.

Lightly brushing between meals (all soft food) and loving the waterpik with warm water.

Had my first embarassing moment. Had lunch with friends - eating chicken torilla soup. Was so careful how I ate. As we ate we talked about my braces and I flashed them a smile. A while later I got back into my car to head home and I looked in the mirror. Cilatro had clung to my front tooth. Note to self- never smile after eating without a mirror check.

DInner for tonight will be a milk-shake. I'm hoping I catch on to the best place to apply the wax to allow my owies to heal.

[ctbracemom]

Good luck! !! The pain does improve after a few days. And you get so used to the braces, trust me, but it's very uncomfortable and wierd in the beginning.
My hint for eating out with friends.... Flash your teeth at them and ask them to check for any food! ! A true friend will never let you walk around with stuff on your braces!

[KayKay]

Thanks! Great idea to ask them to check. I just want to hide my mouth behind my hands but I remember fussing at my kids when they were in braces for hiding. So I'm trying to take my own advice and learn to smile. In fact, my braces "hurt" less (rub less) if I simply sit and smile all day. Ha. What a sight!

[KayKay]

Day 3 - Went back to the ortho office to have him shave down the bite ramp. The tooth with the bite ramp was so sore and feeling achy all the way to the bone - I think it was too tall for my accustomed bite. He shaved it down quite a bit but left some - and said that it won't be long that the braces will be doing their work and my bite will be matching again. At that point he will remove the ramp all together.

I'm grateful. Hopefully the tooth will settle down and stop aching.

Not that I can tell too much about the aching because the rest of my mouth is still so sore - but this was a true bone ache.

I also got some mouth rinse to help coat the owies that are appearing and to help them heal.

I also remembered the vocabulary description for my teeth that were in the midst of the CD and elastics action. The reason my bite isn't working - My canine tooth is extruded from the pressure of the elastics and CD. My molar that was the anchor is also slightly raised. Now that the CD is off and the braces are on, this will settle down.

Now to adjust to the braces, keep them waxed up. And its time for more ice cream for dinner.

[KayKay]

I started my journey with Carriere distalizers, too. I think some wiggliness in the teeth is normal (your teeth ARE being moved, after all), but based on my experience, keep an eye on it. I ended up with my upper canines (which the front pads of the distalizers were attached to) becoming over-extruded. It added another level of adventure to my experience. So if things start feeling extra wiggly or you notice a lot of tooth sensitivity, don't ignore it like I did... bring it to your ortho's attention and get it checked out.

As for the lingual arch, mine never felt quite right and somehow the molars it was attached to got over-extruded as well. Eating was really a chore by the end of my distalizer experience! I ended up with an open bite in the front and none of the back teeth seemed to meet up to grind food properly. The good news is that once I got the distalizers and LLA off my bite started to settle down and it's been much easier to bite and chew since. I think once you get into braces things will start to feel much, much better! The worst part (in my estimation!) is almost over!

Congratulations on taking the steps to a new smile... it can feel like an extraordinarily long and tumultuous journey at times, but it's worth it!

I went back to read your comments - and your descrption is exactly what happened to me by the end of my CD adventure. My canine is extruded and now messed up my bite on that side (I only had CD/elastics on one side). And as you described, I couldn't put my front teeth together. He added a bite ramp to the right side (to try to compensate) and it only made that one tooth sore. I think I was getting use to the wonky bite. He shaved that down.

And I'm hoping that once my over-all-new-braces-soreness is over and I can begin to chew, I will see that the bite is settling down. Thanks for your info!

[KayKay]

Morning of Day 4.

Routine last night included Rincolin PRN. Added plenty of wax. Woke up in the middle of the night several times feeling "cut" in those areas that were tender. Today, I'm going to spend more time with Ambesol and rinsing my mouth with salt water.

I wonder if the ibuprofen I used the few 2 days ( I didn't use any yesterday at all) added acidic balance to my stomach which caused the added irritation (chemically) to my mouth - last night.

All I can think about is the food I want to eat but can't. If I could eat - and bite down on something - I think my bite will begin to fit better - as the extruded teeth could go back in place. But that will have to wait another day or two or 20.

Reading other people's stories of their first day/week - seems to be a full week before adjustment to wearing and pain. Also - I think having the CD first (with the large amounts of teeth movement already in place) plus lingual arch, the pain/adjustment seems to be a larger hurdle than for those who go straight for braces. Maybe not? But seems to be more in play with the work already in process - it is my left side (my old CD side) that is the most out of whack and painful. My theory could be totally wrong.

[ctbracemom]

do you have tie-wires? I always found that when my mouth was tearing up inside, it was the wires sticking out, in which case I used a tweezer to push them back again. they can be a nightmare. also, if its really sore at the ends, the wires could be too long.