JoÃ£o's Story- After Surgery.. 2Months and 2Weeks Post op

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#1 Post by **joao** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 5:48 pm

Hi all,

Well i decided to create my own story post

I already wrote a post on "Metal Mouth Forum" about the beginning of my journey but i'm going to rewrite/copy it here.

My name is JoÃ£o Paulo (John Paul in english

), 22 years old, Informatics Engineering college student and i live in Portugal.

On 2 of December i went to my dentist to do a routine check, and she said that my teeth didn't have no problems at all, but she asked me what did i think of the possibility of having braces, because i have an underbite and my upper teeth are a little "shifted" to the left, because when i was young i had an extraction.. and the teeth started to occupie the space.

On 21 of December i went to see the ortho that my dentist recommended.. i must say that he is really a nice person.. very humored guy.. he explained all the process of having braces, costs.. etc..
I was stunned when he said the brace's price.. 500$ each.. its really cheap isn't it? he also said.. that the best way to correct my underbite is having surgery.. he estimated that i'm gonna be ready for surgery on summer 2008.. maybe earlier, but the fact that im on university leaves me few choices.. and summer is when i have some time..

Of course when he talked on surgery i was

, but he explained to me.. that surgery is in fact the best way to correct most of the underbites.. and the result is usually better.. and then i ask him about the price.. he told that is free.. because it will be on a public hospital..

Well at the end of the conversation i said.. "lets go then

", and now i have to take some x-rays, and maybe in February, i will get braces

Here's just a pic of me.. right now i don't have a digital camera, but tomorrow i will post my teeth pics.

Well cya soon and happy Christmas!

#2 Post by **joao** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 1:51 pm

Well here are some pics

wanna ask you.. how much time u guys think it will take to align my upper teeth?

#3 Post by **joney** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:28 pm

Hi joao from Joney who is also shifted to the left due to an extraction in her teens, however I have an overjet and openbite. Good luck with everything.

Regards
Joney

#4 Post by **antsika** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:52 pm

Hi Joao, Marry Xmas and a Happy New Year to you as well!

Thank you for posting your pics, I will looking forward to see your movements soon!

As KK said we cannot give you too reliable answers for treatment time, but I hope it is not going to be long

See you later! Antsika

#5 Post by **mayday** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 7:02 pm

Welcome! Good luck with getting them on.

Generally at consultations, orthodontists are able to give you an estimated time frame--but it varies depending on the case itself and the person involved.

Is your treatment $500 US? If so, I wish I were you!! That's ridiculously cheap.

#6 Post by **joao** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:50 am

hi there! thx for all your answers

cawphee, each brace costs me 500$ (and then my health insurance pays me 40% on each), then i have monthly apps (for adjustments etc) each one costs 50$ (and again my health insurance pays me nearly 80% of the cost

)

another good thing.. is the fact that if for some reason i need to go to my ortho to check/resolve anything, i dont have to pay it.. just the monthly app.

And if my treatment lasts more than 24 months.. i don't have to pay anymore apps until the the treatment is complete.

Happy 2007 to all!

#7 Post by **bluette** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:43 am

wow that is a good price! welcome to the board. and good luck getting started!
Happy Holidays!

#8 Post by **joao** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:53 am

hi again

today i just took the x-rays, and i got them right here.. im trying to digitalize them but i'm having some problems to get a good image.. gonna see if i can post it tonight

#9 Post by **joao** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:16 am

Well.. i managed to get some good quality pics..

and now i just have to wait till 25 january.. and i'll get the spacers

#10 Post by **LucyQ99** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:52 pm

Welcome Joao,

Great pictures. You'll find lots of support here on this forum.

#11 Post by **joao** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:39 pm

hi guys

well today i went to my ortho, thinking that it would be the day for spacers.. but it wasn't.. he just looked my x-rays.. said that "it's all ok..etc etc", and he just made molds of my teeth.

But he gave me a B day.. it will be 22 February.. and some days before that, i will get the spacers

well thats it... less than a month to get my braces

good luck to everyone

#12 Post by **joao** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:01 am

hi there

Today was spacers day.. it was really quick.. my ortho just putted spacers on the top arch. They really don't bother me, no pain at all..

Well.. 5 more days to b-day.. getting closer

Bye all

#13 Post by **Nawners** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 2:41 pm

Fantastic! You share the same b-day as myself and Manglemouth!!
Good luck and looking forward to seeing some pics...

#14 Post by **joao** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 8:02 am

KK thx for the tips

Well.. 2nd day and a spacer just pop up, my ortho said that it eventually could happen.. but i think it was too early

#15 Post by **joao** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:04 am

well... here i am braced.. hehe..

it took 1h 10m to get the job done.. and today is the first day of many until i get this damn thing off

i don't really feel any pain.. just hate to feel the metal on the back molars.

I will post some pics later

may god be with me on tonight's dinner