31 Going On 13

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#1 Post by **ThatsMrsGeek2U** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:15 pm

I got my braces and sagittal appliance on 12/15/04. It has been a very miserable experience, but I hope it will be worth it when it is over. Right now none of my teeth touch except the front bottom ones touching the appliance on top, so I can't really chew. I'd try to "chop/chew" with the front ones against the appliance, but the front bottoms are sore and loose! Will it loosen the loose teeth more if I take some tylenol and chew with them anyway? Of all things I think the worst part is that I really miss chef salads. Sad, huh? You'd think it's be some kind of junk food, but I miss salad!

I am 31 and have been told I don't look my age. I still get carded if I go out for drinks & these braces won't be helping any!

#2 Post by **Chaim9778** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 3:24 pm

I know exactly how you feel. It does get better though, I promise. My teeth didn't touch for a long time either, I actually lost close to ten pounds in a month because I could hardly eat. What type of appliance is that? I had to wear something called an "e-arch" or expanders in the roof of my mouth and under my tongue for 9 months in order to spread my jaw since it was so narrow. I hated it, and the fact that I had a lisp so bad I hated to even talk. You will be able to get your fix of chef salads soon!!! I too love salads, the only bad thing is that you have to brush forever afterwards since the lettuce gets everywhere. Hang in there...

#3 Post by **ThatsMrsGeek2U** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 8:42 pm

Chaim9778 wrote:I know exactly how you feel. It does get better though, I promise. My teeth didn't touch for a long time either, I actually lost close to ten pounds in a month because I could hardly eat. What type of appliance is that? I had to wear something called an "e-arch" or expanders in the roof of my mouth and under my tongue for 9 months in order to spread my jaw since it was so narrow. I hated it, and the fact that I had a lisp so bad I hated to even talk. You will be able to get your fix of chef salads soon!!! I too love salads, the only bad thing is that you have to brush forever afterwards since the lettuce gets everywhere. Hang in there...

It looks sort of like a retainer but it has screws in the sides that make it bigger(longer) and slowly push the back teeth farther back. (I read there is an adjustment that can be done to it to move the front teeth forward instead, but that is not how my ortho is using mine.) I guess you were getting a wider mouth while I am getting a longer one?

Yours sounds like it moves tissue and all, though, and mine moves the teeth back only.

Here is a photo:
http://www.johnsdental.com/articles/ort ... gittal.htm

Thanks for the support. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one that had teeth that didn't touch at all. How long did yours take to start touching again?

#4 Post by **Chaim9778** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:33 am

Ugh!!! I thought what I had to wear was bad, that appliance looks like a torture device!! Do you have to wear it on top and bottom? Yeah, mine made the roof and bottom of my mouth wider, you were right. I bet it was a couple of months or so before I really noticed that my bite was getting better. From the pic it looks like the sagittal device actually cover your teeth, maybe not. This link is kind of what mine looked like although there was a little spring in the middle not the square looking thing. It's amazing how many devices, and things were made up to make people's teeth beautiful. Do you know how long you will have to wear it yet? I was told 6-9 months, and ended up having it in for the whole nine months... yuck. I was pretty ticked, but it did the job.

http://www.orthodontics.org/expander.jpg

#5 Post by **ThatsMrsGeek2U** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 8:15 pm

Mine is top only - I can't imagine having to wear two apliances at the same time! OOOOWWWW. Mine doesn't cover my teeth so much - it actually has little wire "cages" that go around certain teeth to put pressure on them and push them back as it expands. The ortho didn't really say how long - I have read around 6 months - but I will certainly be asking at my first adjustment on the 27th! The braces don't bother me anywhere near as much as the appliance, so as long as that part is over fast I think I'll make it. I hope I don't have to go 9 months with it! Did your ortho have you on a schedule to adjust your appliance yourself? Mine does and I do it every 3rd day. I hope that means it will be over fast.

#6 Post by **Chaim9778** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:58 am

I didn't have any adjustments made to mine. I had a small spring inside that gradually widened itself until it had reached it's limit. I know they do make some where you have to turn it yourself to widen it. So, yes your treatment may go much faster. I know what you mean about it being a pain and the braces not being one. I thought my braces were much better after the e-arches were removed. The only thing that hurt since or is very annoying are the rubberbands. I wear clear ones and sometimes people think I have spit caught in the sides of my mouth but it's the rubberbands! lol Oh well, not too much longer now.