Granola's braces journey-- retainer check 2/13/08

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#121 Post by **Granola** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:12 am

Hello KK, bracedagain, and Linda21!

Today is my one year anniversary (from when I got my uppers!). Wahoo!

Thanks so much for sending well wishes. I haven't been around--because we've been really under the weather in my house. First that two-week cold, then viral gastroenteritis last week (never in 41 years had I had that before--simply awful). I had another cold start to come in two days ago, but tried Zicam nasal gel for the first time, and I am actually feeling better. My resistance is really low this year (and having a young child/preschooler in the house is a huge part of it).

Ken, I'll be interested to see how long levelling takes with those molars once they are bracketed. I'm guessing not long (but I've been wrong before!).

Everything is pretty much status quo here. I'm traveling all of next week, and am hoping to go in and get my powerchain changed this week before I go. It's a tad stained (probably only to my eye, but still). If I end up not having time, that's okay too, but I'll try.

#122 Post by **Granola** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:27 am

Oh, how embarrassing. I had the 13th in my head as my one-year anniversary date, and I missed it. It was actually back on the 8th. Doh!

#123 Post by **smallbutmighty** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:43 pm

Hi Granola,
I just read through your thread and decided to add my congrats. I hope I look as good in a year as you do now! All this talk about colds got me to sneezing right after reading it. I have to remember to pop some Alpha Cold and Flu, my favorite homeopathic cold remedy. And gargle with some cheap mouthwash (the germs get drunk on the alcohol and die!). Continued success looks assured for you. Will be eager to see your further picture story.
Ruth

#124 Post by **Granola** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:18 am

Hello bracedagain, KK, linda21, and smallbutmighty! You are all the greatest to celebrate my anniversary with me (and laugh with me at my forgetting such an important date).

bracedagain: I loved that "hitting me over the head smilie!" Thanks for making me smile (as always)!

KK: Thanks so much! Yeah, that's true, I must be doing well if I am not counting the days too closely.

Linda21: We're off to visit family (mine, it should be really fun!).

smallbutmighty: Thank you so much for the congrats and the compliment.

Oh no, you started sneezing after reading my post!

I haven't heard of that homeopathic (will have to look for it) but the Zicam I took was homeopathic and I was shocked that it halted the cold that started to hit me.

It occurred to me that, being that I realized my anniversary days and days later, the good thing about that is I was almost a week further along than I even realized.

Latest: I had a kind of mini-adjustment today!

I went in for a powerchain change and asked them to check that everything looked okay since I am headed out of town. It's a good thing I went in! Something was awry with the wire in the lower left molar bracket, and they tightened things up for me and gave me new powerchains. One of my orthos came and took a look to check everything over and she said that the gap in front of my left upper canine looks much improved, and that I'm doing really well with my elastics and that she can tell I am motivated! She added to my notes that they will definitely move the bracket (yet again) more mesial on the left upper cuspid when they bond the new molar brackets at my next adjustment. Cool. I'm glad to have gotten new powerchains and I actually feel a tiny bit sore, like I had an adjustment (that is a good thing as I feel like something is happening again now).

#125 Post by **Granola** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:06 pm

8th adjustment: I just came back from a nine-day vacation and was happy my adjustment was today, practically hours after we returned home!

I had a great adjustment today. Hereâ€™s what they did:

Uppers: I got new brackets on the 7s (my last molars). They also removed and repositioned the left upper cuspid bracket more mesially, as planned. I got a new 17-x-25 copper NiTi wire. It always feels exciting to be sent home with new stuff in your mouth, so Iâ€™m happy! The right rear bracket fell off when the tech tried to install the wire, so they had to re-do that one, which was no big deal. I was so glad when my ortho didnâ€™t ask her to put the cheek retractors back in a second time.

Lowers: He did IPR on the centrals and laterals, to help with the black triangles (wow, I hadnâ€™t even asked about those) and to help de-rotate the lower left lateral. He also did a distal rotation to the lower left lateral, that stubborn tooth that has resisted rotating into the arch. I canâ€™t tell by looking what he did, I think because of the powerchain.

Powerchains: Upper 6 to 6 this time (instead of 3 to 3 like last time) and full lower.

Elastics: Same Impalas, upper 3-4 to lower 3. He said elastics will be really important in my treatment right now (but Iâ€™m very compliant, so nothing will change for me there).

I go back in seven weeks.

I heard my ortho telling one of the techs how to do a tie dye pattern on a retainer, and thought that sounded pretty cool (though I have something else in mind if that is the kind of retainer I end up with).

#126 Post by **Granola** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:57 am

It was a great vacation (other than the all-day traveling to get to our destination). We spent a lot of time at a family member's house in New England. It was very cold but sunny the entire time. We had a blast! Ken, I need a more wintry smilie from you, though!

I was glad that I had just snagged a North Face down jacket on sale for $34 just for the trip. We made it home just before a major storm caused big delays, so really lucked out. After all, I wouldn't have wanted to miss my adjustment!

Re: tie dye retainers, it was between the ortho and the tech, but over my head, not directed to me or about my treatment. I don't think I'm quite there yet (it did get me thinking about retainers though).

I'm pretty sore, but it isn't stopping me from chewing normally or eating. Today at lunch I even ate guacamole and tortilla chips (it just hurt a little).

The IPR definitely has done something--things definitely feel tighter when I brush, so that powerchain is finally being allowed to move my teeth somewhere.

The gap on my upper L cuspid seems to be doing something also, because that tooth feels different.

I was asking about the info that was mentioned to me at a previous appointment about my bite (where I was told it would never be "perfect"). The explanation was that it could be achieved, but it would take a long, long time (perhaps 3 years) and the gain wouldn't be worth it in the long run. It seems the extractions that were done when I was a child were possibly not the best idea, though my ortho wouldn't directly say this, of course.

Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:35 pm

Hi Granola,
You have had alot happening! Excuse my ignorance, but what is "IPR?"

#128 Post by **Granola** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:35 pm

Hello smallbutmighty! Thanks for stopping in!

IPR is short for interproximal reduction. If you've read of slenderizing, tooth shaving or enamel stripping on the boards, that is the same thing. To reduce the width of teeth, and alleviate crowding, the orthodontist removes very minimal amounts of the outer enamel (between the teeth, to create room). It isn't painful, usually (unless the teeth are already sore).

#129 Post by **Granola** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:54 pm

Those are perfect, Ken. Thanks!

I'm doing better, pretty sore but I know that will go away soon.

I was really noticing today that the stubborn gap in front of my left upper cuspid is virtually gone. I can't believe it, and am so happy with how much better it looks now.

My black triangles around the lower centrals and laterals are definitely improving after the IPR I had. This last adjustment really did some great things for me. My fingers are crossed that things keep going in the same direction.

#130 Post by **New Metal** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:02 pm

Was passing by and I had to stop and say beautiful smile Granola.. WOW !!

#131 Post by **New Metal** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:08 pm

Was passing by and I had to stop and say beautiful smile Granola.. WOW !!

#132 Post by **Granola** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:23 pm

Hi KK, New Metal, and bracedagain!

KK: I'm a weirdo, but I prefer winter to summer. Of course, where I live, winter is on the mild side and not freezing. I actually hate the summer when it gets 80 and above, but maybe as I age more I'll grow to love heat.

I'm hoping that I continue to see a reduction in the black triangles, if only because food loves to get caught there, right in the front of my mouth.

New Metal: Thanks so much for stopping by (and for the compliment)! Breeze by anytime.

bracedagain: ISYWYM about global warming, though just read an article today on CNN that Vermonters are wondering where their winter is (it is already warm there now, very atypical for them at this time of year). Sigh.

I hope that IPR works as well for me as it has for you (really happy it is working for you!).

I have pics of my new upper brackets!

Left:

Right:

Here's the latest front view (what the heck!):

I'm really getting poked in the cheek on the left upper side every time I talk. I'll probably have to drag myself into the ortho soon to get this clipped. Oh well, it is sign of movement!

#133 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:33 pm

Granola, your teeth look so CLEAN!! How do ya do it??

#134 Post by **SimInsomniac** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:49 pm

Once again Granola, I'm amazed at how beautifully white your teeth are. You should sell your secret for all the Hollywood stars!

Your teeth also look great for the length of time you've had braces and seeing the new brackets makes me want my second molars to be brought in line with the others.

Go get that wire cut, it'll be much much better after, and why suffer?

Good luck, and hopefully lots of progress too.
Sim

#135 Post by **Granola** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:09 pm

Hi KK and SimInsomniac! I love having company in here!

You are both right, I need to drag my butt in soon! Every time I speak, that wire or hook on the bracket is catching my cheek. It is far enough back there that I can't tell yet which it is. I'm trying to figure it out before I go in, because if it is the hook, there isn't anything they can do (except hmm, maybe they can bend it for me).

SimInsomniac, I forget how long you've had braces. Do you have any idea when they might treat your 2nd molars? I waited over a year for them to bracket those. I wasn't even sure if they would be treating them (but would have had an open space i.e. no contact between uppers and lowers if they did not).

I am so happy -- the office called me today, and due to the doctor's needing to attend a conference on my next scheduled appointment date, they are moving up my appointment a week! I'm very happy.

I've been searching for this picture--this is pre-pre braces, probably when I was around 8 years old or so. Pre-extractions, pre-braces the first time around. It is truly scary to look at this big 'ole buck teeth! Look how tiny the rest of my teeth were in comparison.