Manglemouth's ONE MONTH before/after pics page 7

[manglemouth]

Thanks ncgirl! And congrats to you too for taking this big step! You won't regret it. I have my moments when I hate my braces (really the only time is when I eat spaghetti, and I don't know why I keep doing that to myself either LOL...but they are just all over the braces and that DRIVES. ME. NUTS. i say!!!)...but overall I am so glad I finally did this. I have no clue really why I waited this long. If only I had found this board sooner!

Your spacers probably won't hurt much longer, if the pain hasn't already subsided anyway. After a week my teeth were still sore but it was manageable compared to day 2. By the time I had them taken out they were nothing but a nuisance anymore because they were really loose.

I will update with pics again after my next adjustment. I am a little bummed cause I can't see much change right now. I compare pics everyday but other than the initial straightening of the archwire, not much seems to be happening. And that really surprises me because my teeth feel really loose. They make these odd "crunching" sounds when I bite down sometimes so that's a little scary. Like my roots are in distress or something!? I can even slightly move my front teeth around a little bit just by touching them with my tongue. So when teeth are so loose, why won't they move faster? I know I am very impatient, I have only had them on for two weeks. But everyone always says the most dramatic changes are in the first 3 months! At least so I was told. So where is my dramatic change

One thing that did change though, my lateral (my ONE lateral I have ) moved outwards into the arch a little more. Basically it stopped hiding halfway behind my front tooth. The spacers made this even worse, it was quite tucked behind there. So now that it's straigthening out, the edge that was behind my front tooth now has this icky brown color

I am halfway tempted to start scraping around with my tartar scraper and try to get that off. But I don't want to damage any enamel so I will leave it alone. Just really bad looking I think The same is happening with two small gaps on my bottom teeth. As teeth are rotating (or whatever is happening), they are showing their ugly sides! The sides I could never get to when I was brushing.

KK, thanks I really like the purple too. I love it so much I wonder if I will just get the same color on the bottom again. Combined with some easter-ly color on top. Not sure what yet but I definitely want color on top this time. All this white is boring me

[Nawners]

They make these odd "crunching" sounds when I bite down sometimes so that's a little scary

I guess this is a normal part of treatment, because mine are doing the same thing!

Glad you are seeing/feeling some movement, however slight. I think with adults it's good to move things slow... But you probably know that.

Can't wait to see comparison pics!


*edit
Oh yea, it's been TWO WEEKS today!! Can you believe how fast time flies after the braces are on? The two weeks in spacers was quite possibly the slowest two weeks of my life.

[manglemouth]

Those icky plaque spots can be scraped away with a good cleaning. When are you due? I had my first cleaning 2 months into bracedom. As my teeth loosened up and made space chunks of plaque began to break away. Eeeew!

Wow it actually broke away?! I suppose that's gonna happen with me too then! Hey better off than on My next cleaning isnt for 6 months now since my last one was just before I got my braces on. Should I ask to be seen more often than twice a year? I am not sure though if my dental insurance would cover more cleanings than the regular 6 month intervals...

The two weeks in spacers was quite possibly the slowest two weeks of my life.

You always crack me up Nawners!! But yeah I can't believe it either..they've been on for half a month now!

OK well here are some pics. First day versus today. I only posted these cause you guys asked for them LOL...cause I wasn't gonna post until I can see some change myself and can proudly announce it (Again, pay no attention to the open bite because I can never seem to take pics at the same angle, so it's not like that has fixed itself. Even though I think my teeth seem to have come down a TINY TINY BIT. Like molecule tiny)

[jjames]

Tina,
I read your story from beginning to end - LOVED IT. It's great how you shopped around for just the right (and competent) ortho for you and took complete control. That is such a key element in your happiness with the final results. It's so easy to get pushed along into treatment plans you don't really feel good about. I wanted to choke that chickenlips who pulled one of your top teeth when I read and saw what happened to you.

But you're doing great, and not that it matters, but I agree with your decision to go with the implant, it will give you that nice, wide "full smile" in the end. I empathize with you also about the spacers. I had eight metal spacers in my mouth about nine months ago and the assistant had to literally stand over me and push down with Lawd knows how many pounds of pressure to make them fit. When it was over, she looked at me and said, "in my 15 years of orthodontics - I have NEVAR seen teeth as tight as yours." They were BY FAR, the worst part of my braces journey up to present day, although I still have lower jaw surgery to go in August.

I just wanted to ask if you have a water pic at home? You probably do, but that makes cleaning sooooooooooo much easier after eating if you get all the food out first with your water pic before you brush. I wouldn't trade my Interplak for anything. Warm water and my Interplak have gotten me through many a painful time. One for the massaging gum action, and two for the convenience of it, it's the bomb and they only cost around $20-$24. Well worth it.

Oh and some .79 cents Orbit gum to chew. It works that soreness out sooooo much more quickly.

Good luck and keep up the great postings.

[manglemouth]

Thanks Kenise hehe naw just kidding, Ken and Denise of course, but can't fault a gal for trying to take shortcuts The wire does look alot straighter. Since you two have had alot of adjustments done already...how does the ortho know what changed anyway? I have been wondering about that. I only know the difference cause I take pics almost daily. He can't possibly remember exactly what my teeth looked like 6 weeks ago out of the hundreds of smiles he treats. How is this done??

Hi jjames!

Thanks for reading my story from beginning to end, lord knows it's a novel! I am so very glad I kept looking for the right ortho. Not saying that the others would have given me a less perfect outcome. But I will gladly drive a little further to see an ortho that I really like. I am a little mad at that moron too who pulled my lateral...I would sooo prefer to still have that instead of having *another* fake tooth in my mouth! I already have two crowns and a fixed front tooth. But what can you do...I just have to work with what I have now. The thing that worries me a little is how much smaller my lateral is compared to my other teeth. I DO NOT want to fix that with a veneer. No way, no more compromises in my mouth. I think I will look into a gingevectomy...I think that's what it's called? My dentist told me about this. I guess they can cut some of the gums on top away to make my lateral appear longer. I just wonder if that's gonna cause more tooth sensitivity...obviously the gums protect it! Sigh. If it's not one thing, it's another

Yeah my spacers were the same way! I swear she was one second away from just swinging from my teeth for as much force as she applied. When the receptionist told me that spacers were awful, the girl who applied mine said to her 'oh but you have no idea. She will REALLY have a hard time cause those are some of the tightest spaces I have ever seen". But at least it was only truly awful for a couple of days. Then it was just soreness, and that I can deal with. You have to have lower jaw surgery? Oy I wish you the best ...at least you're guaranteed some dramatic results that way! Realistically my lower jaw should come forward too, it would make my whole profile look alot better ...but in my case it must not be critical enough. But let's see if they can fix my overjet without it! I sure hope so. Now that I know it's there I find it so obvious...

I do have a waterpik, and you are right. That thing is a godsend. I am a wuss with it though, the highest setting I can handle now is a 4 and even that is pushing it. My favorite setting is a measly 2. I don't know if that's enough force but it sure is nice to see it flush out something that neither swishing, nor brushing, nor flossing, or interdental brushing could get out

Orbit gum is ok to chew? I really miss gum. I thought we couldn't have any...

[shell1426]

Yep, definitely got some movement! Looking nice, Tina! Your pics look great, too!

I love my waterpik, too! My dentist office told me though not to set it past the lowest setting because if it's set too high it will wash out your floura and that's not good! So they told me to be careful with it and keep it on the lowest setting.

Sorry I have been so absent lately. It's a battle to get on the computer since we got the new one because my honey doesn't ever want to get off of it! He's been slow at work so he's been home A LOT...no complaints here other than wanting to get on my laptop and I pretty much have to wrestle him to use it for about 5 minutes! I guess it's rather funny.

Hope everything else is going well for you! Still having issues with food? FYI I am not eating spinach ANYMORE. At least not with the RPE AND BRACES ON! I may try again when I get the RPE out but goooooooddddddnessssss! It's ridiculous! I will talk to you later! Have a great day!

[manglemouth]

Hi shell, it's so nice to see you back! I think I am getting used to the food. Maybe too used to it? I don't run to the bathroom 5 seconds after I eat now and I am not sure if that's a good thing I still brush about 4 times a day but I think I need to be better about keeping my teeth clean again. Now pasta still drives me nuts. The problem is that all my favorite Lean Cuisine meals are pasta

OK....I think I have some definite PROGRESS!!! My lateral is starting to be part of the arch, it's not hiding anymore!! OMG I have felt the change the past few days but I could never see the difference in the pics. Well today I noticed it alot because now when I run my tongue against the back of my teeth, I actually feel my front tooth first instead of my lateral. That hasnt been the case in as long as I can remember! HOORRAAAYYY FOR BRACES!!

LOOKY!!! Tell me what you think...good progress for not even 3 weeks? I am stoked right now...

[jjames]

WOW - you know we can REALLY see the progress there of your arch wire straightening out in the pictures you posted on the eighth of March. You're going to be AMAZED in the next two months. And I see what you're talking about as far as the size of your lateral being covered up by the gum - mine are sorta that way, too. But honestly I think once your teeth are all perfectly straightened and you've got that other tooth in there you won't hardly notice. I wonder how they will handle that, BTW, I wonder if they will use power chains to pull your space there apart so they can insert the tooth when it's time?? Hmmmm...

But I also totally think if you still want that gingevectomy after this then you should get it, as my momma would say - "if you're gonna go for a rib, honey might as well go on and go for the whole hawg." At least that's how I feel about it anyway. You've got so much time and pain invested, what's a little gum trimming???

Actually, there are some people on here I've read who had it done, and some seem to come out with flying colors with little to no problem, I think it just depends on what you're having done.

And yes goodness, that thought of my jaw surgery in August has got me in knots, but a BIG PART of why I'm going through it is something just didn't sit right with me about letting them pull my good teeth, but you know I was 32-years-old when I got my braces, so they had to do what I said. Plus reading about all the other adults on this board getting jaw surgery and their struggles has helped me, lots, that and a good insurance company. It makes it seem like not such an insurmountable task. And thanks for the tip about dialing down the Interplak, 'cause I always set mine on "fireman's waterhose" setting and blow that sucker out, completely. The little individual interdental brushes are also keen - I had not tried them before I started reading your thread, I had just been using the proxy brush on the end of my regular brush.

Oh and my ortho reccommends Orbit gum, I think it's terrific, but the only thing is it's a little harder to chew if you've got rubber bands in there.

Good luck on your EXCITING journey!!!

[manglemouth]

Thanks Denise and KK...you two noticed stuff I didn't even notice! That's always neat =) Things are really happening now I think. I am so very excited, I think more now than I ever was

jjames yes I will have to see how it turns out overall before I mess around with my gums. Just right now it looks really uneven. When I smile for the photos I always think my smile is crooked, but then I look closer and I realize it's just because the one side looks so much lower due to the short lateral...so it makes it look like my lip is up higher Fun fun!

Your jaw surgery will be just fine and it will give you the amazing results you want in the end! Please keep me updated on that cause I will cheer you on all the way!

Ok now to everyone:

As you see below, I am having fun with my braces now Today was the best visit ever yet. We all had a blast. First I got good news from my ortho who said that my teeth are definitely straightening. It was surprising to hear that my premolars aren't gonna be pulled until about 4 months from now because everything should be leveled first. That's different than what the female ortho said (i really should start looking at name tags) because she said she wasn't even gonna bracket the ones to be pulled so she made it sound like this would happen right at the beginning. Since I told him I wanted my second premolar pulled on both sides versus the first (since those have big fillings) he scheduled me with her next because she was the one who told me it would be ok to pull the 2nd premolar on one side (but she said to pull 1st on the other). So he said that was between us and he'll let her decide that. That was nice.

Then it was time for the adjustment. It was this super nice Asian lady, little bubbly energetic woman, who I had so much fun with. As soon as I sat in my chair she asked me if I was ready for her hurting me LOL and I said "sure, go right ahead. Put a thicker wire on too cause I want my teeth to MOVE!!!" and she laughed and said that I couldn't get a stronger wire this time because the wire would only get changed 12 times..and I have two years to go so that averages only every other time. Furthermore she said that until the teeth are all done rotating, it would actually be bad to put on a thicker wire because they won't move at all then. I accepted this logic and was ready to pick colors.

This is where my Asian lady took over.

She pulled out 4 colors ...purple, neon pink, neon green and a really bright yellow. At this point I was laughing cause I thought for sure she's kidding. These were the colors that I always chuckled at when I saw them on the big board with all the lig colors. I always thought "oh my, who picks these?? How often do they order these? Every 10 years???". Turns out she was so not kidding! She was giggling - I was not! - and said "oh come on, you GOTTA put Easter colors on!!" So I said "ok, I guess you can put purple on top, pink on BOTTOM and you just put the green and yellow right back in the drawer where they came from!!". She was still laughing and said "oh come ooooon (insert thick accent here, she sounds adorable) the kids love these!!" And I said "okay..I am an adult and this will NOT look cute on me!!". So then she said it again ..."but kids LOVE these!!" and I guess she meant the adult's kids so I said "well...my son would get a kick out of these (he's almost 4) so what the heck..." and she said "I'll just put them on to show you and I promise I'll take them off if you don't like it!". I thought to myself "uh huh, sure I'll go through that trouble twice, let's just assume I'll run around like a 12 yr old for a few weeks". She put them on and showed me. I was pleasantely surprised. Yes they looked crazy, but I thought in such a good way! I thought "this is so Easter chic, and for sure noone's gonna wonder what's in my mouth anymore!! (I think the ceramics just make my teeth look abnormally huge). She had to put them all on in a figure 8 so OUCH that really did hurt. Especially on my lateral. None of my teeth were really sore so that surprised me but when she did my lateral I thought it was gonna break in half, or just come out entirely, at any given moment. I was really worried and told her that my front tooth is fake and to PLEASE be careful and not snap it in half! Again she lauged and said no no no, it's just alot of pressure and not to worry. At this point the ortho came by and I gave him the thumbs up for my crazy colors and he watched her struggle with the figure 8's. Bless her heart, she gave it all she had, they must have been really hard to put on. (She said it's tough around the ceramics cause they are so much bigger). So now Ortho and Assistant were both standing over my mouth watching the figure 8's go on and the ortho told her to not worry about if it was that hard but see that's what I like about this lady...she's got SPUNK! She did not give up on my ginormous brackets and really did put them all on!

Oh she actually cut me once when she slipped (while she tried so hard) and she was so worried about it, kept telling me 'saltwater rinses, saltwater rinses" and "i am so, so, so sorry!! I didn't mean to hurt you!!". All I could do was signal her with my hand that it really was no big deal since I couldn't speak with her working on me. I mean of course I know it was an accident and it only hurt for a second. No big deal.

When I went to get my next appointment I told the girl (my favorite one out of all there) "check me out, I'm ALL EASTER!!" and she laughed and said she loved it! I told her how I got tricked into it and she asked me who it was and I told her and she said that she is so sweet and I had to agree. By this time my assistant actually came over to tell her herself that I had some fun colors in my mouth and we all got a good laugh out of it. Really, I had THE BEST time!! LOL who thought going to the ortho could be this much fun!!

Alrighty last but not least my pictures!!! First the supercool "I'm 12 all over again" front...and then how it looks from the bottom.

Have to say, I love them. I will keep doing crazy colors from now on. This WAY beats my boring pearl color on top!!

[becks]

Sweet Easter colors! They look really cool, especially in that figure 8. Aside from the worry of your teeth flying off, sounds like you were at a ocean party rather than an ortho appt.

[jjames]

Ahhhhhhh!!! Those are TOO COOL!!! Owwweeeee though, I've never had that figure 8, I bet that does feel like mini vices on your teeth for a while. Oh and I didn't realize it but that's good, good that you're having them pull the molar with filling and you're leaving the better one.

[egocidal]

Aw! Glad the ortho visit went so well, lol, you got tricked into getting Easter shades, but they're funky, Easter chic indeed! I'd love to get your ortho assistant, mine was just like, hurry up pick your colors..

Best of luck for your premolar extractions

[Nawners]

hahaha!!! Those are so rad!!

And wow, you have had SO MUCH movement. I'm jealous!!! I haven't had any noticable movement.

Oh well, we're all different.

Seriously though, those are so crazy, I LOVE them. And I think I decided on my next colors! Neon green and purple...

Glad you had such a good visit...

[mighty mo]

I absolutely LOVE your ligs. Well done for being such a good sport. I don't think that your teeth look big - maybe you feel like they are because the ceramics are bigger than the metal brackets, so they give the optical illusion that it's your teeth that are bigger. I can't wait to see what colors you choose next.

[SimInsomniac]

Wow manglemouth, I'm not normally a fan of multiple colours but those ligs look fantastic! I especially like the pastel green.
Your teeth look good, hope you have a lot more progress between now and your next adjustment.

Sim