Dramagyrl's Journey- Updated + Plus New Photos Coming

[Indalee]

Oh my goodness Dramagyrl! It seems that you and I have experienced the same rude awakening from sleeping. Last month was the first time I ever woke myself up (I guess grinding my teeth) and I too felt like something popped, scrapped and broke off. It really freaked me out big time! I assumed it was due to my bite changing however not to long after that I was lying in bed, watching TV when my lower canine felt weird to me. So I used my pinky fingernail to scrape it and the tip of it fell out and landed on my chest . I jumped up and went racing through my house with it in hand. I scared the crap out of my husband who was in the shower at the time. It’s not really noticeable to others but I can tell it’s missing for sure. I’m not sure if my tooth chipped from me grinding in my sleep causing that horrible scraping and popping sound but I started sleeping with a cotton ball between my teeth for awhile. It kept the pressure off my teeth and kept me from grinding until things settled. I’m just glad to hear that I wasn’t alone in the experience. I thought I was going nuts! Also, I know exactly what you mean when the ortho removes your archwire and your teeth feel very loose and uneasy!
It looks to me like you have/are making some remarkable progress in your braces journey! Way to go! It’s not always easy to deal with the pain and constant movement of things but it is true that in the end it will be worth it. Keep posting those wonderful pics!

[Dramagyrl]

For having been so excited to share my story at first, I suppose I'm getting a little tardy these days. Here's a bit of an update on my progress since my last post sometime in October.

I had a bit of an identity crisis before my last adjustment. I was growing the front of my short haircut longer into the face and lots of people were complimenting it because it framed my face. I, on the other hand, noticed an extreme change in my appearance from the nose down. It was changes for the better (my double chin reduced and my jaw looks more pronounced) but it was an extreme change I needed to deal with. I went and got a new haircut, clothes and some make-up to try and help myself feel better, and I've slowly gotten more used to the look. I also realized that if I smile nice and big with my teeth, my braces are far less noticeable than when I am talking or trying to disguise them - if that makes sense. It's just that when I smile with my teeth, people tend to notice more how straight they are looking, rather than the metal that's holding them there. All in all, I'm feeling better about the appearance change and that's made it easier to handle the dental part too.

I had an adjustment Nov. 22 where they changed my top wire to a bigger one and not on the bottom. My ortho said the bones on the bottom part of the jaw are like an AERO bar, with spongy tissue on the inside, so by forcing too much motion too soon, it could cause some tearing. He said my clenching was being caused by some complications with my crossbite on the rght side and he wanted to get things moving there more so my bite would feel better. He tightened the wires around my bottom extraction gaps and put POWERCHAINS on the top extraction gaps.
I was so excited to have powerchains because everyone talked about them and the crazy amount of motion they initiated, but I will admit I could sure feel some discomfort from the new pressure.
(I had silver elastics on the top again and got red and green alternating on the bottom.)

The next morning was like a dream. I woke up and started feeling the holes with my tongue and they were totally smaller! I went to the bathroom to take a look, pulled down my bottom lip and gasped. The space that had been created between the two teeth on the bottom (the side where I had an eye tooth low in the bottom of my head) was gone. Not only that, but the crater of an extraction hole that was there was also gone. Other than a little white line in the tissue, which you had to look close to see, you would have never even known I had a tooth in the bottom of my head last July. No trace whatsoever.
So that was another emotional moment in my treatment. It was an adult tooth I was a little attached to, not because it looked pretty, but it was distinct and memorable. I always made sure I paid extra care to it when brushing, etc. so to not even see a trace of it took a bit of getting used to.
I got over it pretty soon when I realized I didn't have to constantly pick food out of it and that I've been taking pretty good care of my gums for them to heal up so nicely when combined with a bit of braces pressure.

Since that adjustment, I had a whole bunch of other motion, causing new gaps and making flossing a treat because you never knew where floss would jump in real easily. It was pretty neat for someone who always had teeth tightly compacted to finally have tonnes of gaps.

So on Wednesday the 20th, I had to pop in before the ortho closed for the holidays because I had a wire poking in the back. My ortho was free and came bubbling over to check my progress because a poking wire implied there had been some motion going on. When he looked, it turned out there was lots of poking (lots of motion too) but the right crossbite was still not sitting where he would have liked to see it. He asked how long it had been since I've seen him and I pointed out my next adjustment was Jan. 4. So he figured he would just go ahead and tighten the bottom wires right there and I could book a different appointment in six weeks!
It kind of caught me off guard because I wasn't planning an adjustment, but at least it started more motion-fun. Other than the crossbite, he was really happy with how things are going. I went with silver on the top and bottom for a nice clean look over the holidays and I am not back in there now until February.

So I have a bit of rubbing and all that fun stuff from the movement again, including some biting of my cheeks lol, but things have been much easier for me finally. I'm still clenching a little, but I'd like to think it's better than before and as these teeth start moving again, hopefully I'll start feeling better about the bite.
I can't believe how fast time has been going for me and I feel like it's a bit more of a smooth ride. I still need to take new progress photos, so hopefully I will get to post them soon. As far as I am concerned, my teeth are looking great!

[Dramagyrl]

Whew, apparently it's been a while since I've posted on here.

To give some general updates, I had my last couple of adjustments early because wires on the top were starting to poke in the back. My ortho was pleased with the progress and has been using power chains to keep pulling the extraction gaps closed. Wires on the bottom and elastics looped around the top holes.

I had my ?seventh? adjustment on March 7, a bit early again because I was starting a new job the following week and didn't want to have the distraction of an adjustment during such a busy week. The ortho declared my one extraction hole officially closed - that's the hole where the tooth was below the general tooth line and deeper in the gums. He said he's working to finish up fixing my bite before too more aggressive tooth-arranging.

The other extraction holes are closing really nicely, you wouldn't think there's been teeth there. The movement of course is creating other gaps I've learned to not let bother me. For a while there was a space between my front teeth, which was a little difficult to accept, but at this last adjustment, my ortho put a figure-eight elastic over the two teeth to pull them back together. He said they will move them together as one, when ready.

I'll be glad when the holes are closed. The wire on the bottom left that's pulling the extraction closed is cutting into the inside of my lip and even by using wax, I can't seem to stop the friction. It's bled a little bit over the last couple of days and had made talking a little difficult.

I've chipped a couple more teeth from clenching overnight, but my ortho reassures me he will correct all that by filing things down when the braces are off. The clenching has caused some headaches and I'm having trouble getting rid of them. I've been relying a lot on muscle relaxants since my last adjustment.

I'm finding the silver elastics on the top are still better than clear, they don't stain as much. That, and quitting smoking, has helped prevent yucky elastics on top

So there's the long and short of it. I've kind of been trudging along and learning to handle the challenges as I go, but things have been getting better than they were in the first couple of months. I just passed the eight-month mark!

I also got better access to a camera, so I'll take some progress shots and post them real soon.

[lynnm]

Loved reading your story and "getting to know you" through it! I'm so interested in your journey with your bite. I also don't know where my bite is after so many years. It's probably my greatest concern about my treatment. Like if I don't know, how will the orthodontist?

Also intrigued about your comment that the TMJ stuff subsided for you. I'm hoping I can say the same someday! Your story gives me hope!

Sounds like you're on your way to a new chapter in your life!

[chillin-in-grilz]

2 words! Holy Crap! I have never seen a tooth in the front like that. It must be weird. and i loveeeeeeeeeeeeeee your tat, it looks really nice:)