Bridging the Gap - Treating TMD...(Finally an update! p.5)

Message

#16 Post by **Meloho** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:12 am

Thanks minlou and KK...I can go in Tuesday at 9 am...he's not in today (figures), but at least I've figured out how to get wax on it without making me gag - I just flattened it as best I could around the sharp and it's been doing it's job. But now the arch wire's cutting into my cheek where it was trimmed off...flesh gets caught on it when I eat or talk. It's always something, eh? I can just see readers nodding slowly, thinking, "we've all been there." Lol!

#17 Post by **mjbusch** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:19 pm

I have created a thread for you. I will add more to it later.

viewtopic.php?t=19589

#18 Post by **Meloho** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:58 am

I have created a thread for you. I will add more to it later.

viewtopic.php?t=19589

Awesome! I'm gonna go check it out right away...

As a side note, I went and had that sore spot smoothed out and my tongue's a lot happier. My cheek still gets stuck on the clipped archwire even though that was smoothed too, but at least it's just while I eat and I can wax it then. The elastics protect my cheeks when I wear them, so that's good. My ortho was in such a tizzy today and what should have been a 5 min appointment took 55 mins...his basement flooded and he was on the phone for most of my visit, plus he had someone else in the other chair. But it's done and I feel better.

Oh, and one of my elastics had popped off the bracket before he was me, so he goes into a spiel about where I need to wear the elastics. I had to say, I've been putting them on the sections of 4 (a square) like he showed me, but one must have just been missed this morning...I hope he believed me.

#19 Post by **Meloho** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:19 am

This is my week 1 progress photo - the movement looks a lot more obvious in real life, but even low-quality photos will still chronical my progress somewhat.

I had a tough evening last night, my jaw was tight, my head was hurting, my neck was tight and whatnot...basically I felt like it was all caught in a vise or something. But it's better this morning with the tightness localized in the jaw like usual. I wish I'd stop clenching...these darn elastics! Even though I'm must more used to them, I still can't stop clenching.

Other than that, things are going pretty well - My lower molars are getting bigger, or erupting nicely, rather. The upper ones haven't come down at all though, which worries me. I really hope they do, cuz I don't tiny uppers and huge lowers.

Since the ortho saw me yesterday (and practically dismissed me before fixing the sharp spot...lol), I don't have to go back next week, so I see him in 4 weeks now. Guess I'll have to wait to get my blue ligs - I wanna try blue to make my teeth look whiter. I'm hoping they'll be a bit more noticeable than the gold I have too...might be these brackets, you can hardly see the ligs on them...

#20 Post by **Meloho** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:32 pm

Well, it's been a little while since I posted...not much new to report. My bite gap is still closing - I bet it'll be all closed up by the time I see my ortho again in July...or it'll be close at least.

I got freaked out brushing me teeth just a few minutes ago though: I discovered that all 8 of my lower molars that are bracketed and hooked up to the elastics are loose. Not terribly where they're swaying from side to side or anything, but enough that I see them move a tiny bit if I push on them. Whoa, did I panic. So I finished up (brushing lightly though) and came here to check if it was normal. Apparently it is and I agree with others that my ortho should have told me this could happen. I started thinking of all the nightmares I've had where I lose my teeth. I was even hesitant to put my elastics back, but I did anyway. Just as long as they tighten up again...

And talk about psychosomatic...my bottom teeth all hurt now. They were fine before I saw they were loose and even though I know it's normal, the pain is still there. It wasn't hard to eat crunchy cookies either before brushing, so I know there's nothing to worry about...but try telling my brain that...

#21 Post by **Meloho** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:54 pm

Another little update: I'm gonna have to go see my ortho earlier than planned - The looseness has subsided, however my lower 2nd bicuspids are remaining loose and they're slowly twisting outward. I doubt this is what my ortho had in mind, so I'd best get him to check it out; he may want me to change the way I'm wearing the elastics. I'll post later tomorrow w/ the verdict.

Btw, I'm not posting progress pics too consistently, I know. I originally thoughtn I'd take one every day, but I think I'll do once a month. That way they'll have greater variance from each other.

Later!

#22 Post by **Meloho** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:13 pm

Well, I went to the ortho today...He took a look at my twisty bicuspids and said it was fine (no surprise). He then proceeded to show me how to double up my elastics by connecting to a bottom molar, going up to a top molar, then finish at another molar, all in a v-shape. By the time he'd connected up all my teeth, it hurt soo much already and I could not open my mouth and talked through clenched teeth. He also showed me how to do three on top and two on the bottom using just the single shape I'm used too. He said to do whatever as long as all four, top and bottom, were hooked up. So I might try doubling up at night, and leaving it looser in the day so I can talk.

My ortho seemsat to want to speed it up so that my treatment is done sooner...I think he's getting sick of me coming in and not being paid (my treatment's been paid for for ages...he'd rather have his chair free for paying patients. He did say as much when he told me he spent an extra $150 on the delta force brackets. And it's not like I'm there for hours on end every week, I was in the chair for 5 minutes today. I don't know, maybe I'm being silly...All I know is I'll do my best not to go back till my adjustment on July 9th.

#23 Post by **Meloho** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:56 pm

I came up with my own elastic configuration...here is a crude drawing of it along with my original configuration and the one the ortho suggested today that I doubt I will do:

The one I made up takes the pressure off the 2nd bottom bicuspids and distributes it the opposite way...I'm hoping that'll make them twist back to where they were. I think something's gonna happen cuz my bottom teeth are hurting again. If they do something bad, I'll switch back to the orignial configuration, but if it works well, then maybe I could be my own ortho!

He did say to do whatever I felt comfortable with as long as all 8 on each side were hooked up top to bottom...so we'll see.

#24 Post by **hannahwebbo** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:03 am

Hi Meloho

Wow 5 years is a long time for treatment. At least you wont be in any pain at the end of it.

Good luck with your treatment

Hannah x

#25 Post by **Meloho** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 8:37 am

Oohh, a new face. Hi hannahwebbo!

Yeah, 5 years is a very long time, but it has gone fast, I don't think much about it for the most part, and I'll have a great set of teeth when it's all over! I never though I'd have braces cuz my teeth were never really crooked. However, there were a couple that could benefit, so I'm glad they'll get sorted out in the

#26 Post by **mjbusch** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:50 pm

Hi Meloho,

So are braces better then the splint? How is it with the elastics? I think I will be following your same type of treatment plan, in September. At least the elastics part, erupting the my molars. I am still kind of nervous.

#27 Post by **Meloho** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:14 am

Hi Meloho,

So are braces better then the splint? How is it with the elastics? I think I will be following your same type of treatment plan, in September. At least the elastics part, erupting the my molars. I am still kind of nervous.

Hey mjbusch!

Sorry it took so long to reply - we've had company over the last week and spent the week before cleaning, so I've been busy.

So, which are better: braces or splint? Right now, because of the rickanator making me lisp and the frequent pain associated with the movement of the teeth, I'd say the splints were more tolerable. Although now I often forget I have the braces, once I eat, clean, or get a twinge, I'm jolted back to reality. I loved being able to take out the splints to clean properly and I hate having something constantly in my mouth.

I'm also skeptical of my treatment so far: at my adjustment today, my ortho put me on a heavier gauge of elastics; from 1/4" medium to 1/4" heavy...that change is making my teeth hurt again, but then, they hurt when I put in new elastics, although that pain subsides after a bit. All my molars are nearly meeting (just a mm or 2 to go), but that's when I don't wear the bottom bite plate. When I do wear it, there's still a 1/4" gap between all my teeth, as to be expected. So I thought I'd stop wearing it, but he's got me wearing it all month. Now I'm worried that my molars will end up bigger than they should, especially the bottom, and that my front teeth won't meet after. Mind you, he may then bring my front teeth down. I wish he'd be thorough in his plans, then I wouldn't worry so much.

Btw, at first, I thought I'd die wearing the elastics, what with the whole not being able to open my mouth thing. However, I quickly got used to them and I can open up w/ the best of them.

There are certainly more cons w/ the braces and elastics vs. the splints, but I am seeing quicker progress with the braces, so that's a big pro. And I keep telling myself, braces are the last step and soon I'll be free, and so will my teeth!

I'll be sure to keep up w/ your story thread; I'm very curious to see if you'll progress as I have and what methods your ortho will use if different at all from mine. Good luck!

#28 Post by **Laurie** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:20 am

I always have lots of questions too but it's hard to ask them with a mouth full of equipment!

#29 Post by **mjbusch** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:55 pm

Thanks for the reply,

I have been getting nervous about getting braces since it is only a few months away. It seems like your the only one with the same type of treatment. I am still looking forward to getting braces because that means I am just one step closer to completing my treatment. I wish I had figured this out a few years ago, that away I would have been done.

I am a little worried about the elastics but they can't be much worse then wearing 3 different types of splints and none of them working. I will let you know more about my treatment once I go back in September to get braces. I can't believe I will have wear this splint for another 1440 hours and probley longer since I am just getting upper braces at that appointment.

Thanks again for the reply.

#30 Post by **rhonda30** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:42 pm

You and I should have bought stock in a elastics corporation. I feel the same way when I first change my elastics the pressure is great and it is hard to open my mouth but after a while they loosen up and I can almost move my mouth like a normal person. Do you try and eat with them on? I get lazy and try to eat with them but it doesn't work too well. I hate taking them out every time I want to chew something.

Your smile is looking very nice and it doesn't look like it should be too much longer before you have a Hollywood smile.