Joplin's Story (photos on page 12)

Message

#316 Post by **Clo** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 11:34 am

Isn't it something, this tongue issue.

I hear this all my life, having a tongue that is too active. In school, when I
was a teen, as I was talking too much in class. And now, because my tongue
thrust is part of my bite issues. It is so difficult to teach this organ to behave
well.
HÃ©hÃ©, of course there is an end to this treatment. May be there sooner than
you think.
For me, it suddenly is there out of the blue. Yesssss, my braces will be taken
off within some weeks. You are the first to know here. Sadly enough, I will only
be "free" for some weeks. Then, new braces are going on and I will start from
square one again ...

#317 Post by **joplin** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:46 am

Thanks for checking on me, everyone

Clo, I wish we could celebrate your debracing under happier circumstances but we will, we will one day. Meanwhile, like Meryaten suggests, try to make the most of your brief break

Linda, actually my tongue doesn't like to spend time anywhere near my uppers but would rather sit next to her old buddies, the lowers - and that's why the upper molars are not getting any support from the tongue and the molars tend to lean inwards. Ortho says the problem is that those molars don't get support from the tongue at the same time as they are pressured by the cheek. Hard to explain.

This tongue issue probably is there because of my iniatal problem: narrow palate. There never was enough space for my tongue to rest normally so it had to look another place to rest. The wrong place, behind the lowers. After having SARPE done there now is more room, but the tongue is yet to be taught to settle in to where it's now supposed be. I'm really working on it because I hate even to imagine what kind of appliances my ortho now might pull out of her scary drawer unless...

#318 Post by **joplin** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:46 am

Sorry, double post.

#319 Post by **tulip** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:01 pm

Hi Joplin,

Tongue retraining sounds very perplexing, but critical for the long term success of your orthodontics. I can only imagine you must have to remain concious all the time of where it comes to rest. It's probably more like brain retraining!!! I'm sure it will sort itself out though, now that there is room.

#320 Post by **decisionmade** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:55 pm

Hi jopin..just catching up on your progress and glad to know you continue to do well..I too am pleased I went with the sarpe option..Things are looking good for me and I am hopefull I may just thave 2 mos. left with braces..
continue to take care!

DM

#321 Post by **joplin** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:14 am

Hey, DM! Great to hear from you - and with such good news too! Smile wide, because you can

Anyone have any idea what to expect if my tongue exercises won't do the trick and the crossbite in the back of my mouth persists? How do they tilt molars outwards, if it comes to that? Just don't mention the RPE - been there done that

#322 Post by **joplin** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:31 am

Thanks, KK. I'm currently wearing a rectangular wire of the strongest kind, so I guess I can't grasp that straw - but thanks for thinking about it! Just have to keep hoping that I won't need to face another barbaric appliance in this life!

#323 Post by **joplin** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:22 am

Adjustment #19 and #20 were only 5 days apart. I had a normal adjustment last Thursday. Nothing out of the ordinary. On Friday evening, while brushing my teeth, I noticed that one of the brackets on my front teeth had popped off. That was replaced today. So far so good. No news is good news, huh? Next adjustment on January 15th.

#324 Post by **joplin** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:25 am

Adjustment #21 was moved up because my ortho is having a surgery tomorrow and will be off work for at least 6 weeks. It was very thoughtful of her to squeeze me in before that without having to ask! Maybe I've been a good patient lately

Nothing major to report. But next time, 4 weeks from today, I'll get my first elastics. Is that progress?? Am I am moving up to the next level??
The best news is that my ortho told me I probably won't have to wear daytime elastics at all, at any stage of the treatment, just at night! YAY! Two elastics will be used to correct my midline which is waaaaay off. Ortho said it's not the end of the world if it stays that way, but those elastics should do the trick.

Now looking forward to the next appointment on January 31st.

#325 Post by **sportsgrl97** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 3:36 pm

Hey!

lucky u! u only have to wear them at night! well me too but this is the first time. i have one small question... how are u going back to the ortho in 4 weeks if she is going to be out of the office for atleast 6 for her surgery? just wondering...

Michelle

#326 Post by **joplin** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 12:46 am

Sportsgrl97, my ortho left written instructions for her assistants for the next appointment. They can do the job, because I will only need to have ligatures changed and some hooks for the elastics placed. Ortho will have a look in appr. 8 weeks from now, if she has recovered OK. If she needs to stay off work longer, another ortho - who happens to be her own son - will cover for her. I don't mind that: this guy used to be my dentist before he went specializing in orthodontics, and I trust him. In fact he's the one who is responsible for the fact that I no longer fear all dentists like I did until my late 20Â´s, thanks to bad childhood experiences. On top of it all, my new dentist is this guy's wife - I'm really being taken care of by a family business

KK and Meryaten, thanks!

#327 Post by **joplin** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 12:37 am

Linda and Ken, I'll let you know when I'm there. Don't know exactly what the configuration will be, but there will be one elastic coming from upper #7 to lower #3 on the other side (I think), can't remember what the ortho said about the other side. My midline seems to be off half a tooth's width.

#328 Post by **joplin** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:21 am

Adjustment #22 today: got my first elastics. Configurations are, ladies and gentlemen:
1.) Right top #7 + right lower #3 and
2.) Right top #4 (should be #3, but since I don't have any upper canines, #4 will have to do) + left lower #3.
This means one of the elastics goes across my front teeth. Luckily I get to wear them only at night, because the elastic rubs against the tip of my tongue and kinda makes me gag a little - well, a toothbrush alone makes me gag, so this was expected...
I don't know what kind of elastics these should be called - you people out there seem to have all kinds of funny animal names for them. The only information on the plastic bag of 50 elastics is this: Orthodontic elastics 5/16" heavy / 4 ounces. You tell me which animal this is supposed to represent

Porcupine? Duck?

This configurations aims to correct my midline that is off half a tooth's width. The orhtho will check out my progress in four weeks.

Today I only met one of the ortho's assistants and she said my bite on the left is almost fine already (unbelievable!) but the right side probably will take time before we get it right.

Next stop March 1st.

#329 Post by **joplin** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:50 am

[quote]BTW, my bag of elastics are â€œMooseâ€

#330 Post by **joplin** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 6:24 am

and the smallest ones are in a Red bag.

Mine are in a red bag - so I guess I could go further into detail and call them Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer elastics while waiting for the blue and those scary green ones

Great to hear that your elastics have done a good job, KK! I'm looking forward to seeing some progress again - it's all looked so status quo for a long time now.
And by the way YAY: they gave me all wire tie ligatures this time. That spells "red wine for me please, and all the spices and herbs you've got!". No worries about staining for the next four weeks!