Brandon's Excellent Adventure -- update: extractions on 5/2

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#31 Post by **BrandonH** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 8:40 pm

Okay, so maybe it's the camera angle. The RPE may not be crooked. However, that molar is still looking odd

Here's a better angle

Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:14 pm

Looks like things are movin to me!
Check out my story I have the same top tooth.....I'm in a month already, see LOTS of change, except that tooth.....it just aint a movin

Hopefully for both of us we see some changes soon. Congrats on takin the plunge! I think the rest of your journey is on the right path!!!

#33 Post by **BrandonH** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:09 pm

I saw the Doc at Church today. He said to stop turning and come into his office on Monday and he'll give it a good look.

#34 Post by **Hempstead** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:47 am

Brandon - your arch is so much wider. Wow!! Great results on that end.

Is your molar hurting at all? Definitely keep us posted.

#35 Post by **BrandonH** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:47 pm

Good thing I went to the ortho today.

It was good news / bad news.

The bad news --- the molar is out of the socket. The x-ray looked so painful.

The doc looked at it and then started un-turning the RPE. Then he pushed the tooth back in place.

It still moves some, but in the past 3 1/2 hours it's more stabilized.

Now the good news --- He's taking the RPE off on Thursday and replacing it with a TPA.

He said we got a bit too agressive with the RPE but it okay. There was no mention of losing the tooth.

There is a little bit of soreness, but no real pain.

#36 Post by **BrandonH** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:52 pm

Well, I'm RPE free!!!!

My top left molar is a little tender and still loose, but it's on its way to getting bcak to where it needs to be. My bite is almost back to closed, which will help on eating.

I had my first wire adjustment. I went from a little thin wound wire to a thicker non-wound wire. It hurt more than normal since my teeth had just been released from the expander pressure.

My mouth is a little sore, so I'm enjoying som mac and cheese

The doc will be out of town next week, so rather than put in the TPA and risk that molar acting up, he said to just go with no appliance for 10 days or so and then he'll put in the TPA.

#37 Post by **BrandonH** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:32 pm

First the RPE was removed, and today the lower expander is GONE! BOOYA!

My doc took the lower expander off and it freaking hurt. I have a high pain tolerance, but this almost made me cry. My bottom molars were soard throughout because of all the pressure. When he got the cement breaking pliars after me, WOWZA.

Then came the power chains!!!! My bottom teeth (except the very front) are wrapped in a wonderfully painful royal blue power chain. Those teeth are being pulled to the back so he can get those front ones upright and in the correct position. It hurt like a sonofagun getting the chains wrapped around everything.

He told me today that if not for my jacked up bottome teeth, my treatment time would have been less than 12 months. Thanks to the bottom teeth, I'm still looking at 2-3 years.

I'm also going to be a case presentation for him. With all the stuff I'm having to overcome (primarily due to my being 31 years old), he said he wants to take pictures, document progress, etc and present it to his colleauges.

Here are todays pictures:

As you can see, in just a few weeks there is some minor movement. My front teeth are separated for the first time in my life.

Ah, the power chains. They are the devil's work I tell ya!

#38 Post by **Faerydust** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:54 pm

Hello BrandonH! I read your story and must say I'm quite amazed at the progress from the RPE and without surgery! I didn't know that was possible in adults! I had an upper expander when I was young. I think it was a Haas. I don't know what happened, but my top arch is still very narrow.

Glad you got the expanders out and one of the biggest parts of treatment out of the way. Sounded like a very painful and scary ordeal with that molar getting pulled out of place. On the positive side, your blue ligs look nice, but those powerchains look like they are pulling the teeth into submission (but I know that's the point).

Looking forward to watching your treatment progress!

#39 Post by **BrandonH** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:08 pm

Thanks!

I think the RPE simply pushed the teeth out. It did it's job, but didn't do the same thing that a surgically assisted RPE would do.

I think most of my discomfort is coming from the lower expander coming off and not from the power chains. Taking that expander off caused alot of pressure to be released. The same thing happened on the top.

Today my doc said to be patient -- things will move slowly. I told him that I've been absolutely amazed at the movement I've seen in just a matter of months.

I love the blue ligs, too. I asked my 4 year old son if he wanted me to change colors and he said "no, keep the blue ones!"

#40 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:22 am

Wow brandon, big difference just from the expander. oh....lovely powerchains, I've been well acquainted with them since day 1 of my treatment. You'll start to like how they make your teeth feel all snug and safe.

#41 Post by **BrandonH** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:54 pm

Had an adjustment today and it was "good news / bad news."

The good news is everything looks fine. He put a lingual arch on my bottom teeth. I'm not a fan -- my molars are now sore again, but I'm sure it will go away.

New chains were put on my lower teeth, and the hope is that things will really start moving back and getting somewhat rotated.

The upper wire was changed.

Now the bad news:

If things don't progress how the good Doctor wants, he'll have to pull 2 bicuspids and possibly 4 (2 upper, 2 lower).

He said that he really needed more expansion, but since I'm all grown up I can only expand so far. He'd much prefer not pulling any teeth, but if he does, nothing will be compromised. I'll get the same straight results, I'll just have a few less teeth.

I'm really not all that worried. I was expecting extractions from the beginning.

#42 Post by **LynB** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:04 am

Ohh my BrandonH:

You have so much going on, but you can handle it.. I will have my braces tommorrow 2 weeks, I am so glad the major pain of day 2 and 3 is over. But my gums are really sore and my lips and cheeks are healing.

I can't wait to get this appliance out.

LynB

#43 Post by ***melissa*** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:31 am

Amazing progress Brandon!!!!! Congrats!

#44 Post by **BrandonH** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:20 pm

I'll try to post some photos tonight.

I think some of my molar pain yesterday came from him scraping the extra cement off the top of the molars.

Today, everything feels fine save for the lingual arch pinching my tongue on occasion.

The elastics put more pressure on that you'd imagine. When I take them out, I can feel a release of pressure.

I really like the tight, snug feeling the braces, chains, and elastics give me.

#45 Post by **BrandonH** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:05 pm

Here is where I started

Here is when I was braced

Here I am today

I think I've done well for such a short treatment time --- 2 months total with a little over 1 month in brackets.