My story, initial situation, with pics.

Message

#61 Post by **Vyse** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:10 am

Wow, good progress. My teeth look almost like yours. My overjet only concerns the central incissors but one side looks worse than the other because my right lateral incissor is slightly further back.

Can ask what techniques is your ortho using to bring your central incisors back?

Thanks

#62 Post by **Lingualita** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:41 am

Hi Vyse,

I got a similar question from another user of AW. I don't think my ortho has used any special technique to bring my central incisors back. But he made a kind of loop on my wire on both sides on my upper jaw three weeks ago, which he said are helping closing the gap. If you look in my last post on page 4 in my thread, I've tried to take a picture of it.

He said that on my next adjustment (3 weeks from now), he's going to do the equivalent in my lower jaw to start closing the extraction sites there as well. He also mentioned that later on I'll have elastics. I'm not sure when that's going to happen, or shat the purpose of elastics are, but they might help on closing the gaps as well??

Did you have extraction? How is your ortho planning on correcting your overjet? Best of luck

#63 Post by **Miranda86** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 6:12 am

Great story!!! Your teeth are looking great and are moving quickly!! good luck at your November appointment!! you are almost halfway done and I have just begun on Wednesday!!! Keep us updated!

#64 Post by **Lingualita** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 6:47 am

Will you please look me in my eyes when I'm speaking?!?!?

Even though I have linguals, they are definately not totally invisible in my lower jaw, as my teeth are quite "out there", I have a lot of teeth showing when I speak.

I totally understand that people find it interesting when adults have braces, and perhaps thay haven't seen linguals before, so they're not really sure of what the stuff behind my teeth in my lower jaw is.

STILL, it's annoying when I feel people are more looking at my mouth than in my eyes while I'm speaking. Does anyone else feels/experince this? I might just be paranoid, but I'm quite certain I'm not. Sometimes people start "licking", playing around with their own teeth /poor description, but I'm sure you know what I mean). I'm sure this is sub-consciously from their point of view, but it definately means they're spotting my linguals.

That's all for todays vent

. Today it's two weeks until my next adjustment, can't wait!

#65 Post by **Lynne** » Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:05 am

I do know exactly what you mean, although I think people are watching my teeth because they look so horrible at the moment - they are going through a stage of looking much worse before they get better (I hope), plus I think people are looking at my mouth when I occasionally still struggle with lisping!

I can't really complain though, I have become so obsesssed with teeth since starting treatment that I look at everyone elses teeth too as they speak, and think they need braces too - ha ha

Good luck with your appointment in 2 weeks, doesn't it take ages to come around? Mine is not for 5 weeks - such a long time.......!!!

#66 Post by **Lingualita** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:25 pm

Thanks Lynne! I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that people are staring at my teeth.

But let me know, I stare back! I've been like you, been a little obsessed after getting braces, so quite often I find myself looking at other peoples teeth, analyzing malocclusions and positions of jaws

I guess that's one of the side-effects from having braces

Now its less than 2 weeks for my next appointment, it's slowly getting closer

#67 Post by **Lingualita** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:47 pm

Can I allow myself to vent?

Today I'm just soooo tired of these braces! I feel like everything is at a stall, and it's so discouraging cause I feel like there's been no movement whatsoever lately, and I still haven't received any info on when I'll see an oral surgeon to discuss possible surgery.

Can someone just say that everything'll be okay? Today is just a bad brace day....

#68 Post by **Lynne** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:36 am

Everything passes, this awful time will pass too. It seems from reading other posts that most people come to a 'plateau' phase where progress slows right down - it's so exciting to see all the changes during the first few months which makes the slower stages so dull.

Orthodontists don't seem to be great at explaining exactly what they are trying to achieve at each stage and at letting you know exactly where you're at....it may be worth trying to pin him down a bit at your up coming appointment, particulalry with regard to whether he is still thinking of referring you for a surgical opinion. It will really help if you at least know what comes next - it's at least something to head for. (What are they thinking they might need to do surgically?).

Although I've only had my uppers braced since Sept, I've had the lowers since Feb so can understand how fed up you are!!!

So sorry you're having a bad patch - this will get better and the time will pass. Your next appointment will be here in no time - good luck

#69 Post by **Lingualita** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:02 pm

Thanks Lynne, for the wise words.

I've read your post several times, and I'm starting to come to my senses

.

It's exactly what you said, at a stall, and since things are starting to slow down I get impatient. But as you said, there's not long until my next adjustment. (9 days today, hooray), and I always get more excited about my braces-journey after an adjustment. Then I see movement, and usually I've gotten refill on info regarding my braces journey. Looking forward to post after next saturday.

Thanks again, Lynne, I definately owe you one!

#70 Post by **Lingualita** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:16 pm

And now it's one week exactly until my next adjustment. Looking forward to it. Just read through my thread again, and it's truly a journey what I've been through so far.

And my teeth have changed so much. When I look back at the last (whoa, now I sound terribly old haha

), I am SO proud that I'm doing something with what bothered me terribly for many years. I can honestly say that this has been the best and most difficult (there's a reason I waited all those years) decision I've ever made. But all in all it's been way more pro's than con's. And even though I still dislike my braces sometimes and get frustrated with the whole process, I feel so much better than before braces, even in those days that I hate my braces

#71 Post by **Lingualita** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:41 pm

Hi guys.

Now my adjustment is in two days. Can't wait! Will write a thorough thread as soon as I come back from my appointment.

And another thing, if you look at my ticker you can see that I'm one day from being braced for 9 months. i.e. half way through based on my orthos estimate.

#72 Post by **Lingualita** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 am

So, yesterday I had my last adjustment.

First when I came, he took a look at my teeth, asked me to bite down, examined my teeth etc. He said that things are coming together nicely, and that I'm still brushing thoroughly. I was going to change the the wire in my lower jaw. He started by removing the wire in my lower jaw. When he did that one of the lig's popped off, the one on my molar behind the extraction gap on my right side. So he had to glue on another one. He told his assistant to be careful to hold my tongue away such that no spit would come close to my tooth, since it makes it harder to glue. Obviously she didn't do her job, cause when he was finished attaching the wire the bracket popped off. He was obviously quite annoyed with her, since we were already running late and there were other patients waiting. He tried to glue it back on twice, but as he was working there my gums started to bleed, and then he said he wouldn't be able to glue it back on and that I had to come back on monday. Luckily he tried one last time, and now he was able to attach it.

I was there for more than an hour I would guess, and I felt like someone had punched me hard in the mouth as I left. Now I just have the regular feeling after adjustments, sore, but not exactly in pain, but it hurts when I try to chew something. I'm kinda starting to like that feeling as I feel that that is the feeling of my teeth changing for the better

I'll post pics soon. Still no more info about seeing an OS, will just have to wait for a letter with an appointment date.

My next adjustment is in 5 weeks from now, not so long to wait in other words. Will post pics and more info soon.

So long

#73 Post by **Lingualita** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:12 pm

New pic's update:

Now:

As you can see I've had a lot of movement the last 9 months, even though there still is a lpng way to go. Will keep you posted! I'm so excited with my progress so far! 5 weeks until my next adjusment! Horray

#74 Post by **Lynne** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:20 pm

You've made fantastic progress!!! Your teeth are looking amazing. Your temporary tooth on the left is so tiny now, the gap has closed up so well as your teeth have straightened - and this is only the half way mark!!!

Good luck with the rest of your journey, it's so reassuring to see your progress.

#75 Post by **Lingualita** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:41 am

Hi AgainBrace and Lynne.

Thanks for the feedback. And Lynne, it's so funny about that small shaved tooth. It's become so small now, so it looks pretty weird at the moment, but I really don't care. I'm just happy things are on the right path towards my new smile

And I'm soo looking forward to the day my plastic teeth are entirely shaved down