opera^gal's story

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Sun Jan 24, 2010 7:58 pm

Did they stain or change colors or anything weird? I think thats the color I might get!

#182 Post by **iBorg** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:44 pm

Do you see what you're going to miss when your smile doesn't sparkle? In a way I wish my ortho had used those types of braces that required litagures. I did use colored power chains for a while but that has been over a year and a half ago. The amazing Dr. P believes that either clear or gray is stronger and she has insisted on that for me ever since. Of course she wants me out of her office before medicare kicks in.

Mike

#183 Post by **opera^gal** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:52 pm

I have gray powerchains now, full bottom and small pieces on top. If I'm still in powerchains at the next adjustment, guess I'll be stuck with gray again, as My doc feels the same, about strength. If I'm free from them, then back to some colour I think. Won't decide until I'm in the chair most likely!!!

The teal didn't stain or change colours at all. I was thrilled with them and have worn them often during my treatment so far.

#184 Post by **catfish** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:11 pm

Hi Opera^Gal, I just got caught up on your story. You are making fantastic progress! Summer will be here in no time and you will be braces-free. What a time to look forward to!

#185 Post by **opera^gal** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:22 am

Hey catfish..welcome back to the board! Thanks for the compliment on my progress. I suppose none of us will truly be *brace-free*, what with retainers for ages and continued ortho visits..but hey, I'll settle of elastic-free, which should be coming around the corner here in 3 more sleeps. Even if it is just a configuration change, at least these stupid breakable coby twisted wire hook contraptions will be gonzo-adios-cya! Looking forward to new wires top and bottom as well. Shucks, the bottom one I've had since I can't even remember...several months now.

#186 Post by **opera^gal** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:58 pm

Good thing I have an adjustment tomorrow, as I snapped not 1...but 2 of the coby hooks today...I couldn't believe it!!! The one that was replaced a couple weeks ago still hanging in there, as it is a larger gauge bit of wire, but lost the lower left and upper right when removing elastics this morning. Having felt they go previously, I knew as soon as I removed the elastic and the wire spun around no longer *attached* to the bracket. I'm sure the doc will laugh tomorrow when she goes hunting for them, to remove them for the new wire placement. Oh..and I seem to have swallowed a ligature somewhere along the way as well...gawd!

#187 Post by **opera^gal** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:55 am

Had my 12th adjustment this morning and ...well...I'm not as excited as I thought I was going to be: the box configuration elastics are STILL on!!!!!! And I STILL have the same gauge/type bottom wire I've had since..gee..I dunno..4/09 perhaps??!!!!! Ok..that was the mini rant I HAD to get out..apologies! Good news is that I am back in an advancing top 16g wire, with loops, to move those resistant incisors away from the 'grinding zone'. Pain is already pretty active, so I imagine the next few days will be oh so lovely <note sarcasm dripping from the box elastics>. Had another panoramic X-ray, which was looked at for some time before getting started, but without comment. Hope that means things are doing as expected! Now for the less than hilarious portion of the program: the techie gal was putting on the ligs <jelly teal again, gawd I'm pedantic with colours>, and said she was having trouble getting them to stay on the brackets with the koby wire hooks, but made it work eventually. Come to find out, she did NOT make it work, as I got home to inspect everything and low and behold, several brackets had one or more cleat un-engaged. Easy fix, so I thought. Got all but one back in place, fought a while on the last one, only to get it back on and have the koby magically disappear from view. Yes, gone, not findable by fingernail or dental pick..poof..abracadabra! Panic!!! Remove the lig and start hunting hunting hunting, as the gumline is getting more and more irritated. I can see the twisted end of the koby still around the bracket, so I know it's there ..somewhere. I finally find it <it had spun and tucked behind the advancing loop next to it>, get it back to upright and locked position for landing, get the lig back on and ....poof AGAIN! Now, I'm angry, as I do NOT want to go back to the office. Off with the lig, dig dig dig...find the koby. This time around, I slip the lig OVER the koby and onto the bracket, with remarkable ease I must say. All in all, it was about 30mins of lip-pulling, hemostat waving, blood-pressure elevating funFunFUN!!! <more sarcasm, could you tell?> Could someone pass me a drink and wake me when it's over?

#188 Post by **iBorg** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:40 pm

I'm sorry to hear your boxing elastics are still with you. I know you were really looking to let those go into the great elastic bonfire we all are looking forward to. I wouldn't panic about the lower wire. I've had this one for at least a year. As I understand it, the lower arch is easier than the upper arch.

I also think you may need to go back to your ortho and have her check out your handiwork. While there I'd ask to speak to the ortho privately and ask that you not be assigned her again. I really think she's learning and using you as a lab project. Sooner or later you're going to end up the Bride of Orthostein.

EEEEK!

#189 Post by **opera^gal** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:58 pm

Thanks for your suggestion iBorg..I called and discussed the situation with the doc after my anger subsided. She said as long as the lig is on and the koby is holding the elastic in place, it's all good. I think she's a tired of having non-compliant patients who refuse to wear elastics at all, so having one wear them to the point of several snapped koby hooks, is a relief, sorta kinda.

Pain levels have steadily increased all day/night, despite the ibuprophen onslaught. I knew what to expect, so at least it wasn't a total surprise. May have to upgrade to something stronger in order to sleep. Calling Dr Tranqenstein, Dr Tranqenstein to the ortho patient on the lazyboy sofa, stat!

#190 Post by **opera^gal** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:00 pm

Happy Braceversary to me...one year down!!!! A few months to go, but it feels like a major hurdle has been crossed, even though I've got pain at the moment. Some excellent news to report: woke up after a less than fantastic night's sleep to find that my bite seems to 'fit' together now. Whereas I never had canine to canine contact, with bottoms behind tops, now...I do!. The way-back molar team are all fitting nicely, with the premolar delinquents still fighting the box elastics to bring them into contact, but...they *are* closer than they were yesterday. And most importantly, the top incisor movement forward, has progressed enough in 24 hrs to get them off the bottom brackets/incisors!!! It's been agonizing, with no amount of relief with any type of medication, but seeing such terrific progress, bolsters my mood and might...just might...lessen the throbbing a smidgen!

#191 Post by **catfish** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:51 pm

Hi opera^gal, I want to be sympathetic to your situation, but your description and your responses are just leaving me in stitches! It's hard to feel sorry for someone when you're laughing yourself silly!

Seriously, I really appreciate your approach to the whole braces thing. It can be trying at times for sure, but your sense of humor is really inspiring. It's easy to dissolve into despair when things aren't going well, but you always seem to find the humor.

Love your updates!

#192 Post by **iBorg** » Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:43 pm

Catfish:
I do agree the girl has a sense of humor. I think that comes because she drives a PT Cruiser or maybe she has to have a sense of humor to drive a PT?

Mike

#193 Post by **opera^gal** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:30 pm

Hey now hey now!! No bashing the PT Cruiser Convertible!! So it looks like a VW Beetle on steriods...so it has a chopped-off backside with a useless trunk entry..it gets me where I need to go, with the sun on my face more often than not...and knots in my hair of course!

Catfish, thanks for the kind compliments. Humour isn't a pain-reducing as morphine with a chocolate cake chaser, but it works some of the time. Glad you are getting a giggle or two from reading my updates. And iBorg, if I could get my tongue out from the box elastics, it would be fluttering a big fat raspberry in your direction..so there... neener neener, and for good measure... neener

#194 Post by **iBorg** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:29 pm

What color is yours? Mine's black. Auto or 5-speed? Mine's a five. Turbo or bore mobile...... Mine may be the fastest PT in West Virginia. Of course, that's not saying much, unless you've tried to keep up with it.

You got to have a sense of humor to drive a PT convertible. Great back seat, reasonable front seats (of course mine has the BMW option.....proof of my sense of humor) and absolutely a trunk big enough for two small suitcases.

Mike

#195 Post by **opera^gal** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:52 pm

Mine is white with a black ragtop, automatic, and the trunk is spaceous, but not easy to get into with the idiotic way it is constructed! Prior to this, I drove an Audi TT Roadster, 6-speed...which ended up squished between two semi-trucks going ONE mile an hour in a rush hour traffic jam..poor thing was never the same after the repairs. Caveat emptor ruleth!!!