LaLaLa

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#1 Post by **LaLaLa** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:35 pm

Well after years of crooked teeth, migraines and severe jaw pain I finally went in for a consultation with an Orthodontist in September 2009. I have arthritis in my right joint due to how my teeth came in and how my jaw has had to sit because of it.

Here's what I started with:

As you can see I obviously have some problems here. Chewing has always been awkward, somewhat painful and I was often made fun of by certain family members (I still can't eat across from someone unless I absolutely have to). I have to eat chewy things VERY carefully or my canines hit and hard.

The Plan:
Nitanium Expander: 3-4 months
Braces: 24 months+

My Nitanium Expander that was put in on 10/21/2009

I need to get another picture of my expander as it has moved.

#2 Post by **haywire** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:47 pm

welcome and good luck!

can you eat with that expander in your mouth ?

#3 Post by **LaLaLa** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:12 am

Thanks for the welcome!! I'm excited for Tuesday to roll around. I just want to get going on these braces!

Here is an updated comparison picture from October to Today

It's stuck in there on molar bands that have these hook-bracket-pokey-things on the outside (Roth bands maybe?). It's activated by the heat in my mouth so it just does its own thing working up there and will just stop expanding on its own. The original estimate was 3-4 months but he said that he may still leave it on even when he puts my wires on

Eating with it has gotten better but my life will be so much easier when it's out. Everything goes up there and get's caught somewhere it's just a matter of finagling it out. It takes a combination of tongue, liquids and dental cleaning instruments for everything. There are some foods that I don't bother to try and eat right now. The first thing I'm going to eat when I get it out is shrimp!

#4 Post by **LaLaLa** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:46 pm

I got my top wires on this morning. They didn't have enough burn-your-retinas pink so I went with regular. I hope it doesn't take too long to get the red dots off. They've gotten a little sore over the course of the day but pretty much just when I eat. I even went to TKD tonight!

They also forced in some spacers in the bottom for next Tuesday when the bottom wires go on.

p.s. that bottom tooth is not piraty cavity. I had a root canal and after a year it started to look like that. I think it's the peg showing through. Thankfully, they will fix it for me after braces. I cannot stand it.

#5 Post by **LaLaLa** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:49 pm

Oh!! Thank you to everyone who has ever posted information on Waterpics!

I picked one up last night and I've used it twice today. I love it so much. Totally worth $70!

#6 Post by **Maggie Brace** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:00 am

Hi Lalala
I feel your pain. I ve been wearing an expander for nearly 5 months. It s very difficult to eat and very hard to remove any bits of food after.I also have been avoiding certain foods.

It comes off in 3 weeks when a get my braces on. Two whole years of those but i can t wait now.

#7 Post by **LaLaLa** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:15 pm

One month in!

I really don't see a lot of movement personally. My teeth are fully closed in the last pic. They had to build up some molar pads for me because my top teeth were crashing into my bottom brackets and two brackets broke off because of it. They actually had to build them up twice because one week after the first my expander was able to move more and they started crashing in a second place. Hopefully were getting close to my top right teeth getting over my canine!