opera^gal's story

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#226 Post by **opera^gal** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:28 pm

Hey Trish, thanks for stopping by. Elastics continue to be a point of 'wtf' in my house. Put on a new set the other night, and one side felt really tight..so I thought I'd remove it and replace it. Well, in the process of trying to get it off, it split into the TWO elastics it really was, and got tangled up. I finally got them both off, trashed and put on a real single this time around, only to have it break about an hour later and snap me in the lip.

They do their job eventually I know, but ..really?...come on!! Enough is enough here!!

#227 Post by **opera^gal** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:30 pm

A week since my most recent adjustment and not too much to report. I think the stubborn premolars have given up moving any further with the elastics, as I haven't seen any progress for several weeks. Good news, I have not had any elastic 'drama' for a few days, which is a relief.
Spring has officially sprung and warm weather has arrived with gusto. Wonder how hot it will get before I can smile without any tinsel blinding myself in the rear-view mirror?

#228 Post by **opera^gal** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:20 pm

I was looking closely today at my right upper and lower premolars, where the koby hooks are attached, and don't ya know...I'm missing the ligs on both of those brackets! I checked the left side, and the ligs are still there. Very strange. Guess they came off during some meal and I never noticed them missing. And never saw them as they exited my body either..eww! Since both brackets are koby'd with twisted wire, I don't think there is a problem as the arch wire is held fast in place by the kobys.

#229 Post by **opera^gal** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:49 pm

Bad news: stupid frikken cold has returned and/or a new one has taken up residence in my sinuses, making all my teeth ache! How much mucous CAN the human head produce per hour? Someone at the Mayo Clinic should do a study!!
Good news: got verification from the dentist, who got verification from the ortho <after re-checking my panoramic x rays>, that the dreaded bonding on the top central incisors can come OFF and those teeth brought down to make up the difference that I ground off over the years...YAY! I'm thrilled with this news, even though I am quite sure it will not be painless nor a speedy endeavor. Based on how other downward movement has gone with elastics, it might set me back a bit overall. But I'm ok with that, as to have real tooth-edge, will be worth it! I'll see the dentist on the 24th and the ortho for the normal adjustment/etc on the 26th.

#230 Post by **opera^gal** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 7:17 pm

One more week until the bonding comes off the top incisors...can't wait!! Not that the dentist is the most gentle creature Mother Nature ever created but at this point, doesn't matter! Off with the bonding, a little evening out of the chipped places...and back to the ortho the following Monday for a normal adjustment, and perhaps the beginning to bringing down those incisors a bit to match the rest of the top line.

#231 Post by **opera^gal** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:23 am

Saw the dentist this morning, for what I thought was the complete removal of the bonding on my top central incisors. What he *did* was remove all the 'excess' that was on the back of the teeth. HUH? <insert scooby doo head tilt here> There is still bonding essentially everywhere, and it did not change the tooth really at all. His comment was 'the bonding is off the tooth, but still filling the chipped portions for now'. Yeah ok, but the point of removal was to REMOVE it, grind the chips smooth, and bring the teeth down, as per all the discussions with the ortho. At this point, with no change in tooth length, I can't imagine she will bring them down at all, as they are in EXACTLY the same position as before, when they didn't require downward movement. Confused much? I certainly am!!! I see the ortho on Monday, and will ask her opinion as to what happens next, with regards to this current situation. I mean, hey..no additional discomfort/time spent bringing them down...FINE...but someone in the oral profession here should be clearer with their plans and communication! Well, maybe I'll be released from elastic bondage as an appeasement tactic...yeah, fat change sugarbuns!

#232 Post by **opera^gal** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:17 am

I heard some wonderful words today at my adjustment: 'final stretch'..OMG! Can that really be true? Now, is it final stretch of wearing elastics <yes I'm still in box elastics, but moved from 2nd premolar on top to 1st premolar..so feels almost like a triangle instead of a box now .. doc did say the bite is nearly perfect, and maybe one more visit for the elastics (as in, this is the last month, or one more month???)>? Is it the final stretch for the whole shootin' match <retainers were once again discussed [hawley for both top and bottom, as well as bonding the small spaces I have from forward advancement], even though I haven't been in rectangular 'final wires' yet? Excitement abounds, if premature in nature.
Along with the change in placement of the top koby hooks, I also got some bends at the central incisors, to bring them down a bit. Perhaps once that has happened, the *rest* of the bonding on those teeth will be removed. Who knows? I'll have to wait and see what surprises come next on this dental adventure.

#233 Post by **opera^gal** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:59 am

oops, forgot to mention: sparklie blue ligs = my new fav!

#234 Post by **iBorg** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:34 am

So when this is all done are you going to miss choosing colors and sparkly smiles? I know I keep on trying to figure out where to hook my elastics.....

Mike

#235 Post by **opera^gal** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:26 pm

Boy, did my teeth move FAST this time around. Had the adjustment yesterday to bring down the top incisors and woke up this morning, still a tad painful but with those teeth now hitting the bottom brackets...Hello?! Did the tooth elves come in during the night and jack those teeth down with their mini orthodontic tools or what?? Anyway, long story still long, had to swing past the dentist's office to have him grind more of the bonding off, so I didn't crash against the bottom brackets. And guess what? <pauses for the actual *what* being said mentally by the reader> Dentist said that I'll probably be back a couple more times to have the bonding slowly decreased as the teeth continue to move. And yes indeed, there is hope that I won't require ANY of that bonding by the end of it, so it will indeed be natural tooth ONLY. Now, didn't I post a few posts back, that supposedly, that WAS the plan originally? Uh huh, I sure did. Luckily, it took him 5 mins max to take off enough to solve the current issue, and said if I need more removed, to swing on by again whenever I need. Oh yes, and about having the 'spaces' between the lateral incisors/canines from forward advancement *bonded*, he said if it is cosmetic only, it's up to me...if it is for retention of that forward advancement, he'd probably choose a crown or veneer, which would be more sturdy than bonding. Will cross that dental bill when the time comes, after de-banding.

#236 Post by **opera^gal** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 11:53 am

Those frikken orthodontic tooth elves have been at it again in the wee hours, moving those incisors down to hit the bottom brackets while I sleep. I woke up this morning, and BANG..bracket slam! I could not believe it! Thought maybe, it was just my imagination, so I went to have some breakfast and BANG..bracket slamathon!!! Holy moly! I called back the dentist, who had said yesterday I might need one more de-bonding grindfest along the way...and he said 'come on by and I'll take a look, but you might need to go see the ortho anyway'. I get there, wait a little bit, out he comes and looks at me right in the lobby and shakes his head, pointing the way to the exam room. Get in the chair with the blinding interrogation light set up and right away, he's after me with the drill. I put my hand up and said 'what? no biting down on the marking paper to see what to remove?' He laughed and said 'not that much left of the bonding, I'm going to remove ALL of it now.' Well gosh and by golly, I am BONDING FREE!!!! Feels strange, as he can't shape the teeth until the braces come off, so it's a bit rough in spots where the chips were ground down. But, all that buildup discolored crap is GONE!!! Dentist thought the ortho might need to move those brackets up a bit, depending on how much more the teeth will be brought down, and if I magically hit brackets again soon, that will be an ortho fix from here on out. It might have taken a couple extra visits to become freed from bonding bondage, but at this very moment, I don't care a bit.

#237 Post by **opera^gal** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:23 am

After all the movement and bonding removal this week, the triangle of agony has set in: from the bridge of my nose down to either canine, the pressure/pain is enormous. Strange that I didn't feel it until today...guess I was too excited to notice but hey...I notice it now..which is spelled *n-OW!*

#238 Post by **Trish** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 12:26 pm

Opera^gal...
I just love your posts! You have the best sense of humor. Congrats on all your movement...my next adjustment is next friday. I was promised elastics, so i'll be in your club!

Waiting for pain!

trish

#239 Post by **iBorg** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:57 pm

Forgive the slight hijacking....

Remember Trish you were promised, not threatened elastics. While we all at times complained about them (my kids and wife still joke about finding them everywhere), they do help achieve our goals.

Mike

#240 Post by **opera^gal** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:01 pm

Hey iBorg: I called the NTSB on you for the hijacking..prepare for the inquiry and subsequent search for the lil black box I hid somewhere

Hey Trish: Elastics are a pain, both physically and just in the rear end to deal with, but they do the job. So each time you swear while putting them in/out or when they snap you in the lip, keep the long term goal in mind.

Still aching in the triangle of agony. But I suffer with a smile showing all real tooth surface!