2nd time around at 30!

[rhomboid]

I just looked at your pictures again and they aren't exceptionally clear and the lower arch is blurry; however you may have the distinction of having the straightest teeth that I have ever seen for one that has just gotten braces.

[peacefrog]

I had my first adjustment yesterday. This was pretty uneventful, I didn't even have the wires taken out. They just snipped the parts that were too long in the back from movement.

I did however get a power chain from canine to canine to close up some gaps that have begun to appear. All I can say about this is Owie! After they were done putting it on they told me it probably feels a little tight. Yeah you think? I have had to wear elastics since the beginning and I definitely think this little power chain is 100 times worse. However, these suckers definitely work my gaps were closed within 6 hours. So much so I had a difficult time flossing my teeth last night. So----I guess it is worth it.

I am still attempting to take decent pictures, I just can't seem to get the hang of it or get any that are clear. Once I do I will post new pictures!!!!

[peacefrog]

Progress pictures 1 1/2 months first adjustment











As you can tell I still haven't mastered the picture taking yet. However, I did think it was funny looking through these pictures-How terribly awful my face looked in every picture just to get a picture of all of my teeth. I've spent years faking a perfect set of teeth when I smile I have a hard time doing anything else.

[peacefrog]

OOPS!! Here is the front

[peacefrog]

So, I had my third adjustment today. I got a thicker wire on both top and bottom. I'm sure that will hurt later but it feels okay. I discussed with my Ortho the fact that my teeth look like they have minimally moved and I have been in these things for 5 months already. The upside is that he told me I was wrong and that my teeth had moved a ton already. Since my teeth were pretty much already aligned he is working on widening my arches. When shown my original photos compared to now. My teeth have moved a ton. So happy adjustment today.

[peacefrog]

So---I had another adjustment today. I got my first square wires on both the top and bottom. I also had some gaps open up since my last adjustment so I also got a powerchain across the top. The combination of both of these changes has my teeth slightly tender this evening. It's amazing how much my teeth have changed in the short 8 hours since my adjustment. Probably explains the tenderness.

At my next adjustment I will be having x rays taken to evaluate the root positioning. If everything looks okay we are going to start working on leveling. I am hoping that with the leveling will come a reduced overbite.

So as my ortho pointed out today, I have already been in these braces for 6 months already. Hopefully the next 12 will go by just as fast.

[peacefrog]

I had another adjustment today. I had x-rays taken to determine root position. Everything is coming along nicely.
I then heard the best words ever. Permanent retainers next visit which is at the end of June and then on the next visit these suckers are coming off. That will put me at the end of July or August and just about 10 months treatment time. WooHoo!!!!!

[TinkB]

That's great news!!!!

I am glad that your treatment went so fast.

[peacefrog]

So I haven't felt uncomfortable with my braces until today. I had a job interview and all I could think the whole time was can't these people stop staring at my mouth!!!!

[Roboto]

Ahh! I know exactly how you feel! I'm applying and doing interviews right now and it's right there at the front of my mind every single time.

Good luck!

[peacefrog]

Roboto-Good Luck on your job search. I am sure that I may just be paranoid but it doesn't feel like it at the time:):)

[peacefrog]

Sooooo..... Tomorrow is the day for upper and lower permanent retainers. Hopefully I will get a de-banding date. I'm not counting on it, but I am definitely hopeful. I have seen lots of movement since my last adjustment so with any luck ))))))

[peacefrog]

Well it happened today. I have a de-banding date. August 3rd. This brings me in at right at 10 months.

[Kipepeo]

Peacefrog, question for you...in your first set of photos it appears that your bottom front teeth kind of arch up, not straight across at the edges. After 10 months in your braces have they evened out? And if so, did they go up or down? I'm asking because this is what mine do right now. I only have bottom brackets, and the goal was to rotate a problem tooth back into line. But the way the brackets are placed the wire arches up in front following the line of the teeth. So I assume either the fronts are going to be pulled down or the backs are going to be pulled up...and since the single root fronts are easier to move, I'm guessing former.

In my case, if that happens then my bite will be open again, and will almost certainly result in upper braces and much longer treatment time. All of this will be asked of my ortho next month.

[peacefrog]

Kipepeo- By bottom front teeth did sort of arch up. In the beginning my brackets on my bottom front teeth sort of looked like a rainbow. They are level now. I think a combination of things happened. I think the front teeth were brought down a little bit and the back teeth were moved up. When the bottom brackets on the front bottom teeth were first placed they were much further away from the gum line. They are now sitting just above the gum line so they definitely moved down throughout the course of treatment