Catgyrl's (Cathy's) Journey at age 42...

[kitsune]

Your super blue chain is sooooo pretty!! It makes your teeth look incredibly white and I think it comes across almost like jewelry.

I would love to go for a color like that in the near future! Maybe after the new year...

[Snowglobe32]

Hi Cathy,

I also love the blue!

I went in today to get progress scans and pictures done. Once my ortho reviews them we will discuss what is left to do. He mentioned the possibility of needing TAD's. So my original estimate of 22-24 months, really was just an estimate. They are not ready to come off in my opinion, so I am hoping to have them off by July 4th. If he can't perfect my teeth in the next 8 months, then I might have to kick his a$$!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[catgyrl]

Thank you, Snowglobe32! Sorry so late in replying, but happy belated Thanksgiving to you, too. I was under the weather, so I didn't eat like a piggy.

I sure hope you don't have to get TAD's. Those things look incredibly painful. When I even get a scratch on my gum, it's so painful. (Or, maybe I'm just a wuss...) I have a feeling my 24-month estimate is also just an estimate. I'd like to kick my ortho's butt, too... just because he acts like such a d-bag sometimes. I almost want to tattle on him to his wife, and let her know that he wouldn't let me ask any of the questions I had written down (that she TOLD me I should write down). HAHA

(Can you tell I'm in one of those moods today...?)

Piccy time: Almost 3 weeks in and the blue ligs are still nice and BLUE. Left side has dropped a bit, so my smile isn't so lopsided anymore. Still LOTS of work to be done, though...

[catgyrl]

WORST…PAIN…EVAH!!!

Sorry for the mini-vent/rant ahead; I just have to let it out…

Well, the day I’ve been both hoping for (and dreading, at the same time) has come to be. The dreaded ZIGZAG ELASTICS are here!! He sprung these on me with no warning, whatsoever. I heard him mumble something about “finishing…” He had the assistant put 2 more hooks on the bottom (for a grand total of 6 now), and she proceeded to give me a new bag of elastics. They were 3/8”, 6 oz. (X-Heavy Force) and I thought, “Oh, they’re bigger, so they’ll feel more comfortable.” Uh… NO! They are hooked onto my lower 3rd molars, woven over my upper first-molars, down under my lower 2nd molars, and hooked back up to my canines (I think). Anyway, it’s in an “N” shape, on both sides. Here’s a pic:



I have had my ups and downs during this whole process; days when my teeth hurt a bit, or the insides of my mouth were torn up from hooks and pokey wires. Never once have I ever come close to crying… until today. I was on the phone all day at work, and had to apologize to people because they couldn’t understand a word I said. My coworkers giggled at how I had to talk through clenched teeth (like Thurston Howell, III from “Gilligan’s Island”) I held it in all day and let it go when I got home. My jaws are virtually wired shut… I can’t even open my mouth wide enough to stick out my tongue to lick my lips. I can barely drink anything. My jaw and face are KILLING ME!!! I already snapped 3 of these elastics today, just trying to talk. And I have to keep them in for the next 5 weeks, 24/7, except for eating and brushing. The more I take them out… even if for a short time… the more it hurts when I put them back in. I should lose a ton of weight over the next month because it’s just too much of a hassle to take them out to eat.

I know I should be happy, because this is supposed to be a sign that my braces journey is nearing the end… but all I can think of is this pain. Even the wire tie he put around my upper-left canine (to “engage that tooth” – whatever that means) doesn’t hurt as much as these damn things.

On a positive note: My last day of work before my winter vacation is next Friday, 12/16, and then I have 2 weeks off. I’m really hoping I will “get used to them” during that time period.

Thank you for putting up with my rant. I think I shall never, ever complain about anything braces-related again, because I think this is, truly, the worst.

P.S. As if things weren't bad enough, I'm supposed to go out to dinner and then to a Boyz II Men concert on Sunday. I honestly don't feel like even going.

[libbylou]

Aw Cathy rant away! Those elastics look completely brutal!!!! Fabulous news though that you are heading towards the finish line - your teeth are looking fantastic. Stick with it - you are going to be so thrilled with the result. Have a wonderful winter holiday away

[catgyrl]

Aww... Thank you libbylou! I suppose, like all things braces-related, this will take a lot of getting used to. I should be thankful that I can even talk AT ALL. I'm getting better at taking them out and putting them back in, and I've made up my mind (after my little hissy fit yesterday) that I WILL NOT starve myself because I'm too lazy to replace the bands. I can already see my bite coming together after less than 2 days. I want to wear them as much as possible so I can get them off ASAP!

Thank you for your support and encouragement. My vacation will be a stay-at-home vacation, so lots of Netflix and sleep. Haha

[libbylou]

Had to google netflix to see what it was - I thought it was a pain killer when I first read it! Hey it sounds brilliant - wish we had it here!

Sounds like you are already adjusting to those elastics - your work colleagues need to look after you and not let you have to speak on the phone all day! It must be like trying to speak with a muzzle on!

Your winter holiday sounds just the ticket - lots of great TV and relaxation. Just the kind I am planning too! I turn 44 next week so its a good excuse to put my feet up in my old age. Have a wonderful Xmas Cathy

[klobird]

So Cat, what exactly is he trying to fix in the way of the bite??--The midline? Those look really scary, but I'm still thinking that I could absolutely NOT wear the diagonal across the front ones....are they irritating your lips or cheeks? The heavy duty ones I have are just plain irritating my brain!!

Man you're mouth looks almost like it's wired shut!! And you will be all done and watching us go thru all of this next year!!
Wow, ya I guess they do kind of sock it to you in the end...but that's just it...it's almost the END!!!

Good luck in the coming weeks--I have a one week vacation between Christmas and New Year's, but no adjustment to screw it up until January!!

Have a great Christmas and relax!!

[catgyrl]

Hi Klo!!

My midline is just fine. He put these damn things on to ensure that my teeth "bite down" together properly, and that my upper and lower jaws are aligned. Lemme tell ya -it's definitely working! I can almost see what the final product will look like.

I've not had any problems with the elastics rubbing against my cheeks, but that's probably because I'm unable to really talk with them in, so there's not a lot of movement going on. Believe it or not, after all my whining on Friday, they actually felt almost like normal elastics yesterday. I could talk, and even yawn with no problems. That is... Until later last night when one side snapped. I was at a concert and didn't want to get up to go to the bathroom to replace it, so I removed both of them for about 3 hours. Bad move... I'm right back to the tightness that was there on Friday. But it's okay. I've almost made peace with them.

I hope you have a wonderful week-long vacation!

[catgyrl]

Oops - I moved my pic and it accidentally deleted from the previous page.

[AM21]

O.o Just looking at your elastic configuration make my teeth hurt.. The good thing is atleast you're almost finished, and won't have to deal with elastic pain anymore. Can't wait to see debrace pics

[catgyrl]

O.o Just looking at your elastic configuration make my teeth hurt.. The good thing is atleast you're almost finished, and won't have to deal with elastic pain anymore. Can't wait to see debrace pics

LOL! I felt great yesterday while I was at home... not talking to anyone. One hour into my work day today, and I'm exhausted and want to go home. I simply cannot hold long conversations with these things in. The one good thing I can say is that the elastics are getting easier to put in. It only takes me about 15 seconds on each side now, instead of a whole minute like last week. I'm so happy that Friday is my last day of work until January 3rd. I have 2 weeks off, during which I plan to do NOTHING but sit at home and watch movies.

I can't wait to see my debrace pics, too! LOL!

[HeyBuckey!]

Oh Cathy! OMG! That is a lot of rubber band! Your teeth look great so far even though you are buckled in pretty tight.

I'm glad the pain has subsided!

[catgyrl]

Oh Cathy! OMG! That is a lot of rubber band! Your teeth look great so far even though you are buckled in pretty tight.

I'm glad the pain has subsided!

Thanks, Buckey! They feel much better now. Still tight, but nowhere near as bad as last week. My bite is coming together well, but my upper centrals and laterals still "overjet" a bit, so I can almost see what his next move will be: hooks on my upper lateral incisors so he can pull them in and down.

It's unbelievable how much my teeth and face have changed. I'm told that my face looks thinner, and my teeth look bigger. I am SO excited for the day when I get these things off.

I hope you're feeling better!!

[catgyrl]

Hey everyone (or anyone still reading this...)

Jeez, I hate to admit when the ortho's office is right...

Two weeks down, and I must say that I am actually getting used to these horrid elastics (just like they said I would). They feel just as crappy as all the other configurations I've had, but are definitely tolerable, and are definitely bringing my bite together.

I had a bit of a fright yesterday. For some reason, at my last visit I recalled my ortho mumbling something about installing "J Hooks on the 2's" at my next visit, so I decided to look them up. The only J Hooks I could find looked like what you attach to headgear. HEADGEAR??!! After the initial shock, I decided to call them to ask what the heck they were. I didn't care if they thought I was a psycho. The girl who answered the phone was my assistant, so she knew what I was talking about. I asked if they were, in any way, related to headgear, and said that if they were, then we could start finishing things up now, because there was no way in HELL I would wear that. She kinda giggled and said, "Oh, no. They're a hook that goes around the bracket, and they're for elastics." PHEW!!! I can handle that. Now that I've had practice speaking thru clenched teeth, what's one more hook?

The canine wrapped with the wire tie looks great. I really only see one other tooth that's a bit more set back than the others. Maybe he'll wire-tie that one, too next time.