Can I do it?

[EbonyQ]

I have started to tell people that I will most likely take off my braces so it won’t be a shock for them and today it was my boss’s turn.

He tried to come up with ideas that might help but my ortho has tried them all . What he then suggested was that I start to do my own treatment. To use his own words “But Yvonne, why don’t you do your own treatment? You know how to change arch wires, to put on power chain and such. With Damons it will be easy for you”. He would of course supervise but I was the one would do the treatment on myself (or at least the things that I can do myself).

In this way I get 100% control over things. He explained that it would not be the ideal thing but it would be better than no treatment at all.

Even though it’s the appointments that are the worst it’s not because of the dentist but because of what is being done. It’s the treatment itself and to have them on my teeth that are the problem.
But it was a nice idea.

And my boss is trying to teach me orthodontic lol. I guess he hopes it will help my fear.
Today he gave me a model of some teeth from a pt he is doing treatment planning on and explained how the orthodontist can know how much over/under bite the pt will have when the teeth are in correct line. He let me try to do the measuring and the math on this one. It was very interesting. This one had 1mm to much overbite so he suggested stripping as one of the solutions.

[EbonyQ]

Since I started working at this ortho clinic my goal was to be able to sit in one of our chairs with my boss next to me. It took me four weeks; today when the last pt of the day had left I asked my boss if he would sit beside me while I was in the chair.

My heart was going wild before I sat in the chair, and even worse when I sat down. At first my boss kept his distant and let me take the chair down myself when I was ready. He then had a carefully look with a mirror and explained things with my bite while I lay there stiff as limber, eyes closed and a heart beating for life.

It went well. I’m still alive . He was very careful and took it very slow

[jem]

Hi Eb,

It is a while since you have posted any pictures of your teeth. How are they doing?


Jem

[Realizingadream]

I can understand some of your ortho fear. It darn near paralyzed me yesterday. Yuck.

I have a very great fear of my dentist. He didn't even KNOW until I told him that the reason he is just 5 blocks from my house, is because if I had to drive to anywhere further away, I just would not do it! My teeth are full of fillings and stuff because I was never able to brush and floss them very well because they are so jumbled up! I have been going to this dentist for 20 years and he never knew how great is my fear, until I told him just last month. While he is working on me, I do math in my head, to take me away from my surroundings. Crazy, huh. Been doing it for years. If you want to know a neat trick to multiply by 11, IN YOUR HEAD, even 10 digit numbers, I can teach it to you in 5 minutes, probably less. No I am not a math genious but the math takes me away from the sounds and weird equipment.

My orthodontist is a full 40 minute drive away! YIKES. Yesterday I drove over there to get my top arch braced. He braced the bottom arch 6 months ago, long story, that.

Anyway, I was LATE to my appointment, and I hate being late to stuff. It turns out I am ALWAYS LATE when it is something I fear. I thought I was doing "okay" with the orthodontia, but I guess not, because: I had to go back in the house 5 times (versus usually I forget stuff and go back 3 times....) and then I was all the way down the road and had to go back home to see if I had turned off the burners and set up the dogs right. Of course, everything was fine. It was just FEAR of going to the orthodontia appt. that was letting my brain just run around and make up reasons to not get there. Or not get there on time. Sheesh, how embarrassing.

I have now learned I will have to leave 20 minutes earlier for these appointments, to make up for my dithering that I guess is sure to happen.

And this from a supposed adult I am. Oh well.

EbonyQ, I hope you will continue treatment. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you better, they say. I have been through SO MUCH in my life and wouldn't do any of it different, and for sure I did NOT enjoy it while it was going down. Some of it (the worst part) took me 35 years to understand, and I just finally "got it" a few months ago. The growth that came from the initial problem, and finally understanding it, has been beautiful.

As an oldster, I really think you can do this. Pack up all your concerns, logically put them in an imaginary suitcase, (fold them and look at each one, do this slowly) and then leave them out by the imaginary road to be rained on and taken away by someone else. You don't need the hassle any more. You've done your time. And then, go buy yourself a cookie (one of those big ones) and start the new chapter in your life. You are amazing. I really, really hope I have not overstepped my bounds. But, YOU ARE AMAZING and I don't want you to go away. Just ignore this if you feel it was inappropriate. I just want to help because YOU ARE AMAZING.

I absolutely LOVE those plastic teeth you are working on. I would LOVE to look at an orthodontia book to see how much math and all that is involved, how cool is that? MATH on my TEETH. Huh.

Real

[anngie27]

Hi Ebony,
I am very proud that you have come this far and I think you should see this through to the end. I know that is a lot to ask, but I know what you are talking about with the dental fear. i have come a long way as well and still get sick to my stomach when dental or ortho appointments are near. I wish I was able to do this sooner, but am thankful that I finally took the step to get braces. You are young and this is the time to do it. My dentist spelled it out for me--if I didn't do braces now, i was looking at fractured & broken teeth due to my bite being off and looking forward to my bottom teeth to migrate out of my jaw. Not something I wanted to look forward to. I also decided I needed to set a good example to my children as well. You are so lucky to have an ortho that is taking into account your fear and trying to do everything possible.
Good luck!

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Realizingadream, My ortho is 2 hours away on a good day and on a bad one its 3.

[EbonyQ]

Jem: They are still hanging on . My canine is down and it has to move about 2mm backwards (distal) since it’s still above the tooth next to it (lateral). I keep starring at it every day and sometimes I just want to push that canine those 2 mm with my finger!

Real: Thank you for your post. It made my day!
I have never been very fund of math, mostly because we had the most boring teaches. I’m sure they never heard of the word “fun” before
When my boss starts with these math questions my head first goes wild “nooooo math!!” but then it soon realize that it’s actually not that bad and surprisingly fun. Everything is math “you have to hold it 45° buccal from the tooth» and “you have to take the length of the tooth and divide it”. I still have to train my eyes to see these degrees they always are talking about

Anngie; I know that I should see it through but in I don’t think I will be able in this case. Even though I got all these wonderful people helping me it’s still difficult. On my last appointment my ortho said that it be too deep in my brain, that I will always be like this. I won’t go like this for 2 years; it’s taking so much of my quality of life. My brain won’t turn itself off.... Some nights I wake up in panic because an appointment is near or I have dreamt of braces.

My ortho have tried everything… he even had a meeting with the psychologist from the dental fear clinic to get advice, but I’m still freaking out.

BSS: That’s dedication . How did the appointment with the end cutter go?

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

It went horrible They did take the colours off my braces and put a new wire on then they cut the ends themselves. Then the lady forgot to shut one of the brackets and she cut the wire before closing the door, So I closed it myself and now theres a HUGE wire sticking out the back, and when I called her and asked about me fixing it and whatever she said oh just call me if its out of office hours and Ill met you at the office and I'll cut it for you. She told me to put wax on it but wax is a joke it doesnt even work for me

[Realizingadream]

Dear BSStudent:

Wax will only work for me if I dry my offending tooth/bracket with a cloth before I stick the wax, and then pull the wax off and dry IT and put it back on again. Then it will adhere forever!

My dentist calls me one of those "super saliva" people. I really have a wet mouth, he says.

If I get it dry enough, the wax will stay on really well. Otherwise, not at all.

Ebony, I am still rooting for you. I have been through so much that I DO understand, I think. And I think you can do it. Well, we'll see.

Real

[jem]

So come on Eb, let's see some pictures!

You were making great progress in your last ones and comparing pictures might just add a little impetus to help you keep going.

Best wishes,

Jem

[EbonyQ]

Yesterday my boss sent me a SMS asking for my e-mail address because he wanted to send me some information about a research project a friend is doing at the university and I was one of the few he knew who was the right age for the research.
My first thought was “not anything involving dental chairs I hope” but it was just about the human hearing and background noises so I was more than happy to sign up. I love research projects, to be able to help students do their research.

I later told boss about the “fear” that it would be something involving dental chairs with some humor and he had a good laugh about that one
I’m sure he thinks it’s a bit funny to have someone with dental fear in his office .

Jem: Here you got some pictures. There is some movement but it could have been more if we had followed the normal treatment plan.

Can’t wait to get these off, I’m counting days till my next appointment. Don’t know if he will remove them on that appointment or wait till the next one.

Day 1:


5 months:


Day 1:


5 months:


The canine just has to move 1 mm back and the tooth under is free.

[jem]

Hi Eb,

Well that looks like pretty good progress to me, even with your reduced treatment plan.

If you do insist on getting your braces removed ( and please don't), will you have any sort of retention to help you maintain what you have achieved so far?

Best wishes

Jem

[EbonyQ]

Hi Eb,

Well that looks like pretty good progress to me, even with your reduced treatment plan.

If you do insist on getting your braces removed ( and please don't), will you have any sort of retention to help you maintain what you have achieved so far?

Best wishes

Jem

I don't know, but I hope so because of my canine. Will ask my ortho when I have my app in little more than two weeks

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Realizingadream I tried that and it kept coming off But I texted my orthodontist and she said Monday she'd clip it for me and make sure this time esp after what happened last time. She wants to make sure everythings fixed before I need to go back agian because my work schedule won't allow me too much time off. Next time I go is July 19th or something like that.

But Ebony Don't sotp now that is AMAZING progress in 5 months. Maybe it'll only be 5 more. But I think you should do what your boss said about letting you control the treatment.

[Realizingadream]

Wow Ebony, that is amazing progress with your teeth. You should be so happy! I hope mine move as well as yours have done.

I got the top arch braced 6 days ago and the wire has been kind of poking me. Ugh. But I am getting used to it and all day long I smile, thinking, "I'm going to have pretty teeth, FINALLY." and also thinking of the final day of treatment, things to eat then.

You really should consider continuing, so some day not too far away, you can stand like some kind of Caped Crusader: with your hands on your hips and with your legs standing spread wide and strong and powerful, as you LAUGH at the world because you SUCCEEDED in something really, really difficult for you. Add a cape to your shoulders as you stand all positive, with the sun glinting off your beautiful teeth, laughing the laugh of the self assured.

Or you can end up like me, 62 years and crusty and dusty and getting them fixed then. Although the double takes people have done are "priceless" !

Real