15 months in - hmm...

Discussions relating to Lingual Braces (behind-the-teeth) only, such as iBraces and LingualCare.

Moderator: bbsadmin

Message
Author
Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

15 months in - hmm...

#1 Post by Elegra »

So... I've had my linguals in for 15 months and initially they did a fab job of widening both my arches but now I'm just waiting for the straightening to happen. I've got an appointment on Monday and phoned my dentist a couple of weeks ago to say that nothing was happening very quickly with regards to getting things straightened up. Since I'm on the last wire, and have been for about 3 months, he said he'd send my moulds etc back to the lab and see if he can get another thin wire so he can work on bending it more etc.

Fingers crossed he got something back from the lab in time for my appointment.

Here is my before pic and also my pic taken today... bit down about this at the moment but hopefully will get sorted soon.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#2 Post by Elegra »

I'm not sure if anyone reads the linguals forum much but hey ho, for my own amusement I will reply to my own post...

so saw my ortho yesterday and he'd got two thinner wires from the lab, he did tell me what they were but I can't remember now. So out came the steel ones from top and bottom and in went the new wires. Wow! They feel tight and sore, I like it, at least it means they're doing something!

He also said that he was going to keep an eye on them and if they still don't seem to be shifting my teeth then he's going to bring in his colleague ortho from another practise to see me and see what his advice is.

Onwards and upwards eventually, hopefully!

instigatelove
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:46 pm

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#3 Post by instigatelove »

I unfortunately can't see your pictures, but that sounds strange that you can't see straightening that far in. Like you said, the pressure is probably a good thing. Good luck!

User avatar
BraceFace2o1o
Posts: 980
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:00 pm

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#4 Post by BraceFace2o1o »

Oh I can really see that your arches have widened and with braces alone! I had to have a quad helix too.

I can also see your teeth have straightened up compared to before, but agree there is still some more work to be done with rotating some teeth (I hope that does not come across as rude). I hope you get there with the thin wire
Braces: Metal fixed upper and lower
Estimated treatment time: 18-24 months
Braces Removed: August 2013 (after 33 months in braces)
Retainers: Upper & lower essix and lower bonded
My Story / Before & After photos

Image

Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#5 Post by Elegra »

Thank you!

I think there might have been some movement with the thin wire but I need to take a pic to do a proper compare and contrast.

Got my next appt in 2 weeks so if there's been no improvement then am going to demand some answers...

Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#6 Post by Elegra »

Latest update...

after a few more weeks of getting the new thinner wires tightened, still nothing is happening to straighten the front teeth. My ortho consulted with another ortho and they now agree that the system they have been using for my teeth is too difficult to get the wires bent to straighten the teeth. Great, tell me that now, 17 months into my treatment!

I just spoke to him briefly on the phone and have to go in next week to discuss my options but he did say that he'd like me to consider getting the regular clear ceramic braces on the front of my teeth. Grrrrrrr, the whole point of going down the lingual route was so that I wouldn't have visible braces!

I don't care about having visible braces on my bottom teeth as they're more hidden but ones on my top teeth would be very visible. I work in quite senior positions and am a contractor so have to sell myself and my services and unfortunately, how you look is always going play a part in that.

I will see what he says next week but I am very p'd off that it looks like I'll have to get conventional braces after all.

alexander
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:00 am
Location: UK

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#7 Post by alexander »

Hi, can I ask which brand of linguals you are using? It's a bit worrying that they aren't giving you the results you hoped for, have they offered any sort of explanation as to why this is?

Hope you get a satisfactory solution in place soon!

Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#8 Post by Elegra »

Hi there

I'm not too sure of the system name, would need to go look out my paperwork, but they look like the Social Six ones. The brackets are quite chunky, apparantly the Incognito ones, with slimmer brackets are much better but much more expensive.

The explanation I got was that it's difficult to bend the wires and get the torque to move the teeth around. Well, if it's that difficult then why recommend the system to me in the first place?

I am certainly giving my ortho a piece of my mind when I see him on Wednesday, I've paid for a service that he's not delivered.

alexander
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:00 am
Location: UK

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#9 Post by alexander »

I have incognito on the top and conventional ceramics on the bottom... it's been 3 weeks now and no one has noticed the ceramics at all which really surprised me. My bottom teeth do show when I talk and they look so obvious to me but obviously not to other people. If it's any consolation, knowing what I know now (and with the price difference!) I would have at least considered top ceramics but at the time it really wasn't an option I was willing to consider!

Just saying that if you do end up going down that route they won't necessarily be as bad as you think...

Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#10 Post by Elegra »

Yeh, i've no problem with ceramincs on the lowers (though when I went for my initial consultation my ortho said there would be no need) but I just don't want them on the top, it would make me paranoid if nothing else!

I guess I'm just upset that I got lots of assurances that my linguals would work and now my ortho is having to 'fess up that they're not working. *sigh*

Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#11 Post by Elegra »

Hi all

A wee update on where I am... nearly two years in. So in October my lower linguals were replaced with ceramics, I don't mind them and they've certainly made a massive difference in a short period of time.

I've also been transferred to a more experienced ortho (thankfully he's billing my original ortho for the further treatment and not me!). He said if I'd seen him originally he'd have had me done in a year... oh well hindsight is a marvellous thing.

So I've about 8 months or so left of treatment, mainly involving bending of the wires to rotate the teeth plus need elastics towards the end to fix my very small (6mm) overbite.

You can see from the pic below that things are getting there... eventually!! :D

Keep going folks, we'll get there in the end!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Tobilei
Posts: 1613
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 8:46 pm

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#12 Post by Tobilei »

Sorry things didn't work out in the first place, but wow! They're looking awesome now :mrgreen:

Macbear14
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2014 5:15 pm

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#13 Post by Macbear14 »

Hi Elegra... Did you have to get the linguals at the top replaced with ceramics for the last 8 months? I have teeth needing rotated and I always wondered wether the ceramics would do a quicker/ better job .

Elegra
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:04 am

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#14 Post by Elegra »

Hi there, I'm actually getting my braces off on Tuesday and can't wait!! So it's taken another year of tweaks. I still have linguals on top and my new ortho has done a good job of straightening. If you have an ortho who knows what he's doing then you shouldn't need ceramics! Good luck.

Macbear14
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2014 5:15 pm

Re: 15 months in - hmm...

#15 Post by Macbear14 »

Oh bet you can't wait... I'd rather have the linguals lets just hope they do the job! Another question, do your teeth look strange during treatment when they are moving to different positions?

Post Reply