Jana's Journey

[JMSmith]

5 months and 3 days in braces. Can it be? My how time flies. It's been so long since I've posted anything on here because, well, nothing is really changing. Or so I thought.

I had an adjustment today and so far so good. There is FINALLY enough room for my right lateral incisor to start moving forward. They attached a small elastic band to the bracket on that tooth and to the arch wire to start pulling it forward. I am sooooo excited about this step!! I can't wait to feel and see it moving. Seriously, I could jump for joy right now. There still isn't enough space for the left lateral incisor to join the party... so I've got powerchains on the left top again. There is definetly more space between the incisor and canine than when I started all of this, but it's just not quite there yet. My ortho is thinking that by fall, that tooth will be ready for a bracket and an elastic band of its very own. This is part I've waiting for. To see my top teeth lined up and moving. I had been getting pretty discouraged because I can see the progress on the bottom teeth, but I can't see anything with the top. Even after the power chains, I saw nothing compared to what I had seen on the bottom. But, even though i couldn't see the progress, it was still there. That is encouraging.

I'll be going on vacation next week to visit family in Montana that I haven't seen in about 15 years. I'm sure that the braces will be a topic of some conversations, but that's another things I've adjusted to and expect. It's no biggie anymore. I am so thankful that I've been able to finally embark on this journey to straight, beautitul teeth and I am grateful for the good and the bad that I've experienced thus far. All of this is temporary and the end result is my wildest dream come true... a beautiful smile.


All in all, I'm happy. I've adjusted to life in braces. I truly hope that everyone else is having a pleasant experience and not letting the momentary discomfort or uncertainty of the near future affect your spirit! We're gonna have straight teeth damn it, and that's worth it!!!

My progress so far. 155 days in braces today!!

[RainbowWarrior]

So much progress!! That is wonderful. Your bottom teeth already look stunning. I'm looking forward to your updates!!!

[nicolegee]

Wow Jana! Tremendous shift
I hope everything was worth it...for a while my teeth brought me down and to see progress such as yours really lifts me up Im so happy for you!!!!!!!

And hells yes! We will have straight teeth in no time...I just started my braces journey...and have about 28 months to go...but people like you with great spirit make this experience that much better

[JMSmith]

Today is an AMAZING day!! I can't seem to stop tearing up. I had another adjustment yesterday and guess what?!?! MY RIGHT LATERAL INCISOR HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN ADDED TO THE ARCH WIRE!!!! I didn't think it had moved that much, so I assumed that it would get another elastic band to keep pulling it forward, but I was so wonderfully wrong. They were able to get the archwire to the bracket on that tooth and my ortho said... Get ready to see some big changes. I was stoked. But this morning I had an even bigger surprise... it's already moved and it's in line with my front tooth. ALREADY!!! Holy cow!! I looked in the mirror this morning and nearly fainted. How can it have moved so much so quickly??? It really makes me wish that I had taken a picture before I had my ortho appt. I am just amazied and so happy. Seriously, happy tears have been trickling on and off for most of the morning. I just can't believe it. I really cannot find the words that truly express my joy at this very moment.

My next appointment is in September and my ortho is very optimistic that by that appointment the left lateral incisor is going to be ready for it's brackt and the elastic band to pull it forward. If all goes well with that, I could have straight teeth by Christmas. Before I didn't always believe that this was possible, but today, I am a believer!! After that, it's just the fine tuning to get the straight teeth perfected... and I think that's just amazing. What an awesome day!!

I'm posting some pictures, first day and today. I truly hope that these pictures give everyone out there some encouragement and hope that this journey is truly worth it!! Some days do suck and it's hard to remember the reasons you've started torturing yourself like this, but THERE IS A POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF THIS RAINBOW!! I still have a long way to go, but after seeing this, I say BRING IT ON!!! WOOHOO!!!

The pictures are HUGE, sorry about that...

LOVE YOU ALL!!! Have a great day!!

Top View - First Day in braces



Top View - Today - 6 Months and 1 week in braces



Front View - First Day in braces



Front View - Today

[unspec]

Bloody hell, that's amazing.

I can't believe the movement of that lateral incisor.

[JMSmith]

Something interesting happened this weekend. I HAVE A BITE AGAIN!!! My front teeth are not crashing into one another, they are closing nicely with NO UNDER BITE (!!!!) and my molars all fit together well. In other words, I CAN EAT!!! I'm sure that it won't last long because there is a whole lot more that needs to be moved and adjusted, but I've learned in my life that you have to take the time to enjoy the little things, even if they are fleeting, and that's what I intend to do. I'm going to eat a big ol' steak tonight and because I can actually chew it, it's going to be amazing. Oh! And a salad, because chewing lettuce has been even more of a challenge in the past 6 months.

I don't know if this placement, or one similar is something I can look forward to for long, but I hope it lasts. I really don't want to have jaw surgery for this tiny little under bite that I allegedly have. Here's hoping!!

Happy Tuesday Arch Wired friends!!!

~Jana

[BetsyBug]

Yay Jana!!!! congratulations on getting that tooth to play with the others
Enjoy your steak and salad!!! I'm jealous still can't really chew here I'm sure it will get better and I will get my steak soon though

[Angel269]

Great progress

[JMSmith]

THANKS!!!

Had a warm steak salad tonight, and it really was delicious AND I COULD CHEW IT!! I have such an irrational fear of choking, so the last 6 months have been a food nightmare for me. I eat, but it takes me a very long time. I could have had 2 salads tonight. Awe, the simple things. Of course, I did have to spend some quality time with the waterpik afterwards to get all of that meat out of my braces, but it was worth it. That is, after all, why I bought that thing. It's about time I put it to some really good use.

Anywho, I hope that everyone else has an occassional moment of awesomeness during your metal mouth journey. It's great to finally feel like there's a real purpose to what your doing, not to mention spending all that $$$ on!!



~Jana

[nancy13000]

Wow jana great progress. Your teeth are like mine i have one fully blocked incisor and the other partially blicked on my top. Im getting braces on monday. Its crazy to see that movement so fast it gives me hope! I have a post ill link you to so you can see pictures.

[nancy13000]

Here's the link to my pics. Your movement is amazing. I will cry too when my teeth are that straight.
http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 13&t=43242

[JMSmith]

Hi fellow bracefaces!! It has been a while since I had been on here and I just loved reading everyone's kind words! I am truly happy with this decision and am willing to put up with all of the torture (I joke with my ortho that the power chain MUST be some kind of medieval torture device) because it is oh so worth it.

Let's see... everything has been pretty standard. In Sept, the bracket was placed onto my left lateral incisor and they tied a band from the bracket to the archwire... which continued to keep the spring in place. That has kind of pushed all of the my teeth to the right a bit, meaning that they are tilting in that direction. But the lateral incisor moved a lot, so it's cool. I had my last appointment on Oct 29 and they were able to attached part of that bracket to the archwire. The movement since that appointment has been nothing short of amazing.

Eating is a pain again, but it's not unexpected. Right now the worst part is the power chain on the bottom. The gaps are nearly closed on the bottom, but for some reason the right side of my lower jaw is SUPER sensitive to cold. My ortho explained that the accelarated movement can cause the roots and jaw to feel like that... it's not the first time I've experienced this sensation with the powerchain, but this time the powerchain is all the way across and that cold pain feeling can be really intense. I think I've noticed it getting better, but I may have just trained myself to just avoid whatever causes that pain to occur.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU TODAY NANCY13000!!! Today is the first step and although it's hard to imagine that things can move and change, they do. It might seem slow at the start and you'll have a lot of new sensations to deal with, just remember it's only temporary. I'm posting these pics here for you. I want you to know that the time difference between these photos is only 10 days!! 10 days!!! In total, I've been at this for almost 9 months and at this rate, I may also have my very first holiday photos starring me with a smile. THAT is something I am really looking forward to. And do you know what?! It will be you soon too!! I'm so excited for you and I cannot wait to watch your transformation unfold!!

Top - 10/29


Top - 11/09


Front - 10/29


Front - 11/09

[Kipepeo]

Stunning progress J!

[nancy13000]

Wow your teeth move so fast. You're truly insprining. The first couple days are rough but I'm just hanging in there. I can't wait until my smile starts to straighten out. Your progress is just amazing.

[Angel269]

Fantastic-you must be chuffed with progress