Dude Braces @ 25 --- MapleLeafMan888 My Story

[mapleleafman888]

Week 9 Photo's:

[mapleleafman888]

I'm 10 days in with the 16 wires and I'm still in the hurt box! The first 2-3 days weren't terrible, the next few days were really sore, then these last 2-3 days have been progressively getting better. That's kind of funny about the waffle because I can identify...yesterday I was eating at a restaraunt and I had to ask the waitress for a fork and knife so I could shred my burger.

Hang in there!

That's what you get for having it so easy when you first got the braces on!

I'll take the pain, it just means more movement. It's weird to see how much things have changed in the last 10 weeks. How's your braceface doing?

[Lorianne]

Wow! Amazing 9 week progress!! I have retro inclined front teeth too! Can't wait for my new teeth.

[chichi]

I'll take the pain, it just means more movement. It's weird to see how much things have changed in the last 10 weeks. How's your braceface doing?

My braceface is fantastic

In short, your top arch looks better than mine and my bottom arch looks better than yours lol

My bottom arch looks great... I think it's wider (haven't taken a picture to compare yet) and everything is lined up nicely. I have a few spaces that'll need closing now, but I'm impressed with how good it looks. On the other hand, my top arch isn't moving enough for me. My canine that's supposed to come down with the elastics isn't really coming down as much as I'd hoped. I have a feeling the bracket needs to be repositioned... I think it's a little low on the tooth compared to the other side. The top teeth are also not making room for it to completely fall into place, so that's probably part of the problem too.

I really want my next adjustment to hurry up and get here... I feel like I'm done with these wires and I don't even feel pressure when I replace the elastics anymore

[mapleleafman888]

Wow! Amazing 9 week progress!! I have retro inclined front teeth too! Can't wait for my new teeth.

Thanks! I'm happy with the progress so far. Good luck

My braceface is fantastic

In short, your top arch looks better than mine and my bottom arch looks better than yours lol

My bottom arch looks great... I think it's wider (haven't taken a picture to compare yet) and everything is lined up nicely. I have a few spaces that'll need closing now, but I'm impressed with how good it looks. On the other hand, my top arch isn't moving enough for me. My canine that's supposed to come down with the elastics isn't really coming down as much as I'd hoped. I have a feeling the bracket needs to be repositioned... I think it's a little low on the tooth compared to the other side. The top teeth are also not making room for it to completely fall into place, so that's probably part of the problem too.

I really want my next adjustment to hurry up and get here... I feel like I'm done with these wires and I don't even feel pressure when I replace the elastics anymore

Yes the top is starting to look decent, the bottom hasn't changed too much asides from the left canine which has rotated and closed the 1mm space. Glad things are sort of moving along for you too.

Have you posted any recent photos?

How are those elastics to wear? I will be getting them sometime in my treatment, don't know when though, possibly when I get my rectangular wires next adjustment.

I'm really starting to think that these damon archwires don't work for as long as the ortho's claim. My first archwire was done in about 1 week, so the remaning 7 weeks it felt like nothing was happening and was a bit of a waste. This new 0.016 wire worked for a bit longer (10 days) but now I don't feel anything and I have 4 weeks to wait until next adjustment. Having these braces on feels non-essential for about 80% of the time. Perhaps I should ask him at my next appointment what the purpose of 4-7 week holding patterns are? Maybe if things are moved to quickly that is when undesirable things like root resorption happen...who knows, I'll ask...perhaps I'm just to eager to see results and be done with braces lol.

[TrustGodAuburn]

I feel your pain on the "waiting" in between adjustments. They actually spaced my next 6 weeks from the last, the other two were only 5 weeks apart. So I'm all - BUT - the wire won't be doing anything after the first week! Hopefully it is still working and we just can't "see" the changes???

[chichi]

Yes the top is starting to look decent, the bottom hasn't changed too much asides from the left canine which has rotated and closed the 1mm space. Glad things are sort of moving along for you too.

Have you posted any recent photos?

How are those elastics to wear? I will be getting them sometime in my treatment, don't know when though, possibly when I get my rectangular wires next adjustment.

I'm really starting to think that these damon archwires don't work for as long as the ortho's claim. My first archwire was done in about 1 week, so the remaning 7 weeks it felt like nothing was happening and was a bit of a waste. This new 0.016 wire worked for a bit longer (10 days) but now I don't feel anything and I have 4 weeks to wait until next adjustment. Having these braces on feels non-essential for about 80% of the time. Perhaps I should ask him at my next appointment what the purpose of 4-7 week holding patterns are? Maybe if things are moved to quickly that is when undesirable things like root resorption happen...who knows, I'll ask...perhaps I'm just to eager to see results and be done with braces lol.

I haven't put up any photos since my last adjustment, which was about a month ago.

The elastics are interesting. I don't eat with them in, even though the ortho's assistant told me that most people eventually get used to doing that. I've got Rabbit elastics, which are middle of the road strength... not lightweight, not super heavy. They're in a triangle configuration from my top left canine to the bottom left canine and first premolar. You don't realize how many times you lick your lips throughout the day until there's a barrier on one side preventing your tongue from easily doing a quick slide across lol. It takes a conscious effort now to work around that elastic.

I know things have been moving since the adjustment pain subsided, but it's mostly the elastic pulling my bite closed and not the archwire straightening my teeth. I've got the 0.018 on top right now and I just really want to be able to get my top arch into a rectangular wire too, and I'm not sure that'll happen if it doesn't start leveling out my rogue canine soon.

[JeniK]

That's what you get for having it so easy when you first got the braces on!



That is exactly what I am afraid of!! Had no real pain in the beginning.....but I have a feeling my fair share of pain will find me soon enough!! LOL

[Matilda]

Nice! Your lower arch looks great.

[chichi]

That is exactly what I am afraid of!! Had no real pain in the beginning.....but I have a feeling my fair share of pain will find me soon enough!! LOL

It's coming for you too!!!

Maybe not... one of the ortho's assistants told me that men are pretty much big babies about braces aches and pains (sorry mapledude and other men) - and women who have kids are the best patients because they do what they're supposed to do and they are the ones who complain the least about pain/discomfort. So, I don't know if you have kids, but as a woman, you are apparently statistically better off than the guys

It's science.

[mapleleafman888]

I feel your pain on the "waiting" in between adjustments. They actually spaced my next 6 weeks from the last, the other two were only 5 weeks apart. So I'm all - BUT - the wire won't be doing anything after the first week! Hopefully it is still working and we just can't "see" the changes???

My first wire change took 8 weeks, the assistant wrote 6-8 weeks for my upcoming appointment---lucky for me the office will be closed on the 7th and 8th week so I got booked for 6 weeks. Hopefully they write 6-8 on all the papers so I can come up with an excuse to get in every 6 weeks.

I've got the 0.018 on top right now and I just really want to be able to get my top arch into a rectangular wire too, and I'm not sure that'll happen if it doesn't start leveling out my rogue canine soon.

I'm wondering now if I'll get .018 rounds at my next appointment too? My lower incisors are still 3-4 mm above the molars and bi-cuspids, the upper left way back molar is still tipped at a huge angle.

That is exactly what I am afraid of!! Had no real pain in the beginning.....but I have a feeling my fair share of pain will find me soon enough!!

Ah, you'll survive! It always goes away doesn't it?

Nice! Your lower arch looks great.

Thanks! How are you doing with your braces?

Maybe not... one of the ortho's assistants told me that men are pretty much big babies about braces aches and pains (sorry mapledude and other men) - and women who have kids are the best patients because they do what they're supposed to do and they are the ones who complain the least about pain/discomfort. So, I don't know if you have kids, but as a woman, you are apparently statistically better off than the guys

This leaves childless females in the same category as men though... Hahaha jokes.

[chichi]

I'm wondering now if I'll get .018 rounds at my next appointment too? My lower incisors are still 3-4 mm above the molars and bi-cuspids, the upper left way back molar is still tipped at a huge angle.

I'm not sure what determines whether you'll get a heavier round wire or a rectangular one. When I got the rectangulars on, my bottom teeth were pretty much straight and level with each other (the whole row was slanted, but they were in line with each other). My bottom teeth also skipped the .016 completely and went .014 --> .018 --> .014x.025, whereas my uppers are now in round wire #3

[Matilda]

Thanks! How are you doing with your braces?

I'm doing good, thanks for asking. Both my arches are pretty much aligned, my lower teeth are slightly uneven, though. I hope my ortho will contour those edges at some point during my treatment. My next adjustment is on December 2 and apparently, I'll get my first elastics. Then, on December 3 I'm scheduled to see my dentist in regards to my wisdom teeth removal. So, yeah, my life currently revolves around my teeth.

[mapleleafman888]

3 Month/13 Weeks update: Nothing has changed since weeks 9-10

These .016 wires were done a long time ago! Can't wait for my Dec. 18th adjustment.

[TrustGodAuburn]

Your next adjustment is almost here! Exciting. I am noticing no changes at all since my last adjustment. I feel like both of these wires are done, and I don't get another adjustment until Dec. 30.

I guess I'm in the "boring" phase of braces???