A Year In - Braces at 22

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cconant1833
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:21 am

A Year In - Braces at 22

#1 Post by cconant1833 »

Hello everyone! I've wanted braces since I was 12 years old. Unfortunately, my parents did not make enough money to be able to afford them for me. There were several times when they promised they would do and then something would come up and it wouldn't. Fast forward to age 22 when I got my first full-time job out of college. I immediately made an appointment with my orthodontist and got the process started.

I'm to have braces for 20 months total. To start with, I had to wear an essix retainer to keep my top teeth from moving before I had surgery. I had an impacted canine tooth that would be very risky to try and bring down. Since my baby canine is in place with a strong/long root, we decided the best course of action to preserve and protect my regular adult teeth would be to extract the impacted canine.

After that, I went through a phase of wearing blue spacers. Finally, in August 2013, I had my top teeth braced. At the same time I had a one-of-a-kind appliance installed. It sits in the roof of my mouth and makes it so I can't chew down all the way. It helped my top teeth to move up into my gums more and make room for my bottom teeth.

I honestly can't remember when I got the bottoms on but now I have everything on. Here are my before photos:
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#2 Post by cconant1833 »

A couple other before pics:
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#3 Post by cconant1833 »

And now the good stuff, my current photos:
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#4 Post by cconant1833 »

Lastly, the profile views currently:
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SpottedPickle
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#5 Post by SpottedPickle »

Lovely smile :)
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#6 Post by cconant1833 »

It's been a few months so I thought I would post a few updated pictures! Unfortunately, the ortho assistant does not think I will be out of my braces by the originial date of April 2015 :-+
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#7 Post by cconant1833 »

Just wanted to post a quick update. I should be getting the appliance off the roof of my mouth just in time for Christmas!! :D

Below is an updated before and after shot! 15 months down! :D
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#8 Post by cconant1833 »

IMG_2017.JPG
IMG_2016.JPG
IMG_2015.JPG
Wow it has been too long since I've written. I had all three of my wisdom teeth removed last year.

BIG SURPRISE - I'm still in braces over 15 months since my estimated finish date!

Ortho kept finding things he wanted to fix and now I'm starting the process to get an implant for my missing second molar.

My appliance on the roof of my mouth came out a couple of months ago and that was a GREAT feeling! I still find myself rubbing my tongue over the top of my mouth constantly.

I just started with one elastic on the left side of my mouth to help fix my bite on that side. I hope that means that the end is in my future. It's been a longggg 3 years so far!
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#9 Post by cconant1833 »

One last pic
IMG_2020.JPG
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NeilH
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#10 Post by NeilH »

It's great that your ortho is working hard to give you a super result rather than working to a fixed timescale and, of course, your commitment to seeing it through to the end. It looks like you are making great progress.
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#11 Post by cconant1833 »

NeilH wrote:It's great that your ortho is working hard to give you a super result rather than working to a fixed timescale and, of course, your commitment to seeing it through to the end. It looks like you are making great progress.
Thanks! I paid the braces off within 6 months and I am not charged per visit, so it is really nice knowing that he isn't keeping me around to get more money out of me, but that he actually wants to make everything perfect. I am really anxious to get them off, but I know the long process will be worth it in the end.
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#12 Post by cconant1833 »

Another update!

I got my permanent bottom retainer put on today! I get my tops put on in November, final check in December, and braces off in January! 3 years and 5 months in total if January actually is my debanding date.

Attached are the pictures.
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onwardsandupwards
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#13 Post by onwardsandupwards »

Your teeth are going to look absolutely wonderful when they're off, 3 years is a looong time! Your patience and dedication will definitely be worth it. Huge admiration for you!! Not long now :wink:
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#14 Post by cconant1833 »

onwardsandupwards wrote:Your teeth are going to look absolutely wonderful when they're off, 3 years is a looong time! Your patience and dedication will definitely be worth it. Huge admiration for you!! Not long now :wink:
Thank you :-* I am so excited to see the final results. It's been a hard, long wait only because I was originally quoted at 20 months and now I'm at 38 months. It's true though that with time you just forget all about them! I don't ever get cut by wires or brackets and I rarely have any pain - if so it's right after an adjustment and gone within a couple of days. It really is crazy to think it has been 3 years! Wow.


Thank you for the extra encouragement :tingrin:
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cconant1833
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Re: A Year In - Braces at 22

#15 Post by cconant1833 »

I had another appointment today and got my top permanent retainer placed! We had to push it back a month as my teeth got misaligned last appointment.

BIG NEWS!!!!!:

I am debraced on TWO WHOLE TEETH! :BigGrin: :BigGrin: :jump: :jump:

I somehow managed to lose the bracket on my bottom right molar without noticing (oops? maybe I ate it?). The ortho said eh you're so close to the end, we don't need it engaged anymore, let's leave it off. And then they took the bracket off of my bottom left molar as the molar in front is missing and I'm getting an implant soon - they figured it would be easier for the oral surgeon to work around and it also wasn't engaged. So wooohooooo! Two teeth are FREE! Unfortunately no one will know by looking at me - but believe me, I will shout it to anyone who cares! (It's the little things in life, right???)

I also found out that I'm getting my baby canine and a couple of other teeth bonded as the ortho left space for when I eventually lose the tooth and need an implant. I'm a little nervous because my teeth have yellowed a lot and I was looking forward to starting a whitening routine once they came off... But I'm worried now that if I do that, the bonding won't match my teeth. :?: :?:

I think I mentioned it in another thread, but my bite problem is probably just going to be put to the side. They said that because my bite was so bad my whole life (got braced for first time at 22), that I had accommodated by using many different bites. They also said that I just posture myself with my bottom jaw more forward. At this point, I am just ready to have a nice smile. My dentist said my teeth/bite looked perfect today and it was SO nice to hear since he's been my dentist for over 12 years.

I will upload some pictures after my bonding next month!
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