Radioqueen is Braced

[radioqueen]

Yesterday was my 5th adjustment in less than three months. Got me some baby blue ligs, last time is was electric green... great color!

My ortho is seeing me every three weeks and my next adjustment is in two weeks. Does anybody else see their ortho this often?

Anyway, today I am in some discomfort, but still able to eat. I am afraid that I won't be able to say that next time. My ortho told me he was putting on a big wire to close the gap that was left by the extraction, and while I am ecstatic about getting that hole closed, I am full of fearful trepidation about the pain I will have to endure.

However, in less than a year and a half, I will have the smile that I've always wanted. That is my mantra.

[Mr. Brace Face]

Reading your posts is better then the funny pages in the Sunday Times!

I can only hope that I have this much comic relief when I get mine put on in (drum roll please) 5 days and counting. I'm starting to believe that these so called spacers were put on this planet by the DEVIL himself! I tried eating a peanut M&M last night and about fell to the floor in tears because it hurt so bad. Let me tell you though I ate that peanut and a few more after that, cuz I love me my peanut M&M's and in (drum roll please) 5 days and counting I will have to give them up for 18 months.

Can anyone tell me why they put spacers in your mouth in the first place? I mean I know its to make room for the the brackets - but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, since it's pushing my teeth FORWARD and causing them to run into each other - isn't this what we were trying to AVOID?

Also, to your last post about seeing your ortho so much - I figured if you are paying out the arse to have this all done, I better be seeing my ortho as many times as I would like and when it's convienent for me! Who would have thought that some tiny wires and brackets would cost so much!

[alexa]

You get spacers so there will be room for them to attatch the dread molar bands.

[hannah164]

Radioqueen,

For a while My ortho was seeing me every 3 weeks because of my impacted cuspids but this time he wants to see me in two weeks to work on an eye tooth. But you're right it is usually 4-6 weeks. But hopefully the three and two week adjustments will make a difference in the length of our treatment time. Good luck!

-Hannah

[radioqueen]

Ok. So last trip to the ortho he said he was going to put on a heavier wire to close my extraction gap...

AND BOY DID HE!!! Ow...

I now have a 16 wire with an interesting loop configuration, a power chain across five teeth to keep a gap from opening on the other side and wire ties on 6 or 7 teeth, I lost count. And then when the tech tightened the wire, I saw stars and I am now in some major pain.

I would hate to think what it would be like if I hadn't taken four Aleve before my appointment.

I got hot pink and bright purple ligs, and as soon as the pain subsides, I'm sure I'll like how they look.

I go back in three weeks and will have a cleaning on the same day. I go to my ortho first and they take off my wire, then I go to my hygenist and have my cleaning and then return to the ortho's office for my adjustment. My ortho's office coordinates the time with my dentist's office.

The ortho tech told me unless I break this wire I'll have it for some time. Which will be new for me, because at every adjustment so far, I've had new wires.

And just now, I caught my lower lip under the little loop thingy and it about pinched the pee outta me!!!

Okay, now is the time for my mantra... it will all be worth it... in a few months I will have the beautiful smile I've always wanted... no pain, no gain.... I will not run in the hall, I will not run in the hall... oops, pain has made me regress to grade school it seems.

[CelestialVoices]

I loved reading your story so far! Hope everything continues to go well for you

[radioqueen]

Hi,

I appreciate everyone's comments. Thank you for the support.

Yesterday the pain was quite horrendous, but today it's more manageable. The biggest news is that my gap has closed considerably. I am, however, lisping like I haven't done since I was first braced. Sufferin' succotash.

Even though the pain has lessened, I'm still on a soft food diet and probably will be for the next couple of days. And cleaning...., I had gotten my time down considerably, but with the new loop needing extra attention and every tooth I touch tender, it took me a while to get ready for work this morning.

Well, I'm off to lunch, a much mashed up baked potato... thanks again to everyone for their kind comments and support.

Geez, reading this over it kinda sounds like I'm running for office.... but let me assure you, the only thing I'd ever run for is the county line!

[radioqueen]

Update on the gap. It's barely there now... and I am so stoked!!! If I turn my head a certain way, I can see how my teeth are going to look when it's completely closed and I'm liking what I see.

Two and a half weeks after my last adjustment and I'm eating everything again, but boy, that chipmunk feeling of all that junk in your cheeks. Well, we need an emotican with pooched out cheeks.

Anyway, my next adjusment is Wednesday, as is my six month cleaning, and I am so looking forward to being out of my wires for a few hours. But, I'll probably pay for the freedom in increased pain when I get caged in again.

What the heck... I'm on vacation next week, so I'll just loll around in my jammies all day and eat ice cream and watch trashy shows on tv.

[radioqueen]

Boy, where do I start. I'm back from vacation an engaged woman. Very happy... the wedding will take place in January.

I had my adjustment and cleaning last week. My hygenist gave me high marks for keeping my teeth and braces clean. When I went back to have the wires replaced I asked my ortho if he knew whether I was going to need upper braces and he said I wouldn't

Then I asked him when my gap would be closed -- and he hit me on the arm -- so I informed him that one of my engagement presents was an air lite Smith & Wesson .38 revolver... and he rubbed my arm and asked me if I wanted him to kiss it and make it better I really have a lot of fun at my ortho's office. And then he said my progress was so good I would probably be out of braces by the end of spring... I guess threatening to pull a gun on your ortho can be a good thing!!

And for those of you interested the proposal was very romantic: with a full moon, scenic overlook from a mountain top... lights of the city below like diamonds on black velvet... a totally sweet declaration of love and request for marriage from bended knee and then a really big rock surrounded by lots of little baguette and pave' rocks (in a lighted ring box no less), followed by tears and dancing under the full moon with the man I love (sigh)

[radioqueen]

Thanks so much Kiwi... it was a wonderful moment.

You know I've been thinking... how funny life is... when I went for my braces consult, I wasn't seeing anybody and my life was pretty stagnant... but it's as if by making a choice to correct something in my life that had been bothering me for so much of it, other things started happening as well. And, it seems, the same holds true for a lot of others on this board. I've read other peoples posts and it seems like when we finally take the leap or plunge into ortho treatments other things in our lives seem to shake loose and start happening. ponder ponder...

So now, I have a wedding to plan.

[caryca]

congratulations!!!

well I am still waiting for the perfect one.... but I hope like for most of us it will come within the remaining 13,5 months!

[radioqueen]

Good luck to you Caryca... I truly believe there is someone for everyone... we have only to wait and watch...

Now for my Christmas wish... all I want for Christmas is for my gap to close.

I know I'll not have my braces off by my wedding day... January 13th, that's Friday the 13th... no superstitions here... but my hope is that my gap will be closed. It closed considerably right after the loop was put into my archwire... but this time it seems like there's no movement at all.

Well, there has been some tiny movement becuase the hook on one of the brackets has started to gouge a new hole in my lower lip... and it's a doozy...

My next adjustment is a week from tomorrow... hopefully we'll be able to get some progress then.

[radioqueen]

I was totally thrilled the other day when I got food stuck in my gap... whoooo hoooo... and then

My ortho, whom I take to be a person of upmost integrity... told me at today's adjustment that in three weeks my gap will be closed. What a Christmas gift!!!

The not so great part of the adjustment is... I got a S-P-A-C-E-R so they can band a rear molar that has been free from confinement for all these many months. The new band will be added in four weeks... just in time to interfere with my holiday eating... and I am not happy about that.

My teeth look right purty tho' got hot pink ligs... and I want the world to see them... so I'm smilin'

[radioqueen]

Hooo boy... yesterday as the day progressed so did the pain I was experiencing.

Then I noticed something downright unbelievable.

My teeth that had been separated by the extraction gap were touching
actually touching and it had happened in less than three hours after my adjustment and new activation.

Happy, happy, happy, I am so happy....

But last night... pain....pain...pain... and today it was back to soft foods again.

BUT MY TEETH ARE TOUCHING

To answer your question Wonder123, I had crowding, a crossbite, one extraction of lower left inciscor, which means my midline will be non-existant, but my teeth will all be in the same row when I'm done

[radioqueen]

Another day, another adjusment.

Last adjustment they did a huge activation and my teeth closed really rapidly and caused me considerable pain for about a week.

Then things quieted down and while movement was noticed, and all looked good... my gap did not close as my ortho said it would .

Today, the loop was removed and I had a rear molar banded and wired, 6 wire ties and powerchains across five teeth. So far, pain is bearable, especially in light of the fact that I am in day two of a severe sinus headache.

I go back two days before my wedding for another adjustment, hopefully, my gap will finish closing by that time