First time braces at 33

[Vega]

Another app with the ortho yesterday

New configuration of my elastics because my midline does not like to move it.. again 1 elastic with a heavier hook to attach it to.
New rubbers and new wire covering the archwire (braided in).

The ortho said we are 95% 'there'.. not sure the 95% is to the end of treatment or 95% shift of my midline.. guessing the second one.
My teeth look great I think! Really really pleased!

As for the surgery, my mouth opening is also back to normal.
The indents in my jawbone are starting to fill up.

Chin is 100% oke
Bottom lip is 90% oke
Upper lip is about 80%
Below the nose 100% and I don't experience the feeling of being bruised anymore.
Areas on the side of nose: 100%

[EmilyTravels]

Sounds like you are making excellent progress!

[Vega]

I had great news today! I will be out of braces by christmas!
That's 6 months earlier than expected. Original treatment was said 2.5 years.

Got a new configuration for my elastics, 1 on each side.
And not much news besides that.
I will be in elastics untill the end of treatment, wich I am oke with.

[Vega]

Had my 'final' app with the surgeon today. It's not really final because we set a date for my implant surgery. But I am completely recovered from the double jaw surgery, no issues, everything healed as it should.

I tought we were going to do implants after braces but nope, this august I will be getting 2 implants to replace my missing molars.
I'm happy it so soon but not looking forward to it. Pain and recovery is no issue but I'm a bit afraid I will get sick when I hear the sounds of bone being drilled.
Maybe I should wear headphones to block some of the sound out.

He asked me about numbness, and I told him there was still a little in my lips but he wasn't to worried about that. And neither am I.

Sooo on to the next step we go!

[Vega]

Ortho app today
Nothing much to report, still in the same elastics configuration, and normally this will be my last month wearing elastics.
Next app is with my dentist to inform about the implants, a cleaning and general check up.
I feel the end of treatment is nearing, still have the retainers to deal with later on but to be braces free, recovered well and a nice set of theeters.... yep yep makes me happy!

[Vega]

Dentist app yesterday.

A bit of cleaning, kinda surprised that I had a fairly big chunck of plaque between my back brackets (on the inside, it's all very close together, not easy to reach) and an inspection of my gums.
I have to book an app with a pardontologist for a closer inspection. Dentist said I had some bone-loss
My surgeon never mentioned anything, so I was a bit shocked.

I'm not familiar with the 'tasks' a paradontologist performs so did some googling and apparantly it involves poking between gums and teeth. Sounds extra fun!
I'm taking this serious and will book an inspection- app ASAP.

We talked a bit about getting the implants in, and he said he will not put them in whilst I'm in braces. So my surgeon can prep the area but my dentist will place the implants somewhere early next year.
It will be to much off a hassle to make molds etc with the braces on.
Not really a problem for me.
Then at the same time he suggests I go back to the paradontologist for the 'BIG' cleaning.

So after 2 years of braces, operations, molds, x-rays, running from app to app.. where not in the clear yet.
But I have come this far, might as well go through with this too. I'm sure it will benefit my teeth in the long run.

[Vega]

2 implants (screws) are in!
It was not pleasant, but it was fast. Took about 20 minutes.
First they numbed the area with a few injections, my surgeon gives the best painfree injections btw. Then they open the gums and start the drilling. After that comes the screwing and I felt that! I also felt it when he started to stitch the area closed. It was the sedation wearing off i think. I drove home and took a painkiller as soon as i got home. The pain is bearable without a painkiller but i rather be painfree

Okay... next up... the poking of the gums. I didnt make an app yet, i’m just a bit tired of it all right now. Will call on monday.

[leprechaun]

It's comforting seeing how many people above 20 are getting braces. I might join the fray pretty soon!

[Vega]

It's comforting seeing how many people above 20 are getting braces. I might join the fray pretty soon!

Good luck!
It's one of the best decision I ever took. Just regret I didn't do it sooner.

[Vega]

Ortho app yesterday.
I got a new wire on my lower teeth, first wire change since january!
It’s a bit sensitive but no pain. Still in 1 elastic on the left side, ortho said we are done on the right side, yay!
So only a few months to go, a bit of fine tuning here and there and hopefully done by Christmas. Ortho-side of things, still have to deal with retainers, implants and the paradontologist.

[Vega]

App yesterday

New upper wire and I'm feeling that today!
But I shouldn't complain, 2 years of braces and I can still count my pain days on 1 hand (is that an expression in other country's too?)
First upper wire change since january. I also had a bracket change, one of my front teeth was tipping in so he readjusted the bracket by placing a new one.
The wire doesn't go to the back of my teeth so my back molars are wirefree for the moment. I only noticed that when I was back in my car, he didn't mention anything about it.
We are getting closer to debracing, only 2 or 3 app left to go!

[EmilyTravels]

Woah...first upper wire change since January!? I haven't counted, but I've probably had at least six upper wire changes since then. Maybe three new wires on the lowers during that same time. Of course, I haven't seen many changes in my upper arch for the past six months, frustratingly, so I am not sure how much the frequent wire changes are actually accomplishing!

[Vega]

Woah...first upper wire change since January!? I haven't counted, but I've probably had at least six upper wire changes since then. Maybe three new wires on the lowers during that same time. Of course, I haven't seen many changes in my upper arch for the past six months, frustratingly, so I am not sure how much the frequent wire changes are actually accomplishing!

Yes it is a long time, but I’m guessing that after my surgery in january my teeth were ‘done’ but only my bite wasn’t. I have been in elastics and partial powerchains ever since, still am. I think i only got a new wire now because off the bracket that needed to be replaced.
The front teeth was tipping in and i can already see improvement on that. So it’s kinda nice to see something moving again.
My bite however is stubborn, because i’m missing some backmolars, i have to attach my elastic to a tooth that is not really suited to do the job.

[EmilyTravels]

My bite however is stubborn, because i’m missing some backmolars, i have to attach my elastic to a tooth that is not really suited to do the job.

I hear ya. I have been in elastics most of the time since December for my bite. I didn't have jaw surgery but fractured my jaw (both condyles) in a bicycle accident in April 2017 so really messed up my bite. I have had class 2 elastics and triangles for a slightly open anterior bite. They have really helped a lot. Both arches of my teeth were also somewhat crooked since I didn't wear my retainer religiously after getting my first round of braces of at age 15, so getting straighter teeth again is a side benefit of the braces, which I primarily got for my bite.

[Vega]

So.. I have an app today and (if everything is finally as it should be) I will be getting my debrace-date!

I have wore my elastics as it should and I notice a small shift in my bite, hope this will be enough.
Also I have a gap between my front teeth now, that developed about 2 weeks ago (The Madonna).
I'm thinking this is a good sign, bitewise.
Maybe he will adjust the wire to close this gap today and that's that... finished.

I was talking to my boyfriend on how weird it's going to be without braces. What if I don't like my teeth or smile or it doesn't suit my face anymore. (not that crooked teeth are an addition to your looks, altough it depends, some people rock it, like vampires)
With the braces on you have kind of a blurred image of your teeth and smile, it's still hard to imaging a bracefree smile.
So i'm getting worried about it. My boyfriend wasn't a big help because he's a big fan of the braces. Maybe he developed a fetish

Oh and surgery-wise, all the numbness is now gone.
I took about 9 months for everything to return.