A Stubborn Canine

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#31 Post by **joplin** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 11:28 pm

Eleni, good to have you back

Wow, that's what I would call progress! Looking really good!

#32 Post by **Eleni** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 11:11 pm

UPDATE

Adjustment #12 - November 2005

A bigger bend was put on the wire in front of the canine to pressure it to come down more. It really hurt when the ortho proceeded to snap the bended archwire to the bracket. The pressure was so sudden; it felt like I had been punched in the mouth.

Close up of BIG BEND:

Here's hoping that it does its job fairly quick, and this canine can get a properly placed ceramic bracket like the rest, at the next office visit.

Of all the pictures I took, these straight on shots show best the progress made this month. The canine is lower and closer in. It definetly FEELS different. I'm so unaccustomed to a full adult canine on that side, I feel like someone's stuck a fake Halloween fang there.

I have also been scheduled for my lower braces at my next adjustment in early December. Iâ€™m so not looking forward to getting used to braces again. I am savoring my food, my pink happy gums and my naked bottom teeth for the next few weeks.

#33 Post by **Eleni** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:57 am

UPDATE

Adjustment #13 - December 2005

Half an hour ago I got my bottom braces on, and yes I hate them. Since the bottom are metal, it is very interesting being able to compare them with the ceramic tops.

Ceramics:
- Hurt more ging on.
- Are bigger but much smoother.
- Don't show at all when talking.

Metal:
- Didn't hurt at all going on, and my bottm teeth are the ones that are crooked.
- Are smaller but scratchier. My lip is forever getting caught on them and I can't imagine the next few weeks without wax.
- They are ugly and show up a mile away.

I WISH I could have had ceramics on the bottom. My ortho was against this because he believes my top teeth would be constantly hitting them and thus erode their enamel.

Regarding pain, the braket on my erupted canine hurts more than all the brakets on the bottom combined. In general, the canine has caused the most discomfort in this whole braces journey. Draging that sucker through bone and gum has set the bar regarding pain.

Will post pictuters soon. Oh, and the ortho said everything would be off in the summer. 6 more months!!!! That is 24 months in what was quoted at 12 months. I had hope for a spring removal, by my birthday. Argh....not a good day.

#34 Post by **hannah164** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:35 pm

Congratulations on getting your bottom braces Eleni!

I definitely know how annoying and painful they are! It took me a while to get used to mine.

Sometimes they still feel really awkward and big and annoying. My mouth feels so much fuller! Today one of my bottom teeth hurt really bad and I can't figure out why.

I know how obvious they can be. THis girl in one of my classes goes, did you just get bottom braces, because it looks like there is a lot more metal in your mouth!

It was pretty rude but that is kind of her nature! It was pretty hard talking for the next couple of days but it does get better!

THat's great that your ortho told you only 6 more months!

I probably have about 2 more years!

But thats because I'm one of his most complicated cases!

Good luck wiht adjusting and keep us posted! Can't wait to see some pictures!

-Hannah

Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05

#35 Post by **Eleni** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:21 pm

hannah164 wrote:THis girl in one of my classes goes, did you just get bottom braces, because it looks like there is a lot more metal in your mouth! It was pretty rude but that is kind of her nature!

She didn't!

Oh well, it just proved that she has the mentality of a 5 year old - doesnt think before she speaks. Wait...actually, that might be an insult to 5 year olds.

Thanks hannah164 and KK for your well wishes! I hope you all had lovely holidays. Visiting family just sucked all my time up so I wasn't ablt to update last time as much as I wanted.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So...letâ€™s see we should be at:

Adjustment #14 - January 2006

OVERALL:
This round, no arch wire change, just new ligs and a few wire ties (my first) on the bottom front. Last appt was 5 weeks ago; next one is 5 weeks from today. This is new as the majority of my prior appts were 4 weeks apart. Changes have been vert subtle. But my bite is off, the right side touches, but not the left.

Me, currently fully braced:

ps - before taking these pictures, I never knew I had an Elvis thing going where I could curl one side of my lip higher than the other. Well-a thank ya, thank ya very much.

TOP:
To go over a little of what happed in the last adjustment [#13 Dec] the canine got a new clear bracket like the rest. The bracket was placed higher and centered as there was more exposed tooth to work with. The canine still has a bit to rotate and come forward, as do the teeth on either side of it. It currently has a tight fit with its bottom counterpart. Thankfully they donâ€™t hit, but they do put pressure on each other. It feels so WEIRD. The almost fully erupted canine feels so pointy and large even though itâ€™s the same size as the other one. The top wire is pretty cool as its actually quite thick and square shaped.

BOTTOM:
I still find the bottom to be scratchier and all around a nuisance, but I'm not sure if itâ€™s because they are metal, the bottom teeth/jaw is just a different situation, or a combo of both. My absolutely worst meal now has got to be rice, as it just piles up on the gum, under the metal brackets and trapped by the bottom lip.

So here are the bottoms. It wasn't until looking at the pictures that I saw the subtle changes. It's still hard flossing that one really rotated tooth. The tooth front and center has a root on its way of being exposed. I more than likely will have gum graft surgery after braces are off to protect it. But, one thing at a time....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

#36 Post by **hannah164** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:36 pm

Eleni,

Its true, probably most 5 year olds act more maturely than she does. Problem is she's in my huge all year project thing for school and she's driving me nuts! She's such a frickin' perfectionist! So, any work you complete if she lets you do even that, she has to go home and redo it because it wasn't perfect!

Oh well...

I also find the bottom braces way more of a pain and it amazes me how much food can get caught there!

Your bottom teeth are looking much better! Wish mine were looking that good after almost 2 months!

Your canine is looking awesome now too! One of my impacted canines is really coming down now wiht its bracket and it sometimes hits the bottom teeth and its annoying. It feel so weird having a tooth there!

Good luck with the rest of your journey! Congrats on your progress!

-Hannah

Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Next Adjustment 1/11/06

#37 Post by **Clo** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 1:40 am

Hi,

so Elvis is still around after all ?
You even have a name that looks a bit like his name ...

No, seriously, I wanted to congratulate you.
Your teeth look just awesome !
I was thinking, doesn't your post look like some article of some medical
magazine. Well written, great documentation and layout . Before you
know it, you will work for some orthodontic organisation ...

#38 Post by **Eleni** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 4:44 pm

hannah164 wrote:Its true, probably most 5 year olds act more maturely than she does. Problem is she's in my huge all year project thing for school and she's driving me nuts! She's such a frickin' perfectionist! So, any work you complete if she lets you do even that, she has to go home and redo it because it wasn't perfect!

There is always at least one. I also had â€œthe perfectionistâ€

#39 Post by **meep** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:05 am

Eleni, Thank you so much for your posts. I have very similar teeth to yours, and I thought I was the only person in the world with a canine in the roof of my mouth. When my canine started coming in, I just ignored it.
Whatever happens, I really appreciate your posting. It's very encouraging to see that it's all working for you (even if it does sound horribly painful). Thanks again, and I will look forward to your updates.

#40 Post by **Eleni** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 6:15 pm

meep wrote:Eleni, Thank you so much for your posts. I have very similar teeth to yours, and I thought I was the only person in the world with a canine in the roof of my mouth. When my canine started coming in, I just ignored it.
Whatever happens, I really appreciate your posting. It's very encouraging to see that it's all working for you (even if it does sound horribly painful). Thanks again, and I will look forward to your updates.

Glad it's been helpful! There have been a few posters here and there on this board also with canines descending from the palate, so we aren't alone.

It's not horribly painful. It hurts when the arch is snapped into place and then just a bit uncomfortable the first few days after an adjustment since the pressure is renewed on that tooth.

Before you edited your response I saw that you wanted linguals - why would you prefer this? I can see why your doctor would be against it as he/she would need as much room back there as possible to manipulate the tooth and roots. Linguals would make that really hard. Also, if the tooth is positioned closer to your front teeth then that will add on time to your treatment as it has a further journey through bone and gum to get to its proper position. Count on no less than two years of treatment. But by all means get at least two opinions, but settle on the ortho you feel more comfortable with, not the one who quotes the shorter treatment time as all that is is an estimate.

Best of luck and keep up apprised of your progress.

#41 Post by **Eleni** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 7:08 pm

Lucyloop wrote:Hi Eleni.... A bit belated but just wanted to say hello!!

Hello back, sweetie.

Lucyloop wrote:I'm sorry that I haven't read your story sooner. I'm a bit slack when it comes to the stories and I tend to just hover around the 1st page or so!

Which is why I have a condensed summary on the first post, in case someone doesnâ€™t want to read all 3+ pages of the thread. I include more details on the individual posts per adjustment. I just found it easier that way to keep track of progress.

Lucyloop wrote:Your progress looks great! I find it really helps me to read other people's stories to see how things are going!

Oh me too. It really helps me to read other' stories, their experiences, treatment, humor, etc.

Lucyloop wrote:How weird that your tooth just poked down one day!

You're telling me! My three year anniversary is almost here. But how could your dentists have missed it? I've always known about it.

I hope everything continues to go well for you too!

#42 Post by **Eleni** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 5:04 pm

Hello all, it's been awhile. Just a quick update of my February progress.

Feb 14 marked my 3 year anniversary of this right canine breaking through to the other side.

Adjustment #15 - February 2006

UPPER ARCH
New Wire: So Februaryâ€™s adjustment was quite a painful one. My top arch wire was changed from a flexible nickel-titanium alloy wire to a rigid stainless steel wire. The pressure put on all my upper teeth gave me a really bad 2-day headache. If I remember correctly, the steel is suppose to better define my top arch and bring the canine in the last bit it has to go. I must say it is the shiniest wire Iâ€™ve ever had.

The Canine: This is what I meant in an older post regarding the gum line and the canine. It looks like a lot of my gum has traveled from back in the palate to the front as the tooth made its journey. The extra gum is literally sitting on top of the bracket. It also seems like there isn't as much gum as there should be behind the tooth. I have no clue how this is going to be resolved, nor have I read anyone have a similar issue.

BOTTOM ARCH
Wire Tie: Bottoms only received lig changes and a tighter wire tie to the most slanted tooth. Unfortunately that toothâ€™s wire tie now has a vicious hook (see arrow below) and has been the bane of my existence, cutting up my inner bottom lip. Iâ€™ve tried pushing it under the bracket with tweezers, but itâ€™s a no go. Therefore itâ€™s wax city for the next 6 weeks with that one!

Crowding: 10 weeks with bottoms braces have definitely helped with that crowding. The bottom front teeth have straightened out some, but they are not done yet - at least 4 more months of this. But cool, no?

#43 Post by **Clo** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:27 am

Hi Eleni,

great that you posted again. Indeed, your lowers look much better
already ! Congrats !

I have similar wire ties all the time. For me, it is now almost a routine to,
when I come home after an adjustment, put the tie ends in a better place
or angle. I use something rigid, like the back end of a little interdental
brush, to move them. I noticed, that as these tie ends are made of 2
wires twisted together, that they are quite rigid. Anyway, pushing with
this plastic end helps to move them. I think you could move yours by
pushing at the very end of the tie. Towards the bracket a bit and until it
touches your tooth. I think your lip will not be cut anymore. And yes, it
can be a bit painful to bend the tie, as it always is on a tooth that has to
move the most, and therefor is probably the most sensitive.

Good luck !

#44 Post by **Eleni** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 4:08 pm

KK wrote:About the skin above your canine and lack of skin behind it ... what about phoning your dentist or OS and asking them?

Hi KK, I had meant to ask the ortho early on my last visit but of course it completely slipped my mind. And then once the new steel wire went on, well all I could think about was getting home to pop an Aleve tablet. The great thing is that my ortho and I are old friends from college. Iâ€™m planning on getting together with him and another friend for coffee soon, so Iâ€™ll ambush him then.

Clo wrote:I think you could move yours by pushing at the very end of the tie. Towards the bracket a bit and until it touches your tooth.

Clo, thank you so much! Iâ€™m going to try that tonight after I brush my teeth. At least Iâ€™ve gotten the hang of flossing with the wire ties and do not shred the floss each time.

A new bit of advice to all the brace wearers (event the guys) is to get a facial! I had one today and was amazed at how the face, neck and shoulder massage that accompanies a facial completely relaxed me and relieved any built up tension from clenching, mouth pinching, tooth grinding, etc. It was awesome and you all deserve one!

#45 Post by **Shawnie** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:37 pm

Hi Eleni,

Glad too see that your canine is almost there. I like reading stories like yours because it gives me hope for my two impacted canines. (Haven't had surgery yet)

I think I got that same wire at my last adjustment too. They said it was the strongest wire that they ever use, and boy did my molars hurt when I ate. They even broke a bracket off when they were trying to get it in. It didn't just slide in like the previous wires.

Your bottom teeth are looking good too. Do you know how much longer you have? (Or are you afraid to ask!)