Braces for Aussie Rob

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#16 Post by **jcannon0407** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:46 am

Wow you can really see the movement fast. good luck with the treatment

#17 Post by **Helen** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 4:31 pm

Aussierob, your animation reminds me of my own lower front teeth. I came from a similar situation. Six weeks ago I had similar crowding (a bit less than yours) and now my lower front teeth are virtually straight.

It's sooo exciting to watch them move!!

Helen

#18 Post by **jaws** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 6:24 pm

Hey Aussierob--

I am getting braces on April 11th (you can see my story under "Bethany's Story"), and I also have to get some material on my back molars for my deep bite! How are you finding having your mouth more open than usual? Any tips for me?!

Great progress!

#19 Post by **aussierob** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 3:59 am

I think I'll update the animation again soon - bottom teeth still moving ... now I can feel the inside edges of my lower canines with my tongue - never felt that before!

Hi jaws, welcome to the site - love your story so far. My molar lumps felt like a big deal but now --- not! Teeth are tilting outwards (straightening to more "up and down") and my bottom arch is "filling out" (not so square now) Forward teeth are touching together now so the propped open feeling is almost gone and I'm back to light chewing (fave snacks: hazelnuts and dried apricots)

While I'm posting I thought I'd mention that the incisor I thought that needed to rotate ... well it's actually coming down i.e. getting longer! I remember the ortho mentioning she'd try bringing that one down. It's been shorter that the other front tooth for 20 years because it got chipped in a rugby match. Hope it stays down and it can be straighened up now!

I'm bloody happy with these braces, WORTH DOING!!!

#20 Post by **jaws** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 5:37 am

Thanks aussierob-hopefully I'll get used to the 'open mouth' feeling! I'll let you know how it goes. I love the animation--keep it up!

#21 Post by **aussierob** » Tue May 03, 2005 12:41 am

Hello girls & boys,

I'm at the 12-week mark of my braces, and had Adjustment #2 today.

Top: Central incisors ("two top front teeth") de-bracketed (tender teeth ... OW) and new brackets stuck on ... this time they are angled a little to line up the teeth more parallel "up and down" as they are pointing towards each other a bit now ... kinda a V shape when they need to be || Same archwire on top and ligs changed all round (some wire ones replaced with rubber)

Bottom: lig changes. Same wire (still on the original wire) but ortho says it's almost done it's job and that the progress is VERY good... no kidding! I can (for the first time) feel the inside edges of my canines! My bottom teeth are lining up nicely and feels like an "arch" now not just a mish-mash

What am I writing all this for, the pictures speak volumes ...

From this ...

to this ... in 12 weeks!!!

Also my dear ortho ground off some of my "prop your mouth open" putty stuck onto my front-most molars ... the bite is opening up nicely and I'm able to feel contact between most of my front teeth, bicuspid to bicuspid.
She also smoothed off some tooth surface on a "high point" between top and bottom teeth up front that was causing some discomfort when I bite.

It's very nice.

Next adjustment ... 4 weeks (shorter than the regular 6 weeks) for a "quick checkup and maybe a xray to check roots"

Stay tuned for further updates and keep watching the teeeeeeeeeth

#22 Post by **jaws** » Tue May 03, 2005 6:42 am

Wow, that's great progress!! My bottom teeth are similar to yours (I think mine are a little more crowded)--I can only hope for that kind of progress after 12 weeks (it's been 3 weeks so far)!

Awesome!

#23 Post by **joplin** » Tue May 03, 2005 7:22 am

WOO HOO, Aussierob! Your lowers are really co-operating!

#24 Post by **sunflr77** » Tue May 03, 2005 7:37 am

Rob your progress is amazing. The first few months of having braces are the best because you start to see the most dramatic changes.

Keep up the great work.

#25 Post by **Dodger(UK)** » Tue May 03, 2005 10:34 am

Yes, I agree, those first few months are amazing - nice one aussierob - I know what you mean when you said you can feel the inside edges of your canines, since you can remember. I had twisted lower canine's, and it was brilliant to finally get them straight again.

#26 Post by **jenstrom** » Wed May 04, 2005 1:55 pm

Amazing progress! You must be really happy!

#27 Post by **aussierob** » Mon May 30, 2005 12:40 am

Gidday to all

My third adjustment today and more "ooh it's coming along very nicely" from the Dr.
After much whizzing and grinding and drilling ... da-du-du-daaaaaaaa

NO MORE MOLAR PUTTY (yay)

My bite has opened up enough to allow me to chomp without putty lumps, and there'll be no tooth/bracket clash. Nice one!

Same wire on top, needs more time to "torque" my upper central incisors to parallel alignment. I'm noticing that as they straighten there's little gaps opening up between them and the neighboring laterals on each side - something to close up later!

New wire on bottom (finally!) another one of those "white" painted wires with a square profile. Bottom teeth know they're being shoved around! Luckily not painful.

Here'a a snap of the bottom lower teeth for comparison:

You'll notice that my curry noodle lunch has quickly yellowed my nice clear ligs ... best to get that out of the way ASAP!

Next adjustment in 6 weeks, thanks for reading and yes I'm really pleased with the progress of my treatment, definitely a worthy experience!

#28 Post by **radioqueen** » Mon May 30, 2005 5:32 am

Wow, Aussie Rob, great things are happening for you! As for the curry stained ligs, why not just get yellow to start with? lol

#29 Post by **Aggiegal** » Mon May 30, 2005 10:32 am

So glad you posted this story. I was starting to get frustrated and discouraged but seeing your bottom teeth move so quickly is keeping my morale up. Thanks!!

#30 Post by **aussierob** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:22 am

Hi again,

Had another adjustment today - I think that's number 4 (at 22 weeks)

Everything is still "going very well!"

Top jaw: my back teeth (second molars) were bracketed! In contrast to my first molars (with bands) the seconds were bonded with glue-on brackets. Dr says "most people wouldn't bother with these back teeth" but I guess she's a stickler! She mentioned that getting the back teeth moved would help open up my bite a little more.
New arch wire needed of course (longer to reach new back brackets) but the same type/gauge as before.
Front teeth again tied in with wire but the wire is a lot tighter than before and I can definitely see a kink in the archwire - stepping up the "torque" there!

Bottom jaw:
Same wire, canines re-tied a lot tighter with wire ligatures ... these two teeth need to tilt/rotate a little so the archwire was really shoved in there before getting tied off!

Pics:? nah, nothing remarkably different.

And the feelings:
Left back tooth (top) aches a little but the right back one feels nothing except a vague "pull" feeling from the area.
Bottom canines are twinging every once in a while.
I think I'll be chewing lightly again for a while!

Another adjustment in 6 weeks ... before then I'm off to New Zealand for a ski trip! Have fun, I know I will!!!

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Braces for Aussie Rob

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Stuff on Molars!

WOW what progress!