What a difference a night makes? Week Thirtyone

So...it's been a little over 24 hours. I won't lie, I HURT. The rubber bands are really pulling on my mouth and it hurts. But I honestly think I can see a difference! The first picture is the one I took yesterday. Note the left side of the picture (right side of my mouth) and the amount of space between my canines as well as the space between my upper front tooth and the one below it...



Yesterday, October 27th, 2010



Today, October 28th, 2010



Yesterday there was space, today, there isn't! It's not a LOT of movement, but you can see the difference and it also explains the amount of pain I am in. Just think, In 7 weeks I'll be so much further along...

The only bad thing is I'm only supposed to take them off to eat and brush and only 3x a day....I'll just have to eat all my Halloween candy in place of meals, LOL!

BIG NEWS! GREAT NEWS! SURPRISING NEWS!

Last night at dinner, I was eating some "home made" chips at a local sports bar. I felt a "twang" in the back but knowing how stretchy the orange chain is, I didn't think much of it. This morning I was eating a piece of coffee cake and I felt something flapping around...it was a link of the black chain on the bottom.

I called the ortho and went in. As she was getting ready to change the chain, I asked that since next thursday was my adjustment, could we just do the adjustment today and then I wouldn't have to come back? She checked her schedule and since she had time we went ahead with the adjustment. After a moment she asked me to wait she wanted the doctor to look.

Alarm bells went off. Usually the ortho doesn't look until after everything is done or just before, not during. So he came over and after some conferring he stated that I was to get a "twisted" wire on the top, the ideal wire on the bottom, chains on both and verticals.

"Verticals?" I asked, "You mean the rubber bands that hook from top to bottom? I thought I wasn't to get those until I was almost done, like the end?"

He smiled, "Guess what! You're there!"

WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?

He explained that my teeth have moved very fast and that the top is nearly perfect, except for moving down the one side, which is what the vertical rubber bands do. He said that once the top moves down and the small gap closes on the bottom, I'm DONE!!!!! I'm DONE!

When I started this journey, I was told they were expected to be on 2 years or 730 days...(approximately) they could be on less or more. Now, only 216 days in, I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Because of some schedule conflicts on my part, my next appointment isn't until December 21st, a little longer than normal, but still within the acceptable range. When I go in, they're going to take a new panorama x-ray and if all my roots are straight, then we'll begin doing the last "tweaks" to make everything pretty and we'll schedule a date to get my molds made for my retainers! RETAINERS! I will likely have 2 different sets of retainers, one set of clear ones, sort of like Invisalign trays to wear during the day and one pair of retainers that have metal to wear at night.

I am so excited! I really wasn't expecting this and I had fairly resolved myself to having them at least until my 39th birthday. I had also kind of made peace with the idea that I could reasonably have them on my 40th birthday when we are tentatively planning on going to Europe. Now to know there is a possibility I could have them off by say late Spring!

As far as the rubber bands go. *glares* Not a fan. I have to change them 3x a day and can only take them off to brush my teeth and eat.  They lose their stretchiness after a while so when you put the new set on it's a whole new world of hurt. I'm really feeling it, but I have taken Advil and next some Tylenol. I'll live. I'll grumble about it for a bit, but I'll live. Knowing that the light at the end of the tunnel is nearing makes it easier to bear. :-#


The dreaded rubber bands



First Day



Today with the new rubber bands



















It's really amazing how they've changed in only 216 days, isn't it? I'm so tickled. Not only have I gotten a beautiful smile, the problems I've had with the TMJ have left as well. Well all except the jaw clenching. I'll have to worry about that later.

I'm really happy, just walking on air right now! I feel so lucky and grateful that I am "getting off" so easy.

*giggles*

Week Thirty

Sorry if I'm posting this a little late. I managed to pick up a horrible head cold and had some other family drama that has kept me busy.

Nothing much to report this week. I have been clenching my jaws a little more this week but I attribute that to the stress I'm under with the cold, leaving my job and my family drama. Nothing the medicine couldn't take care of.

I've noticed that the teeth on the left side of my mouth have really moved down and over-lap the bottom. It looks totally normal...I can BITE things! On the other hand, the teeth on the right haven't moved down so much so my smile is looking very lopsided. Oh well. It'll be fixed before I'm done I mean, I still have 516 days until these things come off....if they're done on schedule.

I must say I am highly disappointed in the orange chains. Halloween is this weekend and the orange has faded to peach. It's such a let down.

As always, the pictures....

First Day



Week Thirty











Only 10 days until my next adjustment. May be I'll get lucky and won't need a chain? The tech seemed to think I wouldn't need a chain on the top at least.

Week 29

I'm doing ok. I have had some minor soreness, but nothing really to write about. I've been a little stressed as of late so I've been clenching my jaw, which is likely why my teeth have been sore. Only 3 weeks until I get my next adjustment.

I do have to admit I did have issues over the weekend with new blisters. BIG blisters. Apparently my bottom teeth have moved enough they are rubbing on "virgin" lip areas with no calluses and i had hideously huge blisters. One was a big as a map-pinhead! that round and swollen and since it stuck up so far, it kept getting caught in my braces. I was not happy.

My ortho gave me some new Kanka Soothing beads:

and they helped so much more than the Ambesol gel I had been using. Bonus: they do not taste nasty like Ambesol. They're little beads and you can either just roll them around in your mouth or hold the bead on the sore spot until it desolves. By that point, you feel nothing. I was rather impressed with them. However, they are new and I have yet to find them in a store. I will have to look again.


I still haven't decided what colors to get at my next adjustment. I'll get the next set of rubber bands on on November 4th and off on December 21 (yes that is a few days late but I have plans that Thursday and the next available appointment is the 21st...) Do I go for Christmas colors? Or just the same old, same old? Purple/Pink/Blue?

I am NOT getting orange again. the color is already faded to the point it's almost peach and I HATE peach with a fiery passion!

As always, the pictures....

First Day

Week 29

Week 28

Not too much to report. I've found the orange chains are not too resilliant, if you stretch them, they do not go back tight to the wires. I have a bit of extra flopping around now in back. Blech. I went to the ortho to check and it's "fine".

The only thing really of note, my bottom teeth have moved so much I'm getting new blisters all over my bottom lip. At one point I had about 15 little pin-prick type blisters and 2 big ones. I have 2 large white blisters similar to what you get on your feet when you wear a new pair of shoes, too. Oh joy.

I'm hanging in though.

Here's this week's pictures.

First Day



Week 28



Week 27

Well here we are! Week 27. Things are going ok. I ended up having to get the top wires clipped on Monday afternoon that is how fast the combination of the chain and the "ideal wire" have started moving those top teeth!

The pain has been ok, just low level throbbing, always worse in the morning. I think it's because I've been a little stressed this last week and I'm clenching my jaw in my sleep.

This being said, it's not even 1/2 as bad as it was last time. My jaw/teeth line is still a little bit lopsided, but, I think it might be getting a little better. I know I shouldn't even look at that right now as that is the last phase but it seems so obvious to me.

I also started to notice that the bottom is moving a little unevenly. if you look at the midlines or the line between the front teeth of each jaw, they're not quite squared/straight right now. I know this will also be tweaked later but jeeze, how crooked am I going to get before I start straightening out?

As always, the first day and most recent pictures for your "approval" :-#



First Day



Week 27












Amazing isn't it?

Ouchie!

Things must be moving and moving fast...I got the new wire on Thursday and already have a wire poking! OW! OW! OW!

But because my ortho is AWESOME! They are going to squeeze me in right after work...and since Starbucks is just 1/2 a block away....yeah...it's all good!

I LOVE my ortho's office...they are soo sweet, understanding and can put up with a wuss like me! :-#

Week Twentysix--Happy Halloween--A Little Early

Fall is in the air, leaves are changing, the sun is lower and I've got black and orange chains on my braces! I had my adjustment yesterday and the good news is...I've got the "ideal" wire on the top! It's the heaviest gauge wire they use and it's square. It is for all the heavy-duty moving. The sort of "not-so-good" news is that A) I still needed chains both top and bottom and B) the bottom had not progressed well enough to get the ideal wire.

The ortho did say that he is impressed with the way things are looking and we are moving right on track...so that's a plus.

I had the lovely Helen yesterday. She makes me laugh. She was a little unsure if I really wanted the Halloween colors, but did them anyway. I think they're a trip. I mean really, its only for 6 weeks and I get them off 5 days after Halloween so what's the big deal? Now what colors do I want for Thanksgiving? Or not? My next appointment is November 4th, so it's prime to get them in Thanksgiving colors, except that they don't get changed again until December 16. So do I skip Thanksgiving and go for Christmas? I'm not sure I want to get Christmas colors on the 16th because I'll have those bands/chains until the end of January. Oh the decisions...LOL.

As always, here are the weekly pictures....I looked at the 25th week anniversary pictures and it just amazes me how far I've come in just 6 months....:-#

First Day

Week 26

 Now on the plus side, the pain from the new, heavy wire and new chains didn't start right away. I did keep ice on it during the day and took Advil before and after so the pain wasn't too bad but at eight last night my husband and I went to get dinner and the pain started with my very first bite of dinner. I was able to finish it but it was very uncomfortable. I took more Advil when I got home and some other medicine I have for jaw pain when I went to bed.

It's not horrible today, just uncomfortable. I can deal, heck look at how pretty my chompers are getting, it makes all the pain worthwhile.

Week Twentyfive and a Look Back

So I have arrived at my 25th week anniversary! (Yay, ME!)

If the 2 year time frame is correct I have approximately 556 days left in braces...but on the plus side, that means I have 175 down. So I'm "getting there".

I've decided that in stead of just the first week picture and this week's picture, I'll post a few so you can see how they've changed as the changes happened....

First Day

Week Five

Week Ten

Week Fifteen

Week Twenty

 



Week Twentyfive











Next week if things have progressed as expected, I'll be up to the "ideal" archwire. This is the archwire that is the thickest, square and does all the "heavy lifting" when it comes to moving teeth. I'm hopeful that I won't also need another dreaded power chain.

With it being close to Halloween (my next adjustment is the week after Halloween) if I do not need a power chain, I think I'm going to pick black and orange bands. If I need a powerchain...well, I don't know. I'd have to think some more about that. Black may make it look as if all my teeth are rotting...lol.

I look back at the pictures above and am so impress at how far I've come in such a short time. I've bitten my tongue for the first time, can actually bite off bread with my front teeth....they are already starting to look so good. I haven't had any major TMJ issues either so I'm very happy with my results so far.

Week Twentyfour

So I'm posting week 24 a little late, but hey, I've been busy....

I don't think there's been much change....but I think what I will do for my 25th week anniversary next week will be to post a "retrospective" picking some of the biggest changes....
So anyway....

First Day


Week 24

Twentythree for me!

I'm posting week 23 a week late. I was on vacation last week with limited internet so I took the picture and am now posting it. There's not much to mention.

So as always, the first day




Week 23

Achy Breaky Teeth

Well not really breaky but definately achy. *sighs* I'm tired of achy teeth. They've been sore all weekend. I think my sinus infection is putting pressure on the top row and the bottom is really moving in response to the power chaing going all the way back to the molars.

I JUST happened to notice that the gap that formed on the bottom left has begun to close so the power chain must be working and that would explain the pain...but it's going to drive me nuts.

I'm just a mess today. *sighs* And even Advil is not working. *pouts*

Week Twentytwo, What's new?

What's new you say? Hmm...not much and a lot, lol.

The pain is mostly gone, thank goodness! I don't think I could have stood another month of pain from the power chain. I do have a whole lot of wiggling going on. It seems that every tooth is wiggling and moving around, even the molars. It's not that painful, just very weird. The center pulp of my teeth seems really sensitive I sometimes can feel the pulp pulsating with my every heartbeat. It's so strange, not painful just a weird sensation that theres some gentle throbbing inside each tooth.

I know I've mentioned it before, but this week was the first time anyone pointed out how lopsided my teeth are right now. I was visiting my mother and she asked to see my teeth. I smiled and she said, "They look funny." I asked, "How so?" She replied, "Your mouth's crooked."

I then had to point out two things to her. One, the ortho isn't trying to move my teeth down yet, so the one side that did come down, did so on it's own. So it's going to look a little lopsided. Two, it also accentuates the angle my top jaw actually sits at, the angle that's pushing my jaw out of alignment and causing my TMJ issues.

I had to tell her then (I had been trying to avoid this, she is a worrier) That if when the ortho tries to bring my teeth down, if he can't move them to compensate for my misalignment of my jaws, they'll have to cut my top jaw from my skull and reattach it 'level'. It's not what we want to do, we really hope that the braces will do the trick, but I have to be aware that it might be necessary.

Needless to say, she wasn't happy. I'm not either, but if it's what the ortho and the oral surgeon say needs to be done to keep the TMJ from reoccurring, I'll do it. I'd rather be in pain from the surgery for a few months, than have the TMJ pain the rest of my life. I mean, if we can't get the teeth to realign to compensate, and I don't have the surgery at that point, really the braces would have been for nothing. Yes, I'd have a much prettier smile, but I didn't go into this for vanity. I want my jaw to stop hurting. The pain from my TMJ was so bad that I don't know what I would have done if there wouldn't have been an option such as the braces/surgery to stop the pain. I can see how people could take to drugs or alcohol to dull the near constant pain. I hope to GOD we can get this to a point where I never have that again. I know the braces are doing some good because A) my teeth are lining up better and my chewing is better B) I haven't had any TMJ incidents since we started the braces.

To me, the lack of TMJ issues since beginning braces tells me that my doctors know what they are talking about and I'm on the right track. So yes, if they tell me they need to cut my jaw off of my skull and reattach it so that everything fits the way it should, you'd better believe that I would be willing to do it.

As always, it's Thursday and I have my "anniversary" pictures. The first week, this week, week 22 and I've also added a picture with lines drawn over my braces so you can see the angle of "crookedness" that my mother pointed out to me. I exaggerated the lines a little because when you see them in 2D it's not as easy to pick out as if you are seeing them in 3D.

First Day

Week 22

Week 22 with lines

Week Twentyone

Well, here we are week 21. The major soreness was gone by the end of the weekend, much to my delight and surprise.

The only thing I really notice now that the "crunching" of my molars moving has stopped is that the hook for my rubberbands, on the lower right front of my mouth is now catching my lip. What's that all about? It's kind of just annoying, but I can't even wax it during the day because it's very visible.

Oh well, it's not causing a blister or anything so I shouldn't complain.

Edited to add: if you look at the hook, the tooth has moved forward and the angle has changed, ever so slightly....I think that's why it's starting to catch...

As always, my pictures:

First Day



Week 21


You know, it just amazes me, it's only been 148 days and look at all the changes! One side of my open bite is mostly closed and really, they are getting very straight. If they are this good now, I can't wait to see how great they will look in approximately 583 days! *sigh*

Week Twenty

Well, it's Week Twenty. I had my adjustment yesterday and my dreams of getting rid of the dreaded power chain were dashed. Not only did I get a new power chain, but it has now been extended all the way back to my molars, top and bottom! The last link of the chain is looped over the hooks on the bands.

Can you say ouch?!

To add a little salt to the wound, they said I might need them a few more times. Blech! They upped the gauge of the wire as well.

On the plus side, they said that next time, I'll be getting the "ideal wire" or the heaviest gauge wire that is square-shaped that does the "heavy moving" so....

I really like my orthodontist and all the ladies that work there. If it wasn't that my mouth was so sore when I left I'd really love visiting, ha, ha, ha.

Since it wasn't too long after my appointment, I was able to eat chicken fingers for dinner. By morning, I'm back on my MPMSY diet, mashed potatoes, Milk Shake and Yogurt.

As always,

First Day


Week Twenty

Like the lavender?

Week Nineteen

Again with the late post....so sorry. My mother had another operation on Thursday, the last one, thank goodness. She doesn't have Internet so I was very limited. I did take the obligatory picture, however.

Teeth-wise, it's been a good week (except for one incident which I'll outline later.) The pain is gone and while there's been some popping and moving, it's all very manageable. The incident was that my husband and I went for a drive on Sunday and he decided to take a dirt road...a very rutted dirt road. At one point the Jeep hit a very big pothole and I wasn't expecting it and the jolt rammed my teeth together. Boy did I see stars! Luckily it passed in a few moments.

Changes this week? I happened to notice that on the left side of my mouth, that my front teeth have moved down and they are actually beginning to over lap the bottom, almost like a normal bite! It's quite exciting! If you consider it's only been 19 weeks, it's even more amazing. The only down side is that the right side isn't coming down as quickly and my mouth is getting to look very lopsided--at least to me. Most people probably wouldn't notice.

I also noticed that the bottom teeth are much more straight from just two weeks ago, I've included that picture as well. If you look at week seventeen, you can see how the blue power chain accentuates how bowed-looking my bottom teeth are, whereas this week, it's nearly straight.

These things are amazing!


First Day

Week Seventeen

Week Nineteen

So Thursday, I'll have my next adjustment. I'm not sure what color bands to pick. If I have to go with a power chain again and I really hope not since I'll be going away for the weekend and I don't' want to be miserable, I might go with something more subtle, like the plum. If it's just bands, no power chain, then maybe I'll go with screaming pink...who knows? I won't know until I sit in the chair.

Any suggestions? LOL!

Week Eighteen

Here we are at week eighteen. The pain is lessened and I'm doing OK...Not much to say this week. I have posted my "anniversary" progress pictures as I try to do, even though this week is late again as my mother had surgery last Thursday so I really was preoccupied. I did manage to snap my "anniversary" picture as I do every week, though the quality is less than stellar. I apologize for it's quality...

First day


Week Eighteen


Notice any progress? :-#

Check, Check

Just got back from the dentist for my bi-annual cleaning. No CAVITIES!

*cue horns and celebrations*

The hygenist said that my gums look "awesome" and that she usually doesn't see such healthy looking gums on people with braces.

YAY, ME!

Finally, some good mouth news.

Week Seventeen

Finally a post on the right day! Yay for me! I do not notice much difference since last week but to me, the difference since I've started this journey is amazing! The proof is in the pictures:

First Day


Week Seventeen


Quite Stunning, don't you think? I wonder how amazing they'll look in another 612 days(approximate). May be I'll be able to be a "Teeth Model" and get jobs selling toothpaste? HA!

The pain has subsided for the most part since week sixteen. I can bite now, which is nice and I was able to eat steak (double nice) if I cut it in small pieces. They are still hypersensitive to hot/cold but since I can chew solid food, I'm not going to complain.

I feel bad for my poor husband having to listen to me whine these last three weeks. This power chain/heavy wire combo has been very painful and I'll admit I've whined the whole time. It's just hard some days and while I KNOW this is the best thing to keep me from a life of pain and bad chewing, I will admit that if I would have known it would hurt this much I would have thought a little more about this. It's the first real "crisis of conscience" I've had with my braces.

I know I'd have done the same thing, I mean the alternative was my alignment getting worse, having more difficulty chewing and my TMJ growing worse and more painful. I don't think I would have taken the decision as glibly as I did. This is a thousand times more difficult than it was when I was a kid. I really don't remember them hurting except the first week and then only for a day or so after an adjustment. Three weeks of solid pain is not fun.

They say it's worse for an adult, that the nerves and roots are established and that this is what causes the pain. I believe them.

On the plus side, I go back to the Ortho in just 3 weeks, I'm halfway done with this power chain and I'm hoping that I won't need another one. At least not right away.

Oh well, it gives me a "medical reason" for all the ice cream I've been eating, right? ;-)

Week Sixteen, Posted late

Sorry to be posting Week Sixteen a week late, but it was a big week for me. I went to the Eastern League (AA baseball) All-Star game, I took my mother to the eye surgeon to get ready for surgery and turned 38.

When I started this blog, Braces at 37, I was in shock that someone my age would need braces and didn't think about the fact that I very well could be 39 or 40 before these blasted things come off. It made me think of that 70's TV show about a teenage boy, "James at 15". When the show was renewed for a second season, they renamed it "James at 16" but kept the origional logo but crossed out the 15 and wrote 16 above it. In that vein, I offer my new logo:



On the serious side. I've had a LOT of pain ever since they put on the power chain. Headaches, hypersensitive teeth, and generally, I'm back on my soft food diet. Oh yay! More mashed potatoes and pudding! (Where the heck is that sarcasm font?)

As always, here's the comparison pictures:




Day One

Week Sixteen

Wow! Looking at the pictures side by side it really hit me how much my teeth have changed already!

I do feel like a schmuck for not posting this last week. But I guess even life can get in the way of a good posting. ;-)