And the Countdown Begins!

July 30, 2007- Almost 30 months- My appointment today was a very quick one that the ortho took care of himself. He put on DOUBLE power chains to close a couple of small gaps and move my midline over a hair- and told me that at my next appointment we'd start the wind down. I asked him what that meant, and he said that my next visit they will finally take off my &$@^%$ bite block, cut wires and put in some vertical elastics (? don't quote me on that- I know it's vertical something). The week after that, he will check me and the week after that I will get the darn things off! WOO HOO! I'm so excited :) The next 2 months are going to take forever! Next Appointment 9/10/07. Debanding 9/26/07.

Double Shot

July 2, 2007- Twenty-Nine Months- Well, today was quite the adventure. Had an appointment today at 10:40 and when I went in the network for the xrays was down. It wasn't a panoramic that they wanted. It was something else. I can't remember the name. Anyway, Doc decided to put something called an arc wire on my top line today to straighten out the roots and keep the bottoms the same until the network came back up. The wire looked like a circle with little loops in it and it was springy. It hooked onto my exsisting wire somehow and was quite something to look at. At 2, I went back to the office to get the xray done, and when he saw the picture he told me to sit in a chair. Keep in mind that I didn't have a second appointment and it was just after their lunch, so they had people everywhere. He told me that the arc wire had to come out because my roots were fine and that I was actually looking really good. My bite is where he wants it and all that is left is fixing a tiny bit of overbite that is left. He told me that things would be coming off very soon. :) I'm exhausted...lol. He's a perfectionist, so I understand why things take as long as they do, and I'm grateful for that. So, after he tool the arc wire out, he put a new NiTi wire on and powerchains from the top 6 to 6. I have to continue to double up on my elastics on my right side and wear only one on the left. My next appointment is July 30. My posts have been lagging behind, but that is only because of recent drama in my life. The aunt that I was looking after passed away in May and my husband just lost his grandfather last Monday. The bit of good news about my braces being off soon was a much welcomed thing. Hopefully things will return to some kind of normalcy now. :)

Are We Done Yet??

April 11, 2007- Twenty Six Months- I had a short visit today for an activation. It was nothing special really, except that the ortho is very happy with the progress of my bite. He said that my next visit will be a long one as they are going to reposition a few brackets and maybe change a wire. He took an x-ray today to see if my roots are parallel and he said they look fantastic. There is only one tooth that needs to be dealth with, my number 3 on the top left. It still isn't fully rotated. I have powerchains again from 5 to 5 to close up a few small gaps. It seems to me that the presence of xrays and re-bonding of brackets means that he is tweaking things for the final few months. Boy, would be that great!

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

March 21, 2007- 25 1/2 Months- Had an appointment today. Got to experience a newbie tech as well... She was much gentler than the old hands there. Took her a little longer, but that is how she will learn. :) Today, I had my wire activated and powerchains added to the top 6 to 6. He also wire-tied a couple of non-conformists and asked to see me back in 3 weeks. Noticing that my appointments are getting a little closer together, I asked him the dreaded question- "when are they coming off?!?" He said some time this summer! :) Now, I know that is still a pretty vague answer, but for my ortho that is a major event. It made me see a light at the end of the long tunnel, that's for sure. So I go back in 3 weeks for another activation and then again in May for a longer visit. :) I know it's been a while since I posted, but I have a lot going on right now and the visits I've had since November have been somewhat uneventful. I now have to double up my elastics- a pain that I didn't know exsisted....lol.
Next Appointment- April 11th... for Activation.
May 9th... for repositioning of a few brackets and whatever else he decides to do.

Loops Be Gone, But Make Way For The Pain

November 14, 2006- Twenty One Months- I had an adjustment yesterday. My last adjustment was back in September, and then I was complaining about my gums around my top right molars being very sore and bleeding, not to mention a foul taste in my mouth from that area. The gums were really inflamed and tender. My ortho told me that it was probably caused by food that was stuck (even though I floss some ridiculous amount like 3 times a day.). I doubted his opinion, but I went with it. It got worse over time and yesterday when I went in, I complained to the tech. She said that my molar band was loose and that every time I bit down or chewed something it dug into my gums. She took the band off and I felt immediate relief, though my gums were so sore from being irritated for so long. The bad part was that she had to put a new band on and it hurt like hell because my gums were so sore. But they feel better today... only to make way for a new kind of pain that I've haven't had in the 21 months that I've been in braces. It's the first time I've had to take pain killers. I consider myself lucky in that aspect. I had two new wires put on- thicker square wires, and powerchains on the bottom only from the 6 to 7. I have the elastics still but I have to connect them from the canines now to the bottom molars because the LOOPS ARE HISTORY! WOO HOO!
I am showing a photo of my bottom arch because I've been having trouble with the bottom canines not wanting to rotate, but after this past summer, they are finally falling into line. I'm proud of it. :) My next appointment is December 20. Merry Christmas to me. :) Have a great Thanksgiving. :)

Overhaulin'

June 24, 2006- Sixteen and One Half Months...
Today's adjustment was a doozie, and as I waited to be called, my favorite assistant, Shirley, saw me and said "oh no! You came to ruin my Saturday?" lol. I love her. I knew it would be a long appointment, but I had no idea...lol. They replaced and repositioned 3 brackets... lower right 1, and both lower 3's. They had plannedto band my lower 7's, but opted for brackets instead, to which my tongue is most grateful. So, I was lucky enough to experience the bitter liquid they use before they place the brackets and the taste of the cement as well. Brough back memories of my banding. :) As I laid there today with my mouth pried open, I could hear on the other side of the room a girl.. no older than 13, getting her braces on. First thing she asked after they were on... "how long til they come off?!?" I laughed. Along with the agony I put Shirley through today, the doc also activated my top wire as well. I felt a bit disheartened to find out that he put on a leveling wire on the bottom this time... almost felt like I had been setback.... but he explained that now that my back back molars are confined, they need to level out with everything else. I sighed and went on my way. I am wearing 1/4 inch heavy elastics from my loops to my 6's this time around.
My closing loops are doing their jobs and the gaps are all but closed now. My next appointment is a whopping EIGHT weeks away!!!

Fifteen Months and a Rainy Day

May 15, 2006- Fifteen Months-


Well, I've hit the 15 month mark in my treatment. :) It's pouring rain today, so I guess it's a good day for a trip to the ortho...lol. Today they activated my top wire and finally took out the coil on the bottom right. I have powerchains on the bottom only from 6 to 6. My gaps are closing nicely as you can see. My next visit is a long one- they are going to band my other molars, and reset about 7 brackets. My mid-line is almost there. I still have to wear the elastics on the right side to get it there, but I can see the difference.

Did you say "loops?"

April 3, 2006- Fourteen Months- My appointment today was exciting because I got new wires. My top wire is now square with two big loops in it... they look more like twists if you ask me. My bottoms were not quite ready for a square wire, but they put in a heavier wire in the meantime. I have to wear 5/16" Heavy elastics on the right side only for now. (Almost talked him out of wearing them until my next appointment too...lol) He also put on powerchains on the bottom 4 to 4. I go back in 6 weeks, and I am getting yet another new wire on the bottoms. I wish my midline would shift already!!!!!!!

A bit of good news... while he was making the loops in my wire I asked him if my time in braces was going to be closer to 2 years or 2.5 years. He thinks it will be closer to 2. Yipee! :)
Next Appointment- May 15, 2006.

A Years Worth of Progress

Here is a side-by-side glance at my progress over the past year.

My first year in review...

So, coming to a new site is very exciting for me. More room to post, more room for photos.... Downside is I can't back date my photos... so let's take a tour of the last year of my braces adventure, shall we?


February 8, 2005- My first day in braces. I must say that I was disappointed when I looked in the mirror and my wire wasn't straight like it is in all of the photos I saw. Failing to realize just how cramped my teeth were, I took the zig-zag wires in stride and went on my merry way.

March 7, 2005- One Month. This was sort of a mini-adjustment, as I call them. Just a lig change. I can already see a difference!


March 23, 2005- Six Weeks. Wires were getting long and needed to be cut already. Not an expected trip, but he changed my ligs anyway!


May 3, 2005- Twelve Weeks. Front top teeth are no longer overlapped! Woo hoo! I received a new .014 Surgical Steel overlay utility wire on both tops and bottoms, as well as my old wires. Started Class II elastics (3/16" Heavy)





June 27, 2005- Twenty Weeks. Ligs and powerchains replaced and a few new kinks were put into my bottom wire. Look at that progress!


August 10, 2005- Six Months. Got a new top archwire that is heat-activated. Wire ties were put onto the canines to help rotate them. Two wires were put on the bottom with coils to make space between molars. No elastics needed until the next appointment.


September 7, 2005- Seven Months. I received new ligs and the dreaded elastics are back with a new pattern, using 5/16" Mediums. Powerchains added to the top four front teeth. No wires changes.

October 19, 2005-Eight and a Half Months. Nothing special this time around. I was hoping to have my bite block taken out today, but no such luck! :(



December 15, 2005- Ten and a Half Months. The coil was taken off the bottom left molar and powerchains position changed again. I am wearing 1/4" Heavy elastics on the right side only. Doc says were are going to start to shift the midlines and really focus on rotating the canines... and yes, I still have the freakin' bite block!! Doc says I'm doing fantastic!

January 18, 2006- Eleven and a Half Months. Last appointment before the new year. Nothing special. No photo this month.


February 22, 2006- Just Over One Year! I am back on the 3/16" Heavy elastics on both sides- they feel very tight. More powerchains and they put another stopper in my coil. Doc says things are moving just fine. :)