A Week of Freedom!

The braces are off! Today was the big day and I am thrilled with the result! My appointment took about 50 minutes. My ortho cleaned my teeth with the braces in place then removed the wires just to check it was definitely time for the braces to come off and it was. He reattached the wires, then used a pair of pliers to snip the ends of the wires and break the brackets off my teeth, which didn't hurt at all. I just felt the pressure. The brackets were removed as a whole, still attached to the wires.

Next, my bonded retainer wires were glued on along the back of my upper and lower teeth and all the glue residue, front and back, was removed. This was the most unpleasant part due to the vibrations. I had taken painkillers beforehand which helped lessen the sensitivity of my teeth but it was so loud, as if someone was using a chainsaw inside my head, so really hard on my ears! I had to get my ortho to do just three teeth at a time and pause. Then my teeth were cleaned and polished until they shined!

 

There was some last minute reshaping of two teeth to do and then my new moulds were taken. This is the part I dread most due to my sensitive palate and gag reflex but it was not as bad as the noise of the scaler. Two moulds were taken of the upper and the lower teeth to create my two sets of retainers. My ortho helped me to wash out the residue from taking the moulds, which was like sinking my teeth into yellow Play-Doh and then I got to see my new smile! Wow!

We went into the imaging room for photos. I didn't have X-rays this time but I had a full face and a profile shot and a close up of my teeth. Then I returned to the chair for some more close ups of my teeth with the mirrors and cheek retractors in place. I will get a copy of those pictures as well as the originals when I return to collect my retainers on Monday. Before I left, I was also given a sparkly purple box to keep my retainers in and a month's supply of Retainer Brite tablets.

I know I will have to wear my retainers full-time for a month so I am enjoying this week of freedom. My teeth look awesome! I can't help staring at them each time I pass a mirror and so smooth! I run my tongue over them all the time. I have nearly choked a few times though because food slips down so easily without the brackets to catch on. I am looking forward to the retainers though. My teeth feel quite loose and achy already, as if they are moving.

Broken Bracket Again

I have now been in braces for nearly 10 months! The elastics have been going very well. It took a few weeks but I eventually got used to putting the elastic in and could do it first time, most of the time. It started to feel normal eating with it in, even though it would occasionally come off and I managed to put it back in a few times without a mirror. I still found sometimes that I would lose two or three as I tried to get the bottom bracket hooked or would take one out and lose it but on the whole, I've been wearing an elastic full time.

I had my fourth adjustment in November and the ortho was pleased with my progress but I didn't blog as there was little to report. I had some new elastic ligatures put on and picked up a few more bags of elastics to keep wearing until my next appointment. There was no need to change either of the wires but the ortho bent the upper wire slightly to reshape one tooth. My fifth adjustment was supposed to be 23rd December but I misplaced the card with the time on it and stupidly did not leave my number when I left a message on the practice answerphone. As another patient shares my name, it was too late when they realised it was me so the appointment has been moved to this Wednesday 8th January.

Luckily, moving the appointment has worked out well because just this week, the bracket which my elastic attaches to, on the lower left-hand side has detached from the tooth. It may be to do with me putting elastics on all the time or it may be the filling on the side of the tooth which is now visible again. Either way, it has made wearing elastics a lot trickier. It is still possible to use the hook but the positioning is a bit off so I am mostly going without. Otherwise things are moving quite nicely and the gaps in my lower teeth are beginning to close. I am looking forward to getting a new bracket and some new ligatures as the current ones are a bit stained.

Update: I had my fifth adjustment today 8th January and the bracket and hook have been replaced so I can wear my elastic again. I also got new ligatures. It may be some time before my next adjustment. My ortho wants to see me before the Easter holidays due to Easter being late this year but there is no reading week in the second semester so it may have to wait.

6 Month Update: Elastic Woes!

Today I went for my third adjustment. It has now been 6 months! I can hardly believe it. The first month or so went so slowly and I had a couple of issues with broken brackets. Since then, it seems to have flown! I am so happy with how the upper teeth, previously very uneven are looking. They're much straighter! The good news is that this appointment was the least painful so far. My upper wire has been changed but I have not felt any difference at all, no pressure, no tenderness.

The bad news is I have my elastic band. It is only one but I am finding it quite a struggle. The elastic ligatures that I've had for a while, which don't need changing at home, have been reapplied but this time, I was asked to wear an elastic band as well. I understand it is to ensure my lower teeth move in the right direction to close the gap from where I had my extraction and stop any new gap forming in the process. My orthodontist fitted the elastic, told me to remove it for eating and that I'd be fine at reapplying it by hand. I got two bags full.

Then I came home and needed to eat something so I took it off and it was such a struggle to get back on. To start with, I'm not 100% sure I have put it on the right teeth. According to the diagram my orthodontist drew a circle on, I believe I am right with my lower backmost tooth which is braced (my very back tooth has no bracket on it at all). It has a hook for an elastic, while as far as I can see the tooth next to it does not, but it is this tooth which is beside the gap.

It also appears that I need to use the upper tooth second away from my front teeth, not the tooth right beside my front tooth, although in my many attempts I have managed to hook it on both. On all the pictures of silver braces I have seen, there is a clearly defined hook on the upper tooth but I can't see that on mine, which is a ceramic bracket so harder to see against the tooth. Looking at the photo I took of the tooth, it seems to be over a hook but it doesn't look like the hooks I've seen on silver braces. Are ceramics different?

I am on approximately my fourth elastic just today because the others 'pinged' out of my hand while I was fumbling in the mirror and they're unfortunately the exact whitish cream colour of my bedroom carpet. One has turned up. The others have not. I called the clinic in desperation and didn't even get to speak to my ortho, just the receptionist, who did not really help except to say there is no tool I can use (actually some articles I have read looking for tips online have mentioned a plastic sort of hook which some orthos can provide) and that I just need to practise it.

I have finally managed to get one on in what I believe to be the correct position but more by luck than by design. I managed it by hooking the upper tooth, which is relatively easy although it still takes me more than one try usually and then holding my finger on that end, while reaching for the hook on the bottom with the other. Getting over the bottom hook though, is very hit and miss. I have since eaten with the elastic in. It is apparently not essential to take it out. I was hungry but had only just managed to get it in so wasn't going to remove it.

On the whole, progress is good but there must be an easier way to put on this elastic. I am not now due back until 12th November. I am going away to uni this Saturday (about an hour and a half away by train) and moving into halls so had to select a late evening appointment during the reading week of the semester, when hopefully I will not have lectures. I hope I can manage. I am certainly not going to try and put them in on the go yet. I'm put out that the appointment was so short and I left with no real idea of what to do. I didn't even get to try and do it myself while I was there.

I have never been able to connect the knee bone to the ankle bone in Operation and that is what this feels like, trying to hook the elastic over the peg at each end. On the plus side, these are my latest pictures which I really like. Not only are my teeth looking so much better, but I have my new camera and the pictures are so much clearer. Before pictures are below.

Front

Uppers from below

Lowers

Elastic

Top Hook

This is where I was six months ago. Despite the breakages, the ulcer and now the elastic, it is so worth it!

Thicker Wires and an Ulcer

Time for a very overdue update. On 16th May, I went for my first official adjustment appointment, after two unscheduled visits to replace broken brackets. My orthodontist removed both wires to inspect my teeth and was very pleased with the progress that had been made. After two attempts, he was able to apply a thicker wire to my bottom teeth. The original thin wire was reapplied to my upper teeth, as my orthodontist felt they were not quite ready for a thicker wire.

With the thicker wire in place, I felt a lot more pressure on my lower teeth and noticed movement quite quickly. In particular the teeth on either side of the gap where I had a tooth extracted before getting my braces started to move and I became more aware of the bracket against my cheek. Unfortunately, I got an ulcer there. I have always been prone to mouth ulcers from time to time but have so far been lucky and avoided any significantly sore places since getting the braces but this ulcer stayed and started to get bigger.

Eventually the ulcer had become very swollen and inflamed and even started to bleed. I was catching it with my teeth when I spoke and when I chewed or swallowed and it would often scrape against or get hooked on that bracket. Since it was constantly irritated by the bracket it couldn't heal and despite my next adjustment appointment being scheduled for today, 9th July, I had to make an earlier appointment to get it looked at. I went in a fortnight ago and my orthodontist could immediately see how difficult things were.

He took the hooks off of the bracket which the ulcer was catching on and filed everything down quite a bit. This was unpleasant because it meant prolonged use of the filing/polishing tool which sounds like a drill. Although I wouldn't say it's painful exactly, the heavy vibrations were very uncomfortable as my teeth are quite sensitive. Even the pressure of my brackets being opened and new wires fastened in is hard for me to take. Worse, the noise seemed to fill and reverberate through my entire head. Afterwards, the ulcer stopped catching on the bracket and things improved, although it was still quite large and occasionally sore when irritated by something I'd eaten.

With the bracket filed down, I took to applying copious amounts of Bonjela Cool and using the rubber 'lip bumper' I bought just before the braces went on, when I created a dental kit for myself. I was disappointed with the lip bumper initially. It's a clear rubber tube with a slit along the back that goes over the wire and brackets but was impossible to put on. I was not able to cover all the brackets successfully but found that by cutting a small length of it, I was able to cover the two brackets the ulcer was catching on and the wire between them and it stayed put while I ate. The ulcer has started to heal and it should soon be gone.

Today, I went back for my second adjustment. This time I have had thicker wires applied to both my upper and lower teeth. This means my upper teeth now have the same thickness wire as my lower teeth got last time and my lower teeth have gone up yet another thickness, to a square wire rather than a round one. Elastics have also been applied to start closing the gap but the ligatures my orthodontist will change which can stay put and not elastic bands I have to change myself. They are clear so can hardly be seen. One bracket also came off during the fitting and was replaced. I will try and post pictures soon.

Three Week Update: Fixed At Last!

On Wednesday 3rd April, three weeks to the day since I got my braces, I had my second broken bracket replaced. Originally, I had hoped to go the week before but I had to reschedule my appointment when I knew I would be unable to make it from work. Fortunately, soon after my last post, the broken bracket came off, so I didn't have to go around wearing a lump of wax over it anymore. And unlike with the first lost bracket, it fell away gently, without breaking my wire. This meant I enjoyed a few days of relative 'freedom' and comfort in that tooth, looking like this:

The procedure was much the same as before, the old glue was scrubbed away and a new bracket applied. This time the bracket had broken off because the wire was put under too much pressure last time, when it was pushed into the bracket. That tooth is set far behind the two teeth on either side and my front tooth partially overlaps it at an odd angle, so the pressure at that point is high. The repair was done by the same orthodontist as before, a colleague of my own, as he was with another patient. He did come to see how I was getting on though. The wire was not pushed in so far this time so it didn't feel heavy after and it has lasted. I don't expect to need another repair before my first adjustment on 14th May. Finally, I am fully braced with no missing or broken parts:

Things are going quite well and the braces themselves are comfortable on the whole. I am used to them under my lips, although finding I need plenty of lip balm. I sometimes catch the inside of my cheeks on the clips at each side and have developed some tough parts on my gums. Luckily, except when I catch them, I don't find these painful and haven't had any ulcers yet. The pain is back now though, especially in the tooth with the newly reapplied bracket, which had stopped hurting altogether while free of the pressure of the wire. The overlap between it and the neighbouring tooth is particularly sensitive. My bite is still a bit odd and I sometimes catch it with my lower teeth, so I am back on painkillers every few hours for now.

Eating is mostly ok, depending on my pain, but some foods are quite messy to clean up after, particularly bread and oranges, as the stringy part gets stuck in the clips. I am managing to keep everything clean, but brushing 3-4 times a day, including at work is tedious and fiddly. A colleague who has had braces for a while very kindly bought me some interdental brushes with a nice large handle the other day, which has helped. As for whether my teeth are moving, I believe there have been changes but they are very subtle. My orthodontist said they definitely were but I have a harder time seeing it. I think my bottom teeth are maybe ever so slightly less crowded.

In another funny coincidence, I went for a haircut tonight and while she was shampooing my hair, my hairdresser asked when I had got my braces. We ended up spending most of the appointment talking about them, as she had her braces off a couple of years ago. She even used the same orthodontic practice as me, although under the care of a different orthodontist. We talked retainers and pain and cleaning and brackets and about how popular orthodontics for adults has become, even fashionable. A couple more photos of my teeth and the newly repaired bracket:

As Good As New...Not!

Yesterday I went to have the broken bracket and wire replaced. My orthodontist has another practice at a different clinic and he was running late, so I saw one of his colleagues instead. My appointment was 5.10pm. I arrived promptly and I was heading home again by 5.20pm. I spent all of five minutes in the chair after I'd explained the problem, which was this:

The orthodontist quickly cleaned my tooth to remove all the old glue. That was mildly unpleasant because of the strong vibrations and horrible noise. He glued the new bracket on easily and securely and reattached the same wire I had on, which had also come adrift from the neighbouring bracket and the clip on my second to last tooth. When the wire was clipped into the bracket, I felt pressure and the upper right side of my jaw felt very heavy, but not dissimilar to just after they were fitted, except at one side only and this wore off quickly.

I asked about the pain in my lower teeth (nothing unusual apparently) and my glue lumps, which have already worn very smooth, which I am glad about. Luckily, they do not need to be replaced. I also picked up some extra cases of wax as I am using a lot. I came home and as you can see, everything is now fine on the right hand side. The wire is fully attached and secure and the new bracket has stayed in place. But one bracket is clearly missing in these photos because I didn't have time to take any before another bracket came unglued.

The bracket circle in red, where it has slid along the wire to on top of a neighbouring tooth, should be on the tooth circled in green, the tooth besides my two front teeth, so this time the loose bracket is more noticeable and in the way, although very few people are aware of it. It's irritating for my tongue so I am going back on Tuesday. This time it is not a glue issue. That tooth is set quite far behind the two beside it and the wire, bent inwards into the bracket seems to have been under too much pressure. It bounced back out of the clip on the bracket, taking the bracket off in the process.

Until then, I am often to be found sporting a very attractive lump of wax on my front teeth as above. I am not sure what can be done but more glue or maybe a stronger wire. I hope that losing brackets won't be a constant issue for me, although I fear it might be. Other than that, eating gets easier every day although cleaning is tedious and the braces themselves feel comfortable now. Tooth pain comes and goes in different areas. Right now, my lower teeth feel fine but the tooth with the missing bracket is hurting quite a bit. It does not help that this tooth also catches on my lower teeth when I bite. Roll on Tuesday...

This Is Not Supposed To Happen

That is the end of my upper wire which, when I cleaned my teeth earlier, flicked right out of my mouth and poked into my cheek. Am I possibly my orthodontist's worst patient? This is only day 3. The night that the braces were fitted, before I had even tried to eat or clean my teeth, there was a faint clicking noise and one bracket on the upper right began to wobble.

A whole day of eating and cleaning later, it was totally unglued and sliding along the wire but seemed to be clipped on securely enough to prevent it becoming detached. I left a message to book an appointment to fix it, as my first adjustment is not for 9 weeks and tried to keep the loose bracket firmly stuck down with wax, not easy since ceramic brackets are quite large and it was an awkward shape to cover.

Finally yesterday, I managed to bite it at the wrong angle while I was eating (ow) and it pinged off, taking the wire with it. The orthodontist took my message and I've got an appointment for this Wednesday so I am not going to try and get one any sooner. The bracket on the neighbouring tooth is still secure but the wire has detached from it and the end of the wire has come out of the clip on my second to last tooth.

Until I go to my appointment, I have tucked the wire back in and am holding it there with wax, which has covered the sharp end. It looks and feels fine although my teeth are not obviously under the pressure that they should be. Eating is not getting any easier, although I am getting used to how unpleasant it feels.

I managed to floss successfully for the first time with my threader floss, which has a hard end. I haven't had negative comments about cleaning my teeth at work, just a few chats about different people's time in braces and everyone has been so kind. I have been told my teeth have moved already (I don't think so) and even that I suit braces!

The braces themselves are feeling ok. I am used to the sensation of wire under my lips now and even the hard glue lumps, although they are still unpleasant. But the pain is kicking in and in a word, OW! My upper teeth are fine but my lower teeth, although less uneven are very crowded and really aching from the pressure of the wire.

Last night was the worst, it was so constant and all-consuming. I couldn't think of anything else! It is still coming and going so I need painkillers every few hours. It is worst in the two teeth where the circle is above, as they seem to have a little 'bead' inserted between them to keep them apart. I'll ask my orthodontist at my appointment. It looks like I'll also be needing more wax. I found out when my orthodontist called back that he had struggled to glue this bracket and noted the problem in my file so my call was expected.

Braced!

Finally, the braces are on! It is proving very difficult to get a decent photo with my camera still missing. These are too blurry but they are the only ones I have. The fitting this afternoon took an hour and was pretty painless and uneventful, although the cleaning was uncomfortable because my teeth were really scrubbed and buffed! Having the brackets glued on did not hurt at all. In fact, I had not slept well so I nearly dozed off!

I managed not to really taste the glue, just a bit of bitterness in the corners of my mouth, not on my tongue. It didn't feel like I had braces on until the wire was put in and my teeth suddenly felt really heavy, but this soon wore off. It is very odd feeling the wire under my lips but not uncomfortable. The worst part is the two lumps of glue on my very back upper teeth to stop me biting the lower brackets. It's uncomfortable to bite on and I keep biting my cheeks when I speak.

 

Here are the awful blue glue lumps on my back teeth, It is not clear from these photos but the very back tooth on each side, top and bottom, are not braced. My orthodontist thought it would be easier because my mouth is very small but will brace them later if necessary. Instead of molar bands to hold the wires in place, I just have clips on the second to last teeth, which are not clear like the rest of my brackets, although you can't really see them anyway.

I am going to make an appointment to go back soon as the bracket in the circled area below appears to have become totally unglued already and is sliding around on the wire, which is holding it in place. It is a very small tooth and the rest are all fine so I think maybe the glue just didn't set properly on that one. It started to wobble before I had even tried to eat anything or clean my teeth after coming home but eating today and cleaning several times finished it off. I left a message for my orthodontist and will try and get an appointment this week. My first official adjustment is not for 9 weeks!

When the fitting was over, I was given a dental kit similar to the one I made, which has become my travel kit for work. I have not tried to floss yet, still too sore but all of the brushes are proving useful and I am going through a heck of a lot of wax, so it is a good job the orthodontist gave me some more cases. I had, being naive, only bought one. Mainly, I find the wax helpful on the sides where my cheeks are catching and wax is currently keeping the loose bracket still because otherwise it rattles and irritates my tongue. The only item I am not happy with is the 'lip bumper' which seems virtually impossible to put on. It's a shame, because the rubber is very comfortable for my lips.

There has not been too much pain so far, the worst discomfort is coming from the glue lumps and the feeling of the wires under my lips. It is just so weird and it feels like my lips are sticking out. Speaking is fine. One of my biggest fears was a lisp but that hasn't happened. I do have to be careful about catching the inside of my cheeks when I talk. Eating is different and not comfortable at all. My mouth feels like it's already full before I put any food in and I can't chew at all, plus it all goes straight to those glue lumps! And they are very fiddly to clean! Here are a few more pictures.