Friday, April 27, 2018

Week 55

Here we are, another week, another post. And this time, it's actually on time! Small blessings, right?

So we are now firmly in what I called the boring phase of the whole braces journey. I've been on my final wires since January, and really, there's been no major changes or shifting that I can see. Not that I expect there would be. I mean, this is the stage where things get tweaked and finalized before the wires come off, so there shouldn't be any major changes. But man, is it ever boring! Like...rationally, I know things are happening, whether or not I can see the changes or not, but visually, it's gotten pretty dry since January. As far as I know, we're working on my bite, and that should be it.

But so boring!

My molars are definitely touching each other now--thank you box elastics--which hopefully mean that I won't have to deal with more elastics when I go in for my next appointment on the 9th. I just think that while elastics work, and work well, I'm getting a bit tired of elastics by now. Except for three months, I've had elastics since I got braces put on. And I'm kinda missing the freedom of having no elastics. Braces are definitely a lot easier to deal with when there aren't elastics involved. But I suppose time will tell what the next step in my journey will be.

Week 55

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Week 54

Another week, another post.

Well, I'm definitely getting better at putting on the box elastics for my right molars now. I'm able to hook the elastic into a box configuration on the first try successfully about 80% of the time, which is a lot better than like, 10% of the time, which is where I was at when I first started this whole molar box configuration thing. I'm still not sure why I'm able to put on the box configuration on my left molars pretty much with 100% success rate on the first try, but not my right. It's definitely got something to do with the angle, and the way I hold the elastic hooking tool in my right hand vs left hand...but anyway, the point is, I figured how to hook on the box configuration elastic for my right molars with a much better success rate than when I first started. Which makes the whole thing way, way less frustrating than it was.

If it continued to be as frustrating as when I first started out, I couldn't promise that I'd be all that compliant with it. I mean, I've been pretty good with being compliant with everything the orthodontist has asked me to do, but this molar box configuration thing definitely tested my compliance. The first weeks, when I was having so much trouble with hooking the damn elastic (and having it stay) onto my right molars, I was half convincing myself that I didn't need perfection, and that it was just fine with me if my bite wasn't a perfect Class I bite. It was that frustrating. But all's that gone now, and thank god I decided to stick with it through the frustrations.

(I might not be needing a perfect set of Hollywood teeth, but having a functional and correct bite is pretty damn important. And I'm not throwing away nearly $4000 just to end up with an imperfect bite over something that I had control over.)

I feel like I am more aware of my molars touching each other, which I suppose mean that the elastics are doing their jobs, which is a good thing. I really just hope that this is the last of elastics I'll have to deal with for a while. Except for three glorious months, I've been in elastics for the entirety of my braces journey so far, and it's getting a bit...annoying and old. I mean, if it comes to it it, I'll wear elastics for the entire time I'm in braces if have to, but I'd rather not. Especially not after having experience the amazing freedom and ease that is braces without elastics. So I'm crossing my fingers that on my next appointment, the orthodontist won't find another reason for me to wear elastics. The same way I'm crossing my fingers to finish my braces journey sooner rather than later.

Week 54

Friday, April 13, 2018

Week 53

Another week has passed, and I'm now firmly into the start of my second year of braces. I really, really hope that I can get these things off in 1.5 years instead of 2...but we'll see how things are doing at my next orthodontist appointment (which is in early May). I still can't believe it's been one whole year since I've had the brackets and wire installed on my teeth. I guess time flies when we're having fun. It's still amazing to look back at all the progress pictures that I've taken, and see all the changes that have taken place. My teeth definitely looks and feels better than before I got braces, that's for sure.

As for this week, I think I've finally figured out how to put on the box elastic for my right molars without the elastic eternally slipping off after I've put it on. It's still a work in progress, but so far, the technique that I've developed is working well. I still have to do the odd adjustment here and there, but it's definitely much better than before, where I'd spend up to 10 minutes just fixing the elastic (and sometimes I won't be successful, and if those times happened to be at work, then I'd just go without the elastics. It's terrible, I know.). I'm acutely aware of the forces the elastics are placing on my molars, and I'm pretty sure I can feel the molars touching each other better now. So the elastics are working, and I'm glad for that.

Though I really wish that I was done with elastics already. I've been in elastics since day one, save for the blessed three months from November to January where I didn't have to wear any. I see elastics as a necessary inconvenience of braces, a necessary evil if you will. And while I'm perfectly okay with using them, I'd still prefer not to, if I can help it. Braces are just simply so much easier without elastics. But sticking with my approach to braces, I'm going to religiously wear the elastics as ordered (or, as religiously as I can) so that I don't extend my treatment unnecessarily. Anything to shorten treatment time I'll do.

Week 53

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Week 52...Month 12! One year of braces!

So a year ago, I went to the orthodontist for my first "real" appointment and had braces installed. Lot's have happened during the said year...and now here we are, one year later. It's really really amazing how fast time has flown by. I can't believe that one year has gone by already. My teeth definitely looks a lot better than when I first got braces installed!

In terms of movement, I think some degree of leveling has happened for my top incisors, and I definitely am more aware of my molars touching, due to the stupid box configuration that I wear on them for elastics. I"m still not too impressed with the box configuration, mostly because my right molars brackets don't seem to want to hold onto to the elastic too too well. Full confession: there have been days at work where I didn't wear elastics on the right side after lunch break...not because I didn't want to wear it, but because the damn elastic just won't stay put! It gets a bit annoying and stupid to try to rehook the damn elastic over and over again on hooks that aren't really hooks....and beside, I didn't have the time to eternally hide in the bathroom to troubleshoot the elastic. But for the most part, I've been pretty good at elastics wear. And I think I may have discovered a way to hook the elastic onto my right molars in a fashion that make it stick better. I hope anyway. We'll see.

So without further ado, let's do the pictures!

Before braces. Boy did my teeth need work. 
First day in braces. The pain and learning curve was real.
Month 6. Things were definitely looking better by this time.
....And this is what things look like one year in!
Here's to hoping for not being in braces for too much longer! I really hope to get these off by the 1.5 year mark...but only time will tell. In any case, I have an appointment in early May to look forward to, so we'll see what happens then.

Happy one year to this blog! (For those of you reading and are debating on whether or not to get braces...my piece of advice is to do it. Affirmative. 100%. It's totally, totally worth it!)

Life after braces