Week 79 and 80

Well, what do you know, my orthodontist does know what he's doing, not that that's something I should be remotely surprised about.

Remember that IPR gap that I kept repeatedly talking about? You know, the one between my upper right central and lateral incisor? The same one that didn't budge one tiny bit between July and my most recent appointment? The one thing that I was hoping it would work out before my next appointment because it's literally the last thing between me and being braces free?

Yeah, that one IPR gap.

Well, guess what? The wire bends and the anterior elastic box configuration worked because the gap is there no more. There is still a tiny bit of space between the two tooth, but I'm pretty sure that's just due to the shape of my tooth and not the gap. The gap is pretty much gone. It's amazing what some elastics and a few bends in the wire can do. It's the final tweaking of things that really amazes me. How much little things the orthodontist can do just by bending the wire at specific spots and wearing the elastic bands in a specific way.

Which means, we're pretty much on the right track in terms of following my orthodontist's timeline. Which is a pretty damn good thing. By my rough guesstimate, I would've been in braces for roughly 20 months, assuming the braces are off before the end of December. 20 months is a relatively long time to be doing something, but damn, braces are definitely worth all that time and effort.

I've been practicing smiling in front of the camera, and it's definitely a different smile than the one that I'm used to. My "old" smile if you will. I feel a little silly standing in front of the mirror and practicing smiling, but you bet I'm going to be doing a lot of smiling once the braces come off! My contract comes with a complimentary whitening, so after the braces are off and my teeth whitened, I'm going to be smiling just because I can!

Week 79

Week 80

This may be my third last appointment ever...

So I went to the orthodontist today.

And from the way things are sounding, I could be two appointments away from getting the braces off. Which, is pretty damn amazing when I think about it. I still think it depends on if that gap between my right upper central and lateral incisor will close in time, but I think my orthodontist is trying to close that by using elastics.

The appointment itself was fairly uneventful as far as appointments go. I went in, didn't have to wait too long before I was called in. The tech took off the powerchains and the wire ligatures, and then the orthodontist came by to assess things. Did all the usual opening and closing of my mouth, and he did the usual prodding and looking. I've got no idea what he's really looking at, but I'm guessing it's my bite, how the teeth are mashing together, molar relations, stuff like that. I got bends placed in my top wire, at the spots between my canines and lateral incisors. Got the wire placed back in (yup, totally felt the tech put the wire back in. That would be the bends at work!), and new powerchains on (and yup, definitely felt the powerchains over the wire!). Got one new elastic configuration added to what I already have, and new bags of elastics. Made my appointment for next time, and that was it. Really not a labour intensive or long appointment by any stretch of imagination.

The good news? The orthodontist is planning on doing molds for retainers during my next appointment. Which is why next appointment will be a longer one, clocking in at 40 minutes. Even better news? After the molds are made, braces will come off within a few weeks. Which, by my vague estimations, I could potentially have the braces off by the end of the year, seeing as my next appointment is on Nov 30. Adding a few weeks takes us to middle/end of December...so if everything works out well, these brackets, wires, and elastics will be a thing of the past soon. Which brings us to the crux of the problem--if everything works out well.

I still have the IPR gap between my upper right central and lateral incisor. The orthodontist place bends in the top wire in an effort to bring the teeth down, and he also instructed me to wear anterior box elastic configuration at night on top of my posterior box configurations. I'm thinking that the anterior box will bring the front teeth down, which could help to close the gap. At least, I think that's what he's planning on. It can't be for open bites, because I've got none.

Currently I'm wearing my elastics and...everything just feels so tight. I could hardly open my mouth, but I guess that's the point of the anterior box elastic. I trust my orthodontist and that he knows what he's doing...but god damn, I want these things off already! I really am in the home stretch of braces now, so I'll keep on wearing these elastics religiously!

Can't wait to have these things off and I can eat all the things I haven't been able to eat. Braces are worth every single sacrifice that comes with it....but that's not to say that wearing braces is easy or fun. And I know that retainers will be a long term thing that I'll deal with...but a $3719 smile isn't something I'm willing to mess up on. Especially since it's my own hard earned money!

Anteior box configuration, we meet again. Hopefully you'll help to close the gap!

Week 77, 78 and Month 18

So it's officially been 1.5 years in braces...and I don't think I'm getting them off before the end of this year. But that's okay. I don't really mind that I would be in braces for a bit longer...I've had these on for 1.5 years already, what's another few months in the grand scheme of things? And I've totally gotten used to life in braces, so it's not like it would be anything foreign that I have no experience with. Though it would be nice if I could get these things off before the end of the year. It would be a nice Christmas present indeed.

The reason that I don't think I'll get these off before the end of the year (despite my orthodontist's plan to make molds for retainers on my next appointment--which is tomorrow--and to debrace the appointment following that) is simply because the gaps created by the latest round of IPR have no closed. Particularly, the gap between my upper right central and lateral incisor haven't budged since the last appointment. And I'm pretty sure the gap between my upper left lateral incisor and canine haven't moved either. So until those gaps are closed, braces won't be off. I'm confident that those gaps will close...but it will take some more time.

I have my appointment tomorrow, and the one thing that I'm hoping to get out of this appointment is no more elastics use. I'm just so tired of the box configuration for my molars. Even if it's just night time wear. I've been in this configuration for seven months now, which is the longest time I've been in any elastics configuration...and couple with the fact that it's just not easy to put the elastics on (due to one of the hooks not being a hook but the back of curve hook!), it's just annoying. There's been more times than I care to count where the elastic snap off on the right side (always the right side!) in the middle of the night and I'd have to get up to fix it...if I'm aware of it as it happened. If not, then I try to squeeze in a few hours during the day on nights where the elastic have snapped. It's just a big annoyance. I'm thankful that it's been only nighttime wear for the past few months...but I'm ready to not have to deal with them.

I suppose my orthodontist will try to close the two gaps that I have during tomorrow's appointment. Probably with more powerchains, or by placing the powerchain underneath the brackets instead of over them. I know the end is near, and these are just small things that needs to be tweaked out before the braces can go off. I still think that this was easily one of the better decisions that I've made, and I'm pretty happy with the results so far. I'm not looking for perfect Hollywood teeth, but I do like what I have so far. Big improvement from what I started with!

Week 77

Week 78, Month 18

Week 75, 76, and Month 17!

So the trip to Disney World has come and gone...and I would definitely 100% visit Disney World again. It was, as cliched as it sounds, magical. Although a future trip would likely not include all four parks, and it would not be me trying to cram as many rides and attractions in a day as possible. Trip was fun, but tiring. And I'd like to visit Disneyland (the park that started it all) before visiting any other Disney parks. But...that's not for a while.

So I wasn't the best at braces maintenance during my trip. And I tried, but teeth and braces were not exactly my priority after doing a full day at the parks for 12 hours. I didn't floss at all during the week I was at Disney (I brought floss. I even brought Super Floss to facilitate in easy flossing!). I probably didn't brush as thoroughly as I usually do while on vacation. I did keep up with the elastics use...except for the one night that they kept snapping off, and I was too exhausted to really care. Braces maintenance during vacation is hard. But I'm really hoping that by the time we go on our next big trip (London, if I had my way), these suckers would be off. And I don't plan on taking any big vacations for at least another year, so these things better be off then.

In terms of movement...really nothing. The IPR gap between my upper right central and lateral incisor is still there, so I really don't think I'll be debracing in two appointments' time. I hardly think the orthodontist would make a mold of my teeth when there is still a very visible gap between two of my teeth. There goes that idea of debracing at around the 18 month mark. We've certainly gone a long way, but I know my teeth aren't ready to be debraced until that gap is fixed. Which, at the rate we're going, will not be closed by my next appointment.

The elastics continue to be pain in the ass, and I'll be so glad when I don't have to wear them anymore. I'm really hoping that I can leave them off for good at my next appointment. As much as I think it's so amazing that they work...I'm getting a bit tired of wearing them.

Month 17/ Week 75

Week 76

Week 73 and 74

So another two weeks in braces have gone by!

And while nothing really exciting or major happened this week, I do have to report that getting used to life without bite pads was a bit...weird. I was just so used to having two globs on the biting surface of my upper first pre molars that the first few times that I ate without them on, it felt almost a bit unnatural. As if having globs on your teeth is normal at all, but that goes to show you just how fast your body will adapt to anything. It's...a bit weird to not have the bite pads on my teeth, truth to be told, but it does feel much nicer without them. I guess they have done their jobs, and my bite corrected beautifully with them in. I still remember the first days and weeks with them in...eating was a big challenge. Then it slowly turned into me being used to them....then it morphed into that I don't even notice them at all.

The gaps made by my most recent IPR are still there, the right side worse than the left. At the rate that my IPR gaps are not closing, I don't foresee braces coming off that soon. i mean, my orthodontist wants to do impressions for retainers on my next appointment, but I just don't think that's realistic. I mean, it is true that IPR gaps can be closed relatively easily and hastily with powerchains, but I just don't see it happening with my gaps. The IPR gap between my upper right central and lateral incisor haven't from July haven't closed, and now the ortho made that gap ever slightly bigger by doing more IPR on my latest appointment, and it's all supposed to magically closed by October? I don't think so. But then again, I'm not the orthodontist, and I don't know the magic of braces, so maybe my gaps will be closed by the next appointment. I certainly am not holding my breath for it.

On the bright side, I'm going on vacation next week, so it shall be interesting to deal with braces while on vacation! (I know I went on a short road trip last summer with braces...but this time I'm actually going on a real vacation, so it'll be different). I can't wait to be at The Most Magical Place on Earth in a week!!

Week 73

Week 74

Yet another orthodontist appointment

So I had my orthodontist appointment today...and you know what, I actually have news to share.

I told the tech about the root resorption observed by my dentist on the X-Rays that were taken on my last dental appointment, and after a few cat-and-mouse moments with the orthodontist office trying to get a hold of the said X-Rays (my dental office had sent them over, but something about the orthodontist office being unable to download them), I ended up taking a panoramic X-Ray at the orthodontist office. Something about the dental office doing bite-wings, and the orthodontist wanted a panoramic view. So anyway, I had another X-Ray taken.

The orthodontist had a look at the X-Ray, and while he does observe the same root shortenings that my dentist did (on my incisors, all eight of them), he wasn't nearly as concerned about them as she was. It wasn't good that I have root resorption, but I guess the amount that had happened didn't really phase him. He said that root shortening was a common effect of braces, and that the roots may look shorter to the dentist because he tilted my bottom teeth, and my top central incisor remains slightly flared out still. So no drastic measurements were taken, and we continue on with treatment...with the caveat that we we finish the treatment sooner rather than later, to prevent further root resorption.

We did more IPR today, and he put a bend in the wire to hopefully coax my upper left canine to be tilted forward. He didn't want to do anything about the upper left canine--he said he didn't want to apply more pressure there, but instead, he'll do some teeth shaping when we're closer to the end. Not sure I like the sound of that, but I guess he knows what's best for my teeth overall. I also got my bite blocks removed today! It was a bit weird when the tech was polishing it off...just a lot of vibration that I wasn't used to. But it didn't hurt, wasn't uncomfortable, and I don't have bite blocks anymore! Sure will be nice to chew food without those two blocks in the way. Got the powerchains placed back, and I was told to continue with the nighttime elastics. Not too enthused about the continued elastics....but it is what it is. I don't want to do elastics when I'm on vacation next month, but at least it's better than full time elastic wear. I'd hate to have to deal with full time elastics while on vacation. Especially when I'm going to the "Most Magical Place on Earth". Nighttime elastics aren't so terrible.

Now, the orthodontist hopes to do impression for retainers with my next appointment, and then the appointment after that is when the braces will be off. Obviously, that's all if things go according to plan. I certainly hope they do. So it looks like there's a chance for me to have my braces off by the end of the year, which would be amazing!

More IPR was done, so hopefully the space between my upper right central and lateral incisor will close up this time.

Week 71, 72, and Month 16

Another two weeks...and another month have gone by! I'm already on the 16th month of my treatment, which holy cow, has been a journey when I think back to when I started. I was looking at the pictures of when I first started, and boy, am I glad that I decided to fix my teeth! My teeth looks much better now when compared to before, and I actually have a bite that's not weird. (I've always known that my bite wasn't perfect, but I never knew just how bad it was before I went to my consult). So I guess with any luck, I should be finished relatively soon.

I have an orthodontist appointment on the upcoming Monday, and I'm going to see what the orthodontist have to say about the root resorption issue. I just hope that it's not severe enough for him to stop things completely, and that we can get to an acceptable finish even with the resorption. I feel like my treatment is pretty close to be finished--all I need done is to bring the front two incisors back a bit from their slightly protruded position, level my left lateral incisor so that it matches with my right, and tilt the left canine out a bit. I really hope we can finish that even with the root resorption. The dumb thing is my dentist is concerned enough to send my orthodontist a copy of the X rays, but not concerned enough that she's suggesting I stop treatment. So who really knows?

The space between my top right central and lateral incisor have closed a bit, but it's still very obviously there, so I predict that there will be more powerchains for that for my next appointment. I also predict that the orthodontist will want to work on bringing in the front central incisors some more. I'm honestly not sure sure if putting the powerchain underneath the brackets on my front four incisor really helps to bring the central incisors in...but my left incisor have seem to been pushed back a bit. That and the gap between those two aren't there anymore. I'd like to think that the powerchain underneath the brackets work--my right central incisor was randomly hurting two days ago, and I'd like to think that's just the tooth moving.

Other than that, I'm pretty damn sure my molars are all touching when I bite down, because I feel them. And I really hope that I can stop with the nightly elastics...because this box configuration is seriously pissing me off. Especially when doing up the one on the right side. It just doesn't matter what technique I use or not use...it'll just slip off over and over again until I randomly get it to stay. I've woken up with it off, the elastic having snapped off the first molars during my sleep. And I've spent good chunk of time before bed just coaxing it to stay. I'm just really hoping that all my efforts and work will result in me not having to wear this elastic combination ever again. I don't mind wearing elastics. I just really fucking hate this one particular combination, mostly because they didn't think to put in a post on the top first molar. If there had been a post, it would've made all the difference in the world. But nope. I get to put it on the back of a curve. Yeah, because the back of a curve is the best position to make sure that the elastic doesn't fall off.

Overall, I think I'm at the stage where I'm just about done with having braces. I'd like them off sooner rather than later, but not at the compromise of my teeth.

Week 71

Week 72

Month 16. You can definitely see some minor changes when compared to the picture from Month 15. My top left central incisor is more tilted inwards now, and the space between that and left lateral incisor is gone. Actually my top right central incisor seemed a bit more pulled back too...well I guess things are moving after all!

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Month 15