9 months - Update

Went to my ortho appt about a week and a half ago...

Now it is time to stabilize my teeth... I still have regular ligatures on the bottom and a chain on top...
The only difference in the chain on top is more spread apart than my first chain...

First chain: O-O-O
Current chain: o--o--o

Let me just say the first chain sucked!!!! Major pain, but this one is great! My gap is still closed.

I am not 100% happy with where my teeth are and Dr. Black says I am probably finished in about 3 months....

I think some more movement is needed. Yes they look so much better than they were but not perfect. And I know when they reshape some of my teeth it will help... But still.

After I am out, I will be getting an essix retainer on top and a permanent on bottom which goes behind my teeth.

Sorry for the quality of the picture.... Bit here is an update.




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Chains off.... Wrong choice!!!

I had my appointment today and let me just say I am thoroughly pissed off!!!

First I got my teeth cleaned... Which I love!!! But then I only got to see Dr. Black for maybe 2 minutes. He decided to remove my upper chain because my gap closed. Well, needless to say... My gap is already back!!! So tomorrow after work I am going back to put my upper chains put back on. That just pissed me off. Not the fact I am getting chains again... But they should have known that would happen. I knew it would. It feels like a whole month of progress and pain was for nothing!!!

I just hope for maybe one appointment I can talk to my ortho about my concerns!!!! I paid for full ortho and perfect teeth!!!!! Not close enough!


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Upper Chains!!!!

Wednesday: 9/7/11

Had my 7 month adjustment this afternoon!!! They put Power Chains on my uppers to finish up closing gaps and put the finishing touches to my teeth. They were a lil sore during applying as they are TIGHT!!! But, they don't hurt as bad as the first day of braces.

On my lowers... No more wire ligatures!!!! Just normal ligatures. They replaced no. 26 bracket which was bent and all is good!

Will update y'all more later after the pain really sets in... It is here now, but I have a feeling that my mouth will ache bad tomorrow morning!!!

Sorry to cut it short, but we gave wildfires less than 12 miles away, so my mind is quite preoccupied!!! God bless all the fire victims! The fire has destroyed my moms old neighborhood!

Sunday: 9/18/11

Update on chains.... First off.... Holy hell!!!! The pain from the chains intensified so much during the first week! All my upper teeth loosened up and still almost two weeks later are not tight again. But, thankfully the pain has subsided now. The pain was so extreme that Dr. Black almost removed the chains. But wow, my teeth have moved so much already! The gap is closed already and now my arch wire is poking me in the back due to all the movement.


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Location:13th St,Hempstead,United States

Paperclips and Braces

Yeah, you read this title right.... I am blogging about paperclips and braces. Now normally I would not write about something I just saw... no, I write about something so strange to me that I experienced, yes, experienced.

Paperclips and Braces??? Oh Jeannie, what did you do??? LOL

Okay, I was on my lunch break at work and just finished munching on some fresh carrots. Well, I had one pesky piece stuck in the back of my braces. I dug through my mess of a purse to find nothing.... no plastic toothpick or anything. Guess that is what I get for constantly switching purses. Anyway, I decided to use a small paperclip to remove the unsightly orange mess from under my wire.
I bent the clip and inserted between the wire and immediately noticed the most awful taste ever and it just felt strange. It felt like I just sucked on a 9 volt battery!

Curious (call me George today), I cringed through the taste, removed the carrot, and decided to experiment a little bit. First I removed the clip from my mouth and licked my braces.... Nothing. Then I touched the paperclip to my tongue.... again, nothing. Then I put the paperclip against the brackets and BAMMMM! Metallic Taste.

I went home and decided to find the bottom of this... and performed and infamous Google Search on Paperclips and Braces. First off, I am happy to say I am NOT the first person to experience this with paperclips.... Whew! I felt a silly for a second. So here is what I found...

"Two different metals and a electrolyte (your spit) makes a electrolytic cell -a battery."

So now I wonder.... if I put a light bulb in my mouth with the paperclip.... will it light up? Hmmmm...... Unfortunately, I am not going to try it, for fear of who knows what. But if any other crazy people do... let me know the outcome. LOL

Moral to this story: Paperclips + Braces = Battery.

Also, just so you know, Slimfast cans have a similar, but less of a reaction.

Happy Bracing Everyone!

Month 6 - Stubborn Tooth delays Progress

I know I said my next appointment would be August 9th, but I had it moved to this past Thursday afternoon... so let me take the oppurtunity to update you on my so called progress.
Well, my appointment was pretty much the usual.... Shelly removed the old bands and also removed the wire ties from the 2 teeth that had them. Then, she had some difficulty removing my arch wire, since one of my brackets need replaced... but Dr. Black said they will replace it at my next appointment.

Anyway, my daughter chose my band colors this week.... a very bright and bold pink and alternating colors with a torquoise color on every other tooth. Dr. Black then replaced my wire tie on one of my teeth... I thought he doubled it, but Shelly said it appears only one tie was put on. I thought he was gonna pull my tooth out with all that pressure he was using to get that wire tie on. That was pretty painful! He couldn't apply the wire tie on the bracket that was messed up, so he had Shelly put a plain rubber band instead of wire.

All my teeth on my top are inline per Dr. Black. They don't appear to be unless you look from the underside, due to the gaps. My bottom teeth are inline, except for those 2 stubborn teeth, which I may have to get a rotating wedge applied at my next appt.

Once all my teeth are straight, then the chains! But I got to get those 2 teeth inlign. I now have size 18 wires on both top and bottom...

Excited for my progress and ready for them to be Beautiful! <3

5 1/2 Months - Uppers Ache

I know I said I would not post, except monthly, but I felt I would share my annoyances right now. My uppers, especially the front four teeth, are aching, similar to the way they did when I originally got my braces over 5 months ago. I haven't really had any pain up until recently. I wonder if my teeth hurt due to clenching recently. I have noticed that my TMJ has once again been acting up, and I have been clenching my jaw more, which temporarily relieves the pain of the TMJ, but I know in the long run, it is actually worsening my TMJ.  About a week ago, my right jaw felt like it was "catching" and sure enough, it locked up, but I was able to release it, unlike the last time it locked up. The last time it locked, was Sept. 2009, and it locked up immediately following my wisdom teeth removal surgery. My jaw was locked shut for about 6 weeks! I guess it is better to be locked in the closed position, than in the open position.
Well... my next appointment is scheduled for Aug. 9th, so see ya then!
My apologies for the quality of the photos... downloaded the blogger app on my droid, and not impressed with the pictures.... but atleast it is easier to post on the go!

My Teeth in Numbers

 Below is how your dentist may refer to your teeth when speaking of treatment with the dental assistant. 

Orientation of the Universal tooth numbering chart is traditionally "patient's view", i.e. patient's right corresponds to tooth chart's right side. The designations "left" and "right" on the chart correspond to the patient's left and right, respectively

Here is an example of a typical tooth numbering diagram and a "legend" with detailed information on how my teeth have been affected, hence the name... "My Teeth in Numbers"

1. 3rd Molar (wisdom tooth) – surgically removed in Sept. 2009.
2. 2nd Molar – white fillings in early 2002.
3. 1st Molar – white fillings in early 2002.
4. 2nd Bicuspid
5. 1st Bicuspid
6. Cuspid (canine/eye tooth)
7. Lateral incisor
8. Central incisor
9. Central incisor
10. Lateral incisor
11. Cuspid (canine/eye tooth)
12. 1st Bicuspid
13. 2nd Bicuspid
14. 1st Molar – white fillings in early 2002.
15. 2nd Molar – white fillings in early 2002.
16. 3rd Molar (wisdom tooth) – surgically removed in Sept. 2009.
17. 3rd Molar (wisdom tooth) – surgically removed in Sept. 2009.
18. 2nd Molar – white fillings in early 2002.
19. 1st Molar – tooth pulled in Nov. 1999
20. 2nd Bicuspid
21. 1st Bicuspid
22. Cuspid (canine/eye tooth)
23. Lateral incisor
24. Central incisor
25. Central incisor
26. Lateral incisor
27. Cuspid (canine/eye tooth)
28. 1st Bicuspid
29. 2nd Bicuspid
30. 1st Molar – white fillings in early 2002 and Feb. 2011
31. 2nd Molar – white fillings in early 2002.
32. 3rd Molar (wisdom tooth) – surgically removed in Sept. 2009.