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would be interested to hear an update!Mike, hope you don't mind but I've been following your wife's story as a lurker for a while now, thought it was time to get in and contribute too! Hope everything is going well. Seems like you've been able to be very open with her about things which is rare, and great! All the best to you both!
It was a very interesting adjustment! Let's break it down:
THE GOOD
She got new archwires top and bottom. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to determine the gauge. The top archwire looks more rectangular. I'll study that further. I was too excited yesterday for a really close inspection.
She stayed with silver ligatures, which she knows is my preference.
She got Class II elastics. They run from her upper canines to her rearmost brackets (the hooks on the buccals). She was issued "medium" strength, but the ortho promised heavier elastics next time. There was already commiseration from the ortho tech and the ortho about how sore the elastics are going to make her teeth.
The ortho tech was a very attractive young Latina with metal braces, pink ligs, and elastics. She mentioned she'd been in braces for over three years because she'd been non-compliant and skipped three months of appointments!
THE BAD
The ortho referred to these archwires as her "second to last."
She's in more pain than she's been since she first got her braces, and took ibuprofen for the first time in months. Fortunately, this hasn't stopped her from performing interesting oral activities, both yesterday and this morning. >
THE FUNNY
She had a heck of a time putting in the elastics the first time. It was pretty funny, and I captured it on video. I'm going to put it on YouTube as a separate bonus vid in addition to the normal adjustment video.
I had her take some selfies in the car right after her appointment, so she made some silly faces and snapped pics. The pics are in the Flickr album: http://anonym.to/?https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeinreallife/
After the appointment, we went home and celebrated with some champagne and other interesting activities.
THE GOOD
She got new archwires top and bottom. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to determine the gauge. The top archwire looks more rectangular. I'll study that further. I was too excited yesterday for a really close inspection.
She stayed with silver ligatures, which she knows is my preference.
She got Class II elastics. They run from her upper canines to her rearmost brackets (the hooks on the buccals). She was issued "medium" strength, but the ortho promised heavier elastics next time. There was already commiseration from the ortho tech and the ortho about how sore the elastics are going to make her teeth.
The ortho tech was a very attractive young Latina with metal braces, pink ligs, and elastics. She mentioned she'd been in braces for over three years because she'd been non-compliant and skipped three months of appointments!
THE BAD
The ortho referred to these archwires as her "second to last."
She's in more pain than she's been since she first got her braces, and took ibuprofen for the first time in months. Fortunately, this hasn't stopped her from performing interesting oral activities, both yesterday and this morning. >
THE FUNNY
She had a heck of a time putting in the elastics the first time. It was pretty funny, and I captured it on video. I'm going to put it on YouTube as a separate bonus vid in addition to the normal adjustment video.
I had her take some selfies in the car right after her appointment, so she made some silly faces and snapped pics. The pics are in the Flickr album: http://anonym.to/?https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeinreallife/
After the appointment, we went home and celebrated with some champagne and other interesting activities.
Carrie's next appointment is in a few hours. She's expected to get elastics at this one, and probably an archwire change. She expressed some nervousness about the elastics last night ("I don't want to get rubber bands!"), but I'm sure she'll be fine with them.
As usual, I'll capture some video and post it to YouTube.
As usual, I'll capture some video and post it to YouTube.
Braceface2015
Platinum Member
If one set of teeth is fairly straight, I would think that the orthodontist could align the other set to match them. I don't think that they would be in ideal alignment, but they could be matched up to each other. When an orthodontist does both top and bottom, both sets of teeth are moved to what is considered best alignment.
katrinp_99
Platinum Member
My cousin and one of my friends back at school when we were kids only ever had upper fixed braces. I guess in some cases it might be sufficient or it might be a compromise cost-wise?
Same here. When I had braces, I got them on only my lower teeth at first. I got braces on my upper teeth a few months later. That wasn't at all unusual at the time.
An friend of mine got braces on only her lower teeth about 20 years ago. She actually needed braces on her upper teeth as well, and that's what her orthodontist wanted to do, but she only wanted her lower teeth straightened.
As for the original question, I've seen a few people with braces only on their upper teeth, but not many. Maybe it was early on in their treatment and the lower braces were soon to follow ??
An friend of mine got braces on only her lower teeth about 20 years ago. She actually needed braces on her upper teeth as well, and that's what her orthodontist wanted to do, but she only wanted her lower teeth straightened.
As for the original question, I've seen a few people with braces only on their upper teeth, but not many. Maybe it was early on in their treatment and the lower braces were soon to follow ??
carking
Platinum Member
I ordered an upper hawley with headgear tubes and high pull headgear. I'm very happy with the quality and fit from braces shop!
http://anonym.to/?http://anonym.to/?https://postimg.org/gallery/2uy160u2c/
http://anonym.to/?http://anonym.to/?https://postimg.org/gallery/2uy160u2c/
bugbathe43
Gold Member
My first treatment my orthodontist installed my lowers first. I was bummed out, I got my uppers 4 months later.