JB_Brace_Lover
Bronce Member
I am confused. Have you gone away from those removable braces to fixed ones?
My Journey to Removable Braces
- Thread starter foobar
- Start date
The last appointment wasn't too exciting. The wire was removed from the three brackets to see if the bite improves by itself again. The ortho wants to keep the brackets on for now. To prevent them digging into my cheeks during the night, she suggested to put elastic ligatures on them. They probably won't stay for long, but hopefully my cheeks will get used to the brackets until the. First she tried thick ligatures, but they didn't fit firmly. I was able to push them from the buccal tubes with my tongue. Then she tried thinner ones which did fit and made the brackets less sharp-edged helping quite a bit. Two of the ligatures fell off after 5 days. One is still in place but feels roughened compared to its smoothness directly after the appointment.
She stripped my lower teeth again and adjusted the labial bow and springs of the lower plate to derotate my 32 and 41 and push my 31 inwards.
And that was the whole adjustment.
During the first week I tried wearing the lower plate 12 hours per day as before. I didn't notice any improvements to my bite on the left. I went down to 8h/d for another week with the same results. Then I tried out 16 hours. The bite didn't improve but also didn't get worse. But the longer wear time helped the incisors significantly. Thus I wore the braces for 14-16 hours for the last two weeks.
My left second molars make good contact, but the premolars and first molar don't. For example in that area my teeth don't cut through pizza. On the right side everything is good enough.
I went to the office one day (usually I do home-office) and didn't wear the braces for about 14 continuous hours. I noticed that I clench quite strongly at work. In the evening all of my teeth felt pretty sore, but I did feel like my bite improved a bit. Unfortunately it didn't last when I wore the braces again.
The incisors got better, but don't feel stable. If I don't have the braces in for 8 hours, they are moving back to where they were quite a bit.
Regarding my bite, I'm interesting in what the ortho will recommend during my next appointment tomorrow. Personally I see two options. Add brackets to my lower and upper left molars and premolars and somehow try to close the bite with elastics (which will most likely result in yet some other complications considering how my treatment went so far). Or, fix the lower incisors, then the upper incisors, put in fixed retainers and then tackle the bite again. However, if the upper fixed retainer includes the first premolars to keep the gap between them and the canines from opening up again, this won't work. But as it is, I'm definitely not satisfied with the situation. I'll wait and see what the ortho suggests, but I may need to make up my mind about the possibility of something like that happening.
The situation with my TMJ without the bite plane / bite plate is worsening. I had two times where the joint clicked and hurt for a few minutes. I tried wearing the upper bite plate again during the night, but it doesn't fit well and affects my bite negatively. I'm going to ask the ortho to make it fit for the night again.
All in all I still enjoy the treatment, but am a bit torn. After over a year I had expected to be in the finishing touches phase and not have new problems to tackle every appointment.
She stripped my lower teeth again and adjusted the labial bow and springs of the lower plate to derotate my 32 and 41 and push my 31 inwards.
And that was the whole adjustment.
During the first week I tried wearing the lower plate 12 hours per day as before. I didn't notice any improvements to my bite on the left. I went down to 8h/d for another week with the same results. Then I tried out 16 hours. The bite didn't improve but also didn't get worse. But the longer wear time helped the incisors significantly. Thus I wore the braces for 14-16 hours for the last two weeks.
My left second molars make good contact, but the premolars and first molar don't. For example in that area my teeth don't cut through pizza. On the right side everything is good enough.
I went to the office one day (usually I do home-office) and didn't wear the braces for about 14 continuous hours. I noticed that I clench quite strongly at work. In the evening all of my teeth felt pretty sore, but I did feel like my bite improved a bit. Unfortunately it didn't last when I wore the braces again.
The incisors got better, but don't feel stable. If I don't have the braces in for 8 hours, they are moving back to where they were quite a bit.
Regarding my bite, I'm interesting in what the ortho will recommend during my next appointment tomorrow. Personally I see two options. Add brackets to my lower and upper left molars and premolars and somehow try to close the bite with elastics (which will most likely result in yet some other complications considering how my treatment went so far). Or, fix the lower incisors, then the upper incisors, put in fixed retainers and then tackle the bite again. However, if the upper fixed retainer includes the first premolars to keep the gap between them and the canines from opening up again, this won't work. But as it is, I'm definitely not satisfied with the situation. I'll wait and see what the ortho suggests, but I may need to make up my mind about the possibility of something like that happening.
The situation with my TMJ without the bite plane / bite plate is worsening. I had two times where the joint clicked and hurt for a few minutes. I tried wearing the upper bite plate again during the night, but it doesn't fit well and affects my bite negatively. I'm going to ask the ortho to make it fit for the night again.
All in all I still enjoy the treatment, but am a bit torn. After over a year I had expected to be in the finishing touches phase and not have new problems to tackle every appointment.
Not even one hour after the last post, where I wrote that two out of the three ligatures fell off, the third one also parted with its buccal tube onto exploring my intestines.
The appointment today started with me explaining everything that happened during the last weeks. For the strong clenching resulting in soreness the ortho ordered a gel splint as temporary solution which I should wear in situations where I find myself clenching. She is going to fit it in a week. Regarding the TMJ clicking and pain I experienced, the ortho is starting to get a bit worried. With me already having mentioned grinding and clenching related problems during the last few appointments the situation seems to be deteriorating.
I asked her if she could modify the upper plate to fit again to alleviate those problems. She said that with my habit of pulling so much negative pressure, there would be too much risk of it negatively affecting my bite even further.
I explained that I looked online through different resources regarding tongue sucking and found that something like a tongue crib helped in some cases. I thought about mentioning this during the last few appointments already, not only because a tongue crib would probably be quite an interesting feeling, but also because it might actually help. But until today I've always chickened out. She said that there are tongue cribs, spikes and the similar, but those are usually used for treating tongue thrusting. In my case they will most likely just cause extreme discomfort and pain.
The ortho looked at my occlusion and didn't notice any major improvements. She looked at the lower incisors and stated that they look pretty much done. If I'm satisfied with how they are aligned, she can put in the fixed retainer and we're done with the lower plate. I stated that I still feel bumps lingually, as if the lower left central incisor still leans a bit to the front. She explained that labially it's aligned, and that's what's most important. Even when all incisors are aligned perfectly, they may not align on the inside, which is normal. If it bothers me, she can move it back further, but then it won't be aligned in the front anymore. However, the left outer incisor can still be rotated a bit inwards toward the canine and outwards toward the central incisor.
She adjusted the springs and labial bow accordingly. As I noticed a small gap forming between the left premolars and molars, she losened that holding clasp a little as well. In four weeks I have another appointment, at which we're going to retire the lower plate and I'll be getting a fixed bottom retainer. She discussed that she would not like to make an essix retainer for the bottom teeth until my occlusion is fixed, as that will lock all teeth in place. But if my joint pain increases even with the lower plate gone, we could consider it as a temporary option.
She noticed that my lower left wisdom tooth rotated back outwards a bit since she removed the bracket wire last appointment. She put in a new wire. Once the wisdom tooth is back in place, she could add a fixed retainer to the outside to retain it, but it's likely to brake off. Or I could keep the brackets for now until everything is finished and I can get an essix retainer or a bruxism guard which will retain the teeth. I don't like either option, as already after a few hours since the wire has been put back, my second molars don't fit well anymore. And those were the only teeth that improved occlusion-wise during the last weeks.
Before we parted, I asked her what the plan regarding the occlusion is. She said that initially the plan was to first fix the bite, then the lower incisors, and finally the upper incisors. She hoped that just the three bracktes would be enough for the bite to fix itself, which doesn't seem to be the case. Therefore, the plan has changed slightly. Now, first the lower incisors will be finished. Once the fixed retainer is placed, she wants to give my teeth another few weeks without removable braces to see if the bite fixes itself. If it doesn't, there is the option of adding transparent buttons to the "problem teeth" and pulling them together with triangle elastics. Which would be exactly what I predicted.
The appointment today started with me explaining everything that happened during the last weeks. For the strong clenching resulting in soreness the ortho ordered a gel splint as temporary solution which I should wear in situations where I find myself clenching. She is going to fit it in a week. Regarding the TMJ clicking and pain I experienced, the ortho is starting to get a bit worried. With me already having mentioned grinding and clenching related problems during the last few appointments the situation seems to be deteriorating.
I asked her if she could modify the upper plate to fit again to alleviate those problems. She said that with my habit of pulling so much negative pressure, there would be too much risk of it negatively affecting my bite even further.
I explained that I looked online through different resources regarding tongue sucking and found that something like a tongue crib helped in some cases. I thought about mentioning this during the last few appointments already, not only because a tongue crib would probably be quite an interesting feeling, but also because it might actually help. But until today I've always chickened out. She said that there are tongue cribs, spikes and the similar, but those are usually used for treating tongue thrusting. In my case they will most likely just cause extreme discomfort and pain.
The ortho looked at my occlusion and didn't notice any major improvements. She looked at the lower incisors and stated that they look pretty much done. If I'm satisfied with how they are aligned, she can put in the fixed retainer and we're done with the lower plate. I stated that I still feel bumps lingually, as if the lower left central incisor still leans a bit to the front. She explained that labially it's aligned, and that's what's most important. Even when all incisors are aligned perfectly, they may not align on the inside, which is normal. If it bothers me, she can move it back further, but then it won't be aligned in the front anymore. However, the left outer incisor can still be rotated a bit inwards toward the canine and outwards toward the central incisor.
She adjusted the springs and labial bow accordingly. As I noticed a small gap forming between the left premolars and molars, she losened that holding clasp a little as well. In four weeks I have another appointment, at which we're going to retire the lower plate and I'll be getting a fixed bottom retainer. She discussed that she would not like to make an essix retainer for the bottom teeth until my occlusion is fixed, as that will lock all teeth in place. But if my joint pain increases even with the lower plate gone, we could consider it as a temporary option.
She noticed that my lower left wisdom tooth rotated back outwards a bit since she removed the bracket wire last appointment. She put in a new wire. Once the wisdom tooth is back in place, she could add a fixed retainer to the outside to retain it, but it's likely to brake off. Or I could keep the brackets for now until everything is finished and I can get an essix retainer or a bruxism guard which will retain the teeth. I don't like either option, as already after a few hours since the wire has been put back, my second molars don't fit well anymore. And those were the only teeth that improved occlusion-wise during the last weeks.
Before we parted, I asked her what the plan regarding the occlusion is. She said that initially the plan was to first fix the bite, then the lower incisors, and finally the upper incisors. She hoped that just the three bracktes would be enough for the bite to fix itself, which doesn't seem to be the case. Therefore, the plan has changed slightly. Now, first the lower incisors will be finished. Once the fixed retainer is placed, she wants to give my teeth another few weeks without removable braces to see if the bite fixes itself. If it doesn't, there is the option of adding transparent buttons to the "problem teeth" and pulling them together with triangle elastics. Which would be exactly what I predicted.
A week after the last appointment I went back to the ortho for the gel splint fitting. She ordered an AquaSplint, which doesn't really need much fitting. As such, it took only a few minutes. It had a sharp edge in one place which the ortho smoothened. She explained that I should wear it if I feel the need, but try to use it as little as possible to prevent further premolar intrusion as that's where the gel pads are located.
Afterwards, she checked the lower removable plate and adjusted the labial bow and springs a little. And with that I was on my way for 4 further weeks until my next appointment tomorrow.
I've worn the gel splint three times, each for 1-2 hours either when I woke up with jaw pain, or when I noticed that I clenched while doing stressful work. It helped in both occasions by relaxing my muscles.
Regarding tooth movement, the lower left outer incisor improved a bit, but isn't moved back quite enough yet. At the same time the lower left central incisor moved a bit outwards and the right central incisor moved inwards a bit. I think another round with slight adjustments will be needed. I feel like the lower left wisdom tooth moved back with the wire through the brackets again.
As it would be boring if that was it and there were no further complications, my lower left first molar intruded quite significantly, I'd guess about 1mm. I only noticed a few days ago because food was getting stuck between the elastic hook and my gum as the bracket is now lower, which didn't happen before. Before, it was always stuck between the hook and my tooth with a little more space for me to get it out with my tongue. I remember the ortho already saying that the wires resting on top of both lower first molars may result in some intrusion, but she hoped that won't happen. It also didn't happen when I didn't have the wire through the brackets (though I don't know if that's related).
When I ate some sticky stuff which sticks to the teeth, I noticed that quite a lot was stuck on the occlusal surfaces of my molars and premolars on both sides. As such I think the bite will need some fixing on both sides. Even though the right side feels okay, I think it could be improved quite a bit still. If we're tackling the bite, possibly on both sides, I want to ask the ortho if my wisdom teeth could also be moved into better occlusion. Currently they are on top of each other but with a gap between them, not touching properly. That was even worse before treatment, before the wisdom teeth were derotated and moved inwards more, but if it could be fixed easily, why not do it as well.
With all the side effects for my case I wonder when the ortho will be at wits end and just suggest full metal brackets on all teeth for a few months to finish everything. I hope that won't happen as I really don't want brackets on my social 12 (don't try to convince me otherwise, I have tried to convince myself and failed, that reluctance comes from way further down somewhere).
If I'd guess, I'd say that the ortho may carry out the option of putting buttons on my upper molars / premolars and pull the teeth together with triangle elastics starting from tomorrow already? Maybe she may also put brackets on the lower left premolars and try to pull it back up with a wire that way.
At this point I'm a bit torn. On one hand side, after 15 months of treatment I would have expected to be either finished already or at least in the finishing stages. Instead, every time we think we have a working plan, there is some complication pushing the treatment back a few weeks. On the other hand side, these complications let me experience lots of stuff I wouldn't have otherwise. First the anterior bite plate, then the three brackets, and now buttons and elastics (which I'm pretty sure I'll get at some point or another). Without the complications, I wouldn't have any of those. I'd also most likely already be done…
Let's see what tomorrow holds.
Afterwards, she checked the lower removable plate and adjusted the labial bow and springs a little. And with that I was on my way for 4 further weeks until my next appointment tomorrow.
I've worn the gel splint three times, each for 1-2 hours either when I woke up with jaw pain, or when I noticed that I clenched while doing stressful work. It helped in both occasions by relaxing my muscles.
Regarding tooth movement, the lower left outer incisor improved a bit, but isn't moved back quite enough yet. At the same time the lower left central incisor moved a bit outwards and the right central incisor moved inwards a bit. I think another round with slight adjustments will be needed. I feel like the lower left wisdom tooth moved back with the wire through the brackets again.
As it would be boring if that was it and there were no further complications, my lower left first molar intruded quite significantly, I'd guess about 1mm. I only noticed a few days ago because food was getting stuck between the elastic hook and my gum as the bracket is now lower, which didn't happen before. Before, it was always stuck between the hook and my tooth with a little more space for me to get it out with my tongue. I remember the ortho already saying that the wires resting on top of both lower first molars may result in some intrusion, but she hoped that won't happen. It also didn't happen when I didn't have the wire through the brackets (though I don't know if that's related).
When I ate some sticky stuff which sticks to the teeth, I noticed that quite a lot was stuck on the occlusal surfaces of my molars and premolars on both sides. As such I think the bite will need some fixing on both sides. Even though the right side feels okay, I think it could be improved quite a bit still. If we're tackling the bite, possibly on both sides, I want to ask the ortho if my wisdom teeth could also be moved into better occlusion. Currently they are on top of each other but with a gap between them, not touching properly. That was even worse before treatment, before the wisdom teeth were derotated and moved inwards more, but if it could be fixed easily, why not do it as well.
With all the side effects for my case I wonder when the ortho will be at wits end and just suggest full metal brackets on all teeth for a few months to finish everything. I hope that won't happen as I really don't want brackets on my social 12 (don't try to convince me otherwise, I have tried to convince myself and failed, that reluctance comes from way further down somewhere).
If I'd guess, I'd say that the ortho may carry out the option of putting buttons on my upper molars / premolars and pull the teeth together with triangle elastics starting from tomorrow already? Maybe she may also put brackets on the lower left premolars and try to pull it back up with a wire that way.
At this point I'm a bit torn. On one hand side, after 15 months of treatment I would have expected to be either finished already or at least in the finishing stages. Instead, every time we think we have a working plan, there is some complication pushing the treatment back a few weeks. On the other hand side, these complications let me experience lots of stuff I wouldn't have otherwise. First the anterior bite plate, then the three brackets, and now buttons and elastics (which I'm pretty sure I'll get at some point or another). Without the complications, I wouldn't have any of those. I'd also most likely already be done…
Let's see what tomorrow holds.
During my appointment two weeks ago nothing of what I predicted happened. I told the ortho that my lower left first molar has intruded. She looked at it and said with a bit of disbelief that the tooth tilted forward mesially in the exact same way my second molar did previously. She thinks that the wire of the triangular holding clasp was pushing the molar down together with my clenching, grinding and suction. She bent the wire to not touch the tooth occlusally in the hopes that it'll upright by itself.
She made some finishing touches to the labial wire and springs to finish my lower incisors. With a new appointment three weeks later I was on my way.
During the next week I didn't see any positive changes, in fact my lower right central incisor was pushed further back instead of forward. I also noticed that my lower left lateral incisor was interfering with my upper left central incisor. Therefore, I scheduled an earlier appointment for Monday.
On Monday, the ortho checked my intruded molar and saw that nothing changed. She put a bend into the wire of my brackets, trying to upright the molar that way. Next, she modified the labial bow and springs of my lower brace until I felt equal pressure everywhere. She did some very slight IPR, less than 1/10th of a mm, to make space for the 32 to move back and away from the 21. She had me wait for 10 minutes with the brace in to make sure that I have the feeling that the contact between my lower and upper incisors improves. I didn't notice anything regarding that, so she made some more modifications. After waiting another ten minutes I felt slight improvements. We decided to keep it that way for now but keep the already scheduled appointment one week later. If there are still some imperfections she can adjust further. Otherwise, she might put in the fixed retainer.
The last modifications seem to have been it, as I'm fully satisfied with my lower incisors now when I remove my lower brace. The result isn't really stable yet as it only takes an hour or so until the teeth shift back a little once I remove the braces.
The good news is that this finally means progress. The bad news is that I'll probably be rid of the lower removable brace in 2 days.
The ortho seems to use lip bumpers a lot. During all of my last three appointments there was someone in the chair next to me getting braces and all of them got lower lip bumpers as well.
She made some finishing touches to the labial wire and springs to finish my lower incisors. With a new appointment three weeks later I was on my way.
During the next week I didn't see any positive changes, in fact my lower right central incisor was pushed further back instead of forward. I also noticed that my lower left lateral incisor was interfering with my upper left central incisor. Therefore, I scheduled an earlier appointment for Monday.
On Monday, the ortho checked my intruded molar and saw that nothing changed. She put a bend into the wire of my brackets, trying to upright the molar that way. Next, she modified the labial bow and springs of my lower brace until I felt equal pressure everywhere. She did some very slight IPR, less than 1/10th of a mm, to make space for the 32 to move back and away from the 21. She had me wait for 10 minutes with the brace in to make sure that I have the feeling that the contact between my lower and upper incisors improves. I didn't notice anything regarding that, so she made some more modifications. After waiting another ten minutes I felt slight improvements. We decided to keep it that way for now but keep the already scheduled appointment one week later. If there are still some imperfections she can adjust further. Otherwise, she might put in the fixed retainer.
The last modifications seem to have been it, as I'm fully satisfied with my lower incisors now when I remove my lower brace. The result isn't really stable yet as it only takes an hour or so until the teeth shift back a little once I remove the braces.
The good news is that this finally means progress. The bad news is that I'll probably be rid of the lower removable brace in 2 days.
The ortho seems to use lip bumpers a lot. During all of my last three appointments there was someone in the chair next to me getting braces and all of them got lower lip bumpers as well.
Exciting news that your bottom teeth are now corrected. I understand that bottom incisors are particularly prone to relapse, so a bonded retainer will be essential. But a bonded retainer is only likely to be on your front 6 teeth. Perhaps you could ask for a bottom hawley as well in order to keep the whole bottom arch aligned?
If your bite permits, you might also get a bonded retainer on your top 6 front teeth. Again, a hawley in addition would help maintain the whole upper arch and the hawleys in combination should maintain your bite.
This way, whilst you will have lost both your removable braces, you will have something similar in the hawleys on an indefinite basis. And perhaps you might have some input into the design and colour of the hawleys to make them interesting.
Good luck at your next appointment.
If your bite permits, you might also get a bonded retainer on your top 6 front teeth. Again, a hawley in addition would help maintain the whole upper arch and the hawleys in combination should maintain your bite.
This way, whilst you will have lost both your removable braces, you will have something similar in the hawleys on an indefinite basis. And perhaps you might have some input into the design and colour of the hawleys to make them interesting.
Good luck at your next appointment.
The last appointment went exactly as expected. The bottom incisors were pretty much perfect. The right central incisor is slightly tipped inwards, but less than 1/10th of a mm. The ortho said that she'll be able to push that teeth forward while the retainer is bonded to fix this (which didn't work that well, but I'm satisfied with the result and honestly think that these slight imperfections make it look more natural).
The bend that was added to the wire through the brackets didn't upright the 36 as hoped, at least not during one week. As the holding clasps of the removable brace had created a little space between my 35 and 36, the ortho removed the wire from the three brackets and wants to let my bite settle on its own again. Until the next appointment two weeks later I shall not wear my removable braces (well, the lower one won't fit anyway with the permanent retainer).
I had impressions made and the ortho started bending the retainer wire. About 20 minutes later they started bonding the permanent retainer from canine to canine. After instructions on how to brush and floss I was on my way.
I have to admit that the permanent retainer isn't nearly as bad as I expected. While on the first day my tongue chafed the wire, already on day three I started to forget it was there. I expected it to be way more present and even interfere with speech a little. I didn't observe any of that. I can definitely see how so many people prefer it over a removable retainer which you need to always remember to wear.
However, lots of food seems to get stuck between the wire and teeth. On several occasions something got stuck in a way that I was only able to remove it once I was home with floss. Considering that the primary goal of the treatment was to close the two gaps behind my upper canines where food got stuck every meal, instead, now I have five new places where food cat get stuck.
For now I'll be able to tolerate the bonded retainer for a year or so until the end of the treatment as it will make fixing my bite easier than trying to work around removable plates which are responsible for my molars' intrusion in the first place. When active treatment is over I still think I'd prefer to have the fixed retainer removed and rather use a removable appliance.
When the retainer was bonded, there was about a millimeter of horizontal space between the upper and lower incisors. When I asked the ortho about it she said that the incisors don't necessarily need to touch when I bite together. If it's something that bothers me we can tackle it later.
Luckily, only a few days later the problem fixed itself as my upper incisors have moved inwards on their own and are now perfectly touching the lower ones again.
Without wearing any removable plates, the first three days all of my molars were quite sensitive as the bite started settling. The gap between 35 and 36 is closed again and the 36 was able to extrude a bit. But there's still a vertical gap of ~1mm. The vertical space between the left premolars didn't change and is still about half a millimeter. Let's see what the next appointment brings.
The bend that was added to the wire through the brackets didn't upright the 36 as hoped, at least not during one week. As the holding clasps of the removable brace had created a little space between my 35 and 36, the ortho removed the wire from the three brackets and wants to let my bite settle on its own again. Until the next appointment two weeks later I shall not wear my removable braces (well, the lower one won't fit anyway with the permanent retainer).
I had impressions made and the ortho started bending the retainer wire. About 20 minutes later they started bonding the permanent retainer from canine to canine. After instructions on how to brush and floss I was on my way.
I have to admit that the permanent retainer isn't nearly as bad as I expected. While on the first day my tongue chafed the wire, already on day three I started to forget it was there. I expected it to be way more present and even interfere with speech a little. I didn't observe any of that. I can definitely see how so many people prefer it over a removable retainer which you need to always remember to wear.
However, lots of food seems to get stuck between the wire and teeth. On several occasions something got stuck in a way that I was only able to remove it once I was home with floss. Considering that the primary goal of the treatment was to close the two gaps behind my upper canines where food got stuck every meal, instead, now I have five new places where food cat get stuck.
For now I'll be able to tolerate the bonded retainer for a year or so until the end of the treatment as it will make fixing my bite easier than trying to work around removable plates which are responsible for my molars' intrusion in the first place. When active treatment is over I still think I'd prefer to have the fixed retainer removed and rather use a removable appliance.
When the retainer was bonded, there was about a millimeter of horizontal space between the upper and lower incisors. When I asked the ortho about it she said that the incisors don't necessarily need to touch when I bite together. If it's something that bothers me we can tackle it later.
Luckily, only a few days later the problem fixed itself as my upper incisors have moved inwards on their own and are now perfectly touching the lower ones again.
Without wearing any removable plates, the first three days all of my molars were quite sensitive as the bite started settling. The gap between 35 and 36 is closed again and the 36 was able to extrude a bit. But there's still a vertical gap of ~1mm. The vertical space between the left premolars didn't change and is still about half a millimeter. Let's see what the next appointment brings.
The initial plan of the ortho was to do retention with both a lower and upper fixed retainer. The top one might even include the first premolars to keep the gap behind my canines closed.Embracer said:
I'll need some form of bruxism guard anyway again after the active treatment phase. Already after half a year without grinding protection (since the bite planes were removed from my removable braces) my dentist noticed that the bruxism marks on my teeth got worse. This was also how I plan(ned) on convincing the ortho to just use removable retainers. If I need to wear a bruxism guard diligently every night for the foreseeable future anyway, why not use it as retainer and add a second plate for the other jaw as well.Embracer said:
Embracer said:
The removable braces I had were all absolutely amazing and I enjoyed every last single bit with them. Unfortunately, I can't wear them anymore. Since I have the lower fixed retainer the bottom plate doesn't fit anymore. And I now have a button on my upper left first molar where the adams clasp of the upper removable plate is located, due to which it doesn't fit…
The ortho said that I could skip the last appointment if I still notice my bite actively settling. However, during the last week before the appointment I didn't notice any further major changes, so I went in.
After a short inspection and wax foil to check the bite, she decided that we should try out the next idea for fixing my bite: elastics. She placed a plastic button on my upper left first molar for elastics to my lower left first molar to close the vertical gap between those teeth of >1mm.
Standard procedure with cleaning, etching, cementing and curing. Etching hurt like hell as my teeth are very acid-sensitive. In fact that tooth is still sensitive to warmth and cold and I'll ask for fluoride varnish during my next appointment.
I was given a pack of 100 light elastics 3/16" (4.8mm) 2 OZ (60 g / cN) and told to wear them 18 hours per day between 26 and 36, switching them out daily.
All of which is to say: I'm now wearing elastics (well, technically just one elastic).
It feels weird. Whenever I put it back on, it feels weird all over again. First, it's as if my teeth are being forced together. After a few minutes, I feel my muscles starting to work against that force. A few more minutes later, I stop noticing the elastic as my muscles are fully compensating the additional force.
The first few days the elastic pinched my cheek and a blood blister developed. I started hanging the elastic twisting it 180°, making it cross in the middle. That helped and soon my check got used to it at which point I was able to put in the elastic normally again.
I didn't have much of a problem with the button. Its edges are a bit rough, but I only notice that when not wearing the elastic.
Especially during the first two weeks, I had an elastic snap pretty much daily on me. It's gotten better now, probably because my tongue plays less with them.
Due to the different force between my left and right muscles, and a slightly shifted lower jaw position, my TMJs are acting up again and are clicking every now and again.
The button and elastic are practically invisible, being so far back, even when I laugh. Though if the plan is to move forward with more elastics to close the gaps between all my premolars as well, the buttons on those will be quite visible even when just talking.
I've been wearing the elastic diligently. The ortho said that if I notice the gap being closed I can stop wearing the elastics. I took that as a good sign that things should be moving quickly. Of course, why would I be that lucky? In the last 5 weeks, the gap only got a little smaller, now being at around 0.9mm. However, I can't feel the teeth actually being extruded. Instead, I think they just tipped lingually which improved contact between them a little. I don't know if that was the plan or if it's just my luck again. Guess I'll find out during the next appointment in two days.
I also notice that my lower jaw is pulled a bit to the left, which affects my bite on the right slightly. Either that, or it's the way my left molars are lining up differently now. My left canines push into each other a bit now, which makes the upper one move out, opening up the gap between my upper canine and first premolar again. There's also more contact between my lower incisors and my upper left lateral incisor.
I can definitely say that the brackets, button and elastic don't have as much an effect on me as the removable braces. Here, it's more of a love-hate-relationship. It's still fun to experience quite a lot of different orthodontic appliances and measures, which most people won't all experience during a single treatment.
Last week was the 1.5 year mark since getting braces, which initially was the predicted latest point at which I should have finished treatment. Instead, we're still dabbling around trying to fix something which wasn't even a problem before beginning treatment. One friend suggested that the treatment might be considered malpractice. Although I don't think that's the case as the complications weren't due to anything the ortho directly or indirectly influenced, that statement started creating some small doubts for me. On the other hand it's not like I'm suffering. Quite contrary, I'm still enjoying every minute of the treatment and don't even want to think about the time where I'll be braces-free.
My next appointment is tomorrow, so it's time to give an update an update about the last one.
Last appointment was uneventful. While I didn't notice much progress, the ortho was satisfied. The gap between my left first molars closed down significantly such that she couldn't see through them anymore. However, while the gap is closed distally, mesially it's still there. As I only tested the size of the gap using different gauge wires mesially, I didn't realize the progress distally.
She noted down all the complications I experienced and said that we'll tackle those later.
For now she wanted me to continue wearing the elastic to close the mesial space. If it closes before the next appointment, I can try not wearing the elastic for a few days to see if the result is stable.
Unfortunately, not much happened. The mesial gap was about 0.9mm and went down to about 0.8mm over 2.5 weeks. Three days ago I noticed that my bite was starting to become very off and I wasn't able to bite properly on the right side anymore. So I stopped wearing the elastic. The gap has now opened back up to 0.9mm. However, My jaw pain and clicking decreased significantly since I stopped wearing the elastic.
Let's see what tomorrow brings. I won't be surprised if a few more brackets are added.
Last appointment was uneventful. While I didn't notice much progress, the ortho was satisfied. The gap between my left first molars closed down significantly such that she couldn't see through them anymore. However, while the gap is closed distally, mesially it's still there. As I only tested the size of the gap using different gauge wires mesially, I didn't realize the progress distally.
She noted down all the complications I experienced and said that we'll tackle those later.
For now she wanted me to continue wearing the elastic to close the mesial space. If it closes before the next appointment, I can try not wearing the elastic for a few days to see if the result is stable.
Unfortunately, not much happened. The mesial gap was about 0.9mm and went down to about 0.8mm over 2.5 weeks. Three days ago I noticed that my bite was starting to become very off and I wasn't able to bite properly on the right side anymore. So I stopped wearing the elastic. The gap has now opened back up to 0.9mm. However, My jaw pain and clicking decreased significantly since I stopped wearing the elastic.
Let's see what tomorrow brings. I won't be surprised if a few more brackets are added.
Last appointment the ortho checked my bite again with wax foil. She was happy, stating that my bite is improving. She said that where I'm testing the size of the gap, I'm testing a horizontal gap where two crowns meet, not any vertical gap. Folding the tape and testing my bite again, she concluded that there's less than 0.08mm of a gap left vertically.
She decided to let everything settle again for seven weeks and continue from there.
My left upper lateral incisor moved back and started to interfere with my bite. The ortho modified the upper plate to push it out. To reduce the effects on my bite from the no longer well fitting plate, she shortened it. Then she spent half an hour trying to adjust the clasps so that it only exerts pressure to the to-be-moved incisor. In the end it still didn't fit well. Wearing it, my bite still feels off afterwards. I shall wear it as little as possible, only as much as needed so that the incisor isn't blocking my bite. Which for me equated to one to two hours every few days.
Even without wearing any elastics or removable braces, my TMJ acted up again a few weeks ago. For a few days I couldn't even chewing properly because it hurt so much. Since then everything was fine and I didn't experience any further problems.
Next appointment will be on Thursday. I don't even know what to expect. I don't think my bite improved much, it definitely doesn't feel stable.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457867858071642/1.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457868352983040/2.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457868785000488/3.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457869263163402/4.jpg
She decided to let everything settle again for seven weeks and continue from there.
My left upper lateral incisor moved back and started to interfere with my bite. The ortho modified the upper plate to push it out. To reduce the effects on my bite from the no longer well fitting plate, she shortened it. Then she spent half an hour trying to adjust the clasps so that it only exerts pressure to the to-be-moved incisor. In the end it still didn't fit well. Wearing it, my bite still feels off afterwards. I shall wear it as little as possible, only as much as needed so that the incisor isn't blocking my bite. Which for me equated to one to two hours every few days.
Even without wearing any elastics or removable braces, my TMJ acted up again a few weeks ago. For a few days I couldn't even chewing properly because it hurt so much. Since then everything was fine and I didn't experience any further problems.
Next appointment will be on Thursday. I don't even know what to expect. I don't think my bite improved much, it definitely doesn't feel stable.
There isn't really much new to show, apart from maybe the shortened upper plate.bracessd said:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457867858071642/1.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457868352983040/2.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457868785000488/3.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1043457869263163402/4.jpg
Long time no update. Since the last update I had two appointments and the next one is to follow on Tuesday.
When we last left off, I spent 7 weeks doing nothing and letting my bite settle. I didn't notice much improvement. Neither did the ortho. There was still just barely contact between my left first molars. She asked me if I'd like to try elastics again, possibly making my tmj act up again. I accepted as I don't really know what other option there would be. Also the pain usually started after 5 weeks, so trying them again for 4 weeks might just be enough.
She gave me a wax marking paper to take home. She said that I can test myself if the bite improved. Once I'm satisfied, I should continue wearing the elastic for about a week for retention but could then stop.
I told the ortho about me wearing the upper plate a few hours every few days, trying to wear it as little as possible, which made my left upper lateral incisor move outwards and back again. She stated that it's not healthy for the tooth to move back and forth all the time.
She suggested that I could wear it during one night, come to her office in the morning and she'll bond a permanent retainer for my upper jaw. However, as I'm not satisfied with the upper incisors yet, especially since the gaps behind the canines opened up again, I rejected.
Over the next four weeks, I tested around with some wear times.
When I use the removable plate during the night, my bite feels off a bit in the morning, which gets better after breakfast.
Wearing the removable plate while actively thinking not to suck negative pressure I don't notice adverse effects.
However, if I didn't concentrate on not sucking, it gets worse again. For example when working from home, just 2 hours affect my bite more than the 8 hours of weartime during the night.
I also tested reducing the time using the elastic. In the end I settled on wearing the elastic 12-14 hours during the day but not during the night. During the night I put in the removable plate.
This seems to resolve the tmj issues, as I didn't notice any tmj pain or problems anymore since switching from full-time wear to just during the day.
My bite not feeling much better during the 7 weeks of settlement may be due to the incisor. Wearing the plate every night moved it further out of the way and my bite in general felt way better.
Unfortunately, after about 3 weeks, I noticed that my premolars started to lose contact. I checked with the wax foil the ortho gave me, which proved it. The contact of the first molars improved distally, but still lacked mesially towards the front.
There was one more complication though: the elastic between the two molars tilted them inward. It even reached a point where contact started to deteriorate.
Thus, I stopped using both the elastics and removable plate a week before the next appointment. Both the molars and premolars got better again, but the incisor moved back. Luckily it didn't affect my bite just yet during the appointment.
That next appointment was 4 weeks after the previous one. The ortho checked the bite and confirmed the same improvements I was seeing. Distally the molars touch well, but mesially it's still lacking just a bit. Also contact between the premolars did suffer a little.
To fix the molar contact mesially, she suggested removing the button on top and the bracket from the lower first molar and replacing them with elastic hooks mesially on the tooth. That ensures the elastic force is focused in the front and should also reduce inward tipping of the molars.
Removing the glue from my upper molar was pretty painful as that tooth is extremely sensitive. The rest was quick and uneventful. She used metal buttons with loops (https://www.gcorthonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/42-0030-0000.jpg). The upper one is pretty visible when I smile wide, though I don't expect most non-braces-affectionate people to notice.
My lower left wisdom tooth rotated back quite a bit since the wire through the three brackets was removed, which is something we need to tackle again. I'm not sure what she is planning in that regard. Maybe also using elastics as she suggested during one of the first consultations? I guess I'll see when we get there.
I asked the ortho what she thinks about a case study I found where the holding clasps of a retainer resulted in a degradation of bite, so they switched to a modified wraparound hawley (https://moroortodontia.com.br/leitura/wraparound.pdf). I asked her if she thinks something like that might work in my case.
She thought about it a bit before discussing that it could work and we might as well just try it. She said for me it would require the full palate to be covered in acrylic as otherwise I'd have the slightly painful impressions of the plate in my palate again. But before tackling the upper jaw again, she first wants to finish fixing my occlusion.
I mentioned that this might be one of the last possibility to spare me of a fixed upper retainer. She agreed that if we can get such an appliance to work without (or at least with controllable) side-effects, it could be used as retainer.
This means that I'll get another quite hefty removable upper brace some time in the future with some nice pictures
Since that appointment, I stuck with wearing the elastic during the day and the upper brace during nights. So far no major tmj issues, although my right jaw joint is starting to crack a little.
The contact between my left first molars feels pretty much perfect, so the new elastic hooks definitely helped. Apart from that, the incisor is still nagging, and due to wearing the upper brace the contact between the premolars is lacking slightly.
I'll wait and see what the ortho will do on Tuesday and how we're going to proceed.
When we last left off, I spent 7 weeks doing nothing and letting my bite settle. I didn't notice much improvement. Neither did the ortho. There was still just barely contact between my left first molars. She asked me if I'd like to try elastics again, possibly making my tmj act up again. I accepted as I don't really know what other option there would be. Also the pain usually started after 5 weeks, so trying them again for 4 weeks might just be enough.
She gave me a wax marking paper to take home. She said that I can test myself if the bite improved. Once I'm satisfied, I should continue wearing the elastic for about a week for retention but could then stop.
I told the ortho about me wearing the upper plate a few hours every few days, trying to wear it as little as possible, which made my left upper lateral incisor move outwards and back again. She stated that it's not healthy for the tooth to move back and forth all the time.
She suggested that I could wear it during one night, come to her office in the morning and she'll bond a permanent retainer for my upper jaw. However, as I'm not satisfied with the upper incisors yet, especially since the gaps behind the canines opened up again, I rejected.
Over the next four weeks, I tested around with some wear times.
When I use the removable plate during the night, my bite feels off a bit in the morning, which gets better after breakfast.
Wearing the removable plate while actively thinking not to suck negative pressure I don't notice adverse effects.
However, if I didn't concentrate on not sucking, it gets worse again. For example when working from home, just 2 hours affect my bite more than the 8 hours of weartime during the night.
I also tested reducing the time using the elastic. In the end I settled on wearing the elastic 12-14 hours during the day but not during the night. During the night I put in the removable plate.
This seems to resolve the tmj issues, as I didn't notice any tmj pain or problems anymore since switching from full-time wear to just during the day.
My bite not feeling much better during the 7 weeks of settlement may be due to the incisor. Wearing the plate every night moved it further out of the way and my bite in general felt way better.
Unfortunately, after about 3 weeks, I noticed that my premolars started to lose contact. I checked with the wax foil the ortho gave me, which proved it. The contact of the first molars improved distally, but still lacked mesially towards the front.
There was one more complication though: the elastic between the two molars tilted them inward. It even reached a point where contact started to deteriorate.
Thus, I stopped using both the elastics and removable plate a week before the next appointment. Both the molars and premolars got better again, but the incisor moved back. Luckily it didn't affect my bite just yet during the appointment.
That next appointment was 4 weeks after the previous one. The ortho checked the bite and confirmed the same improvements I was seeing. Distally the molars touch well, but mesially it's still lacking just a bit. Also contact between the premolars did suffer a little.
To fix the molar contact mesially, she suggested removing the button on top and the bracket from the lower first molar and replacing them with elastic hooks mesially on the tooth. That ensures the elastic force is focused in the front and should also reduce inward tipping of the molars.
Removing the glue from my upper molar was pretty painful as that tooth is extremely sensitive. The rest was quick and uneventful. She used metal buttons with loops (https://www.gcorthonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/42-0030-0000.jpg). The upper one is pretty visible when I smile wide, though I don't expect most non-braces-affectionate people to notice.
My lower left wisdom tooth rotated back quite a bit since the wire through the three brackets was removed, which is something we need to tackle again. I'm not sure what she is planning in that regard. Maybe also using elastics as she suggested during one of the first consultations? I guess I'll see when we get there.
I asked the ortho what she thinks about a case study I found where the holding clasps of a retainer resulted in a degradation of bite, so they switched to a modified wraparound hawley (https://moroortodontia.com.br/leitura/wraparound.pdf). I asked her if she thinks something like that might work in my case.
She thought about it a bit before discussing that it could work and we might as well just try it. She said for me it would require the full palate to be covered in acrylic as otherwise I'd have the slightly painful impressions of the plate in my palate again. But before tackling the upper jaw again, she first wants to finish fixing my occlusion.
I mentioned that this might be one of the last possibility to spare me of a fixed upper retainer. She agreed that if we can get such an appliance to work without (or at least with controllable) side-effects, it could be used as retainer.
This means that I'll get another quite hefty removable upper brace some time in the future with some nice pictures
Since that appointment, I stuck with wearing the elastic during the day and the upper brace during nights. So far no major tmj issues, although my right jaw joint is starting to crack a little.
The contact between my left first molars feels pretty much perfect, so the new elastic hooks definitely helped. Apart from that, the incisor is still nagging, and due to wearing the upper brace the contact between the premolars is lacking slightly.
I'll wait and see what the ortho will do on Tuesday and how we're going to proceed.
I'm practically living the dream. I currently have all at the same time
• 2 brackets with a wire
• 2 buttons for elastics
• elastics
• a removable upper brace
• a bonded fixed lower retainer
Previously I had
• upper and lower removable braces at the same time
• a lower removable brace with a thin posterior bite plane (2mm)
• a lower removable brace with a thick posterior bite plane (10mm)
• a thick upper anterior bite plate filling my whole palate
In the future I'll have (or at least will have the option of)
* a lower bruxism guard (also to be used as retainer instead of or in addition to the fixed retainer)
• a wraparound-style active upper plate filling my whole palate with buccal acrylic
* maybe a fixed retainer on the lower left to retain my wisdom tooth
• maybe an upper fixed retainer over 8 teeth including the first premolars
• technically I could ask for brackets to fix my upper incisors and canines which the ortho would probably like a lot (but I won't)
Last update I wrote that the contact between my molars feels very good now. During my last appointment, the ortho checked using wax foil and saw some improvement, but said that I should continue wearing the elastics.
She inserted a wire to the two brackets on my lower left second premolar and wisdom tooth to derotate the wisdom tooth again. She said that she'll use a round wire to not tilt my molar. However, when I got home, I noticed that instead I have a thin (height) but wide rectangular wire. She bent a step into the wire as my molar and wisdom tooth are at different heights.
She considered if we should start with the new wraparound upper plate or wait another appointment. In the end she decided to wait for now so any deteriorations in the bite of my left molars can be traced back to the new wire. Additionally, she hopes to remove the elastic buttons next appointment to make the design of the upper plate easier.
She said that she's a bit concerned about the next step as she expects complications all over the place again, just as we experienced so far.
In the first week after the appointment I felt my bracketed teeth moving and the bite worsening so I didn't wear elastics to better be able to notice any changes. After a week the bite felt better again and I started to wear the elastics during the day. During nights I wore the upper plate for 4-5 days a week with a 2-3 night break.
For my appointment in two days I see several different options. If the wisdom tooth is derotated, I may ask for a bonded retainer there (which she mentioned as option quite some time ago) to retain them until I get the lower bruxism guard (which will then be used as retainer), because the wire through the brackets is pretty sharp. If the elastics worked, I assume that at least the upper button will be removed and I'll get the new upper plate. If not, I wonder if I'll still get the upper plate designed around the button and will still need to wear elastics. I could also imagine that she'll want to let my bite settle again for a few weeks before starting with the next steps.
I'll have to wait and see.
• 2 brackets with a wire
• 2 buttons for elastics
• elastics
• a removable upper brace
• a bonded fixed lower retainer
Previously I had
• upper and lower removable braces at the same time
• a lower removable brace with a thin posterior bite plane (2mm)
• a lower removable brace with a thick posterior bite plane (10mm)
• a thick upper anterior bite plate filling my whole palate
In the future I'll have (or at least will have the option of)
* a lower bruxism guard (also to be used as retainer instead of or in addition to the fixed retainer)
• a wraparound-style active upper plate filling my whole palate with buccal acrylic
* maybe a fixed retainer on the lower left to retain my wisdom tooth
• maybe an upper fixed retainer over 8 teeth including the first premolars
• technically I could ask for brackets to fix my upper incisors and canines which the ortho would probably like a lot (but I won't)
Last update I wrote that the contact between my molars feels very good now. During my last appointment, the ortho checked using wax foil and saw some improvement, but said that I should continue wearing the elastics.
She inserted a wire to the two brackets on my lower left second premolar and wisdom tooth to derotate the wisdom tooth again. She said that she'll use a round wire to not tilt my molar. However, when I got home, I noticed that instead I have a thin (height) but wide rectangular wire. She bent a step into the wire as my molar and wisdom tooth are at different heights.
She considered if we should start with the new wraparound upper plate or wait another appointment. In the end she decided to wait for now so any deteriorations in the bite of my left molars can be traced back to the new wire. Additionally, she hopes to remove the elastic buttons next appointment to make the design of the upper plate easier.
She said that she's a bit concerned about the next step as she expects complications all over the place again, just as we experienced so far.
In the first week after the appointment I felt my bracketed teeth moving and the bite worsening so I didn't wear elastics to better be able to notice any changes. After a week the bite felt better again and I started to wear the elastics during the day. During nights I wore the upper plate for 4-5 days a week with a 2-3 night break.
For my appointment in two days I see several different options. If the wisdom tooth is derotated, I may ask for a bonded retainer there (which she mentioned as option quite some time ago) to retain them until I get the lower bruxism guard (which will then be used as retainer), because the wire through the brackets is pretty sharp. If the elastics worked, I assume that at least the upper button will be removed and I'll get the new upper plate. If not, I wonder if I'll still get the upper plate designed around the button and will still need to wear elastics. I could also imagine that she'll want to let my bite settle again for a few weeks before starting with the next steps.
I'll have to wait and see.
Last appointment was uneventful. My wisdom tooth wasn't fully derotated yet, so the ortho added another bend to the wire. The bite where I wore the elastics was fine, so I stopped wearing them. And with that, the appointment was already pretty much over.
I asked the ortho if it's possible to pull my wisdom teeth more together as I feel the vertical gap between them could be reduced. She was rather apprehensive about it as they do have contact when testing with the wax foil. She also sees an indentation in my cheeks between my wisdom teeth on both sides. Even if she were able to pull them more together, the pressure from my cheeks may open the space back up.
I'll ask her about it again during my next appointment on Tuesday. I haven't gone through a two year treatment already not to have at least tried to get a fully satisfactory result. And it's a way to increase the time in braces
I asked the ortho if it's possible to pull my wisdom teeth more together as I feel the vertical gap between them could be reduced. She was rather apprehensive about it as they do have contact when testing with the wax foil. She also sees an indentation in my cheeks between my wisdom teeth on both sides. Even if she were able to pull them more together, the pressure from my cheeks may open the space back up.
I'll ask her about it again during my next appointment on Tuesday. I haven't gone through a two year treatment already not to have at least tried to get a fully satisfactory result. And it's a way to increase the time in braces
Before last appointment I used polymorph (plastic which is moldable when warm) to create a bite registration ish to test and see how my bite fits currently. To my untrained eyes it looks pretty good, all teeth have good contact. I showed it to my ortho during last appointment, who was amused to say the least. She said my bite looks very good. She wants to take impressions for an analysis model to confirm that we're done with my bite. If that's the case, she recommended that I schedule a visit to my dentist for a lower bruxism night guard. I reminded her that the gap behind one canine is opening back up slightly, and that I'd like for my upper and lower incisors to touch, i.e., if she can pull them back a bit. With these slight modifications still open, I asked if it makes sense to have the night guard made now as it's adjusted to the bite and contact positions of the upper teeth.
She concurred that she'll first make the upper wraparound style retainer. By applying pressure to the labial bow she'll push my incisors back and thus also the canine.
I had one upper and lower impression made for the analysis model and another upper one for the wraparound retainer. They bought new impression trays just for me as the other ones never really worked that well for me. But those trays didn't have a palatal section. The first upper impression had a large air bubble and was thus unusable for my retainer that should fill the full palate. The solution for the second and third attempts was to first fill my palate manually with the impression material and then use the spoon. Which meant that my mouth was overfull with the impression material and it oozed everywhere.
The next appointment was scheduled for in two weeks time (which is tomorrow).
During that appointment the ortho asked me if I'm still apprehensive regarding the fixed retainer. I have less problems with it than I expected, but I still don't like food getting stuck there. She said that her treatment plan always intended the fixed retainer to be used. But if I really want to get rid of it once I have the lower bruxism guard, she'll remove it against her recommendation.
And wouldn't you know, when flossing last Thursday, the retainer came loose from my right canine. I called and went in that same day. The excess glue was removed, everything cleaned, etched and the retainer glued back to the tooth. The glue blob is way larger than before, giving it an even more artificial feeling.
The wraparound plate was already finished, so the ortho test-fit it. If it were to need a larger adjustment with new impressions, those could be done until the scheduled appointment 5 days later.
To fit the plate, first the elastic hook on my upper left first molar needed to be removed. I find it interesting how strong the hook is held on the tooth, but how little force is required to pop it loose. As that tooth is extremely sensitive, the ortho was very careful when grinding away the glue and applied lots of fluoride varnish afterwards.
The plate fits well. Only few small adjustments were needed like bending the wire in one place and grinding away some acrylic. She checked that I don't bite into the acrylic and only my teeth touch, for which she needed to grind away a bit more in the front. I was told to try wearing it for 10-12 hours a day and see if I notice any adverse changes. The ortho will start activating the string and labial bow during the next visit tomorrow.
I didn't get to choose a color and expected blue to be used just like for all my other appliances to far. Unfortunately, instead, it's transparent, which from my experience with the previous bruxism guard will quickly turn yellow-brownish (which is why I went for blue).
The wire is very thick, thicker than any of my previous plates.
The acrylic starts at the tooth and covers all of my hard palate, exactly as I wanted. It goes back very far to behind my wisdom teeth. It's rather thin, especially towards the back.
I (unfortunately) don't have any kind of lisp when wearing it. I was exited for some kind of lisp. But there's nothing. Even when it was first inserted, I didn't have any trouble speaking. If you didn't see me wearing it, you wouldn't be able to tell.
It fits rather nicely. It was applying lots of pressure on the inside of my upper right first molar. I took the liberty to use a small file (intended for 3D print cleanup) to file away bit by bit day by day from the plate at that tooth until now it doesn't apply that much pressure anymore.
I also bent the labial acrylic down and to the left a bit because it wasn't touching my incisors but pressing significantly on my gums. The right U-loop was also pressing into my gums, so I bent it away a bit.
The back edge of the acrylic was very sharp and dug into my palate. I used some sandpaper to round it, but didn't get far as it's so thin. I think about asking if it could be made thicker to better round it. The sanding helped a bit, but could be better.
These were only very slight modifications and the plate does fit way better now. I don't know if I should tell the ortho tomorrow or if she will scold me for it.
To conclude, here are some images of the wraparound retainer:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593341696254013/1.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593342170214410/2.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593343080382534/3.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593343654998157/4.jpg
She concurred that she'll first make the upper wraparound style retainer. By applying pressure to the labial bow she'll push my incisors back and thus also the canine.
I had one upper and lower impression made for the analysis model and another upper one for the wraparound retainer. They bought new impression trays just for me as the other ones never really worked that well for me. But those trays didn't have a palatal section. The first upper impression had a large air bubble and was thus unusable for my retainer that should fill the full palate. The solution for the second and third attempts was to first fill my palate manually with the impression material and then use the spoon. Which meant that my mouth was overfull with the impression material and it oozed everywhere.
The next appointment was scheduled for in two weeks time (which is tomorrow).
During that appointment the ortho asked me if I'm still apprehensive regarding the fixed retainer. I have less problems with it than I expected, but I still don't like food getting stuck there. She said that her treatment plan always intended the fixed retainer to be used. But if I really want to get rid of it once I have the lower bruxism guard, she'll remove it against her recommendation.
And wouldn't you know, when flossing last Thursday, the retainer came loose from my right canine. I called and went in that same day. The excess glue was removed, everything cleaned, etched and the retainer glued back to the tooth. The glue blob is way larger than before, giving it an even more artificial feeling.
The wraparound plate was already finished, so the ortho test-fit it. If it were to need a larger adjustment with new impressions, those could be done until the scheduled appointment 5 days later.
To fit the plate, first the elastic hook on my upper left first molar needed to be removed. I find it interesting how strong the hook is held on the tooth, but how little force is required to pop it loose. As that tooth is extremely sensitive, the ortho was very careful when grinding away the glue and applied lots of fluoride varnish afterwards.
The plate fits well. Only few small adjustments were needed like bending the wire in one place and grinding away some acrylic. She checked that I don't bite into the acrylic and only my teeth touch, for which she needed to grind away a bit more in the front. I was told to try wearing it for 10-12 hours a day and see if I notice any adverse changes. The ortho will start activating the string and labial bow during the next visit tomorrow.
I didn't get to choose a color and expected blue to be used just like for all my other appliances to far. Unfortunately, instead, it's transparent, which from my experience with the previous bruxism guard will quickly turn yellow-brownish (which is why I went for blue).
The wire is very thick, thicker than any of my previous plates.
The acrylic starts at the tooth and covers all of my hard palate, exactly as I wanted. It goes back very far to behind my wisdom teeth. It's rather thin, especially towards the back.
I (unfortunately) don't have any kind of lisp when wearing it. I was exited for some kind of lisp. But there's nothing. Even when it was first inserted, I didn't have any trouble speaking. If you didn't see me wearing it, you wouldn't be able to tell.
It fits rather nicely. It was applying lots of pressure on the inside of my upper right first molar. I took the liberty to use a small file (intended for 3D print cleanup) to file away bit by bit day by day from the plate at that tooth until now it doesn't apply that much pressure anymore.
I also bent the labial acrylic down and to the left a bit because it wasn't touching my incisors but pressing significantly on my gums. The right U-loop was also pressing into my gums, so I bent it away a bit.
The back edge of the acrylic was very sharp and dug into my palate. I used some sandpaper to round it, but didn't get far as it's so thin. I think about asking if it could be made thicker to better round it. The sanding helped a bit, but could be better.
These were only very slight modifications and the plate does fit way better now. I don't know if I should tell the ortho tomorrow or if she will scold me for it.
To conclude, here are some images of the wraparound retainer:
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593341696254013/1.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593342170214410/2.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593343080382534/3.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/863502137362743399/1102593343654998157/4.jpg