Moonlit Narratives Blog

I had X-rays, a deep cleaning, a fluoride treatment, and lastly braces tightened today.  The hygienist determined my braces would not hinder the X-rays from being done- oh joy =(.  At least they were unremarkable.  The hygienist said I was doing well with my at-home cleanings, which made me feel good because she normally criticizes most people; my husband always tries to avoid her.  I did have a small issue with one of my right lower molars and left gum abrasion due to my braces so she recommended Colgate Peroxyl Antiseptic Oral Cleanser (non-prescription rinse, mint flavored peroxide with equal parts water).  I bought a bottle from my local CVS.  Blue and grey ligatures this time since he was running out of the blues and didn’t have any pinks like I wanted.  I also found out that Dr. B cannot correct my cross-bite without causing further bone loss which I’m extremely unhappy about.  I can’t say I’ve totally wasted money getting braces, but I think more should be done to correct my bite.  I guess I had a very bad over-bite and over-crowded lowers to begin with, which limits the total progress of this experience.  I don’t know; I’m still upset obviously.  A lot of effort went into this whole thing.  Dr. L suggested they might have to push two left lower molars back to make room for a dental implant, but Dr. B didn’t agree that it was necessary so I will end up with a small gap on my lower left.   The dental implant is very expensive too (almost half the cost of braces) so maybe not the greatest idea?  I keep trying to remind myself that I’ve come a long way and that no one can really see the gap unless I voluntarily open my mouth.

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!  Another unremarkable visit to write about.  Pink elastic ligatures and yes, finally the white elastic on the bottom front lowers is gone!  I don’t like when Dr. B has to put that on because it gets kinda gross by the next visit despite my diligent cleaning habits.  Hard to maintain the white color so it turns neon yellow and I’m not giving up curried foods.

I’m beginning to get more antsy than usual regarding when these braces will finally be taken off.  Feels like I’ve had them on forever.  Pink elastic ligatures this time.  Dr. B placed an elastic band on my bottom lower front teeth to close a gap that was forming.  My gums were sore for almost two days, which thankfully I haven’t experienced in quite a while.  I’m also tired of the brackets pushing against the inside of my mouth (causes closed sores); a problem which is unrelieved even with the use of ortho. wax- a problem which you’ve already heard me whine about way too many times.  Oh, I really need some moral support.   My family keeps asking me when the braces will finally come off and the truth is, I haven’t a clue since Dr. B doesn’t feel comfortable in giving me a definitive response.  I keep telling myself, THINK swan, swan, swan…..

Another long wait to finally get to see Dr. B.  Truthfully, I was annoyed.  The office makes such a big stink for people to arrive on-time yet they make people wait and wait and wait.  Anyway, purple elastic ligatures this time (Halloween’s approaching)…  I asked Dr. B about the big stubborn gap among my left lowers (please see previous posts).  He said it may have to stay like that.  I couldn’t believe my ears?!  With all that money and sacrifice, I expect perfection.  I’m going to have a polite private chat with the over-seeing dentist for a second opinion.  I don’t want to wait too long to have this conversation with Dr. L.  I’m upset and rightfully so.  I know no one can see this spot unless I open my mouth for someone to look in but the point is I know it’s there and it bothers me :(.  Dr. B also said that my right lowers are starting to get a little crooked and he wants to fix this issue.  This was in response to my question of how much longer I have to wait until the braces come off.  I was estimating about 5 months but now who knows?

These are things I’ve experienced since getting my braces; a list that includes many things that I was unaware of and wish I had been better prepared for…

*gum & teeth pain/soreness (this I was aware of)

remedy: soft diet, rinse with warm salt water, talk to orthodontist.

*increased risk of canker sores from braces rubbing against the buccal mucosa

remedy: cool or warm water rinse, soothing protective gels & rinses, orthodontic wax, talk to orthodontist.

*teeth shifting leading to change in bite

sorry, you’ll have to live with this for a little while; you may want to mention this to your orthodontist.

*elastic ligatures popping off and loss of tension in archwire

remedy: consult with dental office as soon as possible

*the need to possibly pull healthy teeth to remedy overcrowding

don’t be afraid to ask questions during your initial consult.

*sensation of loosened teeth

this is actually normal (may seem a little scary) but when in doubt, consult with your orthodontist.

*make sure you are aware of your orthodontist’s availability just in case emergent issues arise. I wish I had known that Dr. B was only available twice a month at my particular dental office.

Having experienced all of the above, I still think I made the right decision to get braces.  It hasn’t always been easy but the promise of a good end result is worth the adjustments and sacrifices I’ve had to make.

Nothing remarkable to write about.  I requested for pink elastic ligatures mainly because I like the color…  The usual late evening to early morning soreness after the braces tightening.  Not what I would describe as pain but a dull discomfort that seems to quickly dissipate as the day drags on.  Wow, I can’t wait until they are finally off!  It’s not that they bother me that much; sometimes I’m unaware they’re even on.   It’s just that I’m looking forward to the visible progress of straight pearly whites.

Just another routine visit. Dr. B placed the spring on the right lower side instead of the left lower side to help close another small gap. I guess he thought the lower left didn’t warrant a spring this time. I almost walked out of the office when he took a second look and thought he could do better for me (at first it was just brackets, elastic ligatures, and archwire). I asked for purple elastics this time just because I was in a purple mood. Last Saturday DH, Stella, and I visited with DH’s family in Connecticut. His Aunt Anne asked how long I’ve had my braces and I answered her with the exact date to her amazement. Everyone seemed to be watching me struggle a little to cut corn on the cob with a knife (trying hard not to chop my fingers off); an excuse for gaucheness when one has braces. Tonight my right side lowers around the spring feel a little achy. I’m glad this started after dinner and not before. It’s not too bad. Tomorrow should be better. One more day and I can celebrate my 1 year Braces Anniversary! Wow, I almost can’t believe it. I can’t wait until I can whiten my teeth and figure out what to do regarding the right upper recession (would have to seek the advice of an oral surgeon if I decide to have the area fixed).

P.S. I have on Essence of Beauty Lip Frosting in Strawberry Cheesecake (available at CVS) and really like it.

August 20, 2009 *1 Year Anniversary, well almost*

Other personal issues cropped up on June 2, 2009 necessitating a delay of my dental deep cleaning and ortho follow-up to July 16. An uneventful follow-up visit with a request for fluoride treatment. Dr. M (who usually does the extractions) had performed the dental cleaning instead of one of the usual hygienists. Why? Not sure. Maybe because I’m at the half-way point now. I told Dr. M that I noticed the last upper tooth and the tooth before (which was root canaled and crowned) traps a lot of food. He examined the space and said the two teeth are not aligned properly. He noted it was a very fixable problem. I decided to wait until the braces came off to decide on what to do. There’s still too much movement to commit to a solution. I would just have to work extra hard to keep the space clean. The ortho spring was replaced since the gap is still there. I asked Dr. B for blue ligatures this time (in solidarity for Neo). My poor Neo cat passed away the day before. If it wasn’t for this visit, I probably would have stayed the entire day in bed depressed.

July 18, 2009

I phoned the dental office on May 26, 2009 regarding both upper elastic ligatures (on the anchor tooth) somehow came off, causing the archwire to lose tension. Every time I tried to snap the archwire into the brackets, it would pop right out. I was only able to speak to the receptionist. She put me on hold to consult the dentist. They didn’t offer an appointment to me unless the situation was causing me pain. I was a little annoyed at them but tried to stay calm. They advised me to hold the archwire down with ortho wax (which I tried without success before I called them). I figured one more week of waiting would be okay. This was a problem I failed to foresee when I decided to get my braces at this particular dental office. It’s horrible that their orthodontist only works out of that office twice a month on Thursdays only. A few days after the call, I had a similar problem with the lower archwire. At least this time, I could pop the archwire back in place. It was a little annoying that I had to do this several times a day. I was thankful that the archwire ends were not digging into my gums or mouth.

Of course, when I had my follow-up appointment on June 4, I complained to Dr. B and his assistant. His assistant told me that I could have come in to see her for help and that she could have replaced the ligatures for me. Oh well, too late now, I thought. She was surprised that the receptionist gave me misinformation on what to do. Looks like the left and right hand aren’t speaking to each other. I can’t believe I’m the first patient to have experienced this issue? Too bad it’s something I couldn’t have replaced myself. It’s not the most convenient office for me to travel to.

Otherwise, another routine visit. Dr. B has placed an ortho spring to help close the gap between two left lowers. I guess it’s suppose to push a tooth back. Whatever it takes to close the gap, I guess? I made a decision to stay away from the green elastic ligatures, since they were the only ones to cause me problems. By the time, this appointment rolled around, I had lost several of them. There were no problems with the other colors. Not sure if the green ones were defective in some way?

June 4, 2009

A couple of personal issues came up; unfortunately causing me to delay this visit. Initially the appointment was scheduled for April 23, 2009 but was postponed until today. I asked for green elastic ligatures this time to celebrate the evincing of Spring… I have to have a little fun with this braces experience somehow. I’ve had less problems with pressure sores recently. It’s probably because there’s a little less movement of my teeth. I suppose they are more or less where they need to be; that is, give or take within millimeters.

May 7, 2009