Adjustment #5 (10 weeks)

Yesterday's visit was moved up from today on account that I got a job interview! Yahoo! Thank goodness the ortho was flexible and had an opening. Anyway, I guess a lot has changed. Everyone in the office was so excited about my progress. The ortho said that I was "just a baby chick waiting to hatch". Haha. Gotta love him. They took out the powerchains and added these springs in their place. Ouchy! None of my adjustments have hurt except the 1st time I had a wire cut (which was the day after I got braces on...) but yesterday's was a bit painful. Thank goodness I got silver so it blends in a bit more. And I am no longer on the 2 week plan! I go back in 3 weeks this time instead of 2. I'm so glad that I was able to get an appt the day before I leave for my brother's wedding so that I can get my colors changed! I don't want boring silver for the wedding. Also, doc said that the stubborn teeth (I think maybe incisors?) that have moved way behind the others should be engaged next visit. I might actually start looking like a real person in braces soon! No more crazy teeth all over the place. The springs are STRONG because within an hour after my appt, my front teeth had pushed themselves together! No gap and no longer crooked! It is pretty exciting. I'm going to post the original pics with the new pics to compare progress:

Day 1 10 Weeks

Day 1 10 Weeks

The gaps are almost gone! Things are going great. Can't wait to see what happens next...

Adjustment #4 (8 weeks)

Well, I have failed to post on time once again. Today is Thursday, a week and 1 day after my last adjustment. Oh well, at least I'm still remembering to take pictures! The doc is still very impressed with my progress, which is good. They replaced the wire in the front 4 teeth with a stronger one, can't remember what the strength is but doc said "If I feel discomfort, deal with it" haha. They also "doubled-up" my powerchains to help bring those teeth back some more. I hope the other teeth start coming out because they are about to get lost behind my 2 front teeth! I wonder what they will look like for my brother's wedding in less than a month? I have my next adjustment next Thurs (they are keeping me at the 2 week interval I guess...)

Adjustment #3 (6 weeks)

 I guess the ortho was right about the top two teeth moving down fast! I didn't realize it until I looked at other pics... they are coming along quite nicely. I'm starting to get a bit concerned about the second front teeth... incisors I think...? because they seem to keep moving further and further back. I'm guessing after the canines come down they will just attach those teeth into the arch wire and all will be all right. 
 Look at the wire! It's straight! That is crazy... it only took 2 weeks for that to happen!

Overall, still a lot to be done. I asked when they thought I might be getting my lowers but the ortho assistant said they don't put them on until the tops are pretty much set... so who knows. Maybe by October? That will be my 6 month mark... and another cleaning! My first with braces. :0) I go back in 2 weeks.

ps. This post is a bit late. My actual appt. was on Wed. May 27th. 

Adjustment #2 (4 weeks!)

I had my second adjustment today! I swear my teeth know when the adjustments are coming because a day or two ahead of time they start to get sore! Almost in fear... haha. Although it never is bad getting an adjustment (so far). I was a bit nervous again, probably because I never know what they are going to do to me next! The doctor said my teeth were moving along great! He was very pleased with the progress. It was cool to see how far I've come. He brought out the molds this time along with the pictures and wow! You can really tell a difference. All of the staff at the ortho was really impressed and proud of me. My canines were included in the arch wire and I got new power chains on them too (2 closed... whatever that means...). I got light blue this time. I still can't believe how much you really don't notice the braces when you get light colors! I go back in 2 more weeks. The doc said I should see my teeth moving really fast now. Here are some pics!:

It looks so much different with the canines in with the rest of the teeth now!

 There's some room being made! Hooray!

You can tell that one tooth is moving down faster than the other. My fiance said that it's always been that way but it's actually starting to catch up to the other one! Yay. Only a year away til the wedding! I hope there's enough time...

1st Adjustment (Day 14)

I got my braces "adjusted" today! I was SO scared it was going to hurt like when I got a wire trimmed on the 2nd day, but it was fine! Hardly any pain at all. I got new powerchains, 2 instead of 3 links... guess that's stronger? Ortho said he was gonna "really crank it up"! Haha. Gotta love it. I got lavender this time and WOW you can hardly see them compared to the electric green I had. Progress is average for an adult ortho said... wish I could be above average! :0) Here's some pics:

I go back in 2 weeks again... I wonder what color I will choose?

Day 3

Here is Day 1 in braces. My incisors or eye teeth are extra high thanks to some baby teeth that hang on 23 years. I got those pulled two days before braces. I also had my top wisdom teeth removed then... wasn't too terrible, although I was terribly nervous about getting dry socket. I didn't! :0)

I picked green because I am graduating

 from college next Sunday and the school colors are green and white. I think the power chains look pretty sweet...

Here is today's pic. I can't believe you can see movement already! My front teeth are starting to straighten... and I have NEVER had a gap between them before! I'm excited. My friend came over last night and she said the exact same thing happened to her when she had braces. She also added that the gap became big enough for her pinky to fit inside! I hope that doesn't happen...

I went out to lunch today to celebrate the last day of student teaching and... ouchy! I could hardly eat what they had. Thankfully the meal consisted of soup (easy enough), salad (ate about 2 bites and that was all...), noodles (yes! no chewing!), rice (again! hooray!), mixed vegetables (eh... not so good, couldn't eat most of them), and chicken (no way jose!). By the end of the meal my jaw and teeth were way too sore to even think about eating anything else. Good thing I live with my fiance... he can eat the leftovers! :0)

Day 2

I thought getting braces would be very uncomfortable but... it hasn't been! That is, until I got one of my brackets trimmed this afternoon. Ouch! I didn't think I was sore at all and the ortho assistant said "Guess you were sore afterall!". Yeah... I can already see movement which is very exciting. I just hope it all moves enough in time for the wedding! Hopefully things keep moving so fast. I will post pics as soon as I get them uploaded.