Friday, 22 September 2006

Photos - Adjustment 9

New bracket ... tooth on right of pic
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Week 59 - Adjustment 9

Uppers ... bracket replaced. My ortho put an InVu ceramic bracket on my left upper lateral. It's even smaller than the 3M clarity bracket that was on their before ... and very nice!

Then replaced the old partial powerchain and ligs with new purple ones ... much better!

Lowers ... a powerchain was put to link all teeth together. This was when I discovered the sad news that my ortho only has three colours of powerchains, clear, silver and bright blue. I so wanted either purple or black ... so went with boring silver, since I've been wearing bright blue for a while now and they quickly change to sea green due to all the curry I eat.

He was happy with my elastic progress and I'm to continue with 23 1/2 hr a day wear, with my only release being to clean my teeth! He said to expect things to happen soon, as now that my lowers are all in the one powerchain, the elastics will be pulling them all, not just working on the teeth they're hooked to!

He said goodbye and wished me a great time in Fiji! Next appointment to be in eight weeks.

... this was a hard adjustment as my head just wasn't in the room. I'd been listening to Steve Irwin's farewell at Aussie Zoo and I was still feeling totally shattered when my ortho's assistant called me in for treatment. I wish I'd had a good cry before that, a I think that would have helped. Instead I cried for quite a while on the drive home, and then again when I checked out the video coverage online!

... I've decided that at my next appointment ... which I think is mid November, I'll take a copy of the ordering details for powerchains from an Australian dental supplier and ask my ortho if I can order a couple of rolls so that I can have purple and black ... or purple and something!

... apart from that ... I can already feel and see movement. My uppers keep clashing with my lowers ... now it's been a long time since that's happened, so the powerchains and the elastics are doing a great job! A little sensitivity with my front lower four ... but nothing to stop me eating or take a pain med!

... will take photos soon ... as there has already been changes! Amazing!

Thursday, 21 September 2006

Photo - Adjustment 8

These are after my eighth adjustment and show my new addition ... class III elastics ... say hello to Mr Green ... a really deep and meaningful name for elastics. They're one of the bigger sizes ... 5/16" (7.9 mm)!

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

I did increase my salt rinses for a few days, as Mr Green was/is rubbing on the inside of where my lips come together ... strangely this is only happening on my left side.

Week 53 - Adjustment 8

Uppers ... no change
Lowers ... upgraded archwire and new purple ligs

Plus ... class III elastics to start work on my bite.

The elastics go from my upper second molars to my lower canine and are to be worn 24 hours a day! Sh*t ... I thought there would be some time off ... but nope ... my ortho said I was to wear them to eat, drink, dance, party etc! Think I must have told my ortho more than I'd planned to about my life ... He did add I could have them out to clean ... but that was all! He then added that I only needed to change them if they broke or once a day!

Then he gave me my first bag ... and I was already wondering will it be Tom, Tony, Charlie, George, Fred or ... ... ... well guess who I got ... Green! Damn and blast ... my elastics are known by the colour of their bag ... joy oh joy ... it's really not going to be so easy to develop a relationship with Green, like I thought I might with Charlie or Tom ... but thems the breaks!

They're one of the larger diameter elastics ... 5/16" (7.9 mm) ... and I'm already grateful for that ... as they are annoying the inside of my mouth, just by where my lips meet ... and they do feel tight!

I'm pleased I've continued with the salt rinses every morning ... and I'm going to increase them for a few days just to make sure I survive my early days with Green!

My ortho said my uppers had to be put on hold for at least another six weeks, as my bite needs work before my uppers can progress. Frustrating, but he's the boss and I trust him. Next appointment he's planning to put a loopchain (powerchain) on my lowers ... which I'm looking forward to, as that will close the gap that's reopened since I had the brackets added at my 7th adjustment!

Ok ... I'm off to spend some quality time with Green ... and hopefully we can work out that I'm the boss!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails