Photos - 26 1/2 months - 15 October 2007

Front - 26 1/2 months ago

Front - biting the way my Ortho says I should

Left - there are bends in the archwire on either side of the first premolar

Right - there are bends in the archwire on either side of the first premolar

Lowers - after IPR and with boring strong great powerchain


NOTE ... when I hold my bite the way my Ortho wants me to ... uncomfortable due to only one tooth touching, but the side pics do make it look like I'm in class I. Kinda cool, coz I've never been class I before ... just wish it was class I when more teeth were touching ... but here's to that happening next!

At least now I have the feeling it will happen and I can see what it might look like ... the excitement is building.

Week 115 - Adjustment 17

15 October 2007

I had a busy adjustment, which was fun!

First Dr C removed the upper black ligs and archwire. He cleaned the bonding resin off my front left incisor ... and it was painfree ... which was great! He then bonded a new bracket on that tooth.

Next the purple powerchain came off the lowers and the archwire was pulled out ... but not removed. Dr C used a machine to do IPR between my front lower teeth. I couldn't feel anything, although there was a nasty smell a couple of times. Next the archwire was pressed back in and Dr C said I had to have a new tighter powerchain that he only has in grey ... boring ... but no choice about that one. I could feel the effort he put into getting the powerchain on ... so I was looking forward to seeing the how well it works.

Back to the uppers! A new archwire ... same size as the one I've had for the past 19+ months. Dr C put bends in the new one ... on either side of the first premolars. Wow ... I was feeling really excited ... so much new stuff ... He said these bends will start to help my bite come together. I chose black ligs again, as I like them on the ceramic brackets ... the three I have left!

Elastics ... I only need to wear one on the right side ... class III ... 23 1/2 hours a day, change daily. My left side is going to feel naked, as I've had elastics for 14 months on both sides.

Neither gaps are closed yet ... but they continue to get smaller ... just very slowly! My next appointment is in eight weeks.

Photos - Black Triangles - 5 September 2007

Week 109 - Adjustment 16

5 September 2007 - 25 Months

After nearly four months ... I finally had another adjustment ... it was good to see my ortho again!

My ortho is pleased (finally) with the progress of the two major gaps that are closing ... one over the impacted canine and the other over the old extraction site of a first molar.

He pulled the lower archwire forward and did some manual sanding between my lower front teeth. This is to reduce the 'black triangles'. I don't remember feeling anything ... we were chatting about hypnosis ... so it must have been good. In six weeks (cool a close appointment, finally) I'm to get IPR done by machine, but todays is to check on sensitivity. After the sanding I had a new 13 loop purple powerchain put on the lowers ... and all felt great.

The lower archwire ... left side ... was clipped and my ortho was impressed by the amount removed. This represents the closing of the old extraction gap.

• Uppers ... a wire tie was put on my upper left canine ... the rest left as is.
• Elastics ... continue the same as previous 13 months.

... and with that we said goodbye!