Birthday Present to Me!

Not that I need an excuse ... but I got my purple foils redone ... so nice and bright again!

Week 12 - 26 October 2005!

Front

Left Right
Right ... 6 weeks ago in September ... Change finally eveident!
Front at the beginning on 3 August 2005!

Everything's going sweet and then ...

Getting ready to go out last night and *bAnG* ... felt like someone had hit the right side of my mouth! Checked in a mirror and the lower right first premolar (biscuspid) isn't happy with the world! It's aching and when I touched the bracket, it was now able to move up and down ... oh dear ... what joy!

Had a good night out ... we beat the Aussie's in rugby league ... so would have taken more than toothache to dull that glory!

Back home ... time to do the 'pre bed routine' and boy it didn't want to be brushed or flossed ... but I held my beath and told it to behave! I noticed that the bracket on that tooth is higher than the teeth on either side and the archwire goes up slightly into that tooth ... so maybe it's being pulled back into my gum ... I have no idea ... but I'm looking forward to finding out!

Sunday ... it's still quite tender ... but only if I touch it ... which I'm trying not to do! Funny how I want to keep checking if it's still hurting ... well maybe not funny ... maybe down right strange and annoying!

Can't help but wonder what's going on in there! It's been nearly five weeks since the lowers were put on ... and now that tooth decides it's time to move! Do they like have a meeting and who ever's in charge say ... 'ok, you've done nothing much in the past four weeks ... time to move ... NOW!' ... I have no idea ... but that's what it feels like.

Hopefully when I take the next photo there'll be plenty of movement obvious, as this has to be happening for reason!

PS Still love my purple ligs!

8 Weeks In ...

My mouth is feeling much better than it was when the lowers were put on two weeks ago. Still have a 'full' feeling, but I've managed to bend both the lower wires that were just poking out and into my cheek, back towards my teeth ... and it was instant relief!

Here's a picture of my mouth at eight weeks. I can see a difference in where my teeth come together. Almost appears like the gap (upper right) has gotten bigger ... but hopefully that's just an illusion. But things have happened as my bite is very different to what it was just two weeks ago!



Still love those purple ligs!

Day 1 - 6 week Comparison

Thought I'd do this for interest. I can barely see any difference, but I can feel it when I bite my teeth together as they come together in a totally different way ... and that's been changing regularly since I got braces! Also there's a major difference when flossing between my two middle upper teeth ... the floss used to get caught and it was quite difficult to floss in there, now it's reasonably easy to do!

Day One


Six Weeks

Week 6 - Adjustment 1!

Had my first adjustment today, six weeks after getting upper braces ... and I'd thought it would be uneventful, but that wasn't to be the case.

First Dr C asked me to open, bite, open, bite, open, bite etc. He wasn't happy about where my teeth where coming together and then surprised me by telling me he'd be putting the bottom brackets on ... so much for another two months of uppers only ... oh well I guess it means everything is a bit closer to finishing once it's all started ...

That took about 20 minutes and was almost as straight forward as the uppers except for one bracket coming off several times. Then he asked his assistant for clear and silver ligs ... ummmmm ... decided it was time to butt in and said I wanted purple!

Dr C said his adults don't usually go for colours ... well guess what ... this one is going to give them a try. He changed the top five ligs that are on my ceramics but didn't do the others ... which surprised me. Then he put the bottom ligs on and couldn't get one to engage, so said he'd leave that till November and see if any space had been created by then, or else he'd have to help create some! Cool ... here's hoping space will have been created!

The lowers are a little achy ... 10 hours later ... but I'm hoping it will pass quickly and I'll cope with them like I did the uppers.

Here's some pics ... I love the purple ligs!

Front


Left Right

Moving House

I've been unable to get connected due to us having bought a house and then getting organised to move, cleaning etc ... what a nightmare. It was a quick reminder of why we usually move countries or interstate when we move, so that someone else does all the packing and also we've always been fortunate enough to get someone else to pay for the job.

Finally we're in our house, but still experiencing problems with the internet connection. Think I spent around four hours yesterday talking to someone either at our internet provider or telephone faults ... what a waste of time. Now I"m waiting for some new 'filters' to see if they'll fix the problem ... sure hope they do!

Anyway ... here's a couple of pics of our new place ...

The front


The back

Think I've discovered the most annoying thing about braces ...

I know it's only been five days, but I reckon I've made a discovery!

The most annoying thing about braces is ... you can't take the damn things off ... not even for just a minute or two, or an hour or two, or a day or two, or a week or two ... umm maybe that's also why they work ... coz you can't!

After five days I've come to the realisation that if I want a break from them ... well tough luck ... for the next couple of years it's not going to happen ... and that's really scary! I mean all I want to do is to brush my teeth and of course the braces ... but separately ... it would make life so much easier not to mention quicker!

Imagine how good it would be to be able to remove them to eat ... wow ... no problems with more food in your 'grill' than in your stomach. You'd be able to eat green things without the fear that you might open your mouth in front of some unsuspecting person and ruin their meal!

Imagine when the inside of your cheek or lip has a crater craved in it coz of some pokey bracket, hook or wire. You'd just take them out and give your mouth a rest and when it's all better ... in they'd go again! How difficult can that be ... ?

It sounds easy to me ... but then I know there has to be a reason why you can't do this ... and I'm guessing that there's people out there who can't be trusted to put them back in ... and so they've ruined it for the rest of us!

First Day with Braces - 3 August 2005

Front


Left


Right - gap from impacted canine

Some Before Pictures

Before braces ...

The front

The left

The right ... show gap due to impacted canine

I live to tell the tale ...

9:15 am ... had 10 x-rays taken.

10:15 am ... Orthodontist Appointment.

Firstly I had to read about how to look after braces ... not to eat sweet, sticky or hard food ... well that rules out my usual diet ... bugger ... although melted chocolate might be ok if I preach 'the chocolate is made from a bean ... therefore it must be a veggie ...' stuff!

Dr C then discussed my treatment plan and after looking over the x-rays (official report yet to be received) he decided to put only the top brackets on, as he believes the top will need a lot more work. Lowers to go on in November following meeting with oral surgeon.

The putting on of the brackets was no major event ... was all over quite quickly and I never tasted anything or felt anything. Ok ... that damn 'blow fish' mouth piece isn't the best, but apart from that everything went well.

Dr C then removed the revolting 'blow fish' thing ... and yes my upper inside lip was a bit concerned about what it was touching. A little bit of a rebellion as it tried to work out where to go etc. My tongue also did some exploring ... feel sharp, but small ... hope that last bit is right!

Dr C then inserted a wire ... and put ligatures on ... ok ... I know something has happened in my mouth ... things feel different now ... immediate pressure ... interesting.

Dr C then talks to me a bit and says goodbye and sends me to another room for a lecture on oral hygiene and things like that. I also get a 'party bag' ... although I wasn't too thrilled with what was in it ... fluoride mouth rinse, toothbrush, wax and superfloss ... oh well ... guess I didn't win the million bucks!

Next to reception to make an appointment. Return in September for an adjustment ... 6 weeks away I think. Then in November have an appointment with the oral surgeon and one with Dr Con for the lower brackets.

After parting with the cheque to cover the deposit for my treatment ... I'm outta there ... and I've still not seen what's in my mouth. So remembering there's a toilet on the first floor I head for that. All right ... so no-one said it would make me look any better ... oh dear ... not sure what I was expecting ... but am a bit concerned that the ligatures are the clear ones ... damn ... I'm a tea and red wine drinker ... and my favourite meal is real Indian curry ... damn ... Dr C must have forgotten that when we talked at my appointment seven plus weeks back!

I'll have to survive ... wonder if there's a way to get the ligatures to turn a colour that I like ... just a thought, coz I really am against yellow and shades there of. Now if I could get purple or a shade in that family ... well ... blueberries... but it's winter here so doubt there'd be any ... but will think about that one for a while.

New Timeline

Pocket another $155 depleted!

Good appointment ... well that's if you can have a good dental appointment. Best of all it was painless ... incredible, coz those needles usually hurt unbelievably, but Dr Clegg put something that looked a horrible brown colour, on my skin first ... and I never felt a thing.

Really strange though ... I was at the hair dresser getting purple streaks ... and realised my upper left lip was still numb ... five hours later! Incredible! But the best news is ... finally, when I could feel everything again, there was absolutely no pain whatsoever ... totally amazing!

Also I must put in a plug for composite fillings ... apart from looking better due to them being tooth coloured, they require less drilling of your tooth, and you can chew on it straight away ... great stuff!

Tooth under Attack

Hit the panic button!

Geepers there I was enjoying chewing a toffee and chocolate lolly ... I'm such a chocolate addict that I just can't help myself. Anyway think I had three or more in a row. As I said ... I LOVE chocolate!

Next thing my mouth is in a panic ... the tongue has found the back of something that feels foreign and worse still I can't work out what it is.

To the bathroom fast ... to find ... half a cuspid is no longer where it should have been ... and I didn't even notice anything hard in that last lolly. Damn ... panic ... ortho in seven days ... feel and looks like half a cuspid is missing ... man I didn't need this to happen!

Ring the dentist ... who by the way had said his goodbyes a few weeks back and said see ya in 12 months ... famous last words ah! The receptionist says no appointments until a fortnight. So I explain I've gotta go to the ortho next Wednesday ... and she says there's a good chance they can squeeze me in tomorrow! Oh boy is I pleased about that ... strange really, coz don't remember ever being pleased about going to the dentist before ... but just know I need to get this fixed! I can't not make my ortho appointment ... have done that before, and suspect that's why things are where they're at today! I gotta be brave!

Hygienist Appointment

Well I'm ticking off my appointments prior to B Day. Still have to get another filling replaced (next week) and more x-rays from an Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging Centre before B Day ... but things are falling into place ... although it does seem a bit slow at the moment ... doubt I'll feel that when August arrives!

Geepers just had a RUSH of anxiety and self consiousness ... phew ... not so cool!

I've not been to a hygienist before, but it was straight forward and the best news, she was very complimentary of my gums and teeth. I had one small amount of ... calculus ... not sure if that's the correct spelling ... but it's something white looking behind a lower tooth ... is in a frustrating place ... where another tooth is angled etc, but she was very happy with my cleaning process and told me to continue just as I am ... Oh how warm and fuzzy did that make me feel!

Why does it cost so much to go to the Dentist?

Have just returned from a visit to a local dentist ... my first one here in South Australia, so had to have a full check and x-rays.

I lost a large filling out of a back molar a couple of weeks back, so knew that had to be replaced, and it all went well ... no pain and I was out of the chair in less than 20 minutes.

Then to reception to make an appointment for another filling (another replacement ... although much smaller than the one just done) and to see the hygienist for a clean before B Day.

Then she told me the cost for today $165.00 ... oh dear ... that was a shock! And guess who doesn't have medical insurance ... so my bank account is looking a bit sadder after that event.

The good news is that there were no other probs with my teeth and Dr Clegg congratulated me on my oral hygiene. He noted I had some bone loss but said I'd obviously got 'stuck in to sort it all out'. I came clean and told him I'd had a big scare after returning from Fiji and was told by a dentist I had periodontal disease and needed a full scale and other stuff ... where they clean up under the gums of all teeth. But since then I've been following a schedule every night of flossing and brushing a lot more carefully and longer ... and it must have paid off coz he said my gums looked great! Oh boy ... that made me feel all warm and fuzzy!

Rain ...

When we moved to South Australia in September last year (2004), we were amazed at how green it was, in fact it reminded us of home ... lower south island of New Zealand. We'd lived the previous 18 months in Queensland and I'd been working in the Outback with the Youth Justice service, and was used to driving for hours in red sandy soil with little or no green anywhere.

By Christmas time the green had vanished from this area as well and our grass was a funny brown colour and mainly made up of weeds. Also we were having problems keeping water up to the vege patch we'd planted due to watering restrictions.

We were told to expect rain in autumn ... but March arrived and it didn't come. Then we were told that this season was very unusual as we were still having temperatures in the high 20's and low 30's ... just the kind of weather we love.

But ... oh dear ... how quickly things change! I feel almost guilty for saying (writing) it ... but it's been raining for over a week and I'm sick of it. I've got washing hanging everywhere ... hubby and I need a new wardrobe ... heating is costing us a fortune (and I loathe to think what burning oil must be doing for the environment), and our beautiful little dog is cold.

I guess our biggest problem is that we've been living in the tropics for a while now, and even when it did rain it was still hot, so we've not got suitable clothing for this weather ... and we don't like this weather.

For the farmers ... I'd love it to rain every night for you, and for every day to be sunny and warm!

My Closest Friend!

Timeline

Questions

Today I woke up with a thousand questions buzzing round inside my head ... well maybe not a thousand ... but definitely a lot.

Have decided to write them down, and if they really bother me, I'll phone Dr Con and ask for clarification before 3 August ... which I think is still about 48 sleeps away.

I've also realised I'm worried about how I'm going to feel at my age with braces ... it's not something I ever expected to happen ... all of a sudden I feel way to old for this type of treatment and I have this dreadful feeling concerning how I'm going to cope with feeling so self consious ...

I know I'll cope ... but my stomach is doing sommersaults all the same ... and I'm so nervous!