Saturday, June 30, 2007

Sunday, June 17, 2007

33 weeks update

Updates: June 17, 2007

8-month ProgressI haven't written in a while, 13 weeks. Since my last post, I had two appointments.

The one in April was for fine tuning, changing the colours on the lower braces. This is when I also discussed with Dr Selnes the chances of having this entire project finished by February 2008. Chances are I can but nothing can be determined at this point, it all depends on the progress of my mouth and teeth movement. If not done by then, he will refer me to an orthodontist he trusts in Lebanon to complete the treatment. We'll see. I had to keep the elastics which I learned to eat without removing. And by the way, I am eating like a ghoul, no worries about me ;) It's actually bad because bread and chocolate are easier to eat than vegetables and fruits lol
My natural smiling self with braces
This last appointment in early June, the assistant added some extra padding on the upper back molars to prevent the overbite and allow the upper teeth to move and have the jaw expand to its full shape. So now my teeth don't close all the way and my speech is even funnier than before... FFF, SSS, ShShSh, JJJ, TTT.. Oh well... I find it cute except when I need to spell something over the phone. The best part is that the elastics are gone this time... for now. Oh yes, and they had to remove the pin on one of the upper front teeth and change its direction because this tooth isn't budging. It kinda hurt to cut the pin off the tooth. I hope there will be an easier way to do that once I need to remove all 24 pins!

What was cute at my last appointment is that when I signed in at the door I got a screen filled with balloons and a message that read "Happy Birthday Clo!" (it was 5 days after my birthday) :)

Thursday, March 15, 2007

20 weeks Update

Updates: March 15, 2007

Yesterday was appointment #3 at the orthodontics office. The one before that, in January, was OK, and the pain was close to none afterwards. It was then that the wires went all the way from end to end now that the extra teeth were removed, and I got new colours at the lower braces, from pink and purple, I had orange and yellow and why the heck not, eh? :)

With time and since October 24, 2006, I got used to the new ways of cleaning teeth, eating and avoiding certain food, and even SSSpeaking and blowing candles! With time and the teeth shifting, my dracula teeth came out. Yes, apparently each of us is born with them, they just hide sometimes I guess when you're not looking, I don't know. Anyways mine are back, up straight and ready...

Yesterday's appointment was different that the previous one. The wire that goes along the teeth were changed, and for the first time I saw these individual wires go into my mouth. These things that are inserted at every tooth and turned around the pin on each pin of the front teeth. I had seen these on other people and was wondering whether I was too old for this or simply spared. The view was actually worse than when it was done on me. Apparently these little suckers are put to stabilize the teeth individually and prevent them from turning or shifting in an unwanted direction. With these, once each is tightened, I felt the tooth itself become tighter in the gum. A lot of work happened on the upper set. As for the lower, it was easier and faster and this time for colours, I had to stick to only one, because the donuts were replaced with a one-piece, so I chose "teal". Once all this is done, I was shown how and where to put the elastics that link the upper and lower teeth, and pull both sets to close off the gap. Everything added yesterday has the purpose of pulling the teeth together and aligning the jaws.



I can't tell you how much everything hurts, teeth, jaws, eyes, head... the whole package. Hopefully it won't be like this for a long time. From previous experience I know it will be all normal again in a couple of days. My only worry is the elastics. I guess I simply need to talk less, eat less and try not to yawn a lot LOL

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

10 weeks Update

Updates: January 5, 2007


January 5, 2007
January 5, 2007


October 24, 2006
October 24, 2006

The teeth are definitely moving. I can see space between the front lower teeth and better alignment everywhere. The mini brush goes in under the wires between the teeth much easier. I still haven't mastered - dared - flossing, but I booked a cleaning appointment for next week ;). I also have my second ortho appointment that same morning. This time the wires are going on all teeth, now that the extra teeth are gone and the space is filling in well with the rest.

The hooks in the back stopped bothering me, but the front pins are still dangerously sharp; I'm making good use of the protective wax :)

chaabiyatFood intake is better and I think I mastered the art of using fork & knife instead of biting directly into big pieces. The funniest episode was New Year's. We had chaabiyat for dessert (see picture, these yummies are not bite size); everyone was biting into their chaabiyat while Ms Coco here was cutting hers with a knife and eating with the fork metel elli Alla 3atiyoun lol Well anyways, it was worth every bite ;)

All in all, this experience was hell for the first couple of months but I'm definitely getting better at it, and I'm looking forward to next week's appointment.

Akid to be continued....