I'm 27 years old. I don't think my teeth are that bad. I thought I was a candidate for Invisalign, but even with teeth nowhere near as bad as the ones shown as "success stories" on Invisalign's website, I was crushed to find out I'm only a candidate for braces.
This is my journey with braces and Acceledent...
Below you will see it chronicled by appointment month with pictures documenting my progress.
Anytime I mentioned to coworkers or friends that I was considering getting my teeth fixed, they'd always say "what? your teeth are fine, you don't need to do that." I've always taken care of them but I just inherited crooked teeth. They have some crowding, I have a cross bite (the upper jaw is smaller than the lower) and my lower back molars are super tipped (they need to be uprighted), which has always made flossing difficult. The space between them is so tight that often times the floss just snaps in half when I try to pull it out. My dentist had to fill the crevice in between them to prevent a small cavity from spreading, but had to shave off a lot of my teeth to get to it and said it wasn't a permanent solution. She kept telling me I needed braces. So I started considering Invisalign. I told myself I'd never get adult braces, and looking at the Invisalign website, I saw pictures of people with some jacked up teeth that Invisalign was able to fix. Their website said it could fix cross bites. My teeth were not nearly as bad as the "before" pictures I saw on their website. I was convinced I was an Invisalign candidate.
I went to three different orthodontists last year to get consultations. All three of them told me that Invisalign would not work for me. They said if anyone told me it would, I'd be disappointed and have to end up getting braces to fix what Invisalign wasn't able to correct in the first place. They all told me horror stories about patients who came to them with just that problem. After shelling out thousands for Invisalign, they were now seeking a new orthodontist to fix what wasn't fixed.
The first ortho consult told me I'd need braces for 24-36 months, my jaw would have to be moved, and then I'd have a special retainer for about a year. She quoted me some crazy price...I think it was around $8k. My dentist referred me to her because they're friends, and I'm sure she would do a great job, but she seemed like a perfectionist like my dentist. I think I cried after that appointment because I was crushed to hear I couldn't get Invisalign, and I wasn't willing to pay that much and have braces that long.
I waited a few months and decided to see another orthodontist and hope that he would recommend Invisalign. The second one quoted me 18 months but said that I had "extra teeth" and would recommend getting at least 2 teeth pulled before treatment so that there would be enough room to move my teeth. He actually gave me a reasonable price, I remember thinking it was too good to be true, but I can't remember what it was- less than $4,000. But it was still braces.
I decided to get a third opinion, and hoped it fell somewhere in the middle so I'd be confident it was legit. The third one told me I did not have any "extra teeth" but would recommend me getting my one remaining top wisdom tooth removed at some point during treatment or directly after because it "wasn't doing [me] any good." It didn't have a matching bottom tooth, so he said overtime it would just shift the rest of my teeth back. He told me his projected treatment would take about 18 months, and that he wouldn't recommend aligning my jaw because it's hard to move a jaw as an adult. Even with treatment, I'd still have a slight crossbite, but at least my front teeth would be all lined up and no one would be able to tell. Most importantly, he said my tipped back molars would be fixed. I think the price was about $4,200. He said if I used a device called Acceledent, for about an extra $800, it could shave off 1/4 to 1/3 of treatment time. I had never heard of this device before, and he showed it to me and explained how it works. He also told me that he has participated in clinical trials and has seen treatment sped up significantly. I later googled - yes he did...its on Acceledent's website:
1)
http://acceledent.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Straty-Righellis-Case-Oakland-CA.pdf
2) http://acceledent.com/orthodontists/news-archive/leading-orthodontists-accelerate-patient-treatment-with-acceledent/)
I went home and did some research but couldn't find a lot of information, aside from what was published by Acceledent. Honestly, I wondered if it was a scam and my orthodontist was getting a kickback from the company if I used it. I went back to my orthodontist and told him that I wanted to go ahead with braces but had a few questions about Acceledent. I can't remember how I phrased it, but I asked him if he was profiting from recommending the device. He said no, he only promotes the device because he believes it works. He buys it directly from the manufacturer, and the price he pays is the price he charges his patients. I've read in forums that some people paid as much as $1200 to purchase the device from their orthodontist. I trust mine. I was satisfied. An extra $800 to get my braces off 6 months sooner? What a deal. After having braces on for some time, I'm even happier now because I had no idea how annoying having braces would be.
A few people at my company have braces, even ones much older than me, and I'm seeing them more and more. I figured it would be worth it to look like a nerd for a little while. I work in accounting so I don't have a ton of interaction with outside vendors. My job doesn't have orthodontic coverage but I found out I could use my pre-tax FSA dollars to save some money. My boyfriend fully supported my decision. So I decided to get braces.
In December I signed the quote, was reassured I would not have to pay any additional fees, period, and scheduled my appointment for January. The full price I paid for treatment and Acceledent was $4,873.50.
BEFORE PHOTOS FROM ORTHODONTIST:
Day 1 – January 23, 2014
Today I got
my braces put on. It was a fairly quick procedure, much faster than I imagined, taking about 45
minutes. They had to put metal clamps on my back molars to tilt them upright, which took the
longest, then dried my teeth, put glue on my teeth, and stuck trays on which
contained the brackets. They pulled the trays off, polished off the excess glue
and fed the wire through. Initially, it was surprisingly painless. I had
spacers put on my back molars the weeks before which were quite painful so I
was expecting the worst. However, I was pain-free for about an hour after
getting my braces on. Then they started hurting and I ate only soup and liquids
for about a week.
By the third week, my teeth were less sore and I was eating solid foods that were a little harder. I learned just to overcook vegetables and pasta so I could eat them. Friends told me not to eat red pasta sauce or curry, as it would permanently stain the clear brackets. However, I've eaten plenty of pasta sauce since then with no problem. I just make sure to brush after. I try to stay away from strongly colored foods, as well as hard and sticky foods. The day before my second appointment I ate a sandwich on a roll, which I cut in tiny pieces, and I did not experience any pain. The only pain I had was from the wires sticking out in the back a little. The orthodontist told me he wanted to leave them a little long so my teeth could move, but after about two weeks the ends started poking my cheeks. I kept constant wax on that part for the last two weeks.
I refuse to eat in public. If I eat a salad, I swear half the salad gets stuck in my braces. Even easy to eat foods somehow manage to get all stuck up in my braces. I've learned to carry a toothbrush in my purse everywere, as well as a "pick" my orthodontist gave me. Sometimes a toothbrush just won't get that little piece of lettuce wedged between your teeth.
By the third week, my teeth were less sore and I was eating solid foods that were a little harder. I learned just to overcook vegetables and pasta so I could eat them. Friends told me not to eat red pasta sauce or curry, as it would permanently stain the clear brackets. However, I've eaten plenty of pasta sauce since then with no problem. I just make sure to brush after. I try to stay away from strongly colored foods, as well as hard and sticky foods. The day before my second appointment I ate a sandwich on a roll, which I cut in tiny pieces, and I did not experience any pain. The only pain I had was from the wires sticking out in the back a little. The orthodontist told me he wanted to leave them a little long so my teeth could move, but after about two weeks the ends started poking my cheeks. I kept constant wax on that part for the last two weeks.
I refuse to eat in public. If I eat a salad, I swear half the salad gets stuck in my braces. Even easy to eat foods somehow manage to get all stuck up in my braces. I've learned to carry a toothbrush in my purse everywere, as well as a "pick" my orthodontist gave me. Sometimes a toothbrush just won't get that little piece of lettuce wedged between your teeth.
I’ll be
honest – I skipped ONE DAY using Acceledent during these first four weeks. I
got busy at work one day, came home and crashed and just completely forgot
about it until I woke up the next day. But I religiously used it every single
other day. I mostly used it in evenings while I was studying or watching TV,
or driving long routes, but some nights I got home from class really late and even used it while I
walked my dog or doing the dishes. 20 minutes goes by very fast, and it’s so
gentle that if I’m washing dishes I can’t hear it and have to reach up to feel
if it’s still vibrating. It gives you a gentle stop-and-start vibration when
it’s half way through, which is nice . I charge it after every 2 uses. Sometimes it will last 3 uses, but sometimes it will shut off half-way through on the third day, so I've just gotten in the habit of plugging it in after every two uses. It charges pretty fast, only an hour or two. I make sure to remember to take it and the charger anytime I'm away from home
for the night.
4 Week Appointment – February 19, 2014
Today I
received thicker wires that were a little painful to put on. My teeth are sore
after the appointment. The orthodontist said my teeth have already shifted
significantly; especially my front teeth. He was very surprised that I haven’t
needed any Advil during the past four weeks. Although I had a few painful days,
I didn’t feel like it was that bad. The orthodontist said that Acceledent has
the advantage of making your teeth hurt less, which is great!
Emergency Appointment – February 24, 2014
Yesterday the front bracket on the bottom tooth that sticks up came off unexpectedly. I've been very good about only eating "approved" foods and not biting anything with my front teeth. I woke up yesterday morning and my front teeth were pretty sore, so I used Acceledent. I brushed my teeth, ate a pancake, and a while later I was drinking water and realized that there was something sliding around in my mouth. The bracket came off but it was still attached to the wire, but spinning around. I called and got an appointment Monday morning. They said it looked like the wire they put in was too tick and putting too much strain on that tooth. So they glued the bracket back on and inserted a thinner wire. My teeth are pretty sore but at least I'm back in business!
UPDATED PHOTOS: 3/24/14:
September 2014
Wow...I know it's been a while since I've posted. Things have been going pretty well. A few months ago I got a band threaded in an "xxx" pattern across my four front teeth to push them tightly together. I also got a small spring on the top right side to push them over a bit so the line between my two front teeth would align with my bottom teeth. I never noticed the lines didn't match up. The first appointment after that left me with some sore front teeth for a few days, but at least I could still chew with my molars.
My last few adjustments haven't been that painful and I'm still using the Acceledent every day, but I'll be honest, I accidentally skipped ONE more day. This brings the count up to 2 missed days in 9 months. Not too bad.
I finally got my teeth cleaned which was a half-day process, between getting the wires out at the orthodontist, going to the dentist to have the cleaning (and having a manual cleaning because EBMUD had an emergency and shut off the power!), and then going back to the orthodontist to get my wires back on and adjusted. My dentist said my teeth are now so much easier to clean because they're better spaced. I now have appointments to make adjustments every 4 weeks. My dentist gave me these cool "threaders" to make flossing easier. They look like giant blue plastic needles. You thread the floss through the loop and then stick the blue threader in between your teeth. It's stiff, so it's much easier and faster to get between the braces. The wax-tipped floss is good, but it's expensive and if it gets wet with saliva it's hard to thread. I like these threaders because you can reuse them.
I don't have a problem eating in public anymore, although I'm sure to check my teeth for food immediately after. I'm also (carefully) chewing gum occasionally. I feel like it cleans my teeth if I'm somewhere without a toothbrush. Trident and Extra aren't very sticky, so I haven't experienced any problems. I'm sure the typical bubble gum brand would give me problems, so I stay away from that.
This month I was given a rubber band to wear on the left side, in a triangular shape covering 3 teeth. I have to wear it just about 24/7, except when eating meals. They told me I could leave it in while snacking, but I find it hard to eat anything with it in. It's even snapped off a couple times while yawning. When I first got the rubber band on, it was very painful and I avoided opening my mouth for a couple days. Then I could open it about an inch, but it was still painful. After a couple weeks with it on, I don't really notice it anymore.
Here's my progress. My orthodontist told me I might have my braces off as early as December!
October 2014
I went back to have my teeth checked, and the orthodontist said the band on the left side that I've been wearing over the last month successfully lined up those teeth. He gave me two more bands to wear, one on each side, to line up the canines to the teeth below. I have to wear these 12 hours a day, so if I time it right, I can wear them mostly while I'm sleeping so no one sees them. They're surprisingly not as painful as the last band.
He said after these get lined up and my two front teeth get lined up, my braces will be off! I go back in 4 weeks and can't wait to hear if it's my last appointment! Below is a picture of my new gear.
November 2014
I am now single. My friend found my boyfriend on an online dating site last month and I ended it with him immediately. I went on a couple dates and both guys said they don't mind my braces and I have a beautiful smile, but I haven't found a love connection yet. It's kind of weird to date with braces, and I'll admit I don't have my normal self-confidence. I think I'll take a break for a while. Glad my braces are almost off!
I went back to the orthodontist and was sad to hear that my orthodontist wanted to make"one more adjustment." He showed me what he was doing, but I couldn't really tell. My teeth look like they're all lined up already. I'm bummed that I didn't get them off, but braces were so expensive I figure I might as well keep them on until my orthodontist thinks my teeth are perfect. I didn't get any additional bands, just a wire adjustment. I didn't post a picture because I think it looks the same as before. For some reason this adjustment has been tearing up my mouth! I'm back to using wax on several spots.
It was hard to get another appointment because of the holidays. Soonest I could get is January 23rd- (hoping for good news!) and will post new pics and provide an update.
1/23/14
2/10/15
I've officially had it with my Acceledent. I mentioned before that it had been giving me problems for a while, and it went from 3 charges in between uses to one. Well since last week it has been dying half way through, even after being fully charged! I finally called them - which I should have done long ago- because apparently these devices only have a 1 year warranty! Since mine was blinking orange and green, they said it has a problem and agreed to send me a new one. As soon as I get it, I have to ship back the old one. I am relieved to have a working device again!
2/17/15
I had my appointment today and my orthodontist said my teeth looked great and I can get my braces off!! He said I can get them off this week if there's an appointment available, but of course there wasn't. At first they told me 6 weeks - I was so disappointed. They moved things around and were able to move it up to March 3rd. I will be getting my braces off and a bottom retainer put in that day. I go back the following week for an upper retainer, and then on the 31st my dentist will put caps on my two front teeth where I have gaps. I cannot wait until that is over and I have a perfect smile! As for now, no more rubber bands, no more Acceledent, I just wait until the 3rd! Acceledent was totally worth it. I know some people can't justify the price but it's worth it to me. I'm not rich, I work in accounting, just finished paying for my MBA and now I paid for braces out of pocket completely myself. But Accelerant was worth it. If it had cost anymore though, I probably would have had to reconsider. But braces are such a pain. I've gotten mostly used to them and not being self-concious. It's not just about aesthetics for me, but it's literally that they're a pain. They make my jaw hurt, they poke me and give me sores, they make eating difficult (and embarrassing), and flossing takes forever. I'll admit I've skipped flossing a couple days because it takes so long, but I worry I'll get my braces off and need even more work if I keep skipping. To me, getting these things off 5+ months early was totally worth the extra money and 20 minutes a day.
Here's a pic from today:
At my next appointment I will be getting professional photos and x-rays. I will post these and I will keep you updated after they come of on March 3rd!
2/20/15
It's funny, it's only been 3 days since I stopped using Acceledent and my teeth have felt a little weird. I'm realizing now that it's pain! Even though my braces weren't adjusted during my last appointment, I guess this is just normal pain from braces which I haven't been experiencing because Acceledent has eased the pain. It's not too bad, just uncomfortable. Can't wait to get these braces off!
3/3/15
I got my braces off today!! It was actually a little painful. They took off the wires and then used what looked like pliers to pop the brackets off. One tooth was especially painful, the others were fine for the most part. Then they used another tool that looked like pliers to scratch off most of the glue. After this, they got polished a couple times. I'm surprised how white they are! I was worried I'd have dark spots where the brackets were or that I'd have to do some serious teeth whitening to get them snow white like I wanted, but they turned out great! They don't even look like my teeth. I guess it's been a while since I've actually seen them haha. I can't stop staring at them! I also got a permanent retainer on the bottom teeth today. It's basically just like a small wire along the back of the teeth. It's painless and I can barely even feel it. My tongue isn't bothered by it. I'm happy to have this so my teeth will never shift back! I got back next week to get a permanent retainer and pictures. Here's the final product!
3/10/15
So I went back today to get a retainer for my upper teeth. It's basically Invisalign. (I finally got Invisalign! For a week...lol). It's clear, plastic, and I only need to wear it 10-11 hours a day. It's not painful and doesn't get in the way. I realized that I wasn't 100% happy with my teeth and since I paid so much, I want them to be perfect. The more I stare at them, I realize the imperfections. I think there has been some shifting since last week, and my orthodontist agreed. My mid line is not exactly lined up, and my front top teeth have shifted a bit. My orthodontist pointed out that one is slightly larger than the other, so he is going to work to gradually shave it down and shift my teeth at the same time. For now, I will wear the Invisalign retainer to keep my teeth in place until my metal retainer is ready next week. Below are the professional pictures taken today - you can see the imperfections that are going to be fixed, but yes, the top molars are going to stay like that. Unless I wanted my entire jaw shifted, I agreed in the beginning just to fix the front ones. Although I'm getting that awkward wisdom tooth out next week!
3/13/15
Today I got my upper wisdom tooth removed. I was stressing for weeks, but it went so smoothly it was actually awesome. I elected just to be numbed, not put to sleep. I got some numbing cream put on, then a few shots (which worked instantly, unlike the dentist), and he applied pressure against my gums with flat metal pieces and basically like "popped" it out. I imagined pliers were going to be in there, but no. From the time I sat down in the chair until I sat back up was less than 10 minutes! What a great oral surgeon (Dr. Alex McDonald in Oakland - if you're looking for one). I took pain meds as instructed before the numbness wore off, but I didn't end up with any pain or swelling. I ate a bagel the next day. It was a much better experience than expected! Insurance (Delta Dental) also covered most of it so it only cost me about $100.
3/20/15
So today I went back and got my metal retainer. It is going to help shift my teeth over so that my mid line matches. I'm supposed to wear it 18 hours a day. It's not painful, but will definitely take some getting used to because it feels like I have a big hunk of plastic in my mouth. At least it's not as bad as braces, and I can take it out when I want to show off my pearly whites! Below are pictures:
5/20/15
So a piece of wire in the front of my retainer broke. I'm not sure how - it must have happened while I was sleeping but I never found the piece that broke off. At first my orthodontist tried to charge me a few hundred for a new one, but since I'd been very careful with it, I didn't think it was my fault and said I wasn't going to pay. Ultimately, they did not charge me. At first they told me it would be a few weeks until I could get an appointment to pick up the new one they were making, but I kept asking "won't my teeth shift without it for a few weeks?" and the Dr. finally came out and made the receptionist fit me in a week later. When I arrived, everyone was puzzled because the new retainer did not fit at all. They concluded that my teeth had shifted so much already in a week, that they would have to make a new retainer (again). This time they had it ready for me overnight. I now have my new retainer which is shifting my teeth back to where they were. I'm a little disappointed but am hopeful that everything will work out. This is a future lesson - if you have a retainer, always wear it. I guess Acceledent has effects long after you stop using it. And be adamant about getting a replacement immediately if something happens to it.
I'm now seeing a new dentist about getting caps on my lateral incisors to make them the correct size. I was hoping to get bonding, but the dentist convinced me that veneers would last longer and look better. Plus, bonding wasn't as cheap as I'd hoped, since they'd have to do it in two steps. It ended up being about $1,300 vs. $2,000. I go back in two weeks to see what the molds look like and will keep you posted! Hopefully this will soon be the end of my journey to a perfect smile!
8/31/15
Unfortunately my mid-line still has not been straightened, so I have not gotten veneers yet. I've actually been dealing with my orthodontist for the last few months, and he's been dodging me. He admitted that it was his fault that my teeth shifted after my retainer broke, because he took so long to get me a new one, but also told me he didn't know what else he could fix. I had my new dentist (in charge of veneers) contact him so he could also explain how the mid-line needed to be shifted, and also that he left gaps too large in the front for veneers- but my ortho has been dodging him as well! I finally had a check-up appointment scheduled with my ortho (booked months ago) and I confronted him about everything and he actually agreed to give me a refund. Tomorrow morning I'm seeing a new orthodontist who will put braces on my top teeth to fix what my last orthodontist screwed up. 6 more months of braces...at least they'll be clear braces, but I'm so disappointed in my old ortho. I love my new ortho and I'm actually able to get appointments with him in a timely manner! I wish I had gone to him to begin with, but at least it's getting fixed now. I will post pictures and keep you updated so you'll (eventually) be able to see the final product.
5/1/16
So, I haven't posted in a while. I ended up getting clear braces put back on my top teeth for about 6 months. It wasn't bad, since I'd been through everything before, and it was actually a nice break to only have braces on my top teeth.
6/1/16
Braces have come off completely. I just have to wear a clear invisalign on my top teeth to keep them in place. I take it out when I'm eating, and sometimes if I go to an event or something for a few hours. In a couple months I will be able to reduce it to only night wear. Down the road, I would still like to get caps on my lateral incisors to make their size more normal, but overall I'm finally very happy with my teeth.
Please contact me if you have any questions about my journey. I'm happy to answer any questions!
Please feel free to comment, but DO NOT post spam or try to sell anything. Those comments will be immediately deleted.
Yesterday the front bracket on the bottom tooth that sticks up came off unexpectedly. I've been very good about only eating "approved" foods and not biting anything with my front teeth. I woke up yesterday morning and my front teeth were pretty sore, so I used Acceledent. I brushed my teeth, ate a pancake, and a while later I was drinking water and realized that there was something sliding around in my mouth. The bracket came off but it was still attached to the wire, but spinning around. I called and got an appointment Monday morning. They said it looked like the wire they put in was too tick and putting too much strain on that tooth. So they glued the bracket back on and inserted a thinner wire. My teeth are pretty sore but at least I'm back in business!
UPDATED PHOTOS: 3/24/14:
September 2014
Wow...I know it's been a while since I've posted. Things have been going pretty well. A few months ago I got a band threaded in an "xxx" pattern across my four front teeth to push them tightly together. I also got a small spring on the top right side to push them over a bit so the line between my two front teeth would align with my bottom teeth. I never noticed the lines didn't match up. The first appointment after that left me with some sore front teeth for a few days, but at least I could still chew with my molars.
My last few adjustments haven't been that painful and I'm still using the Acceledent every day, but I'll be honest, I accidentally skipped ONE more day. This brings the count up to 2 missed days in 9 months. Not too bad.
I finally got my teeth cleaned which was a half-day process, between getting the wires out at the orthodontist, going to the dentist to have the cleaning (and having a manual cleaning because EBMUD had an emergency and shut off the power!), and then going back to the orthodontist to get my wires back on and adjusted. My dentist said my teeth are now so much easier to clean because they're better spaced. I now have appointments to make adjustments every 4 weeks. My dentist gave me these cool "threaders" to make flossing easier. They look like giant blue plastic needles. You thread the floss through the loop and then stick the blue threader in between your teeth. It's stiff, so it's much easier and faster to get between the braces. The wax-tipped floss is good, but it's expensive and if it gets wet with saliva it's hard to thread. I like these threaders because you can reuse them.
I don't have a problem eating in public anymore, although I'm sure to check my teeth for food immediately after. I'm also (carefully) chewing gum occasionally. I feel like it cleans my teeth if I'm somewhere without a toothbrush. Trident and Extra aren't very sticky, so I haven't experienced any problems. I'm sure the typical bubble gum brand would give me problems, so I stay away from that.
This month I was given a rubber band to wear on the left side, in a triangular shape covering 3 teeth. I have to wear it just about 24/7, except when eating meals. They told me I could leave it in while snacking, but I find it hard to eat anything with it in. It's even snapped off a couple times while yawning. When I first got the rubber band on, it was very painful and I avoided opening my mouth for a couple days. Then I could open it about an inch, but it was still painful. After a couple weeks with it on, I don't really notice it anymore.
Here's my progress. My orthodontist told me I might have my braces off as early as December!
October 2014
I went back to have my teeth checked, and the orthodontist said the band on the left side that I've been wearing over the last month successfully lined up those teeth. He gave me two more bands to wear, one on each side, to line up the canines to the teeth below. I have to wear these 12 hours a day, so if I time it right, I can wear them mostly while I'm sleeping so no one sees them. They're surprisingly not as painful as the last band.
He said after these get lined up and my two front teeth get lined up, my braces will be off! I go back in 4 weeks and can't wait to hear if it's my last appointment! Below is a picture of my new gear.
November 2014
I am now single. My friend found my boyfriend on an online dating site last month and I ended it with him immediately. I went on a couple dates and both guys said they don't mind my braces and I have a beautiful smile, but I haven't found a love connection yet. It's kind of weird to date with braces, and I'll admit I don't have my normal self-confidence. I think I'll take a break for a while. Glad my braces are almost off!
I went back to the orthodontist and was sad to hear that my orthodontist wanted to make"one more adjustment." He showed me what he was doing, but I couldn't really tell. My teeth look like they're all lined up already. I'm bummed that I didn't get them off, but braces were so expensive I figure I might as well keep them on until my orthodontist thinks my teeth are perfect. I didn't get any additional bands, just a wire adjustment. I didn't post a picture because I think it looks the same as before. For some reason this adjustment has been tearing up my mouth! I'm back to using wax on several spots.
It was hard to get another appointment because of the holidays. Soonest I could get is January 23rd- (hoping for good news!) and will post new pics and provide an update.
1/23/14
So I had another appointment today. I asked for a new mouth piece
for my Acceledent because it was getting a little gross, and they gave me one
from their stash. Orthodontist said my teeth were looking good, he just wanted
to get a closer alignment between my top and bottom left side and straighten
out my bottom teeth a little more. He gave me a new bottom wire and I have to
wear another triangular band on the left side for a month. He said this should
happen quickly, and to come back in 4 weeks. If everything looks good, I can
get my braces off. Pictures from today are below. My next appointment is on
2/17/15. I will keep you updated.
2/10/15
I've officially had it with my Acceledent. I mentioned before that it had been giving me problems for a while, and it went from 3 charges in between uses to one. Well since last week it has been dying half way through, even after being fully charged! I finally called them - which I should have done long ago- because apparently these devices only have a 1 year warranty! Since mine was blinking orange and green, they said it has a problem and agreed to send me a new one. As soon as I get it, I have to ship back the old one. I am relieved to have a working device again!
2/17/15
I had my appointment today and my orthodontist said my teeth looked great and I can get my braces off!! He said I can get them off this week if there's an appointment available, but of course there wasn't. At first they told me 6 weeks - I was so disappointed. They moved things around and were able to move it up to March 3rd. I will be getting my braces off and a bottom retainer put in that day. I go back the following week for an upper retainer, and then on the 31st my dentist will put caps on my two front teeth where I have gaps. I cannot wait until that is over and I have a perfect smile! As for now, no more rubber bands, no more Acceledent, I just wait until the 3rd! Acceledent was totally worth it. I know some people can't justify the price but it's worth it to me. I'm not rich, I work in accounting, just finished paying for my MBA and now I paid for braces out of pocket completely myself. But Accelerant was worth it. If it had cost anymore though, I probably would have had to reconsider. But braces are such a pain. I've gotten mostly used to them and not being self-concious. It's not just about aesthetics for me, but it's literally that they're a pain. They make my jaw hurt, they poke me and give me sores, they make eating difficult (and embarrassing), and flossing takes forever. I'll admit I've skipped flossing a couple days because it takes so long, but I worry I'll get my braces off and need even more work if I keep skipping. To me, getting these things off 5+ months early was totally worth the extra money and 20 minutes a day.
Here's a pic from today:
At my next appointment I will be getting professional photos and x-rays. I will post these and I will keep you updated after they come of on March 3rd!
2/20/15
It's funny, it's only been 3 days since I stopped using Acceledent and my teeth have felt a little weird. I'm realizing now that it's pain! Even though my braces weren't adjusted during my last appointment, I guess this is just normal pain from braces which I haven't been experiencing because Acceledent has eased the pain. It's not too bad, just uncomfortable. Can't wait to get these braces off!
3/3/15
I got my braces off today!! It was actually a little painful. They took off the wires and then used what looked like pliers to pop the brackets off. One tooth was especially painful, the others were fine for the most part. Then they used another tool that looked like pliers to scratch off most of the glue. After this, they got polished a couple times. I'm surprised how white they are! I was worried I'd have dark spots where the brackets were or that I'd have to do some serious teeth whitening to get them snow white like I wanted, but they turned out great! They don't even look like my teeth. I guess it's been a while since I've actually seen them haha. I can't stop staring at them! I also got a permanent retainer on the bottom teeth today. It's basically just like a small wire along the back of the teeth. It's painless and I can barely even feel it. My tongue isn't bothered by it. I'm happy to have this so my teeth will never shift back! I got back next week to get a permanent retainer and pictures. Here's the final product!
3/10/15
So I went back today to get a retainer for my upper teeth. It's basically Invisalign. (I finally got Invisalign! For a week...lol). It's clear, plastic, and I only need to wear it 10-11 hours a day. It's not painful and doesn't get in the way. I realized that I wasn't 100% happy with my teeth and since I paid so much, I want them to be perfect. The more I stare at them, I realize the imperfections. I think there has been some shifting since last week, and my orthodontist agreed. My mid line is not exactly lined up, and my front top teeth have shifted a bit. My orthodontist pointed out that one is slightly larger than the other, so he is going to work to gradually shave it down and shift my teeth at the same time. For now, I will wear the Invisalign retainer to keep my teeth in place until my metal retainer is ready next week. Below are the professional pictures taken today - you can see the imperfections that are going to be fixed, but yes, the top molars are going to stay like that. Unless I wanted my entire jaw shifted, I agreed in the beginning just to fix the front ones. Although I'm getting that awkward wisdom tooth out next week!
3/13/15
Today I got my upper wisdom tooth removed. I was stressing for weeks, but it went so smoothly it was actually awesome. I elected just to be numbed, not put to sleep. I got some numbing cream put on, then a few shots (which worked instantly, unlike the dentist), and he applied pressure against my gums with flat metal pieces and basically like "popped" it out. I imagined pliers were going to be in there, but no. From the time I sat down in the chair until I sat back up was less than 10 minutes! What a great oral surgeon (Dr. Alex McDonald in Oakland - if you're looking for one). I took pain meds as instructed before the numbness wore off, but I didn't end up with any pain or swelling. I ate a bagel the next day. It was a much better experience than expected! Insurance (Delta Dental) also covered most of it so it only cost me about $100.
3/20/15
So today I went back and got my metal retainer. It is going to help shift my teeth over so that my mid line matches. I'm supposed to wear it 18 hours a day. It's not painful, but will definitely take some getting used to because it feels like I have a big hunk of plastic in my mouth. At least it's not as bad as braces, and I can take it out when I want to show off my pearly whites! Below are pictures:
5/20/15
So a piece of wire in the front of my retainer broke. I'm not sure how - it must have happened while I was sleeping but I never found the piece that broke off. At first my orthodontist tried to charge me a few hundred for a new one, but since I'd been very careful with it, I didn't think it was my fault and said I wasn't going to pay. Ultimately, they did not charge me. At first they told me it would be a few weeks until I could get an appointment to pick up the new one they were making, but I kept asking "won't my teeth shift without it for a few weeks?" and the Dr. finally came out and made the receptionist fit me in a week later. When I arrived, everyone was puzzled because the new retainer did not fit at all. They concluded that my teeth had shifted so much already in a week, that they would have to make a new retainer (again). This time they had it ready for me overnight. I now have my new retainer which is shifting my teeth back to where they were. I'm a little disappointed but am hopeful that everything will work out. This is a future lesson - if you have a retainer, always wear it. I guess Acceledent has effects long after you stop using it. And be adamant about getting a replacement immediately if something happens to it.
I'm now seeing a new dentist about getting caps on my lateral incisors to make them the correct size. I was hoping to get bonding, but the dentist convinced me that veneers would last longer and look better. Plus, bonding wasn't as cheap as I'd hoped, since they'd have to do it in two steps. It ended up being about $1,300 vs. $2,000. I go back in two weeks to see what the molds look like and will keep you posted! Hopefully this will soon be the end of my journey to a perfect smile!
8/31/15
Unfortunately my mid-line still has not been straightened, so I have not gotten veneers yet. I've actually been dealing with my orthodontist for the last few months, and he's been dodging me. He admitted that it was his fault that my teeth shifted after my retainer broke, because he took so long to get me a new one, but also told me he didn't know what else he could fix. I had my new dentist (in charge of veneers) contact him so he could also explain how the mid-line needed to be shifted, and also that he left gaps too large in the front for veneers- but my ortho has been dodging him as well! I finally had a check-up appointment scheduled with my ortho (booked months ago) and I confronted him about everything and he actually agreed to give me a refund. Tomorrow morning I'm seeing a new orthodontist who will put braces on my top teeth to fix what my last orthodontist screwed up. 6 more months of braces...at least they'll be clear braces, but I'm so disappointed in my old ortho. I love my new ortho and I'm actually able to get appointments with him in a timely manner! I wish I had gone to him to begin with, but at least it's getting fixed now. I will post pictures and keep you updated so you'll (eventually) be able to see the final product.
5/1/16
So, I haven't posted in a while. I ended up getting clear braces put back on my top teeth for about 6 months. It wasn't bad, since I'd been through everything before, and it was actually a nice break to only have braces on my top teeth.
6/1/16
Braces have come off completely. I just have to wear a clear invisalign on my top teeth to keep them in place. I take it out when I'm eating, and sometimes if I go to an event or something for a few hours. In a couple months I will be able to reduce it to only night wear. Down the road, I would still like to get caps on my lateral incisors to make their size more normal, but overall I'm finally very happy with my teeth.
Please contact me if you have any questions about my journey. I'm happy to answer any questions!
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