This one's for John: an update!

Greetings Followers,

I am truly sorry for not being an avid blogger in terms of regular updates and such. I have been studying French in Quebec, Canada, for the past 6 weeks.

So what's new? This past Monday I seen my orthodontist. She is extremely pleased with the eruption and guidance of the impacted canine. It has erupted a lot since an elastic power chain had been applied back in June! On monday, an additional power chain had been added. The new power chain/ elastic connects to the left lateral incisor.  Also on Monday, my left lateral incisor received a bracket (finally); It was also laced to other teeth in the top arch. I don't feel much pressure on the incisor, maybe because it is not connected to the arc wire. However, I feel some pain from the impacted canine as it is being pulled with more force now.

The bottom brackets and arch wire was applied in June. There is a coil spring trying to make room for a tooth to be pulled into the arch. So many coils! I already see a difference in my bottom teeth in just six weeks.

Some good news: my orthodontist said I may not even require surgery, but it is too early to tell.

I avoided one surgery already: impacted canine. Let's see if I can escape a second one!

John, here are some pics! I will try my best to update on time!

One last note: I am inspired at the energy of some fellow bloggers and want to take the time to wish Laura congratulations on her recent surgery and recovery!


-Shane

Update! Next Thursday, June 14, I am scheduled to get my bottom braces applied! Also, and much anticipated, I will be having my lateral incisor bracketed as well and that coil will hopefully be removed! 1.5 Years of having a coil spring in my mouth has been 1.5 years too many! I will most likely have to get a pan of my mouth done as well. I may have to be referred to an oral surgeon for exposure.

Pictures next week!

Impacted Maxillary left canine

Have I spoken about discomfort lately? Well, now I will.

Since last November, my impacted maxillary canine began naturally erupting  in the space created by the coil spring. During an appointment in December my orthodontist said things were looking good. At my next appointment in early February, she seemed a little concerned and mentioned how she thought she would have to refer me to have the canine surgically exposed. Nonetheless, at the same time she said it looked to be coming through the gum. I had a pan taken. I am easily confused and left with mixed feelings after most visits with my orthodontist. My last visit in March was okay. I had another pan taken. She does not discuss any pans with me. Okay, now I am rambling. My point: I am in pain, and it doesn't feel right.

Has anyone seen that Episode of the Simpsons where Lisa requires braces, and the orthodontist demonstrates how she will fare if her teeth are not correct? Needless to say, it was terrifying. There were teeth every where and in every direction. Well, I feel like that most days. My teeth are starting to make me sad.

Here are some scholarly links on impacted maxillary canines:

 http://www.dishekdergi.hacettepe.edu.tr/htdergi/makaleler/20062.sayi8.makale.pdf


http://www.dentalxp.com/articles/Kokich-Surgical%20and%20Ortho%20Management%20Maxillary%20K9%20.pdf

left lateral incisor, impacted maxillary canine

A couple weeks ago I noticed how much my very crooked  left lateral incisor has been moving. It looks as if it is right over the impacted canine that is trying to erupt. It's the pain of the in the area of the overlapping incisor and impacted canine that hurts a lot. I vaguely remember my orthodontist mentioning there are concerns in situations like this -with overlap - with regards to the nerve of the incisor. My ortho has not indicated whether or no my canine is palatally impacted or labially impacted. However, I think I overheard her saying it has good angulation.

 I am just nervous about my oral situation, and my orthodontist and staff do not make me feel very positive. Do you think I should ask my ortho to give me more information as to how she plans to work in the maxillary and whether or not surgical exposure will be required? I have been in braces for 14 months and this is a different type of pain that I am feeling.

Bite (April 2012)

One year anniversay in braces!

Whoa! So an entire year has passed since I started orthodontic treatment.

**Reflection: During the year we've lost some great people, one of which was my mentor and inspiration: Elizabeth Taylor. I wrote her a letter as a young boy to which I received a letter back as well as an autographed photo. Yesterday brought the news of another tragic death, that of Whitney Houston...I'm still not over Michael's death. All of the greats are leaving us. **

On Februrary 6 I celebrated a full year in braces - I'm thoroughly embracing it! I seen my orthodontist on February 9 for a regular appointment. At that time the assistant placed a band around one of my molars. *The week before my appointment I was given 2 blue elastic "circular" -looking items to be placed between the molar on each side; this was done to create some space for the band and reduce any tension during the installation of it.*  There was no pain felt from the band during the visit nor after. The band makes my molar look like a big black / grey cavity.

The glue/paste used in to maintain adhesion of the band to the molar did not taste as bad as some of the comments I had been reading suggested. I may be biased, as I love going to the dentist.

My orthodontist does not interact with me much which concerns me a bit. She comes to check on me during each appointment for a maximum of 3 minutes. I'm a class III case, with an impacted cuspid and I feel maybe it deserves a little more attention. I had a pan of my mouth done in November, however the assistant took another pan on the 6th (partly because I had said it was my one year anniversary...and pans are done every 6 mths apparently). She has said that my orthodontist must not have viewed the pan from November so she 'flagged' the new one. I'm paying so much money, I just hope that she is taking my case seriously.

Other than the band, nothing new has been happening. It's a progress. I've been reading that sometimes people with braces who see their changes as minor can get depressed. I've been getting a little sad, I have not progressed that much from my view point. I am just so eager to smile, and anxiously looking forward to that day.  I've attached some recent images. My teeth look yellow. Fitting a smartphone in ones mouth doesn't yield the best images.