I am so excited to get started on this path to straighten my teeth. I've always been bothered by my turned eye teeth and felt like nows the time to get it fixed. None of the costs are covered under my insurance as I'm over 19 years old. I met with my orthodontist (Dr. Matt Witt) at the beginning of October and ended up going ahead with my Records appointment to determine what my treatment plan would be. Initially, Dr Matt thought I'd be a candidate for Invisalign but after considering both Invisalign and Damon Clear, I decided to go with the Damon Clear braces for my upper 8 and Damon Traditional for the rest of my teeth. Below is Dr. Matt's description of my Malocclusion: 1. Class 1 dental occlusion in the adult (secondary) dentition 2. Class 1 skeletal pattern 3. 25% overbite 4. 1mm overjet 5. Mandibular dental midline was 1mm right of the facial midline 6. Flat mandibular curve of Spee 7. Moderate maxillary and mandibular anterior dental crowding (3-5mm) 8. Significant tipping and rotation of the maxillary canines and the mandibular left canine (1.3, 2.3, 3.3) The treatment plan is to have braces on all my teeth with elastics for 18-20 months with retainers following (permanent on the bottom, removable on the top). With regards to Invisalign: "We have given consideration to Invisalign treatment but the degree of tipping and rotation required to correct the positions of the maxillary canines and the mandibular left canine makes management with Invisalign unpredictable for these teeth. Since the current position of the maxillary canines is the main motivation for treatment, we are more confident that we can achieve the aesthetic goals of treatment using braces." As part of my treatment plan recommendations, my orthodontist recommended that I get advice from a periodontist to get an assessment of the gingival attachment on my lower 6 teeth prior to treatment. I met with a Periodontist and he recommended that I complete a gingival graft prior to my braces on my lowers and that he'll monitor my uppers during my treatment to ensure my gums are healthy. This wasn't something that I was expecting so it came as a big surprise when the Periodontist said I'd need surgery. Luckily I've heard its not as bad as most people say or what the pictures online look like. My gum graft is scheduled in 2 days and I'm slightly nervous but I'm mostly just anxious to get my treatment started. The quicker the braces are put on, the quicker they come off. My braces are scheduled to be put on on Dec 1st. Updated on 17 Nov 2014: I had my gum graft this afternoon so my freezing still hasn't worn off yet so I can't be completely sure but Overall the procedure went pretty smooth. The stint is kind of uncomfortable to wear and I feel a bit of discomfort in my pallet along with some bleeding which is normal. 2 weeks today the braces go on so I know it will be worth it. Updated on 23 Nov 2014: I'm still healing from my gum graft last Monday (today is Sunday). Overall, every day has been much better than the day previous. A bit of the actual procedure and a few pictures of my gum graft (sorry if they're too graphic and the long recount of my experience). My appointment time was scheduled for 2:10pm and I was a few minutes early for my appointment but they took me right in. The assistant had me sit in the chair and she let my Periodontist know that I was there. He came in right away and asked if I had any questions at all since I last saw him. I asked about how long I should wear my stent and how much medication I should have to manage the pain. He said most of the information was included in the package I would receive as I leave but he recommended that I leave the stent in for the first 24 hours to ensure that the palate had time to heal and clot before the stent was removed to prevent further bleeding. He recommended taking 400-600mg of Advil every 4 hours to help with the pain. Overall, the Periodontist really helped put me at ease about the procedure. He assured me that if I had any questions or concerns following my surgery, I could call him anytime on his cell phone (which was on the answering machine on the office line). With that, I was leaned back, a bib was attached to sit on top of my chest (just like the dentist) and the light was positioned to perfectly blind me. Thankfully, they provided some tinted safety glasses. First, he applied some numbing gel to my palate and the gums in front of my lower 6 teeth. He let that sit for a few minutes while he talked through a few other suggestions and tips (eating soft foods or smoothies for the first few days as I felt comfortable and to keep my stent on while eating, drinking and sleeping until I felt okay to take it off). Then he used a needle (larger than normal, I think) to put freezing on my lower gums (1 on each side) and on my palate (2-3). We chatted for a few minutes while I tried to not drool too much. He made sure I knew that I couldn't floss or brush the area until I was cleared on my follow up appointment in a few weeks. I just had to brush and floss the rest of my teeth and apply a bit of a mouthwash solution that they gave me with a dabbing motion using a Q-tip. The Periodontist made sure I was frozen. Then he started. He made an incision right across my lower 6 teeth gum-line. It was very quiet as he did this, no sounds except the suction. The assistant tried to ensure that the blood was kept to minimum by suctioning. Once the gums were exposed, he explained that he would start on the palate. He tested my palate with an instrument to make sure I was frozen and then made 1 or 2 incisions to remove the tissue needed. More suctioning was needed with the palate area to keep it free blood so that the Dr could see what he was doing. Once the tissue was free from my palate, he placed the tissue into a cup and then they got to work with stitching up my palate and placing the stent in my mouth. Then he started inserting the tissue onto my gums. Once the tissue was placed, he used dissolvable stitches, one on each side to secure the tissue and then used stitches along the length of the gum to complete the sutures. He finished the procedure by applying glue on top of the stitches to help hold everything in place. I was all done and was leaving the office after setting up my follow up appointment in 2 weeks (Dec 1) all within an hour. I'd say the procedure probably only took 40-45 minutes. I was nervous during the procedure but I couldn't feel anything. I left the office feeling very frozen - more frozen then I've ever been and the freezing in my palate made it feel like my tongue was partially frozen and maybe even my nose, it was very odd. I was frozen for about 4-5 hours and then I felt some pain but not much because I kept up with my Advil. My Periodontist called me that night to check in with me and check my pain level. The next few days got progressively better. If you're getting a similar procedure, I'd recommend taking the next day off of work or working from home to prevent talking too much which pulls at the stitches and is painful. 3 days after the surgery, I started wearing the stent only when I was eating (well drinking) my meals. 4 days after the surgery, I started noticing that a white piece was starting to lift on one side. I called my Periodontist on his cell since it was his day off and he was happy to hear from me and was quick to reassure me that it was the glue that was starting to lift off of the gums and that it was completely normal. 5 days after the surgery, I was able to start eating some solid foods (all with my stent in). 6 days after, more glue is starting to lift and I'm able to smile more and not talk as stiff. My worst complaint is that the gauze that was placed on top of my stitches on my palate is starting to hold quite a bit of bacteria so I'm hoping that the stitches dissolve quickly so that the gauze falls off and I can feel fresher. I've read online that it takes 6 weeks for the gums to completely heal. 1 week tomorrow, I get my braces on! My Orthodontist decided to place my braces on by hand rather than using the "mouthguard" option where they pre-position all of my brackets in a mouthguard prior to me getting to the office to let my gums heal a bit longer. Updated on 28 Nov 2014: Only 3 more days until my braces go on! Over the last few days, I've been healing up quite well! The glue that was holding the graft in place on one side has lifted off but the other side is being persistent in holding on and in fact is starting to bunch up close to my gumline. I'm a bit concerned but I'm sure it's normal. I see the Periodontist again on Monday morning before my braces go on for my 2 week follow up so I will find out more information then. As far as pain and discomfort, I'm pretty much back to normal although the extra glue is a bit uncomfortable when eating and I still try to avoid eating on the side that had the tissue removed from my palate. No more pain medication and I haven't worn my stent since the bandage fell off my palate on Monday. I've attached a photo from a few days ago to show you what my gums look like - I'm hoping the glue will lift on the one side over the weekend so its less uncomfortable. Other than that, nothing new to report! Updated on 1 Dec 2014: This morning, I had a quick appointment/checkup by my Periodontist to check in on how my gum graft was healing. He was very happy with how well it looked and how well I've healed so I've been given the go ahead to begin flossing normally and after using a very soft-bristled toothbrush for 2 weeks, I can return to normal brushing too! He will be checking my upper gums every 6 months during my treatment to make sure there's no further recession of my gums. After my Perio appointment, I went straight to my Orthodontist. After watching a brief video about how to take care of my teeth during treatment, I was brought to the back to have my teeth prepped for my braces. First they used a lip spreader and a tongue depressor to keep the area clear while they began. The assistant polished my teeth and then used a bit of gauze full of something bitter/sour to wipe my teeth, then she washed everything clear and applied the bonding agent to all of my teeth. The Orthodontist (Dr. Matt) then positioned and placed each of my brackets and then set them individually. The bracket placement only took 40 minutes and then the assistant put elastic separator/spacers between 2 of my back molars on either side. Then the wire went into position and each of the bracket doors were closed. It was such an odd sensation to feel pressure with each door closing. Once everything was done, Dr. Matt checked my bite to make sure my brackets weren't hitting my teeth. Unfortunately, 1 tooth on my left side was hitting my bracket so I had to get a piece of material placed on my teeth to prevent me from biting down fully, luckily it's quite minimal and he mentioned I'd only need to have it there for 4-8 weeks until that one tooth shifted. I'm not in much pain, just some tension and pressure but I stuck with liquid foods (smoothies and yogurt) all day just to be safe. I'm super happy with how the clear brackets look - best $300 I ever spent! I had a meeting this afternoon with someone that knew I was getting braces and he thought I had Invisalign because he could hardly see them from 5 feet away. Overall, I'm excited to see how much my teeth will change each month! I go back in next Wednesday to have metal bands placed around my back molars on either side of my mouth on my lower jaw. I guess I'll find out when I'm going in next for a wire change then. Updated on 5 Dec 2014: I thought I'd update my profile with my thoughts on my first 5 days with braces. I mentioned previously that as soon as the metal arch wire was put in, I felt pressure. That pressure has continued throughout the week. The bite turbo's that I have to prevent biting onto a bracket and the elastic spacers I have between my 2 back molars on my lower jaw have meant a lot of pressure and some pain on the back half of my mouth. It makes it very uncomfortable to chew anything - even blueberries in my yogurt/oatmeal. My front teeth (especially my canines which are my biggest concern) are sensitive as well as all my teeth get used to having pressure applied to them 24/7. I don't think I mentioned that I have to wear elastics (1 on each side) as close to all day as possible. I take them out to eat or brush my teeth. But the good news is that it gets better! I was able to chew some lightly toasted bread last night (albeit slowly) and I was able to have some chili which is a lot more satisfying then the shakes I've been having all day, every day for the rest of the week! I've also had great responses from my family and friends about how my braces look. My boyfriend's parents even asked if I had the braces that are placed on the backside of my teeth because they couldn't see them (to be fair we were in the family room where it wasn't highly lit). Foods to live by in your first few days of having braces: yogurt, oatmeal, protein shakes, soups, warm water, frozen yogurt/ice cream. Tomorrow's the big test, my boyfriend and I are having a housewarming and we're having lots of friends and family over and most of them don't know I've begun this journey so it will be fun! I've planned to have a lot of dips with softer chips (Lays) so that I can still eat during the party. Updated on 15 Dec 2014: My braces were put on 2 weeks ago and I've had almost no pain except for the archwire poking my cheek and the tenderness/soreness in my molars while chewing. Last Wednesday I had my elastic spacers removed to put the bands around my rear molars on my lower jaw. It wasn't very painful during the procedure, just a lot of putting the band on, taking it off to adjust the size of the band and then putting the band on again until it was ready to cement into place. My orthodontist also mentioned that although the archwire poking into my teeth wasn't fun, it was a sign that progress is being made! He said I could go back to the office anytime the archwire did that in the future....but it is a 40 min drive each way so maybe ortho wax is the way to go if I don't have too long until my next appointment. Dr. Matt said he wanted to see my in 6 weeks so I've booked my next appointment for Jan 22/2015. After the bands were cemented onto my tooth, they replaced my archwire on my lower jaw to a stiffer wire - hopefully that means more shifting before my next appointment! The entire appointment took about 60 minutes. As soon as I left the dentist I could feel my teeth become more sensitive and chewing was a bit difficult but not painful, just more sensitive especially around the bite turbo's. I did take an Advil later in the day to make sure I was able to eat dinner normally that evening. Overall I'm very pleased with how well I'm able to handle the pain/sensitivity. It just takes me a bit longer to chew through my food at meal times and a bit longer to brush my teeth after every meal but other than those small inconveniences, there's been no change to my day-to-day. I can't wait to see some changes and movement in my teeth though! Updated on 7 Jan 2015: I meant to post these pictures last week when I took them - exactly 1 month from when the braces went on on Dec 1st. I don't see much change from my before photo's although I do notice a difference when I floss between all of my teeth with the exception of 2-3. There is a lot more space between my teeth now!! Before braces, I had to struggle and wiggle the floss back and forth to get the floss between my teeth. Now the floss literally slides right down without any effort. That part is pretty remarkable so I anticipate some more movement this month to shift some of my teeth back to hopefully begin rotating my canine teeth - here's hoping! In my pictures you can also see my elastics on my teeth as well as the pictures of my elastics as well. My elastics are the "Quail". The elastics attach to the tooth to my upper bicuspid right behind my canine teeth to my lower 2nd to last molar. As for pain, I don't have a lot of pain anymore however there's always 1 or 2 teeth that are sensitive at any given time. Right now its my center left incisor on my lower teeth. Last week it was my upper left canine that was bothering me. It usually only bothers me for a few days at the most and isn't really painful without pressure being applied to it - like when I eat - so for the most part, it's completely bearable. My next wire change is Jan 21 (in 2 weeks!) so I'm really looking forward to some more movement within the next 6-8 weeks! Updated on 15 Jan 2015: I just thought I'd update you all and let you know that for the last week or so, I've been pretty much pain free. Not that I had pain every day for the first 4 weeks but I definitely had sensitive teeth that made me think before I chewed on a piece of food! It's a weird feeling after having sensitive teeth for 4 weeks straight....but I'm not complaining. I know that after Thursday next week, I'll go through the same thing cycle once my new wires are put on. But for now, I will be happy with eating food that I might not be able to eat for few days next week! Happy Thursday! Updated on 22 Jan 2015: Morning! So I just got back to work after having my wire change so I'd thought I'd update my review right away so I hopefully didn't forget any details. Dr. Paul (Dr. Matt's dad, the original owner of the Ortho practice I go to) first examined my teeth after asking whether or not I was happy or not with the progress so far. He mentioned that he's pretty happy with the progress so far and felt that we could change from a 14 wire on top and a 16 wire on bottom to a 18c wire on both. He wants to keep those wires on for a full 8 weeks and feels that we should be able to see a full rotation of all of my eye teeth within the next 8 weeks! Once my eye teeth are rotated, he wants to change to a rectangular archwire! My dental care has been awesome and he's happy with the progress on my bite with the elastics I've been using. I'll continue to use the same Quail elastics for now. He did mention that my molars on my lower left side may need to have the brackets re-positioned once the molars have rotated to ensure that I have the same teeth height - perhaps one of the brackets was originally positioned too high or too low. The rectangular archwire as I understand it is best used once basic alignment has been achieved using the round archwire. The rectangular archwire controls tooth movement better than a round wire. If the orthodontist puts the rectangular archwire on too quickly then there is a higher risk of the archwire causing a bracket to lift or pop off any teeth that still require rotation or aligning. I'm really hopeful that we can switch to the rectangular archwire in March but I'm more excited to see how straight my teeth will be once my eye teeth are rotated back into place! I'll post new pictures on Feb 1 once I've had 2 full months in my Damon braces. Updated on 18 Mar 2015: Although I'm uploading the pictures late, these are photo's from Mar 1st (13 weeks after my braces were first put on). I didn't have any pain at all in at least 3 or 4 weeks and there were some changes in my teeth since my Ortho appointment in January. I noticed that: - a space formed almost immediately following my last wire change between my canine tooth and the tooth in front of it on my right side, like within a few hours - crazy! - a space began forming between my 2 front teeth on my upper arch - tooth sensitivity was way lower than my first month in braces - my lower teeth look like they're kind of slanted, but straight I'm still wearing my Quail elastics almost 24/7 except for when eating or brushing. They don't bother me at all and in fact, I forget that I'm wearing them sometimes when I start eating, then remember and take them off before I swallow them (anymore, oops!). I feel like my teeth are almost straight and all in line, the canines do have to move back a bit in position but visually they look almost straight! Super pumped how much my teeth will change when I upgrade to the rectangular wire! Updated on 18 Mar 2015: So I had my Ortho Appointment (Appt #4) yesterday morning for my wire change - upgrading to the rectangular arch wire and I also upgraded my elastics from the 2 oz. Quails to the 4.5 oz Kangaroo's. It was the same sort of sensation when changing my wire, I felt immediate pressure when the arch wire was clipped into each bracket but the pressure from the elastics was even more noticeable as soon as I put them on. I am still putting the elastics on the same teeth/position and am to continue wearing the Kangaroo's until my next appointment in 4 weeks. I was told to hang onto the Quail elastics in case I use those again further along in my treatment. So a little bit of information over the last 2 weeks since my Feb 1st update. I should have taken a picture of my lower 2 front teeth as the 1 tooth was starting to move even further behind my other front tooth, not a that it was super noticeable but I could feel it with my tongue and I could see it in the mirror. I mentioned it to the assistant before she changed my arch wire and I kid you not, as soon as she put in the new wire and within the 2-5 min. until Dr. Matt came in to take a look at my progress, the teeth were almost straight again. That is crazy how much it moves within such a short period of time! So from the pictures, I'm starting to notice a huge change (even between Week 13 and 15) on my canine teeth position. Dr. Matt said that I should notice an even more significant change by my next appointment in mid-April. I did hear Dr. Matt mention to the assistant to make a note that they might put on a power chain on my front 6 teeth on my uppers. Power chains are used to close the gaps between the teeth and I know I'll have some more gaps by next month. I still have the gap between my canine and the tooth in front of it on my right upper arch and I still have a slight gap between my 2 front teeth so I imagine these gaps might get wider in that time. The timing kind of sucks for a power chain since it will be more noticeable because I'm going away in May for a Bachelorette party in Arizona...but oh well, hopefully I have the power chain off before the wedding in June. It's been 26 hours since I had my wire change and new elastics and I'm still on Advil every 4-5 hours as my mouth is still sore and my teeth surfaces are quite sensitive. My mouth was pretty sore and stiff feeling when I woke up this morning but the pain wasn't too bad, I still took some Advil when I got to the office though since I'll be talking more throughout the day. Luckily most of the food I eat is soft so my eating habits won't change too much except for when I eat my apple bites, those hurt. Looking forward to my next update in 4 weeks at Week 19 :) Updated on 6 Apr 2015: Updating my review with pictures from Week 17.5. These pics were taken April 2nd. I still have gaps between my upper lateral incisor and my canine teeth on both uppers but I know with the Power Chain going on in Week 19, those will close pretty quickly. The other issue that I know my Ortho will be fixing shortly is my bite. Also, as you can see from the last picture in today's review, there's a gap between my upper and lower arch so it makes it very difficult to eat things like sandwiches or even toast because its difficult to bite into something and tear it off. I usually have to use my molars to complete the tear off. It's sort of frustrating but I know its part of the process so I'm just making do as I go. As for the new elastics, they haven't bothered me at all in awhile as my teeth must be used to their strength now. I'm really looking forward to my next Ortho appointment to see what else we'll be working on besides the gaps. I'll update again on the 14th of April :) Updated on 15 Apr 2015: I had Ortho Appt #5 yesterday morning and as expected, I had a power chain attached to my upper arch from canine to canine to help tighten up my teeth and eliminate my gaps between my canines and my lateral incisor. They also went up 2 wire sizes on my lower arch and up 1 wire size on my upper arch. I'm using the same Kangaroo elastics as my last appointment for now. As soon as the power chain was put on, I could feel pressure on my front teeth but overall, just the same sensitivity as I always get. I was really pleased with how little I notice the power chain - can you even see it behind my wire in the pictures? I also asked my Ortho about my bite and when I might be able to eat a sandwich again...he figures that by my next appointment or shortly after my next appointment, my bite will have improved quite a bit. He explained that because my canine teeth had to rotate over the last few months, my front teeth have probably flared out a bit to make room for that rotation, now that the power chain has been added to pull the teeth together in addition to the stronger wires, my teeth should start to pull in and straighten up because it has the room to. All in all, no other complaints. It's still a pain to clear out food after I eat (especially salad) but I'm pretty used to my routine now. My next appointment is on May 25th - 6 weeks. Updated on 16 Apr 2015: I had to update you all on this... 48 hours after the power chain went onto my front 6 teeth, the gap has fully closed on one side and is almost closed on the other! Unreal...and no wonder that my teeth have been very sore since my Ortho appt 2 days ago. Just had to share with you all :) Updated on 28 May 2015: I had Ortho Appt #6 on Monday morning. I had my power chain replaced with a new light silver one to freshen it up (it was starting to get a bit dingy). I also went up 1 wire size on both of my arches, apparently it's the 2nd largest size so I'm getting closer to fine adjustments. My gaps have almost fully closed on my front upper 6 teeth but I'm guessing the power chain was put back on to ensure that the gaps stay closed. I was okay with that as I you can hardly see it. I also moved up a size or 2 on my elastics, moving up from the Kangaroo elastics to the Ram which is a 6 oz. elastic. Dr. Matt did mention that I'll have to keep an eye on my teeth to ensure that my bite isn't over-corrected as my overjet is very small now so if I feel my bottom teeth hit the backside of my upper teeth, I have to go down to wearing the elastics only at night or going back to the Kangaroo's. As for my bite, it has improved so, so much. Take a look at the picture, it's incredible how much it's improved in 6 weeks. My next appointment is in early July, 6 more weeks. Updated on 9 Mar 2016: First off - I am so sorry that I haven't updated in awhile! I have tried many times to upload over my phone but it hasn't worked so fingers crossed this one does! I've now had my braces on for 15 months and I am so pleased with my results so far but also cannot wait for them to come off too!! Not much has changed in treatment other than being without rubber bands for months now and the fact that they had to reposition 10 brackets 2 months ago to perform my final adjustments. It was awesome seeing a sneak peak of my teeth without brackets though and I was glad I was able to sneak a photo as well!! See attached for my sneak peek! Overall I am so happy I did get braces after years of putting it off, the nuisance and pain will be so worth it in the end. I can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel and my Ortho is thinking I'm a few months away from getting them off!! Let me know what you think! Updated on 8 Sep 2022: I realized that I didn’t post any photos once my braces were removed. My teeth look amazing and with the use of my retainers and my fixed retainer on my lower teeth, my teeth look as good as they did when my braces were removed. Looking back at the photos, I can’t believe how much my teeth have changed! My originally treatment time was 18 months but I ended up having braces longer as they were trying to perfect some spacing and alignment. As I was getting closer to my wedding date (Jan 2017), by Nov 2016 I was ready to have them off. My retainers were made and my permanent retainer to hold my lower 6 teeth in place was placed as well. Overall I’m thrilled with my results, treatment and the orthodontist as well. Their entire team was wonderful.
Gingival hypertrophy/hyperplasia is a common side effect of orthodontic treatment, often resulting from less than ideal oral hygiene while the braces are on. Usually the gums return to their original size but sometimes there is residual gingival enlargement. In these cases, you should discuss with your dentist or orthodontist about a procedure called gingivoplasty or ginigivectomy to surgically remove the excess gum tissue. This procedure can be performed by your dentist, your orthodontist, or a periodontist depending on the services offered. Often this can make your teeth look bigger and your gums look smaller. Talk to your dentist or orthodontist for further information.
In theory, having excess overjet could make your teeth less stable because they don't fit together to keep each other in check. HOWEVER, teeth will always want to move as a natural part of aging so the difference is rather negligible. Regardless of what your overjet is, you need an upper retainer and a lower retainer to prevent tooth movement. People who stop wearing their retainers will experience an unpredictable amount of shifting, not "just a bit of shifting". It is a bad idea to stop wearing your retainer, regardless of how much overjet you have. If you are unhappy with your overjet, it is likely you can always get extractions or jaw surgery to correct it down the road. For now, wear your retainers!
If you can feel your separators (the little rubber "donuts" that fit between your teeth to create band space) then chances are everything is fine -- it can be difficult to see them since they generally are in the back of your mouth. However, in rare circumstances the separators can slip below the contact point between the teeth and become imbedded in the gums. I would call your orthodontist to ensure that everything is okay. They can advise you best on how to proceed.
