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I didn't post when I went for my follow up last week on December 14. I actually had the follow up and I had a debanding appointment on Wednesday, December 15 but I came down with a horrible cold. I rescheduled the debanding until today.

I am happy to report that I got debanded today and am now wearing an Essix retainer on top 24 hours a day for the next year. I will wear the bottom Essix retainer until the work my dental implant is completed. My teeth look ...

The space between the upper right 5th & 6th teeth closed up very nicely but the space between the upper left 1st and 2nd teeth opened a tiny bit. My ortho and I agreed that I have waited this long for a perfect bite / teeth, that another 2 weeks in the braces will not kill me. He kept the closed power chains on but did a steel tie on the 1st and 2nd teeth to close the space.

I will go back on December 14 to check the spaces and then voila ... the braces should be ...

I went in today and the ortho says that my bite is great but I still have this one very tiny space in the upper right molars. I figured that I have waited this long, I'm better off keeping the braces on a little longer and get perfect results. My ortho mentioned that if the space doesn't close up, he may put on "buttons near the soft palate". It doesn't sound to hot to me but I'm game for whatever it takes to get the results.

The bottom teeth are fine and I have adjusted ...

I got the bottom brackets off today in the morning and my teeth look and feel great. I braced myself to have an unpleasant experience but it was pain free and quick with no problems.

I had to go back in the early afternoon for an Essix retainer for the bottom which I will only use at night until the implant on the lower left side is done in mid-January 2011. I will have some refinement done on the bottom teeth in the very near future once the teeth have settled in. ...

This power chain is working OT and made my upper 5th & 6th teeth a bit sensitive but I'm not complaining because I'm almost at the end now and looking forward to getting these babies off.

Flossing the bottom is difficult at best with both the brackets and the permanent retainer on and luckily it's only until next Tuesday. I hope that the gel/glue/ bonding agent used to hold the permanent retainer will eventually not be as rough because it sure is ripping the dental floss to shreds. ...

Well, I was clearly mistaken about getting the bottom brackets off today. Instead, I just had the permanent retainers put on the bottom teeth from the bottom left 4th tooth to the bottom 4th right tooth. I have to eat soft foods for the next 2 days just to make sure the retainer stays put (i.e. bonding takes). I return to the ortho in 1 week on Tuesday, November 2 to remove the bottom brackets (debanding).

I had a closed power chain put back on the top brackets as the ...

So, I'm a couple days behind with this post - sorry. I had my adjustment on Tuesday, October 12. The ortho removed and left off the upper power chains as he wants them to "hang out" to see if they are good to go before removing the top brackets.

I had a "closed" power chain put on from the bottom left fourth tooth to the right seventh tooth and had an impression made of the bottom teeth for a permanent retainer. My right sixth & seventh teeth were a bit ...

I went in for my adjustment today. The top was left as is. I had a minor adjustment to the bottom left 1 and right 1 and 2. My ortho says if we continue on this path, when I return on October 12, we should be talking about retainer time. I am jumping for joy over here.

Thankfully, I am not owwing my way through this adjustment. The sensitivity is just about gone and mouth is almost back to feeling "normal". My bite does feel different in a great way so no complaints.

The ortho wasn't joking when he said the right side of my mouth was going to "be a bit sore". He has never said that to me before so I was forewarned. Again, (and luckily) it is not a constant soreness. It's very much like the last adjustment where the pain was when I try to bite down / into something hard. Both top and bottom on the right side are really letting me know they are working overtime. I just keep reminding myself that I'm ahead of schedule and it will be worth it. No, ...

I went in for my adjustment today. Adjustments were made to the upper right 3 & 4 and bottom 4 teeth. My ortho says my teeth look great and think I may be finished ahead of time . I was so happy to hear that. The bottom braces could come off by mid October - not sure if I heard correctly.

I do feel the pressure from the adjustment and am hoping that I won't be "ow owwing" like I did at the last adjustment.

The teeth in the top right quadrant are not as sensitive as they were last week but now the bottom back molars are letting me know they are around. I figure now that my bite has changed/roots are being moved, I am bound to feel something. This calls for ice cream - that's my excuse and I am sticking to it.

3 weeks to my next adjustment.

Smarty pants that I am, I tried to bite down on something semi soft ... I tawt I taw a Putty Tat or did I see stars? The roots must be moving because sheeesh the upper right quadrant is really sensitive still. I'm grateful that the sensitivity is not a constant thing but rather when I bite into something semi soft or harder.

I can actually feel that my bite is different and it feels kind of weird but when I look in the mirror, I am happy. I keep looking in the mirror as though ...

Well, I can definitely tell something is going on and I know that is a good thing. Last night I tried to eat normally and felt the pain/pressure on the upper left fourth and bottom right third teeth. The ortho did tell me that I would feel some pain/pressure.

Thank goodness my pain threshold is pretty high because I actually do not need an pain meds. I just cannot bite down into anything too hard. It's a good excuse for me to have soft comfort foods .

I ...

My adjustment today went well (as usual). The wire on top had to be snipped a bit as it seems the teeth are moving closer together . I know that there is some root movement is going to take place with this adjustment (based on what I heard the ortho tell the assistant).

I am feeling a bit of pressure on the top but nothing major. 4 more months to go.