(Mr Ziff) -

molds checked to see if they fit my mouth as a shape of my teeth

to have a mold of my teeth as they are before braces removed and implant put in

gave me molds and letter to take to mr s

i tried to get earlier app with mr s but he's fully booked up, i think gap has shut now and wanted to progress quicker as wedding to consider!

(Mr Ziff) -

molds taken so mr ziff has mold of my teeth so implant mock-up thing can be made

Hooks and measurements galore!

At this appointment I had a lot done.

First Mr S wanted to remove my wires, so he set about the lengthy task of trying to open my stubborn brackets.

Nicky the nurse got sent to get a water jet to help unclog my brackets.
The first jet wasn't very good and Mr S wasn't very happy with it.
So they experimented on me with a new spray which was much more powerful.
It vibrated the brackets open as it was so powerful!

He used it with warm water which felt much better then cold water.
The ony bad thing was all the spray that went on my face as it was very powerful!

Mr S asked how it felt from my point of view and whether it had caused discomfort.
I said it was fine.

Once the brackets were open, Mr S marked on the wires the gaps between the brackets and then removed the wires.
This felt weird as my false tooth is attached to my top wire so I had my gap back.

Mr S then attached hooks for my operation onto the wires he had earlier marked.

Once he'd finished that, he closed my brackets up (without the wires in) and prepared me for some molds/impressions.

I needed to have 3 sets done. Mr S said this is so the surgeon Mr O can cut them up and play around with them to figure out what the best way to move my jaw is.

After the impressions were done, he then got me to bite on a piece of wax to show my bite, then he got another piece of wax which I bit and he attached it to an appliance which measures how my jaw is held together.

It looks kinda like this.. (<< see link)

After that I rinsed and Mr S reopened my brackets to put the wires with the hooks attached back in.

He then gave me a small mirror to hold in my mouth on each side while he took photos.

Nicky then handed me a mirror and damp cloth so I could clean my face up.

Mr S then wished me well and said he's looking forward to seeing me after the operation. They also gave me an appointment for the 18th, 4 days after my operation.
Nicky said that as I'll be groggy I will always be the first one in.
She said if I'm not up to it, I can ring or get someone else to ring to cancel it.

Photos of new wiring and hooks: (click images to see close-ups)


Open bite


Closed bite


Top


Bottom


Left


Right


Hooks in detail!

Ready to go!

Check up on the impressions.

I sat down on the chair as usual and Mr S looked at the impressions taken at my last appointment, he showed me how they fit together quite nicely apart from small gaps between my top and bottom molars.
He said he can sort that out after the operation.

I was a bit stunned when he said this as it seems I am finally ready for my operation. I must say I am starting to feel nervous and excited now.

Mr S had a look at my teeth, gave them a quick clean to remove some plaque and changed my 7 elastic ligatures which had gone a emerald colour again.

Mr S also took some photos of my face.
Facing him I had a normal shot with my mouth closed. Then one with my lips slightly open and one with me smiling showing teeth (which I never do).
Another with me facing towards the corner so he has my face at an angle on the photo.
And he took one more with my face facing to the right.

He then sent me for an X-ray and said my next appointment will be a joint clinic with the surgeon Mr O and Mr S. Eek!

I went and sat outside to wait for my X-ray and removed my earrings in anticipation.

For the X-ray I had to sit on a chair and a machine was behind my head.
It had ear plugs which go into my ears (presumably to hold my head steady)

I was told to look ahead and hold my teeth together but keep my lips relaxed.
I had my teeth and lips closed and the X-ray lady wasn't sure if my lips were supposed to be open or not, so she left me and went and asked.

Mr S's nurse came back with her and told me to just close my teeth and keep my lips relaxed as closing my lips may change the position of my jaw.

I eventually managed to keep my lips in the relaxed position which for me means they do stay open slightly. It feels weird though as I guess I'm used to closing my lips all the time.

I had the X-ray taken and then waited to make sure it came out okay.
After waiting for about 10 mins I was told I can go.

I'll see the X-ray at my next appointment with the surgeon and Mr S.

Impressions... same old, same old

Impressions time again!

Mr S and his dental nurse were talking about which size tray to use.
I interrupted saying "last time you used the small trays but had to redo them with the big trays as they were too small".

Mr S thanked me and said "At least someone remembers". Lol.

Well I didn't exactly want to go through 5 trays again, did I?!

Anyway so the top and bottom impressions were done using the big trays in the usual way without removing my wires first. (You know the procedure by now, putty stuff is put in your mouth on a U shaped plastic tray which sits on the teeth. you then bite down hard on it and when it has hardened, it is then eased it off the teeth).

Bottom impression almost got messed up like the last time.
He asked me to adjust the opening of my mouth then remembered as I did it that it messes up the mold so asked me to close again.

My 7 silver elastic ligs were changed again, (they'd become discoloured and gone a weird emerald colour), the powerchain put in at the last appointment was removed and I got to clean the putty bits on my face using a dampened cloth and mirror handed to me by the nurse.

I also asked Mr S to have a look at my top wire as it was sticking into my gum right at the back on the left, painful!
He cut and filed it down for me, much better!

Next app we get to see the new changes if any.

Silly gaps!

Mr S told me my gaps are closing up and I'm gradually getting closer to being ready for the operation now.

Wait a minute, haven't I heard this all before? I've been told on separate occasions first by Miss M (and then by Mr S when he took over) my operation should have been in 2006 and 2007, now it's in 2008. Hmm...

Anyway, today I had my wires changed on the top teeth and the usual ligs changed to replace the ones which have turned emerald.

I also had a powerchain put near the back of my mouth to close up some gaps (photo below).
Mr S almost forgot the powerchain, he'd put the chair up and had to put it down again!

He said next time I'll have some more molds/impressions done.
I said "Again?" and he said "Yes, they are needed to look at the new positions"
Meh! It hasn't been that long since I had them last done. Oh well..

Photos taken 31st Dec:


Bite (click image to see close-up)


Open bite (click image to see close-up)


Top (click image to see close-up)


Bottom (click image to see close-up)


Left (click image to see close-up)


Right (click image to see close-up)


Left top back (click image to see close-up)


Right top back (shows discoloured powerchain - click image to see close-up)

New set-up!

My new mold/ impression from my last appointment was brought out and I was able to see how much my teeth have changed since I first started my brace treatment.
There's a big difference!

Unfortunately I have a few top back teeth out of line that need tweaking before the operation.
Mr S told me the operation is now likely to be in the first half of next year (anytime up to June).
It keeps getting pushed back and back!
This is disappointing as I wanted the operation to be over and done with :o(

In this appointment, Mr S removed my top wire and then removed the back second molar rings on my top teeth and also the first molar ring on the top left.

He then replaced these with new tighter rings and put a new wire on my top teeth.
He also used a thinner wire to band and secure in my false tooth and to help my teeth that are out of line to move quicker into line with the rest of the teeth.

I didn't realise till after I'd left that he had criss-crossed this thinner wire along the top front teeth. It looks quite cool actually!

He also replaced my silver elastic ligatures, (apart from the top one, which is now banded up with the thin wire) and put an extra lig on my bottom central incisor which still has an in-ovation bracket.
(The ligs had turned emerald again).

NB: Photos


Bite with criss cross on top teeth (click image to see close-up)


Top


Bottom


Close up of my false tooth to show how it sits on top of my gum

The joy of molds/ impressions

I was scared about getting these impressions done as it's the first time I had molds/impressions done since having my braces on.

Mr S didn't bother removing my wires, (I thought he might do from what I'd heard from others who have had impressions done with braces on).

First he did my top jaw impressions with a small tray.
(You know the procedure by now, putty stuff is put in your mouth on a U shaped plastic tray which sits on the teeth. you then bite down hard on it and when it has hardened, it is then eased it off the teeth).

Then he repeated the process for my bottom jaw with a small tray.
He then said the small tray wasn't big enough, so repeated the top and bottom jaws with a bigger tray.
Then he did the top jaw again with the bigger sized tray as the other mold/impression wasn't quite right.

Mr S then set about removing bits of putty stuck in my braces and cleaned my mouth out with the water jet and sucker.
(My poor sensitive teeth suffered whilst he was doing this).
The nurse then handed me a dampened cloth and mirror to clean up the putty bits on my face.

This took about an hour in total.
I had a head rush when I got back up again after lying down for so long!

Ah well, I'm glad that's all over!

NB: Mr S also changed my 7 silver elastic ligs which had become discoloured and gone a weird emerald colour.

Ouch.....

In my appointment today, Mr S went a bit drastic and pulled 6 of the doors/ clips off on some of my bottom brackets and 1 of my top brackets.

This was a pretty painful process. He used a pliers type tool on the clips and had to rock them from side to side to free them from the bracket.

This caused pressure on my teeth and hurt a bit.

In using this method, one of my central incisor bottom brackets came off accidentally. He replaced this one with a normal In-ovation bracket.

During this process, I involuntarily let out a small squeak which made Mr S ask "Are you okay poppet? I heard a squeak".
That made me grin as I didn't mean for it to happen!

The doors/ clips removed were replaced with silver elastic ligatures! (ligs for short)
I'll have to ask if I can get coloured ligs now, hehe.
Hmm... the possibilities!

He decided to remove them as he was having so much difficulty with opening them to do a simple wire change.

He says he will eventually change all of my brackets so I'll have no self-ligating brackets left.

He then changed my wires and filed down my false tooth so it looks more natural next to my other top central incisor.

He said at my next appointment, I'll be having mold/impressions done and if they look okay and need no tweaking, my next appointment will be a joint clinic with Mr S and Mr O (the surgeon).

NB: Photos


Banding


Bite


Top


Bottom


Bottom2

Emergency appointment!

Disaster has struck again.

This time a bracket on one my bottom pre-molars has come off the tooth. It is still on the wire so moves back and forth.

The orthodontist I saw removed the bracket and said it doesn't need replacing as she looked at my mold/ impression and it turns out those teeth haven't moved yet so it won't affect them.

She also made the excuse that she's used to type 3 Damon brackets and I have type 2 which she isn't used to opening and closing.

Hmm... no wonder she took a while removing that bracket!

NB: The little gap I had where my missing tooth was has now fully closed up.

The waiting game begins...

Today I had x-rays and a mold/ impression taken of my teeth and jaws.

For the mold/ impression, putty stuff is put in your mouth on a U shaped plastic tray which sits on the teeth.
(The putty stuff can make you gag if you don't breathe calmly through your nose).

I had to bite down hard on it and when it has hardened, it is then eased it off my teeth (this is scary as it seems some of your teeth might get pulled out too).
It's then repeated for your other jaw.

For the x-rays (this is the first time I've had these done) I had to remove all my jewellery (given to my Dad for safe keeping) and put on a heavy waistcoat to protect me from the x-rays.

I then got x-rayed on two different machines.
The first one takes a shot of the whole jaw, teeth and teeth roots.
I had to bite my teeth on a piece of plastic in the middle of a circular machine; the machine then rotates all the way around your head.
That was a bit scary as it goes around the head very closely.

The second machine takes a side shot of the jaw showing how the teeth meet.
It has a similar piece of plastic to bite onto like the other machine.

Once my x-rays were complete, I had to wait for them to be developed and I then went back in to see Mr S.

He showed me the x-rays (I couldn't believe just how badly my teeth all line up).
I could also see the outline of my face on the x-rays proving it's me.

Mr S informs me I am now on the waiting list for my treatment.

It Begins!

I got referred by my dentist to the Orthodontic and Restorative Dentistry Department at Glenfield Hospital.

I wasn't aware of anything being wrong with my teeth before I got referred. As far as I was concerned my teeth were normal.

I have an underbite which isn't very noticeable but affects the position of my teeth.
---------------------------------------------------------

I had my first visit to the Orthodontics Clinic at Glenfield Hospital - Leicester today.

I am still attending secondary school and I'm 15 years old.

I had to be leave school early and went down with my Dad for my appointment.

I met my orthodontist Mr S for the first time.

He had a look at my teeth and made notes in his file.
He also looked at a mold/ impression of my teeth which my dentist had already made.

I told him about my missing adult upper central incisor which I lost when I was 8.
I have a very small gap where the tooth used to be.

NB: Photos of my impressions


Front


Left


Right