4 Months, 26 Days

I just came back from braces adjustment number 5, from the new orthodontist who was taking over this time because my orthodontist is on a holiday. He changed my ligatures—the clear colour as opposed to pearl, as I anticipated—and said my teeth are looking great!

My centreline is still a little bit off on both top and bottom jaws, but I assume this will be fixed in time. My right front tooth is still a little crooked too, and I can still feel the bump when I run my tongue over the back of the top arch, although, this has improved a lot since I started treatment.

The small gaps between my teeth on the sides have been closing and moving around. There are still some gaps left as they are still moving around and making room for my bite.

This photo shows just how far I can now extend my upper jaw over my bottom. It is not the natural bite, which is feeling perfect now! Those little worries I had about the bite sitting not quite right in the last post quickly disappeared soon after that, so I was really happy about that.

There's not too much progress that I've really seen, which isn't great, but I usually only see changes when I get a new wire—which I may get next month—or due to new and initial elastic wear. As the affects of the elastics I've been wearing have pretty much stabilised, I'm only wearing them for half a day to do so.

I love that my teeth look brand new with the adjustment, and I'll see how these clear ligatures hold up over the course of the month. I have been drinking an exponentially increased amount of cola—without the straw, mind you!—and, my teeth are looking, as per usual, quite yellow in the photos, but more so than normal I think. I can't wait to get these braces off and get them nice and sparkly whitened!

I've got a whole bunch of photos of my progress and current state of my teeth, as I realised I only ever really have to update after my adjustments, so I've put in more photos than normal! I'm happy to report everything is going well, and I look forward to knocking one more month off my countdown!

I'd love more of your questions or comments, too, so keep them coming! Happy smiling, until next time!

3 Months, 21 Days

I am a happy chappy. I just came back from the orthodontist from my fourth adjustment. I have some great news, too!

He changed all my ligatures, or modules—whatever you want to call them—and they look brand-spankingly whitely new, which is fantastic! He also changed my bottom archwire to a single wire, and added new metal hooks for my elastics.

The thing is, I still have to wear my elastics—both 'E' and 'D' alternating days—but because my teeth are basically where they need to be, but just need maintenance, I only need to wear them for half a day! Lord hallelujah, this is the best news. Elastics, I do not like. And the less social time with them, the best.

The orthodontist also said that things are looking really good, or something like that, which is good to hear! I'm due to see another different orthodontist in five weeks time, mainly because mine is going on a little holiday—which he tends to do often, the lucky man!

My teeth are coming together really nicely in a great bite. My only concerns are that I am able to push my teeth forward more than necessary, which I'm not too sure is normal—and who am I to know—but obviously things are still a work in progress, and if it's still an issue for me, I'll bring it up with my orthodontist. "Build the house, paint the rooms" mantra—ready, set, go!

It's been almost 4 months, and I'm feeling fine! I'm smiling most of the time now, I'm very quite nearly almost over the whole self-conscious braces thing, which I'm sure will never completely go away, but at least my teeth are looking fantastic! Everyday I just think to myself that this is already worth it. I love it, I'm loving my progressing smile, and I can't wait to get my braces off to show what will be an amazing set of pearly whites!

Do they look less yellow? I've been drinking more cola.

Underbite Fixed with Braces Only

I got ceramic braces—to fix an underbite class III malocussion—which has now been corrected after under three months. I thought I would make an update, and just outline that the main reason I am recording my progress in this braces blog is not only to document the changes of my teeth, but to allow others to see my experience of fixing an underbite with braces only. When I was searching for information prior to going ahead with—and during—treatment, I was surprised at the lack of resources about the orthodontic procedures available for those with an underbite, who of which are not willing or able to undergo orthodontic corrective jaw surgery.

I felt really lost in the dark, and admittedly, quite frankly confused. I thought braces fixed all types of problems with teeth, no sweat (just time), and not just overbites, as predominantly seen in the majority of cases. In so far as my understanding goes, the use of braces only, can and will fix an underbite if the malocclusion is not skeletal—or that of the jaw structure—and not to an extensive degree. It is understandable that those with quite severe jaw underbite malocclusions will inevitably require surgery to align the jaws, and this can be unavoidable for some.

My teeth and jaws however, were not of the extreme case—although still quite obviously misaligned—and I can't stress enough, that the use of braces only, as well as expander plate wear, were able to fix my teeth and move them into a correct bite.

Of course, all individual situations are obviously different, and a professional opinion is advised, but I thought I would document my case for those looking for information on such a niche and rarely detailed orthodontic situation. Bite problems are very common, and I was surprised at the apparent oversight and lack of information available to document such orthodontic treatment progress.

Because I love photos, and all sorts, below are two pictures of my teeth before, and two pictures 3 months and 5 days into braces, because my smile picture says a lot—with pretty glitter lip gloss to boot! My underbite was officially (me being the 'official'!) gone after 2 months and 7 days of wearing braces, and I couldn't be happier, and smilier!

Before Bite

Before

After 3 Months, 5 Days

After 3 Months, 5 Days

I obviously still have a bit of a way to go, but you'll have to admit that it's a good start to what is a perfect smile! Both my centrelines are a little bit off on the top and bottom, my front right incisor (on your left) is still little bit crooked and I have an unhappy, little gap forming between my front teeth, which I assume is moving the centreline.

I will continue to update my progress along the whole journey, and I will happily take any questions you may have or comments you would like to share. I hope my story helps at least one person decide that their underbite has got to go, and be replaced by a smile that they've always wanted.

Update: Since, I have updated this blog entry because I have had my braces removed, and here's a more definitive look at what I've achieved, and I think you'll agree that the results are beyond amazing. I couldn't be any much happier.

You can see how great the bite looks, and the underbite, well you can say a big bye-bye to that one! These are my teeth after 9 months and 11 days into wearing braces, when my upper bands were removed.

Underbite, be gone! I am so happy I can smile with my teeth now, it's smile-inducing in and of itself! Here's to happy teeth and happy smiles!

Update: 9 months, and 22 days later, I am completely done with braces. Underbite gone, braces off, The perfect smile. I can now smile a perfect smile with very happy teeth inside a very happy girl's mouth, practically beaming with perpetual smiles.

Before During After

Be sure to check out my last post, detailing my whole journey, with photos, found here: Before and After Braces—Braces Off, Underbite Fixed and The Perfect Teeth

Happy smiling!

2 Months, 28 Days

Not this yellow—promise! I have no idea why my back teeth keep coming up overly yellow and stained. Nevertheless,  I will definitely be getting some sort of whitening to finish off my perfect smile post-braces.

T-minus Braces Lift-off

I went to my orthodontist today and was greeted with some excellent news. He said I was "looking terrible" with loads of sarcasm, and sprung something great on me, great and wonderful being that I'll be in braces for the shortest time possible, he said with restraint.

I'll still be wearing them for however long necessary, but it'll be the shortest that he can make it. This was sweet honey to my ears! Maybe I should say teeth—but mouth might be more fitting! Hell, sweet honey to my teeth.

I asked about how much longer it would be, and I'm pretty sure he said about 6 months, but it might have been 8, but I'm pretty sure it was 6—I was too excited to register it accurately! I walked right out of there smiling and smiling. I can predict waterworks when they finally come off, I just know it.

2 Months, 16 Days

2 Months, 7 Days—Underbite-be-Gone!

Such a happy chappy—my teeth have gone over! Can't you see the gorgeous smile happening and waiting to shine? My underbite is actually gone, good riddance. I am so happy I could smile!

I popped into my orthodontist for the second time this month because I noticed yet another ligature—or as they refer to here as a module—was missing. He put a new one in it's place and I also got a new upper archwire while he was at it. It's a little bit thicker and it's starting to hurt already.