Pictures to see my teeth movement and treatment progress (left to right & top to bottom; month 1, month 2, etc)
May 6, 2010
I’ve been wearing this retainer for a month. I get used to wear it all the time although I still have to take it away when I eat. I don’t think it is comfortable to wear it and eat any food. I went to the general dentist to decay two of my left back teeth. I had horrible pain after she treated my teeth. After she put fillings to the teeth, my retainer starts really bothering me. I had a headache and toothache. I also notice that there is a tiny space between upper and lower teeth on my canines area. I could be very paranoid about my teeth alignment now. My pain didn’t quite go away so I called my ortho yesterday to check my teeth and retainer. As matter of the fact, the gum near the decayed teeth was irritated because of the extra fillings and the retainer didn’t properly fit. She smoothed the surface of retainer so that it doesn’t bother my teeth and gum. In regard to the space, the doctor noticed it and readjust the retainer wire to touch problematic upper teeth so that they don’t rotate around. It is tighter now for sure. I just cannot believe how important this retainer is post treatment. As per recommended, I wear all the time. But what if I didn’t wear often as instructed. My teeth probably cannot sustain as straight as they should be.
March 31, 2010
The brace was taken off two weeks ago, but this is not really end of my treatment. Well, I should say I am getting into a maintenance phase. I already got a lower retainer; a wire behind my 6 teeth but now it is time for me to wear an upper retainer in 24/7 for the next 8 months. One wire actually goes through all my upper teeth. It was hooked at the back of my teeth. It is not difficult to take it off or put it back on but somehow it is not super comfortable in my month. The plastic portion of my retainer is stuck to upper mouth (don’t what to call). It is not comfortable. In retrospect, wearing this retainer for another 8 months won’t be challenging to me 
Especially after wearing 20 months of braces and much tighter wires all around my teeth. My next appointment is in 3 months (6/22) to check my retainer.
March 18, 2010
★This is it★My 20 months journey was over yesterday, St. Patrick’s. My braces were OFF. The outcome of this journey was very satisfied to me. I felt like my teeth are much bigger than I remembered I guess a bracket on each tooth was taken up a majority of space. How amazing the combination of wire and bracket on each tooth can do such a short time! Feeling smooth teeth with my tongue is really weird They are very slick and curvy. I don’t remember that was actually feeling before I started wearing the braces. Removing each bracket and wire was an easy part, but cleaning up a glue which was stack for past 20 months was painful. Some teeth were very sensitive. After cleaning a glue from each teeth and putting a wire retainer across 6 bottom teeth were completed, the doctor started shaping some of teeth; a small cosmetic touch After all procedures to remove braces were completed for 2 1/2 hours, I was finally able to see my straight and aligned teeth without many accessories on my mouth. I was very happy to see what this journey has done to me and my teeth. Looking back a history of this diary, it was started 20 months ago, August 4, 2008. It is a long and “sometime” painful path, but if you look at this investment for a life time, then it was just only 20 months. I have one more appointment on March 31 to get a retainer for my upper teeth. We took a mold yesterday with a peach favor.
Where is a camera? I am ready to smile for you♥
March 11, 2010
A week long of wearing a crazy rubber band was successfully done. My bite was corrected and the result was satisfied. One bottom tooth still needs to adjust to reduce the space, but my braces will very likely be removed at the next week (March 17) appointment. How exciting to hear the news from the doctor! I’ve made next two appointments today; one is to remove my braces and another one is to take a X-ray and prepare for my retainer. I just cannot believe the end of this journey is getting closer. I am very looking forward to see my teeth and taking pictures without the braces. When I found the pictures from my 1st appointment with Dr. Quo the other day, how bad and unaligned my teeth were. I don’t know if the doctor is going to compare before and after. One more week to say a good bye to my braces
March 1, 2010
I am wearing a crazy rubber band in my teeth for a week. You can see it is indeed crazy! This is supposed to be the last stage before my braces are taken off (I think). I have to take them off when I eat or brush my teeth. It took me 30 minutes to put them back when I did first time by myself. I was frustrated because the rubber band was too short to go around my teeth! Well, at my 2nd time to wear it back, it took about 20 minutes before I went to bed. However, 3rd time when I was ready to go to work after the breakfast, it took only 15 minutes like the nurse said. I learned some tricks! I had to stretch a long rubber band as long as I can before I put it on my teeth. First 2 or 3 days, it hurt like hell 
I tried to take a alive to relief my pain but I couldn’t take it. Because I couldn’t even open my mouth to take a small pill. How pathetic it was! I had to slide it into a very tiny space between two teeth. With this crazy rubber band, I can talk without moving much of mouth. It is tough to say and hear but I have to wear only one week. Phew… one more day to go. Then, my next appointment is a little week away on March 11. I still need to take a mold for my upper retainer but I think my long journey of waring the braces finally comes to the end. I found the original scan of my teeth before I started today. It is so amazing to see how bad and unaligned my teeth were. After 19 months of journey, my teeth are indeed better looking and better aligned. Like I said before many times, I am very glad to make a decision to take this journey. I just cannot wait to see my teeth without wiring and crazy rubber band
January 7, 2010
A Happy New Year, 2010 ! Teeth are doing great. I think most of teeth are getting straight and aligned properly each other. Only a few teeth still need to adjust to be perfect. This is indeed 17th months. My original estimate was 18-month treatment. It will essentially come to the end next month. However, next appointment is still end of February (2/23) and the doctor has not put a crazy rubber band yet which is supposed to be a week long treatment. How far I came to this point! I think it is the best investment I’ve ever done (much better return than stocks!). I cannot wait to see my teeth to be straight and have a nicer bite. Smile, smile, smile after all. Oh, I asked my doctor whether she will shape my teeth to be same height, then answer is “Yes”. However, some of teeth should be kept the original shape like pointer one. Well, I am so looking forward to posting my teeth without the braces in a month or two. The end of journey is almost there
December 4, 2009
No chain this time after visiting at the doctor’s office on 11/19. She realigned the wire to fit my teeth correctly, but she made some portion tighter than before. It was painful, but thankfully the pain was gone by Thanksgiving like she promised I just cannot believe that I have two more months to complete this treatment. However, I sometime wonder what else can be done more perfectly than what I have now. It is not perfect and I don’t know it is ever going to be perfect aligned. I know that I have to wear retainer after taking the braces. I wanted to find the original photo where was taken at the doctor’s office for consultation in summer 2008. I want to see how much really improved since then. Next appointment will be a new year, 2010!!
October 14, 2009
I still wear the same sure smile wire but changed chain. At Monday (10/12) visit, the doctor thinned one of bottom and front teeth to fit more proper. Result of being thinned, I have to wear extra chain around these teeth. It was very tight! As you can see the photo from “month 15″, you can see extra chain. She hopes to reduce the gap between these teeth until the next appointment (11/19). I have 4 more months to complete my treatment. I wonder how much more my teeth are going to move to align with others. Every time I look at the previous pictures, I feel amazed how much improved my teeth are. I just cannot believe it takes a little bit over a year to see fix my 30’s grown teeth It is cool!
September 2, 2009
During last visit at the doctor’s office, they found out that I (or my teeth) broke one section of the bottom wire, so they have to send it back to the SureSmile lab. The wire I am currently wearing is very sensitive to the temperature in the mouth. I have no idea how hot or cold my mouth is. Drinking two cups of hot tea a day, but less cold drink caused this breakage. It is very mystery to me. According to her, this will be my last wire of SureSmile (thick wire). I thought I was going to wear longer but I guess my progress was steady. If my progress is on track, I just cannot believe that I can take the braces out less than 6 months. I always feel pain every time the wires are replaced, but I may miss wearing afterward. That’s weird feeling to say
August 6, 2009
✿✿ Wow, 1st anniversary ✿✿!! It has been a year since I started wearing braces!! I just cannot believe how my teeth have been moved and aligned properly. Well, it is not perfectly done yet but it is hard to image how short time can do to my teeth. I didn’t image at the beginning how I was going to get used to wear wires around my teeth. After every visit to the doctor’s office, my teeth get super sensitive. I didn’t expect that I could not bit or chew any of food like I normally did like banana (soft) to carrot (hard). After a year later, I’ve learned how to tolerate my pain and what to eat during my teeth are tight and sensitive. It is a learning curve According to the original estimation, I have 6 more months to go! I don’t see any significant changes from last month with a sure smile wire. I hope I can smile with perfectly aligned teeth soon!!
July 1, 2009
Sure smile wire! It is supposed to be advanced but it is very painful . I went to replace my wire this Monday (two days ago). Oh… boy. I have not felt this pain for a long time. I could not even chew Udon which is well-cooked and soft noddle. Not only my front teeth are pain, but also back teeth, so no biting nor chewing for me for a couple of days. I am really hoping that this new advanced wire will help me to straight my teeth more quickly. Once again, I have to wear a tiny rubber band around my teeth again. A size of band is the same as the first time I wore. I am still in pain… but I didn’t take a pill to easy my pain today yet. My next appointment will be end of August. I will wear this wire for whole summer!!
June 11, 2009
I was supposed to update my teeth progress a monthly basis, but times fly quickly. I was busy at work and had a wonderful 2-week Japan trip. Well, now I am back and replaced the wires this Tuesday, 6/9. For past months, I had to wear a rubber band (make a triangle shape) on each side. I get used to wear them around but it is not always comfortable to see Anyway, after this visit, I don’t have to wear it anymore! Woohoo I have a new wire to wear this time but it is for only a couple of weeks. I have to go back to see her in three weeks (6/29). At the next appointment, I will wear a sure smile wire (see the web site) which is supposed to be advanced technology to speed up my teeth alignment. Since I am a good patient, the doctor told me that I can be done before February which is the original date to finish my treatment. I am very happy with the current progress and result. I am glad to make such good and big investment to my teeth. Having a good aligned teeth makes me more smile which is a good thing.
March 13, 2009
This month’s treatment (visited on March 2) is very uncomfortable because reducing a gap between my removed teeth continues through this month. Now, I have to wear a thicker and bigger rubber band around three teeth on each side. When I saw myself after the treatment visit in the mirror, I thought I was a goziila . Well, Mark said I am like a Dracula because the rubber around three teeth (one on top and two on bottom teeth) looks like a tusk. At the next visit in April, she will scan my mouth/teeth to see the progress. It will be a 90-minute treatment (long…). My teeth are getting clearly straight after these months, so any new treatment is “must”. It is very hard to open my mouth to talk because a tight rubber band. If I didn’t take them out (due to laziness) during meal, I did snapped it inside my mouth. Ouch .
January 20, 2009
A happy new year!! Last month’s (7 weeks) treatment was amazing. I can see a significant improvement of my bite and bottom teeth movement. Now, I have a normal bite (bottom teeth are underneath of my upper ones!!). After 5 months of treatment, I felt so good about my decision to do thing. I’ve never thought and expected that I could see many good results such a short time. I feel like this is the best investment I ever made in my life I am really glad to choose Dr. Quo instead of another DDS. “Trust your instinct”, that’s what it is.
December 9, 2008
Yesterday’s doctor visit was not bad at all because she didn’t tight any new wires up. I don’t feel any pain at all . By looking at last and this month pictures, I don’t see much difference. Her mission for this month still continues to reduce spaces between teeth. I know it is getting closer but the gap is still there. My front and back teeth are not aligned properly so I feel weird with the current bite. This month is my 5th. Although I am getting used to wear my braces, I’m very conscious about smiling with my teeth shown. One thing I noticed that the wire and band around my each tooth get very yellow/brownish every time they replace them. They are very disgusting (I wonder what I have been eating…..)
November 7, 2008
I think my upper teeth are getting straight! (Yay!!) If I see my teeth from 1st month, they are not as ugly as used to be. My orthodontist added more thick wires to my bottom teeth so that more spaces between my (extracted) teeth can be reduced faster. I also start wearing tiny rubber band from the back tooth to 3rd (from the front) on both side. They are made in Switzerland and very tiny. It comes with a little plastic tool to hock a rubber bank to replace it in my mouth. I have to take them out before eating and brushing. Oh, I’ve not eaten band yet although I didn’t take them out I Oh boy, when they put the wires, I could feel my teeth were getting tighter and senseless. I wish I could see what they do when they put the wires on my teeth. After taking Alive (life saver!) for a couple of days, I was back in normal afterward. After wearing braces for 4 months, two things I hate most are (1) replacing wires at orthodontist office and (2) conscious about food stacking in between wires and teeth . Since I have to brush my teeth so often (at least after every meal), I don’t have any new cavity Good job (padding on my shoulder). 14 more months to go…. it is a long journey and commitment.
October 26, 2008
It has been 3 months since I started wearing my braces. Tomorrow is my 3rd appointment to replace and tight up my wires again. Last visit’s goal is too close the gap between my two bottom extracted teeth. This goal seems to be accomplished a little bit although I felt a lot of pain at the beginning. I can see a small gap between these two teeth. I can feel my upper front teeth are straight up by touch them from the behind with my tongue . Tonight’s dinner should be special one because after tomorrow I will be on liquid diet (a way to go Jamba juice!!) for a while. I don’t know what to expect every visit my orthodontist. I trust what she knows and does to my teeth so feeling pain is what I just need to get used to. Interestingly to say but “no pain, no gain”. Since I can see my teeth are moving (see the gap!) to be perfect alignment, I am looking forward to smiling at you and everyone with perfect & white teeth.
p.s. Well, I can say such a wonderful thing RIGHT NOW. We’ll see how I feel about my teeth after tomorrow’s visit. I don’t think it will be a pleasant visit. (sigh).
September 15, 2008
I had to tune up my wires last Monday, 9/8. OMG, the doctor tied them more because she wanted to close the gap between teeth at the bottom from last month extraction. I couldn’t chew anything with front and back teeth. I took Alive on Monday when the doctor re-wired because I felt all my teeth were tensed. However, I didn’t realize that I couldn’t chew or bite anything until the next day’s lunch. I just cannot believe how painful it was when I chew. Well, the pain came down quickly after days. I continue to prefer “Jamba Juice” diet to regular soft food. As I upload my (not-so-pretty) teeth pictures at the bottom, I can see my face, especially jaw, got a little bit slimmed . Did you see it?
August 11, 2008
I made it through one week, but I am still not comfortable and don’t get used to wear this metal & wire YET!! I am getting stressed out wearing this. I try to be positive and not to talk about much about this but I am stressed out . Well, since I’ve already removed my bottom teeth, no turning back from this point. I just stick with another 18 months – minus 1 week.
August 8, 2008
Two more bottom teeth were extracted yesterday. Since the bottom teeth were too crowded, I need to have some room to move my teeth to be straight. Well, I was not as nervous as before. I guess it was my 2nd time to remove my teeth in a month. I didn’t take any Rx drugs before the surgery so I felt in pain a couple of hours later. I took 1/2 dose of painkiller every 6 hours to kill my pain .
August 4, 2008
My 1st day to wear braces. After 2 hours of appointment, my teeth were covered with metal and wires. Oh… boy they are very uncomfortable. Yes, it was the first day. Everyone including my dear boyfriend who has done four times before told that I will get used to wear this braces after a couple of weeks. I am just patient to see how I feel.
July 1, 2008
Two bottom wisdom teeth were finally removed. At the same time, I decided to wear braces for 18 months to fix my bits. Well, now why? Because I missed wearing braces like everyone else in teens. Well, I will see how this 18 months journey goes .