My Journey in Pictures

These are the photos my ortho gave me. All I can say is wow! The braces experience on the whole was not as painful or as uncomfortable as I expected it to be and so worth it! The photos remind me why I will never stop wearing my retainers, even though they are way more unpleasant than braces ever were and I hate them! I have invested too much time and effort (not to mention money!) to let my teeth revert and they look awesome! I also have to say it is the best money I have ever spent. All things considered, the treatment has been great value for money.



My Smile

Upper Teeth

Lower Teeth

Left Profile

Right Profile

Front Profile

 Despite my difficulties with the retainers, retention seems to be going very well, though it is early days. I felt some movement during my week of freedom and my ortho said the teeth could have shifted minutely, however, the retainers fit snugly so this would not seem to be an issue. I will be reducing my wear to evenings and weekends after 14th May. I am scheduled to return to the ortho in around 3 months time, 9th July, for a check up and the follow-up appointments will continue for a year. Thereafter, I will be able to make any further appointments needed myself, should my teeth move or I have a problem with my retainers.

Life In Plastic, Not Fantastic!

The retainers are on and they feel pretty awful at the moment. Having the bite surface of my teeth in plastic feels weird and my whole mouth feels full, like wearing fake vampire teeth so I am talking a bit thickly and exaggerating the pronunciation of my words. I am much more aware of my saliva and having to handle it a lot more (gross!) too. Since they don't cover my palate, the gagging is not as immediate or as severe but my tongue catches the edges and I gag often. My ortho trimmed them but my gums are protesting at the edges too.

I have to wear the retainers full-time except when eating or brushing my teeth for a month, followed by evening and nights wear for a year! It should be nights-only wear but a night means 12 hours and since I don't sleep for 12 hours at a time, I will have to put them on in the evenings, 12 hours before I expect to get up or make up the extra time at weekends. Eventually, I should be able to wear them at nights only for my typical sleeping time of 7-8 hours, plus anytime I feel like it, for as many years as I can until they wear out.

The orthodontist gave me a goody bag for completing my treatment! It included a mug with some chocolates in it! I also got some lip balm and a compact mirror in a little drawstring bag, another sparkly purple retainer case to go with the one I got last time plus an extra plain purple case to keep as a spare and another month's supply of Retainer Brite.

It should last as I have been told to use it weekly and just clean them with a soft toothbrush and mild soap in between times. I was given a folder with my retainer instructions and my before and after photos. I have been instructed to alternate between both sets of my retainers so that they both fit, so have added stickers to colour-code the cases. I am due to return for my 3-month check up in July.

The Verdict: Got A Brace Date!

In December, when I paid a visit to my orthodontic practice for a free chat, I scheduled an initial consultation which at this practice takes the form of two appointments a week apart, the examination and the verdict. On 29th January, I went for my exam. There were four parts to it; the examination, the X-rays, the photos and the moulds, my dread. I have a horrible gag reflex and had them done once before. That time was so awful, I was thrashing and retching, that it was one reason I never got the braces.

The exam was good, no problems found and no prodding my gums unlike the dentist either, the part I hate most. The X-rays were cool. I'd had a full head x-ray taken before, where you stand and bite on a little lolly stick and the machine goes around you but this practice also had a different machine, to take x-rays from the side. For the photos, some were taken with me standing and the rest with me sitting in the exam chair, with a cheek retractor in and some of the top and bottom teeth only, with mirrors resting in my mouth.

I had told the treatment co-ordinator about my issues with the moulds so my orthodontist was forewarned and luckily very sympathetic. He was prepared to try another method if I could not tolerate the usual way but everything went far more smoothly than before. The trays were much smaller, probably the smallest that they had. Also instead of the very wet, grey sludge I remembered, which had to set in my mouth for 30 seconds, he used what looked like yellow Play-Doh and let it virtually set first, so the trays were only in 15 seconds. I had requested that the lower mould be done first and this might have helped.

Tonight I had my second appointment to receive the verdict and there was a pleasant surprise- I will not need any teeth out for now! I had assumed that my overcrowding was too great. But actually my teeth fit together fine at the sides already and I have already had one tooth out on the bottom, where the crowding was not so bad to begin with. The worst of the crowding is with my upper front teeth but since I have a slight overbite, my orthodontist believes it will be possible to make enough room by bringing my lower teeth forward a little, plus some micro-reduction to certain teeth as needed. Since I also don't need any fillings or other work, this means I can get my braces straight away!

Upper and lower braces- a metal wire but clear brackets- will be fitted on 13th March! I have been told I will need them for 15-18 months. I have seen them and although nervous, I was pleasantly surprised at how unobtrusive they are. Although I'm sure it will be shock to see them on, I expect they will not seem noticeable for very long. When the braces finally come off, I will have upper and lower bonded retainers, plus two sets of removable retainers- the Essix tray kind- to wear full-time for a month and then while I am sleeping.

In terms of outcome, my orthodontist was very positive. I have been warned that there will still be a small overbite and overjet because of the extraction I've already had but these are not major to begin with and I know the overbite will improve. Also that my upper and lower centrelines will stay to the left of my midfacial line. But the difference is literally a millimetre and this is not something I have ever even noticed before. The x-rays and photos turned out great but sadly, I don't have a copy so no pictures this time.

But the countdown is on to Brace Day- 13th March 2013!  

Update: Had 1st Consultation!

Where has the time gone? It seems like forever since I posted. I was shocked to realise my dentist had referred me to the orthodontist back in December 2010. A full two years later, I have finally just been today for an initial consultation about having treatment. To be honest, I had almost forgotten that a referral had been made.

I've been going to the dentist every 6 months for check ups but they couldn't say when I'd hear from the orthodontist. I just had to wait and see. The only change to my smile during all of this time was when the dentist agreed to remove an extra tooth, which had been irritating me for a long time.

It came through in my gum in my lower jaw, in front of another tooth. These were the only (bad) pictures I could find where you can see it. I wanted it out because the gum around it used to get very sore and often food would get trapped between it and the tooth behind, which I could never reach to clean properly.

Before Extraction

The extraction was not painful, owing to the two injections I had, which went fine although some of the anaesthetic went on my tongue and it tasted very bitter. Never having had an extraction before though, I didn't know fully what to expect and the noise was very unpleasant, especially when the tooth proved stubborn to remove and had to be yanked out with some kind of pliers, breaking into two pieces.

I went to work after the extraction and the numbness wore off within hours. I had a bit of sensitivity in the socket for a day or two when I was eating and then it healed up fine. Now, apart from the slightly darker colour of my gum, like a small scar, you would never know the tooth had been there. It looks and feels so much better.  I may be imagining it but the tooth behind appears to have moved a little into the space. These are the very bad 'after' pictures.

After Extraction

Back to today, my initial consultation went very well. As this was just a chance to visit the practice and have a free chat with the treatment co-ordinator, I did not see one of the orthodontists and there was no exam. It went very well though and everyone seems very nice. I was able to see the different types of braces they use and the retainers- to my relief apparently mine will be the Essix kind, not the Hawley- as I can NOT tolerate anything on the roof of my mouth. Appointment times and costs were discussed as well and everything seems great.

The next step is a formal consultation to find out what my personal treatment plan would involve. This will mean two appointments, a week apart. At the first, I will have an exam, x-rays and the dreaded moulds. At the second, I will find out what I will need to have done beforehand, probably a couple of extractions as my teeth are very crowded, as well as my options in terms of types of braces, costs and the time my treatment will take. My first appointment is scheduled for the end of January....