Week 69

So this appointment was going to be THE appointment. 

You know the one I'm talking about. 

The one where my orthodontist finally says we are done, let me take those braces off! 

Well... We almost got there. 

You know the whole gap issue, I think that may have put me back with the schedule. 

Ok, so he took a look at my teeth. Got me to bite together, not bite together. And said the top teeth aren't quite there but let's try something... What he meant by that was let's try to shift them while you lie here for the next 30mins. Not this game again! So he removed the brackets from both my upper number 2 teeth and repositioned temporary brackets. Then he put in some wire and twisted it somehow. Not quite sure what he did! (might watch some YouTube videos when this is all done and figure out all the tricks behind this orthodontics melarky).

So this is when he said your bottom teeth look good to me. As in, ready to take the braces off!!!!!!!!

So he did. Luckily for me most of the brackets came off easily. Even my orthodontist commented by saying "if only they (the brackets) all came off this easily!". Some of the brackets on my upper teeth when he has changed them in the past have been an absolute bugger to snap off. Who knows why, but apparently he gets the same problem with other patients too!

Getting back to my appointment...

So he took all the brackets off with his clipper tool. Then polished all the extra glue off. Then scaled them with the ultrasonic thing. You know the one your dentist uses to get tartar off your teeth. Anyway he gave them a jolly good clean. My teeth were quite stained with brown marks from when I have had to use corsodyl mouthwash in the past for the patch that comes and goes on the roof of my mouth. And because my teeth were so crowded and wonky the brown marks were really hard to reach and even my dentist had given up with them (charming!). So he cleaned the fronts, then he went on to clean the backs of my teeth. 

I had half forgotten about this part... I'm not even sure that I have ever mentioned it on here before. Well right from the off I knew that after you have braces off you have a removable clear retainer that you just wear at night. Like a tiny mouth guard. I remember my brother and his all too well. But whenever patients have orthodontic work done privately these days the orthodontist always recommends that they also have what is called a fixed bonded retainer. This is a tiny bit of wire that it bonded (using brace glue I guess... although this stuff is clear) to the back of the front 4-6 teeth to give added support to try and stop them moving. This is especially the case with adult orthodontics as the teeth are much more likely to try to move back to their original positions!! Naughty teeth. 

So he squirted a fair amount of this glue behind my teeth, popped the wire in and the proceeded to use what I can only guess was similar to an interdental brush/stick to poke between my teeth. This I later realised was to ensure that I still have gaps between my teeth at the bottom close to the gums so that I can still use my interdental brushes to clean, as well as my trusty Superfloss!

This took a little while, after which he came back to my top teeth and said. No. They haven't moved. So we will have to change to brackets AGAIN and try and sort out the teeth. 

He did also give me the option of taking the top brace off right now. But told me they aren't quite perfect and could be better given a few more weeks. I said what's a few more weeks after 69. I want my teeth to be the best they can be. I don't plan on going through this process again! 

So he changed to brackets again and gave me a nice white wire (old friend) and said see you in 4-5weeks to take the top brace off. And see you in 3 days to fit and collect your night time retainer. 

Ooooo. This is when his orthodontic nurse took over. 

The orthodontic nurse needed to take moulds of my lower teeth to use to make my removable retainer. 

She mixed up this pink goo and put it in a tray and popped it in over my teeth. Told me to stick my tongue out and move it from side to side. Fun! Next bit not so fun but is the 4th time it has happened to knew what to expect. When the goo is set she lifts out the tray, which I can only describe as feeling like all your teeth are going to come out with it. But she just did it slowly and explained the funny feeling is just suction. Oh and just get left with a few bits of pink goo left in and around your mouth! So attractive. But all quite painless. 

So here are some photos of where we are now:

Yay! ONE BRACE OFF

Can you see my fixed retainer?

This is me wearing my removable retainer. You can hardly see it. Cracking :)