Debraced!! Huzzah!!
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 7:39 am
Yesterday was the big day! Everyone kept asking me how excited I was, but I wasn't - I was anxious. Because I knew yesterday was the day I'd have to have molds taken for my retainer (Essix). I've been dreading the molds since the day I got my braces on. I have a quick gag reflex and a small mouth. Getting X-rays at the dentist can make me gag. So by the time I pulled into the othro's parking lot, I was a nervous wreck and near tears. My concern is that I have a severe phobia of vomiting and was convinced I would because of the molds. I had warned the office and asked for numbing spray, hoping that would help.
The debanding process was pretty easy. A few of the front brackets (ceramic in front only) gave a little bit of trouble, but overall, pretty painless. The scraping of the glue was more annoying than painful and took the longest time of the entire process. Then it was the ortho's turn to polish up the tetth. There were a couple spots during that that hurt due to the cold air, but nothing I couldn't grit through.
Then it was time to get my bonded retainer put in. Out came the cheek spreaders (I hate those blasted things) and we went to work. Bonded retainer on my lower 6 because they were so crowded and mangled my ortho wanted the extra protection against relapse. Getting this installed wasn't very painful, just took what seemed like forever and some of the glue or etching tasted wretched.
During this whole process I would randomly start to cry a little anticipating the molds. Really, I had myself worked up into quite a state.
So now it's time for molds. The woman who was going to take them starts out by saying that the numbing spray tastes horrible and she's seen people gag from that. I immediately started crying again (LOL!). I'm such a baby. I took a deep breath and said let's try it without the spray at first. She didn't make me lay back in the chair, but let me stay seated upright and mixed the mold medium pretty thick so it didn't goop out the sides or back. I lot of wiggling of my feet & and legs and very deep, slow breathing through my nose and I made it! Now it was time for the top (the harder one). Same thing, except I had to lay back very slightly for her to put it in. More wiggling & breathing and I was done! Nary a gag to be found!!
Now after 2 years, 3 weeks, 1 day I am FREE!!!!! I am going Monday to the dentist for a nice cleaning and I will be wearing my retainer (once I get it) 24/7 except for eating & brushing teeth for at least the next 6 weeks. That's when I have my retainer check and he'll see what my teeth are doing. After, I'll either have to keep wearing it all the time or be able to go to night time only (for LIFE).
All in all, I am more than pleased with the result and feel it was worth the pain and annoyance and, yes, even the expense. I didn't do this for cosmetic reasons, but for dental health reasons, still I can't help being pleased with the cosmetic results. I looks back at my before pictures (below, with after photos) and can't believe how messed up my mouth was! It's amazing that in just a couple years and a few extractions they were able to do that much.
I don't have access yet to the ortho's after pictures, so took a couple myself that gives the basic idea of how much was done.
These were my bottom teeth before:
This was my front view before:
This is where you can see my severe (12mm) overjet:
My new after overjet:
My after front view:
The debanding process was pretty easy. A few of the front brackets (ceramic in front only) gave a little bit of trouble, but overall, pretty painless. The scraping of the glue was more annoying than painful and took the longest time of the entire process. Then it was the ortho's turn to polish up the tetth. There were a couple spots during that that hurt due to the cold air, but nothing I couldn't grit through.
Then it was time to get my bonded retainer put in. Out came the cheek spreaders (I hate those blasted things) and we went to work. Bonded retainer on my lower 6 because they were so crowded and mangled my ortho wanted the extra protection against relapse. Getting this installed wasn't very painful, just took what seemed like forever and some of the glue or etching tasted wretched.
During this whole process I would randomly start to cry a little anticipating the molds. Really, I had myself worked up into quite a state.
So now it's time for molds. The woman who was going to take them starts out by saying that the numbing spray tastes horrible and she's seen people gag from that. I immediately started crying again (LOL!). I'm such a baby. I took a deep breath and said let's try it without the spray at first. She didn't make me lay back in the chair, but let me stay seated upright and mixed the mold medium pretty thick so it didn't goop out the sides or back. I lot of wiggling of my feet & and legs and very deep, slow breathing through my nose and I made it! Now it was time for the top (the harder one). Same thing, except I had to lay back very slightly for her to put it in. More wiggling & breathing and I was done! Nary a gag to be found!!
Now after 2 years, 3 weeks, 1 day I am FREE!!!!! I am going Monday to the dentist for a nice cleaning and I will be wearing my retainer (once I get it) 24/7 except for eating & brushing teeth for at least the next 6 weeks. That's when I have my retainer check and he'll see what my teeth are doing. After, I'll either have to keep wearing it all the time or be able to go to night time only (for LIFE).
All in all, I am more than pleased with the result and feel it was worth the pain and annoyance and, yes, even the expense. I didn't do this for cosmetic reasons, but for dental health reasons, still I can't help being pleased with the cosmetic results. I looks back at my before pictures (below, with after photos) and can't believe how messed up my mouth was! It's amazing that in just a couple years and a few extractions they were able to do that much.
I don't have access yet to the ortho's after pictures, so took a couple myself that gives the basic idea of how much was done.
These were my bottom teeth before:
This was my front view before:
This is where you can see my severe (12mm) overjet:
My new after overjet:
My after front view:
