The day my braces came off

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#1 Post by **pharie** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 5:59 pm

HI Everyone,
Yesterday was the big day and I went in to have my braces off at 9:40am. I was very nervous as I have ceramics on my uppers and had read on here that they could be difficult to get off. Well, the lower metal brackets were no problem at all. I hardly even felt the technician pop them off but as I dreaded the ceramics were a whole different matter. They were hard to budge - one came off ok, but the others were a struggle and horror of horrors - no less than 2 broke. I swear I felt like she was going to snap my tooth off and the pain was awful. Thinking about it now makes me feel sick. So there was nothing for it other than to literally grind the two broken brackets off and it took AGES! In all, I think i was in the chair for 1 hour while she cleaned my teeth up and polished them.

Eventually I get to see my new smile and yes it looks beautiful and weird at the same time cos I've never had such straight teeth. So leave the doctors office happy but slightly traumatised by the pain the broken brackets caused me.

I had a few hours of naked teeth freedom and then returned to the ortho at 4pm to have my essix retainer fitted. The tech ran through the basics with me (much of which I already knew from reading this wonderful website) and then she put them in my mouth. I felt like screaming! I had no idea how HARD the retainer would be, nor how bulky it would feel in my mouth. At that moment and knowing full well that I have to wear it 24/7 for some months (I hate to say it) but I wanted to cry. Even when my braces really, really hurt me I never felt like breaking down, but yesterday I came to the realisation that the braces were just one step along the way to perfect, healthy teeth.

The retainer is going to take a lot of getting used to and I know in time I'll take it in my stride, but my teeth are so sore and painful and I feel miserable. I hope the pain wears off this week (it hurts to remove the retainer). I am thankful that I have access to this forum where I can connect with people going through the same thing - it reassures me to know I'm not alone in this.

Thanks for reading my post - if anyone has had similar experiences, feelings I'd like to hear from you.

#2 Post by **mtbrncofn** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:32 pm

Congrats, pharie! It's awesome to get them off, isn't it? I had to wait 2 days to go back and get my retainers and by then my teeth had shifted and they were God awful tight.

I agree, I didn't like them at first either. I actually preferred the braces. They take a lot of getting used to. Plus they're just a pain in the butt. You can't just grab a bite of something. You have to take them out, slobber and all.....so it's just easier to forgo the bite.

Good luck with them, you'll eventually get used to them. I just got the ok to only wear mine at night and I was so relieved. However, they are incredibly tight at night when I put them back in.

#3 Post by **texasangel** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:33 am

Pharie,

It looks like our treatment was nearly the same time period. I got mine 1/10/05 and removed 5/31/06.

Yes, the essix retainers can make you feel "clastraphobic"(sp?) with all that plastic in your mouth. But, I does get better - somewhat. My teeth were sore for the first fews day also, but it gets better. Are you going to get the hawley retainers also ? I have an upper hawley and it's hard to talk with it in because the "roof" of the plastic is so bulky it's hard to talk normal.

I hope it gets better for you ! Good Luck !!

#4 Post by **pharie** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 5:22 pm

KK, mtbrncofn, and Texasangel

Thank you all for your encouraging words. I have been wearing the retainers for 2 days now and I guess I am getting more used to it. Taking them out for a coffee or to eat though is a bit of a pain in the butt.

Texasangel, as far as I know I am only having the Essix style retainers. My ortho said they have used the thickest acryllic so I imagine mine is a more "heavy duty" version of an Essix. My speech is slightly affected because there is a portion of the retainer that touches the roof of my mouth and although I do feel a tad self conscious at the moment, I think like with the braces, I will get over this with time. A greater part of me is so happy that my teeth now look fabby and I'm now in the home straight regarding my orthodontic journey.

Bye for now from an unusally chilly Perth, Western Australia!

P.S. As soon as I take some new photos, I will try and post them so you guys can see my new smile.