Jem's belated story

[Kipepeo]

Jem, will you be able to bite into an apple with the bonded retainer?

[kellyb]

hi jem

sorry i have been out of touch lately. had alot on......will explain in my topic. great to see your end date is almost here. amazing

[jem]

Thanks Kelly, I am so happy to be following in your footsteps shortly.

Kip, I did ask my ortho re apples last time and she said they would be fine. But we should be concentrating more on the retention side of things next visit, so I will ask again. I have been looking forward so much to eating an apple normally again. But ultimately, it comes back to priorities and if I have to continue cutting them up, so be it. What news with you?

Jem

[kellyb]

hi jem
I can't wait to see your end result! It looks like myself, you and braceface 74 were really triplets give and take a couple of weeks

[Kipepeo]

Hi Jem, glad you will get your apples, be careful.

As for me....plugging along. I have my next appointment next Monday, so we shall see where I am then.

[Kipepeo]

Jem, good luck tomorrow.

[jem]

Thank you for remembering,Kip.

Whoopie!!!!!

I had my brace removed this morning after 18 months and 19 days. My ortho started by placing the bonded retainer on the rear of my front 6 teeth. She then removed my brackets, some of which shattered all over the place. Then it was a lengthy process of polishing the remaining glue off my teeth. It was not at all painful, but pretty tedious, so I admire people who cope with having this done with, perhaps, 28 teeth as against the 8 I had bracketed.

I then had impressions taken top and bottom plus an impression of my bite ( don't know what that is called) plus 2 further top impressions, one for the essix retainer which I will have fitted tomorrow afternoon and one for the additional hawley which I requested ( to ensure I have a retainer which will last long term) and which I will receive at my first retainer review. The whole process took about 40 minutes which is the longest appointment I have had.

I am very happy with my teeth; they could never be perfect because of discrepancies in size and so may years of wear and tear-but I think they are still pretty good. I will post pics when I get time following my retainer appointment.

Jem

[Kipepeo]

Congratulations! Don't forget to update your signature. I'm so envious!

[jem]

Thanks Kip.

Your date must surely be close?

Jem

[jem]

De-braced picture attached

Jem

[kellyb]

Congrats jem! well done!

your smile is gorgeous

[braceface74]

woohoo jem, well done indeed.. totally worth it

looing pretty perfect to me.

[jem]

Thank you kellyb and braceface 74. I am so happy to be joining you.

I am attaching a pic showing my bonded retainer. My ortho seems to have used a fair amount of composite to bond in my wayward left lateral.

I am also attaching pic with clear retainer in place. It is really quite comfortable and my speech is nearly back to normal

Jem

[Kipepeo]

What brand of clear retainer do you have?

[jem]

Hi Kip,

I think I heard my ortho use the expression essix but I suspect it is a term used in a generic way like hoover. I had my impressions on Monday morning and the retainer fitted on Tuesday afternoon, so I presume she uses a dental lab somewhere locally. Whether or not that lab is authorised to describe its products as Essix, I don't know. I am perfectly happy with the retainer, whatever its branding. My speech is now fine and it is now a bit easier to get in and out and I am less fearful of breaking it. I will obviously look after it as well as I can, but it doesn't have the feel of something that will last for years and I will be glad to have the back up of a hawley. I expect I will much prefer the essix to the hawley, so the hawley may sit in the bathroom cabinet for quite some time before it gets any use.

How are you getting on with your retainers?

Jem