I went to a new dentist about two months ago because I needed a cleaning and my old dentist... well, lets just say he wasn't exactly the friendliest person in town. My new dentist, however, has patients drive from miles around just to see him, so I figured he was worth a try. The number one indicator that I knew I was going to like him was a question on his new-patient forms: "What would you most like to change, if anything, about your smile?" Well, I've known since I was a kid exactly what my answer to that question is. I have always had a severe overbite and gaps between my top teeth. And I told him so!
The dentist recommended I schedule a consultation with an orthodontist in town, only a few blocks away. I called as soon as I left the office and had an appointment for the following Tuesday. I couldn't have been happier with both my new dentist and ortho. They are both such awesome, understanding, and helpful people (as well as their staffs).
At the ortho appointment, it was discovered and explained to me that my "severe overbite" was in fact off by an entire tooth width (!) and was causing all sorts of other problems (namely, headaches because I'm also a grinder and my bottom teeth cutting into my palate when my mouth is closed). The ortho discussed several options with me, one being a surgical re-alignment of my lower jaw to make it match my upper. This is what the ortho I had visited as a kid had suggested as well, but my mom thought it was a lot of trauma to put me through at such a young age, so we never went through with it. I must admit, I was a more than a bit scared at the notion of having my jaw cut and plated back together. (And then having braces afterward for two years anyway!)
The second option, which I ended up going with, is to use braces to move my top teeth back to match my lower jaw. This approach is much less invasive, but does not produce the most desired facial profile. As facial profile is NOT my main concern, I decided I'd rather go with braces straight off.
I'm not a putzer, so we got right to work. At the very same appointment, the ortho went ahead and put some spacers (ouch!) in front of my back molars on top so that I could have a cross-palatal arch to stabilize my back teeth as everything else moves around. At the next appointment (a week later) I was fitted for said arch and had impressions taken of my teeth. A day before my third ortho appointment (one week after impressions) I went in to the dentist for a quick filling. The dentist's staff was amazed that I had moved things along so quickly, and were all so very happy for me!
So a mere three weeks after my latest dental cleaning, I found myself sitting in the ortho's chair, having braces bonded to my teeth (metal uppers and lowers 'cause I just think they're so cute and shiny) thinking to myself "Oh lord, what am I DOING???" But my lovely husband was there with me the whole time, reassuring me how gorgeous I look with the brackets on.
It also turns out that I have wide teeth, and there wouldn't be a lot of room for them to fit in once everything was pulled back to where it should be. So yesterday, after having the braces on for exactly three weeks, I had four (yep, four!) teeth extracted. I felt a bit timid about the idea at first, but was reassured by my dentist and another ortho friend of mine that it sounded like exactly what would be appropriate. What an ordeal! First, I went to the ortho's office to have my archwires removed. Then, to the dentist's office for the extractions (which wouldn't have been so bad except that the sedation didn't work on me... who knew?) so I was numb but awake through the whole procedure. Whew! Then, immediately back to the ortho's office to have arch wires re-inserted. Needless to say, my poor mouth was a bit sore when the numbness wore off. On the bright side, I got to spend a whole day off work and at home being pampered by aforementioned sweet husband.
Now I am awaiting the next step in the process, and already enjoying seeing teeth moving around and getting to where they should be! I just have to deal with these gaps for a few weeks and I'll be on my way to beautiful, straight teeth in no time!
I'm having progress pictures done once a month, and will post the first of them as soon as I remember to load them off my camera!
(on my way to 
)Julia
Oops! Should've used more sunscreen!
OUCH! I felt the pull immediately! I'm still feeling it. It's a good feeling, though, because I get the sense that things are stable in there now. I had been feeling weirdly insecure about the spaces left by the extractions. These ligatures are supposed to help them close up faster and straighter. Right??? 
