Top of the list
Guess who finally reached the top of the waiting list?
I'd almost written off the whole braces / jaw surgery idea as I'd been on the waiting list for almost 2 years without any news at all. I'd almost decided that I could live with wonkey teeth when back in January my jaw locked up for a few days and was total agony. I went to see both my dentist and my GP and the general opinion was that jaw pain might be a reoccuring annoyance and that jaw surgery was needed. But after another 8 months of no news I began to think that maybe it was all too much hassle.
When I finally got the call from the orthadontics unit I was really surprised and ever so slightly paniced. It was so long since I'd done all my initial research, read all the blogs, studied all the before and after pictures that I decided to do a quick cram on the whole subject before my appointment. I soon realised that I'd spent so long focussing on the surgery side of things that I hadn't given the braces proper thought. I also realised that I was more bothered by the prospect of a mouth full of wire than I thought I'd be.
I looked at all the pictures of beautiful happy, smiley people proudly wearing their braces and somehow did not feel convinced. I'd found links to sites advertising all sorts of braces that claimed to be quicker than tradtional braces, more invisible, easier, less uncomfortable that it made the traditional option seem so antiquated and low tech!
Here is a quick breakdown of what traditional braces actually are:-
So I'm as ready as I'll ever be, looking forward to getting started!
I'd almost written off the whole braces / jaw surgery idea as I'd been on the waiting list for almost 2 years without any news at all. I'd almost decided that I could live with wonkey teeth when back in January my jaw locked up for a few days and was total agony. I went to see both my dentist and my GP and the general opinion was that jaw pain might be a reoccuring annoyance and that jaw surgery was needed. But after another 8 months of no news I began to think that maybe it was all too much hassle.
When I finally got the call from the orthadontics unit I was really surprised and ever so slightly paniced. It was so long since I'd done all my initial research, read all the blogs, studied all the before and after pictures that I decided to do a quick cram on the whole subject before my appointment. I soon realised that I'd spent so long focussing on the surgery side of things that I hadn't given the braces proper thought. I also realised that I was more bothered by the prospect of a mouth full of wire than I thought I'd be.
I looked at all the pictures of beautiful happy, smiley people proudly wearing their braces and somehow did not feel convinced. I'd found links to sites advertising all sorts of braces that claimed to be quicker than tradtional braces, more invisible, easier, less uncomfortable that it made the traditional option seem so antiquated and low tech!
Here is a quick breakdown of what traditional braces actually are:-
- Small blocks are cemented to the outside of the tooth. These can be metal or, if you pay a little more, ceramic/tooth coloured. These are called brackets.
- A wire (archwire) is attached to the brackets with tiny rubber bands (elastic ligatures) and it's this wire that pulls the teeth straight. It is replaced every 6 weeks or so.
- Sometimes the brackets have tiny hooks on them and elastic bands are attached.
- Elastic ligatures are available in a range of different colours.
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