6 Month Smile Braces: Part 4

Last year, I decided to have braces fitted (for the second time). It was expensive, painful and a commitment. But it was SO worth it. With the exception of my house and car it is the most expensive thing I’ve ever ‘bought’. But I have no regrets and would recommend anyone who is self conscious about their teeth to look into it. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner! If you think about it, the earlier you get them fixed, the better value for your money (you get longer with your lovely straight teeth!).

My last post was about a month after the braces were fitted. I had to go back every 4 weeks to have the wires tightened, and my teeth filed (still makes me shudder) to help move my teeth into place. For the first few days after each appointment I was in a lot of pain and found my teeth were very sensitive. But I always enjoyed having the elastics changed because it meant the night before I could treat myself to a curry and not worry about the turmeric staining the elastic yellow!

When deciding whether to go ahead with the braces, I was a bit worried about how they would look, especially as I had some big events coming up. But they were barely noticeable! This photo is me at my brother in-law’s wedding about 3 months in.

In September, my teeth were finally in position and I was ready to have my braces removed. I counted down the days! The feeling when they first come off is amazing. I remembered the feeling from when I was 13 or 14 when I had braces first time. I couldn’t stop smiling and looking in the mirror. The feeling of running my tongue along the front teeth was amazing! I chose to have a permanent wire fitted behind both my top and bottom front teeth to help stop them from moving back again. I also have a retainer that I wear every night. Some people have asked me about the wire and if it bothers me. To start with, I was constantly aware of it and I was convinced it gave me a bit of a lisp, but now I don’t even notice it!

As part of the package, I was also given a teeth whitening kit. I had to put the liquid in my retainer and wear it over night. After a week, I had to give up. It made my teeth so unbearably sensitive that it made me cry in agony. I’ve never felt pain like it, and no pain killers or sensitive toothpaste came close to helping. I was a bit gutted as I hoped to have beautifully white teeth for the wedding, but my pain threshold wasn’t quite high enough to cope!

Apologies for the quality of the photo’s. They were taken on my iphone, and it doesn’t seem to like close up shots!