To Smile or Not To Smile...

OK, now that I have cut out 287 traced hands, 41 circles, printed out 41 photos, cut out 41 photos and taped them all together as well as everything else that was either planned or thrown in my lap, I can now blog about the throbbing, unending pain in my mouth…

It was quite a shock to receive the news from the orthodontist a week from this past Wednesday I would have braces on my teeth in five days. Due to the surgery in about a week, my dentist felt it necessary to check with my orthodontist, Dr. Marris, to see if the hidden fourth incisor should be removed or used. My wish – to keep that tooth buried! I quickly discovered that option was not available. To leave the tooth inside the gums would later transform it into a tumor. It has to be removed, and if possible used. Not wanting their new patient to spend another whopping $650 to go under the knife twice, Dr. Marris is coordinating with my oral surgeon to expose and bond the incisor which means the tooth needs something to bond to – hence the braces, and the urgency to do so.

I have always wanted them. The front two top teeth always had a “Jewel-ish” quality (meaning the singer, not a gem) which I was never fond of - ever. If you have taken photos with me, you know I will position myself at the right side and angle to eliminate seeing the crooked tooth. I honestly thought it was the only issue which would lead to the possibility of having a metal mouth. To my surprise there were numerous other reasons:

1.Overjet - the lower teeth are too far behind the upper front teeth.

2. 90% overbite with possible impingement - upper front teeth protrude over the lower front teeth.

3. Crossbite - One or more upper teeth bite on the inside of the lower teeth.

And 4. Crowding – Too many teeth!

Benefits to correcting these issues are preventing damage to the gum tissue as well as bone loss and eliminate strain on the teeth, jaws and muscles, which lessens the risk of breaking a tooth. But my favorite advantage – a nice smile!

After experiencing the process and watching a child no older than nine sitting right beside me, I now have a greater respect for tweens and teenagers with braces. For someone who has anxiety about going to doctors, sitting in that chair while they stretched my mouth open four times bigger than what is normally possible – I was itching to bolt! The teeth impressions and bracket application went alright. Fitting in the wire just about made me pass out. There was one little bracket not cooperating and the 22 year old assistant was bound and determined to make it work. I know she did not want to call on Dr. Marris to finish. The applied pressure and sound of metal scrapping my teeth – Lord, please help me! Just as the orthodontist was walking over to help, the assistant popped it right into place. (Thank goodness!) At first I thought, “This isn’t so bad.” Thirty minutes later I was raiding the medicine cabinet.

My first meal with braces: Turkey sandwich and Pringles. I’m not kidding! I thought eating wouldn’t be different at all. Little did I know that the blue “cushions” applied to my back molars would not only cause additional soreness, but extreme difficulty in chewing. I almost took a photo of what my mouth looked like after the meal. Let’s just say I was wearing most of my meal in the grill! Soon after other side effects from the equipment began to emerge: speech impediment, attracting unwanted attention, crankiness and sores. Yeah, I feel attractive. I have been told the first week is the roughest, and then after each adjustment, the pain should subside after a day. No matter what I am thankful for finally getting my teeth fixed. Only six more days for the next phase… surgery! Bring on the meds!