Visit 3- 30/04/2015 (into 3rd month of treatment)
This appointment involved a check up with my hygienist (Stacey), who worked around the braces to examine the health and cleanliness of my teeth, followed by a clean. I was expecting some build up of plaque on the lower teeth as the brackets are fitted so close to the gum line, thankfully all seems to be well and my teeth are still very healthy. Vigilant oral hygiene has so far prevented any tooth and gum problems.
Today’s examination and photos of my teeth show that there has been significant movement especially in the top row, they are looking fabulous and needless to say I am thrilled at the progress. Its possible to see and feel the changes yourself as the brackets catch the soft tissue on the inside of the mouth at different points but so far not to the extent that I’ve needed to use the ‘comfort cover’.
Procedures today involved adding:
Three individual wires around certain teeth on the bottom set to close the gaps. Power chains attached along the length of my top and bottom set of teeth. An additional straight length of elastic which was weaved around the brackets along the top and bottom set of teeth.
This took about 40 minutes in total and again the procedures were not painful, just uncomfortable in the form of a strong ‘pulling’ and ‘tightening’ sensation on the teeth as the wires and elastics are fitted. You also need to wear a retractor fitted between the gums and lips to keep your mouth open and to hold your lips away from the teeth. Not the most comfortable situation but necessary as is safeguards the soft tissues and allows Zoe easy access to work on the teeth.
With all the additional wire and elastic I was anticipating more discomfort. I’m writing this report five days after the fitting and have to say its been the most uncomfortable by far. My teeth have ached non stop and chewing has been impossible without my teeth hurting. Most pain is caused by the brackets cutting into the soft tissue of the cheeks, fortunately only one of the brackets is a problem and so I have finally tried the comfort cover-perfect! Its very fiddly to fit over the brackets but worth persevering as it ‘does exactly what it says on the tin’. It provides a smooth surface against the cheek thereby stopping the pain and is not too bulky. Hopefully the pain will ease off soon.
Although this month has been more uncomfortable and I had to return to the dentist to have a bracket re fitted which had broken off, I am still very glad I chose to have the fixed braces instead of the Invisalign invisible braces, for me too much temptation to remove them for special functions.
Fay Marsh
