This turned out to be a very short visit as all parties agreed that it was time to remove the brace, teeth are straight and gaps have closed (into my fifth month!)
Two appointments on Wednesday 8th July were booked, the first at 9.15am to remove the fixed brace and 4.50pm later the same day to have the retainer fitted.
9.15am- Removing the brace took no time at all and was followed with Zoe cleaning off any residue glue, very like a scale and polish. The only thing left to do was to take an impression of my teeth in preparation for the retainer and to check out the finished result, which was unbelievably good and totally exceeded my expectations. I am thrilled to say the least with my new smile!
A few hours now to enjoy being brace free!
4.50pm- Back to have the retainer fitted. These felt strange as the top set retainer covers the teeth and extends slightly onto the roof of the mouth and the lower set extends down under the tongue slightly. They’re hardly noticeable covering the teeth as they are clear but talking is going to need some practice in order to sound ‘normal’.
To start with the inside of my right cheek was catching on the back edge of the retainer but this seems to have settled now. The only other issue is that although popping them in is very easy I find the removal of the lower retainer very difficult. Consequently going out for lunch might prove to be more difficult. The retainer is worn constantly (except for meals) for three months, then only at night times.
As part of the package Zoe gave me the teeth whitening materials and explained how to proceed with this, which seems fairly straightforward. The gel like substance is smeared over the inside of the retainer and worn overnight. This is supplied in three syringes to make the process easy. How often you do this depends on how white you want your teeth to be. The retainer is just cleaned the next morning. I use toothpaste to clean them during the day when removed and use the retainer brite tablets to soak them every morning. Zoe provided me with a box of these but you can buy them online as well.
There are pros and cons of both methods of straightening your teeth, I suppose which you choose will depend on what you feel more able to manage. For me I’m so glad to have chosen the fixed braces but would add that when selecting your dentist you need to ensure you have the quality of care and highly skilled dentistry that Zoe and her team offer.
Fay Marsh
