Almost two years to the day I posted an entry about getting braces. Quite an event at 36 and today I’m happy to say they are off !!!!. A couple hours in the chair with some poking, proding, grinding, and buffing all that metal is gone. What a relief.

Now if I can only keep from getting wacked with a stick or puck… I’ll really need to pay attention now !

Well today I finally had the appointment I’d been dreading for years, literally. I am finally in the position to make right what I should have done 10 years ago. But at the moment I can’t see why. Good things do come to those who wait and in about 24 months it will be good but now …. it sucks !!!

Yes I visited the orthadontist to get some hardware added, what has been a little “out of place” is on it’s way to respecability. At least that is until they start to wander around or fall out, which ever comes first. It started the first week of the month with an extraction from the dentist. Extraction, that is a good word to use. I’ve never had a tooth taken out before, of course the wisdom teeth were pulled but I was not awake for those. So seeing a large pointed chissel type object in the hands of my dentist was a first I’ll say. And in the end when it finally came out it was a first for the dentist, according to them.

They had never seen a tooth with roots so long, I’m not sure if that was good or bad but at an inch long I did ponder how it fit in my lid. Not to mention if all the others in there the same.

Next came the spacers last week. At the time I didn’t really know what they were for just thought they were trying to put some space between my teeth so they’d have some room to move.
Yes I should have asked questions but it was not something that seemed out of the ordinary.
So the spacers were two on each side top and bottom all at the back.
Oh and the extraction was on the top to make room for the movement that would be needed at the front. See that’s where things are a little smooshed.

They were in for a week and today was the “install”.

As for the spacers I’ve learned they were for bands that go around the back teeth and hold the anchors for the wire. Two hours later I was done and on my way with a packet full of info on foods you can’t/shouldn’t eat, wax, perscription toothpaste and a tiny brush for access between the “hardware”. Now I have a mouth full of “extra things” and needless to say it is an expierence. The first day is not even up yet.

I will probably be buying some stock in pain relievers at this rate. It wasn’t that bad when four were moving with the spacers but now there are a lot more. But the bigger challenge will be keeping from getting banged up while playing hockey. Knock on wood after four years of adult league and no cage I’ve been lucky but now I’ll have to pay extra attention.

But that’s ok in 24 months it should all be worth it … at least that is what I keep telling myself…. ;)