PART 25: The End Is Near!

This posting comes over a week late. My last ortho appointment was on May 13th, and I had two of them that day. In the morning, I went in and had my top row of braces taken off. It didn't take long to do, just a few minutes. Basically, they used a clipper-type gadget and cracked the glue holding the brackets. Then my orthodontist polished the tooth a little and to take the remaining glue off. I had some molds taken, and that was that. I had no work done on the bottom row that day.

I returned late in the afternoon after they had had their lab fabricate a removable retainer. The instructions were simple: wear whenever you're not eating. Basically, all the time for the first 6 months. That's a bit of a hassle, but I can manage. It's going to be tough to brush my teeth (let alone floss) after each meal however, since it's not always convenient. I'll live.

The teeth look great. It's nice to see full whites -- at least on the top row, which is the more important of the two. On the other hand, for the next while (except for social outings), I'm going to have a metal wire from my retainer in front of them. The feeling of uncovered teeth isn't too weird. Many people have said it feels slippery and strange not to have anything between the teeth and your lips. I don't really have the same sentiment. It feels fairly natural to me.

Anyway, I'm out of the country for a little while, and will have my lower row of braces removed when I get back. That will be followed by a visit to the surgeon's office for a post-braces check up. As for the report on my jaw, still the same deal: sensitive left-side roof of the mouth, insensitive right side of lower jaw. I'm beginning to think those won't go away. We'll see. Well, until next time.

PART 24: The Beginning of the End

Today was all about the teeth. I had my arch wire taken out at noon so that I could see my dentist for a check up. Then I returned in the afternoon and had the rest of the work done. It was a quick appointment. I laid out my schedule, which required that I have my braces off by roughly July. So my orthodontist told me that he could take my top row off next week! He took the bands off the second-from-the-back teeth on the top row, and chain-linked the entire row. The idea here is to reduce the spaces created for the bands.

I'll get my lower row of braces off when I'm back in town in June.

So that's that. It's really the last stretch now. I have two appointments next week, on the same day. The first one will see me have the braces removed and some molds done; the second one will be when I get my retainer.

Update you next week.