Marvelous Journey

In case anyone is wondering, my teeth are doing exceedingly well. During my visit to Dr Ma on 16 June, he very casually and non-commitally said that the braces should come off in three to four months' time. Then he added, definitely by this year. That would mean September at the earliest, and December at the latest. My teeth have come far from their crooked days.

When I saw Dr Ma last Thursday (21 July) he removed two of the metal rings from my bottom teeth. That is a big step forward in my terms because it just feels really different without the rings. Having the rings and some of the braces yanked out also gave me a taste of what is to come when I can finally remove them all. It's gonna be a sweat on my brows, nails lodged in chair kind of experience. Like pulling out teeth.

Anyway, the teeth really moved. I monitor them everyday and despite this micro surveillance on my part, they still moved. There is nothing fun about waiting for them to get in place, and waiting for their roots to get in place and waiting for their general stability. Most of the days, it's the boring routine of toothbrush, toothpick brush and floss. Eating crunchy foods especially nuts and chips have lost their appeal (good!) and I still eat slower than what I used to because food gets stuck in places. I don't really mind that part, what I mind is not being able to get the shiok out of biting into a pizza or toast and tearing of a chunk with my front teeth. Rawrrr!!! I miss that.

Even at my last appointment, the teeth still hurt after tightening and I was on liquids for a couple of days. It doesn't bother me at all because I love soups (and ice cream) and I feel really healthy those days.

Since having the braces on, I have had people telling me I look different every couple of months. Some of my ex-colleagues bought it when I told them I got a nose job in reaction to them questioning why I looked different. But my classmate from 15 years ago recognised me the moment she saw me so I am still recognisable as me. I actually think I look the same just a little "thinner" with hollower cheeks and more chin.

I will take some pictures to compare and contrast the before, midway and after but in the meantime, a picture of me in May 2011 and one of me in Feb 2011. Same same lah. Just being indulgent.

The first accident and subsequent visits

Over the bottom two hollows of my mouth, hollowed because of the earlier tooth extractions, the braces' wire runs like a bridge across the gum valleys. On a Friday, the wire over the right hollow popped out from its brackets while I was having yu sheng at a work lunch. So the bridge was only secured at one end, with the other end a needle point resting on the side of my molar. After several failed attempts by me and my colleague to put the wire back in, I called the dental center for help. They asked if I was in pain, no. They asked if I would like to see the dentist, yes. They said the dentists were all out for lunch. They asked if I wanted to come immediately or wait three days until Monday. I asked if it was ok to wait three days, because honestly, it felt intimidating to have a sharp, thin metal poking around the inside my mouth. I sensed no urgency from the receptionist on the line, in fact she seemed rather peeved that I needed to make a last minute appointment. In any case I went down to the dental center right after lunch, and had to cancel an appointment for this. Because Dr Mah was not on duty, another dentist attended to me, and took all of two seconds to put the wire back in its place. Thank God the dentist was nice and so was Mabel, also Dr Mah's nurse. She warned me that the wire could poke through my finger so I should not try to manoeuvre it too much to get it back in.

Come Monday, Dr Mah called and brought forward my next appointment. He said the wire probably came out because my teeth had shifted and it was better to see him sooner as the wire would be prone to pop out again. So I saw Dr Mah three days later and this time, I got new and thicker wires. My last molars were also armoured with brackets to push them forward to fill up forty percent of the holes from the removed teeth (my front teeth will be pushed back to fill the other sixty percent). So having new brackets means new ulcers but only on my left inner cheek. Teeth and gums are hurting a little but it's all manageable now, I'm back to my eighty percent liquid diet which is going to help me lose weight further. Dr Mah also took moulds of my teeth again because he said they've moved considerably and he wanted to document them.

My teeth looks weird now. That they've moved is obvious and they probably need to get into many different positions to make way for one another somehow or other, before they can be straightened, but as of now, they look far from beautiful. The upper and lower sets of my teeth are not parallel, they part at an angle. On the right side, I see a space where my teeth should bite. I tell myself that this is all part and parcel of getting a better set of teeth - because that's the truth.

Now... I look forward to the next appointment! Of course! Every month I look forward to the next dental appointment! Superficial as it may sound, this beautifying the teeth process is rather exciting!

Spot the difference! I know the colour of the pictures can be distracting but be assured they are both me! See how strangely unimproved they look now.

little white teeth on my little white teeth

The white ceiling is made up of rectangular aluminium framed card board and fluorescent lamps, placed in a certain sequence. As I lay on the dentist chair, my eyes wide open in search of a good spot for permanent focus, it struck me that the ceiling and I were familiar friends. Dr Mah busied himself with a dozen different metalic contraptions in my mouth. Common as this sort of ceiling goes, I've only scrutinised it when I made trips to this same dentistry when I was in primary school and was registered under their student programme. I liked visiting the dentist. They were a cool bunch who gave away stickers and funkily flavoured toothpaste. Seeing the formation of card boards and lamps again here and now, intensifies my enjoyment of being here, now.

It had been two weeks since my last visit. I'd gotten accustomed to the metal rings and was really looking forward to this appointment because I was gonna get the braces on and I just couldn't wait! It was a Friday and there was a media thingy at work, but this dental appointment was scheduled beforehand so I had to leave the work to the colleagues (although I would have liked to be around).

The moment the goggles went on, things happened quickly. Two plastic dishes were inserted on the left and right of my mouth to part my lips from my teeth. The entire front teeth and lip area was blotted and blown and kept very dry. Dr Mah thought I was scared because I seemed to be grabbing on to the sides of chair, but I was not. The ceramic braces went on with little discomfort. Once they were done though, they felt really out of place. It was strange to have these little things protruding from my teeth. Andrew commented that they look like little teeth, and they kinda do. A gross question my friend once asked me came to mind: Would you rather have lots of little ears all over your head, or one huge ear inside your mouth?

I grinned so my lips didn't have to close over the braces but whenever my grin laxed, they kept my lips up like the opening of a tent. I worked my facial muscles harder to keep them out of each other's way.

I clenched my teeth but couldn't bite normally. Dr Mah had put something in to raise two of molars so my teeth couldn't touch, to prevent my upper teeth from chipping off the braces on my lower teeth. I knew that this was to be the bane of my every meal. He said that this will go on for about three months, I assume until my teeth moves and can clench nicely.

The braces were on, but I still had two teeth to remove! A most worrying procedure for me. I had a good idea what to expect but strangely, was more nervous. My hands and feet felt like cold, dead turkeys as I anticipated the long metallic anaesthetic jabs. When Andrew gave me the first jab, he tried to distract by asking if the short sharp prick or the long dull insertion was more bearable. I just wanted it over and done, so when he removed the needle, I said, "Er... I anything also can. Just faster do...". Haha! Once the jabs were all in, I was calm and everything was good again. Yippee! The two good teeth were taken out, then Dr Mah came in to insert the wires, and I was done and ready to go!

My face didn't swell so badly this time as I was given less jabs (only four). I went home, changed the blood drenched cotton gauze, took a panadol as instructed, ate porridge and made my way to Wei's place to hang out!

Now

It has been a little more than a week since I've had the braces and oh my, I already see some movement! The change is very slight, only I notice them (Ming was like, "Err... I think got a bit loh..."), but it's still exciting. I'm speaking with a lisp and even more unclearly than that. Eating is difficult. I've been taking soup and porridge. Nothing I eat can give the same gratification as before. Sigh. Brushing takes much longer and I have to wake up earlier in the mornings to make concessions for that. One of the metal rings I thought I had gotten used to began cutting up my tongue again, so I've been using the wax. Thankfully though, the ceramic braces have not been giving me ulcers. I went for facial and was careful to keep my mouth closed. It was not a problem. For my mom's birthday, we had Japanese food and I could only take chawanmushi. Bummer. But when I feel miserable about not being able to enjoy food, I remind myself that I'm losing weight.

I'd say that in all, things are going well. Next appointment is a little more than a month later... I can't wait, I can't wait!

I've had two visits to the Dentist's now!

I've toyed with the idea of getting braces since I was in the UK, when I had too much time and began scrutinising myself in the mirror. Not many people thought that this was a good idea as my teeth, though not perfectly straight, seemed pretty alright, which would make me really vain if I wanted to correct them. The crookedness of my teeth was inconspicuous at most angles but it was there and it bugged me. I envied the decency of people with straight teeth. Later Ming told me that correcting one's teeth out of vanity was not unique to me and lots of people did that, for who cannot live with crooked teeth anyway? Great!

Fifteen years earlier, I had retainers meant to correct my top four front teeth. One was jutting out, another jutting in and the other two in-between. The student dentist had asked if I'd like to use retainers or braces, and I based my choice on the level of pain each procedure would give. I'd have to extract teeth if I wanted braces so I chose the retainers. The student dentist supported me and said my teeth were quite straight anyway. My sentiments exactly, until bloody UK.

So it had been four years since I've had the urge on and off. I made an appointment with the orthodontist once, only to cancel it at the last minute because braces were expensive and I was not working at that time. I also felt guilty for having only one reason to straighten my teeth - so I'd get beautiful teeth! - but several reasons not to - they cost a couple of thousand dollars, I'd be stricken with pain and the stigma of being a braces-wearing adult for two years and I will have to pull out teeth which deterred me the most. The struggle was a great one - pain versus vanity - what a cliche! As the years went by, my desire for straight teeth grew but the dissuading factors did not, so finally, I was decided. I was going to see an orthodontist and if my fears were not exceeded, I'd do it!

First visit

I took time off work and saw Dr Mah on a Wednesday, 13 Jan 2010 at 3pm. He asked me what was wrong and I brutally said "I'm vain." I told him I found my lower row of teeth jarring. So he looked and poked at my teeth, observed my chin, jaw, bite, smile and so on. He then composed himself on a chair beside me and said that the most straight forward way of going about it would be to remove four of my teeth and have me put on conventional braces. I said, "Aiyah, I have to extract four teeth ah..." then "Ok! Let's do it!" Because I really wanted to!

I knew I made the right decision. Instantly, I was happy and excited - and I had to pull out four teeth! I wanted to start and complete the process in one sitting right there and then. I wanted the braces, in it's monstrous entirety, to be fitted in now! But, no.

Dr Mah sent me to get X-rays taken. The X-ray room was like a sci-fi Hollywood movie set and made me feel like I was living in the future. The machines were pristine white and moved sleekly; they beeped and spoke and played music. I walked back to Dr Mah's room and there were the digital X-rays, ready to be viewed on his computer! From the X-rays, I verified that indeed there were corrections to be done, and despite all that scrutiny in the UK, more than I thought.

I was asked if I'd like to have the metal or ceramic braces. The metal were S$600 cheaper and I could have on coloured rubber bands but Dr Mah recommended the ceramics as he thought they worked better, so I went with his recommendation as I tend to trust the professionals. No colourful bands to play with, I guess. He said the ceramics will also let me, "Enjoy the process more," to which I asked, "How to enjoy?" and he said, "You can see the teeth moving and straightening more clearly." Ok. Pictures of my teeth and and me were taken with harsh flash (not to be tagged on Facebook). I was told I can't have coke and chocolates. But I will need to have the braces on for only a year (or a little more) which was a plus! I hope to have beautiful teeth when I turn thirty!

Dr Mah inserted eight rubber band dividers to make space for the braces and prepared me by saying, "They'll give you some grieve." I thought they were ok and left feeling confident that I'll have no grieve whatsoever. I was wrong. The dividers prevented my top and bottom molars from touching so I couldn't bite properly. I felt like I was chewing on rubber or springs and the weird sensation drove me crazy. Crazy, but bearable.

Second visit

Second appointment was a week later to pay the down payment, put in the back brackets and remove two of the four teeth. When I left from work my colleagues wished my good luck, while I waved back in enthusiasm. It was a busy day at the Dental Centre and I had to wait even though I was on time. Dr Mah was speedy when inserting the brackets. I was soon brought to Level 2 to have my teeth extracted by another dentist who is XY's long time friend, Andrew. He was nice and his nurse was super duper nice but the anaesthetic jabs at five or six different parts of my oral cavity were excruciatingly painful! I now know what to expect if ever I want to botox my lips. The left side of my face lost sensation very quickly. I was asked to rinse and the water I took in spurted out from my mouth like it would a water pistol. It was hard to sit on the dentist chair and make small talk while all three of us waited for the anaesthetic to take effect, because I could not control my pronunciation. I tried to speak clearly but sounded ineffectual. When the time came, the extraction was painless. They let me keep my teeth but Andrew said they were full of bacteria and I should throw them away - I will keep them to show XY. I headed home after the extraction and my mom totally freaked out and said that if she'd known it was gonna be so bad, she would have dissuaded me (she had been very encouraging all along). For the next 2 to 3 hours, my entire left face was swollen and numb like it had suffered a stroke. I couldn't drink from a glass without water dribbling down my chin. When I smiled or talked only the right side of my face moved. Thankfully, the size of my face is back to normal now and I'm quite proud to have survivied the extraction with just a whimper, when the needle went into my lip! The next time round I'll be heading to the office after, and for sure all these will be quite an inconvenience.

Now

With the back braces fixed for two days, I'm glad I can cross out two days from the getting-used-to-the-permanent-pain calendar. My inner cheeks have no less than four ulcers and I talk with my teeth clenched as if I am suppressing anger all the time. When I had dinner yesterday, I ouched out loud twice and brought some joy to JY!!! I'm learning to bite carefully. I also contemplate alot more before I put any food into my mouth. Wanted to proposition Ming "Let's go have Tang Yuan!" today but realised it's not gonna be an enjoyment for me, for now. Grumpy, but shall make use of this opportunity to lose weight because I'm quite sure I'll get used to all the metal soon... by which time it should be my next extraction and more brackets!

Did a search on google and found many dedicated blogs on braces-wearing journeys. I shall try to put some of my experiences here.

And I'm not sure if Wabi notices anything but she treats me no different than before.

My teeth, from one angle.