Oh gosh, this third appointment to the orthodontist is even tougher than before. Every time I visit the ortho, something new always pops up. For example, the last time, I was delayed by two weeks and my archwire broke. No big deal, but it could have been avoided if I had gone to the ortho earlier.

This round, my bracket got loose so the ortho reinforced it. The ortho also decided to further strengthen and tighten my set of braces.  

The process at the ortho during an appointment is always like this:
1. Open up mouth to have set of teeth checked.
2. Ortho removes archwire (see image below – archwire removed)
3. I brush my teeth with toothbrush and toothpaste provided (I usually bring my own)
4. Select elastic ligature colour (rubber)
5. Ortho carries on with placement of new archwire – usually thicker (tightening) and elastic ligature.

I don’t like the condition of my teeth. I’ve been working so hard at taking care of my teeth by cleaning it thoroughly but I still cannot avoid the stains, especially on the lower set of my teeth.

So after I brush my teeth, I select my colour. Remember my tips in my last few “Braces” posts right?

All the colours for you to pick.

I chose dark blue for a change. If you notice from the picture above, it differs from the previous photos, whereby the elastic ligature on the top set are connected instead of separating it. Can you now imagine how tight my braces are?

Tadaa, maybe I was inspired by the blue I was wearing.

My teeth really hurts. It’s the third day today and it still hurts like mad. I’m back to my slightly soft diet. It hurts so much, I get a headache at times.

That night, I still managed to go party at Lyana’s Hari Raya Open House. The second and third day of braces tightening is always the worst. First day is always still okay.

Foreigners must find it unusual of Malaysia to have one celebration after another or rather sometimes, coincide!

Even on the same day, celebration for the Muslims aren’t over yet according to their Shaawal calendar.

Families have open house to welcome guests for merry-making.

Real Malay cuisine.

School mates since 1991. From left: Aidonna Jun, Marieta, Kim, Lyana, Hafizah and Hasni.

Marieta and I. Love her cute eyes.

Everyone’s getting married or already got married yay! Hasni’s already a Puan Solihin!

Through choral speaking, interact club, prefectorial board especially.

Lyana the host.

Good night. My gigi besi hurts! I don’t want to be grumpy tomorrow.

Warning: Not quite pleasant pictures ahead.

 It’s been a while since I last updated you on the state of my braces. Without realising, I have grown to accept my braces as a part of me already, since putting them on in early June. From the excruciating pain of four teeth extraction, putting braces on to the tightening, six weeks after that, I finally went for my second “tightening” appointment. At my first appointment, the orthodontist said that my teeth had progressed really fast and my next appointment was to be in four weeks time. Came my appointment date, and I had to cancel it to go to Singapore, or for some kind of meeting at work. I made another appointment and had to cancel again. When I got back from Singapore, I insisted to go see the ortho and finally made it two weeks later. So, instead of four weeks, it was back to six weeks.

My teeth had progression, as you can see in the image above. Only thing, there were still gaps from the four molars extraction but frontal view, it looked quite neat.

As you can see above, the first time I tried white and it became yellow over time. This time I tried silver and it became copper (see above) overtime.

My orthodontist said it was “okay, but it would have been better if I didn’t miss out the last appointment.” Oh dear. Anyway, she took out my “archwire” (the long horizontal wire) and replaced it with a much thicker one. My braces kaki at work, Patrick said it’s true that the ortho would keep increasing the thickness of the wire as time goes by. Oh dear!!

I decided to get funky and went for a cute colour for my “elastic ligature” (the rubber band surrounding the brackets).

Pink was next on the list!

I can tell that it will turn orange after a month.

Mandy was very nice to tell me that it looked like pink lipstick mark on my teeth. I regretted insisting an honest opinion from her.

*_*

I got abit conscious after her comments, started ensuring that there was some form of pink in my outfit just to match my braces. After a week or so, I just dropped the idea. Who cares? Who’s going to specifically look at my teeth?

How painful it was after tightening? A little bit numb and I was back to toufu for only one day. Surprisingly, I could still eat normally right after the tightening, but the numb feeling kicked in only the following day.

Oh, some birthday updates. Went to church on Sunday morning, went for a wedding-tasting session (not mine), drinks and dinner girl-bonding with Racheal. Shopped a bit too in Bangsar. It was a cute and simple 24th birthday. Next year onwards I’ll be spending it with myjojo! Yippie! Anyway, thanks for all the birthday wishes on Facebook, blog, MSN, SMSes and calls. I love the love!

BEFORE:

Above image was dated May 2008. As you can see:
- teeth after 4 teeth extraction
- protruding bottom set of teeth
- bugs bunny teeth

AFTER:

Above image dated mid-July 2008, after 6 weeks of putting on braces. As you can see:
- straightened teeth
- chilli stuck onto one bottom tooth (downside of having braces)
- no more bugs bunny tooth
- bottom tooth no longer protrudes

I’m so happy it’s all worth it, and it’s just been 6 weeks! I will have braces on till end of 2009 to close the gaps.

Whee, all in the name of vanity, confidence and no more ulcers because of stupid protruding tooth! Yay!

*PS: Hope the above pictures are not too gross for you. That’s why I had them in contrasted hues. It’s like art.

After six weeks of having my braces put on…

Orthodontist: Very well, your teeth’s moving really fast.
Kim: Really? I think so too. My protruding tooth has gone in.
Orthodontist: Yes, I heard you’re getting married, and ohhhhhh…..your braces.
Kim: Yes, I was wondering if it’s possible for me to take out a few brackets? Will there be any additional fees incurred for that?
Orthodontist: Yes. It is [states amount which is not exorbitant].
Kim: Oh, that’s great.
Orthodontist: By the way, your next appointment will be in the next four weeks since your teeth’s moving so fast. We can speed up the process instead of the usual six weeks.
Kim: Wow, cool!!!

I’m so glad at the rate my teeth’s moving. As of now, after the tightening, my gums become quite sensitive again and I chew really slowly. What is “tightening”, you must wonder. It is the process of cutting off the “archwire” by a few milimetres to create greater force of pushing the entire set of teeth together. During the “tightening” process, my orthodontist also replaces the “elastic ligature” (the rubber band surrounding each bracket on each tooth).

The last elastic ligature I chose was WHITE which became YELLOW over time. I strongly advise you not to choose WHITE.

This round, I decided to choose GREY.

Next time round, I would go for other colours. The orthodontist had about fifteen colour for me to choose like white, black, yellow, black, green, turquoise, dark blue, light blue, orange and etc.

I was also advised to NOT go for RED because it looks like blood on your teeth and GREEN because it looks like vegetables stuck onto your braces.

Just before this appointment, I was already eating chicken and more chewy food. I’ll give myself another week before I can eat more solid food. Right now, at the most I could eat would be noodles.

I’m obsessed with the progression of my braces / teeth moving.

Just thought I might update you about the condition of my braces / teeth. The same week I had my braces on, I was unable to eat properly and had to swallow whatever edible liquid food and that included potatoes, porridge, mashed carrots and soup. I was just so sick of it. One day I woke up having the urge to have rice and I made it. Slowly but surely, soon enough I was able to chew a little more. My diet now is almost back no normal except with much softer food.

The feeling? Since my “bite” has shifted and my right side of teeth don’t touch, I rely on my left bite. When I bite, it feels like biting onto a large piece of plastisin (gums). My teeth have started shifting tremendously and I can see the difference.

Thankfully, up till now, I have no ulcers. I’ve heard of so many ulcer cases, people warning me I would get ulcers all over my mouth but luckily that only happened to me during the first extraction of two right molars. I guess it really varies with people. *touches wood*.

I have been very careful not only with my food intake, so I don’t aggravate my gums, teeth and shift my braces but I also ensure I place some “wax” onto my vital brackets to ensure they don’t cut against the walls of my mouth.

As a result of all that, I looked really skinny but the good news is that I am gaining the weight I had shed off earlier. My cheekbones look more prominent though.

I have so many people now asking me for the phone number of my dentist and orthodontist. Oh yes, one thing I realised is I tend to look at other people’s teeth more often now. It’s like the second thing I notice about them after looking at their eyes. Automatically, I get conscious about my own teeth but I have every right to start checking out other peoples’ teeth. Right? Just checking out their teeth, not criticising. Then they ask me how I put up with mine – I tell them, just like how the other gazillions of people put up with their braces.

Mentally, I became quite an angry person when I first had my braces because I was unable to eat well and was suddenly bombarded with enormous amount of work. Then I figured out that it had nothing much to do with the pain because there was hardly any pain or tension in my teeth but more of the food intake.

I GET GRUMPY WHEN I DON’T EAT!