My braces
Around July 2021, my tooth kept bothering me, it hurts when I smile, turns out it grew in the wrong spot. My tooth made it harder for me to smile and eat, my tooth grew in front of my other tooth and it is hurting my inner cheeks. The reason why my teeth overlapped is because my jaw is narrow but my teeth are big, there is not enough space for the teeth. My mom thinks we need to get braces, I got frightened and worried since I heard braces hurt, and it did. A few month ago, we already consulted with a different dentist and I had to wear an adjustment appliance, it helped to move my teeth apart to make room for the new tooth. Then mid last year, I already had my braces attached. I had a bit of a hard time adjusting to eating because my teeth hurt soo much, just a slight touch on the teeth would make me wince in pain. But after a couple of months, and adjustments slowly my tooth began to go to its place.
When going to the orthodontist the first step is getting a referral, usually from your general dentist. Because more people visit the dentist on a regular basis than an orthodontist, it is often your dentist who will recommend you see an orthodontist. However, you can always set up an appointment on your own, simply by calling the orthodontist office and asking for an appointment.
Your first appointment with the orthodontist will be a consultation. The orthodontist will closely examine your teeth and x-rays to determine if braces are right for you. They may also take impressions of your teeth to begin planning your treatment. The orthodontist will create a treatment plan specific to your needs. Each mouth is different and treatment must be tailored to the individual to achieve the desired results. Using the impressions that were taken of your teeth, your braces will be created
This initial appointment begins with the cleaning and conditioning of your teeth. After a cleaning, the teeth are primed for the cement, and then the brackets are cemented to the teeth based on positions predetermined by the orthodontist. Once the brackets are in place, the wire is then placed into the brackets and the doors are closed to hold it in place. After a few hours your teeth will start to hurt, the orthodontist will tell you what to eat. Mostly soft and cold foods to not hurt your teeth. They may even provide you with small spindle brushes which can help to remove food particle and bacteria from around the brackets and in between the wire and your teeth.
After the braces have been placed, there is usually a period of 3 to 4 weeks before the first adjustment. During an adjustment, the orthodontist inserts a new wire into the brackets. This new wire will be slightly stronger or have a different configuration than the last to continue to move the teeth. Every time you go for an adjustment, the orthodontist will insert a slightly different wire to pull or push the teeth in a certain way.
During the time you wear braces, it is very important to stay on top of your dentist appointments. Brackets and wires make it difficult for you to reach your teeth, but dental professionals are trained in cleaning around brackets and can help you clean more effectively to protect your oral health.
