After 4 months of living with Lingual braces, my teeth are free, and I have the smile I have been dreaming of for the past twenty years. I can’t stop looking in the mirror to admire my new grin. It is better than I ever expected. For the last few months, I have been visiting the Straight Teeth Suite to have my Lingual braces fitted and adjusted, and I am so happy I did.
Day 1: Having chosen Lingual braces because they are nearly invisible unless I open my mouth really wide, the day has come for my dentist to fit them. I am excited and nervous at one and the same time. The whole procedure lasted about forty minutes. Firstly, my teeth were thoroughly cleaned with a water jet. The brackets were then fixed to the reverse side of my teeth where they can’t be seen using a special adhesive. As the dentist pressed on each of the brackets to get a strong bond, the pressure was uncomfortable for a moment, and my jaw was starting to ache from keeping my mouth open. And last of all, the wires were threaded through the brackets. Armed with a bag of essentials including Ibuprofen, toothbrush, mouthwash and dental wax, I made my way home. I was not in any pain yet, but I will let you know how I got on.
Day 2. My first 48 hours with Lingual braces were no better and no worse than I had been warned. I had a little pain, a lot of discomfort, I lisped a bit, and I found it hard to chew. After taking a dose of Ibuprofen, the pain disappeared. My tongue was sore where I had rubbed it on the brackets so I put some dental wax on the wires and brackets, and that really helped. I had plenty of soups in the fridge and dipped my bread to soften it, so I didn’t go hungry. I was lisping for a while but practiced using the Rainbow Passage developed by some speech therapists. I didn’t sound too silly. It was useful to practice in front of a mirror and exaggerate the words. Singing along to my favourite songs helped too. My mouth felt really dry overnight, so I kept a glass of water by my bed.
Day 31. A month after my braces were fitted and I could already see a difference in the position of my teeth. I wasn’t expecting this so soon. The gap between my lower incisors, right at the front had completely closed. It is a big confidence boost to see the braces are actually working. My lisp was much better. In fact, I only lisped when I talked too fast or had bits of food stuck in the brackets. I brushed my teeth at least six times a day. Not only did my mouth feel much nicer after brushing but it helped with the lisp too. I had moments when I could forget I was wearing braces which were a real bonus.It can be very tiring being conscious of something alien in your mouth all day. When I had my braces fitted I was told to avoid biting into anything hard or chewy. Four weeks on I had devised a menu plan to make this more bearable. Porridge, scrambled eggs, granola with yoghurt and fruit, for breakfast. Soup, fish and mash, jacket potato with tuna, pasta and sauce, or omelette for lunch or dinner. And puddings of chocolate mousse or ice cream made up for not being able to eat sweets or biscuits.
Day 60. Two months later and my wires were adjusted for the first time. It wasn’t too uncomfortable and only took a little time. The best thing was my protruding tooth has now moved to connect with the wire. For the first week, my gums ached again, and I took some more painkillers. My lisp had totally vanished by this time, so everything was great. I also visited the hygienist who professionally cleaned my teeth. She was able to get in between the brackets and wires and my teeth felt smooth and clean.
Day 90. More than halfway through my treatment and I had my wires adjusted again. My teeth had moved dramatically during the past three months since I first had my lingual braces fitted. I was already feeling happy to show my teeth when I smiled, something I avoided doing before.
I was prepared for another week of discomfort after my appointment but this time, I didn’t need to take the painkillers.
Day 120. At the third adjustment for my braces, the dentist used a stronger wire. He said my teeth were moving well. My gums were sore again for just a few days but I didn’t have any tongue pain from rubbing on the brackets, and I could eat most things. I was already more confident and actually wore red lipstick for the first time in my adult life. I even started practicing smiling for the camera in time for the braces to come off.
Day 143. The end of the journey, I had my braces removed, and I felt amazing! I hadn’t actually thought about how the dentist would remove the brackets. When I saw the clamp, a bit of panic set in. The dentist literally pulled the brackets off. One yelp and it was all over. I had a tiny wire fixed behind my teeth to hold everything in place before my retainers were fitted. I love my smile and any discomfort, trials and suffering were undoubtedly worth the effort. If I have any regrets, it is that I didn’t have braces and a beautiful smile sooner.
If you are considering Lingual braces, contact the Straight Teeth Suite for a free consultation HERE