5 weeks difference!
I got my braces removed when I was 14 and within six months I had allowed my teeth to start to creep back to the crooked arrangement they were at before. I was stupid, lazy and had no idea that the problem would escalate so quickly!
I would avoid wearing my retainer at all costs when I was out with my friends and would then forget to put it back in at night, did I mention how stupid I was!
So over the past 7 years I've gotten more and more self conscious of my twisted teeth and I got used to covering my mouth every time I laughed so people couldn't see (I'm still in this habit now so I need to work on breaking that).
When I googled "braces in Liverpool" the best reviews were all coming from The Liverpool brace place on Duke Street and so for several days I kept returning to the website and looking at the gallery of incredible "before and after braces" photo's. Finally I was convinced that braces were the right decision for me and I rang up and booked in for a consultation.
To secure my consultation I paid a fee of £100 and they assured me that this would be deducted from the overall price if I chose to go ahead with the procedure.
When I arrived the staff were so friendly and helpful. Firstly I discussed my insecurities with my teeth and what I wanted to to fix with the brace, I told her how I was confident with my bottom teeth but I hated how my lateral incisors were much higher than the rest of my top teeth.
I was then taken for an x ray and the principal orthodontist Dr Patel reviewed them and checked over my teeth. He assured me that braces would work well for me and I would only need to have them fitted for around a year!
They took photographs of my teeth from several angles in order to track the progress of the brace journey (and I couldn't believe how awfully crooked my teeth looked).
The next step was talking me through brace options, costs and payment plans.
I was shown examples of the different braces that would work for me, firstly the normal metal train track style braces (price starting from £1000), the next option is tooth coloured ceramic braces (from £1250) and lastly the lingual braces that sit behind of the teeth so they can't be seen (from £3500).
I chose to go with the ceramic braces and we spoke about the costs and I decided to pay over 15 months. I was booked in for the next week to get them fitted and I was buzzing with excitement!
On the big day I arrived about 15 minutes before my appointment and I was quickly taken to have moulds of my teeth done. It wasn't fun having the plastic dig in to my gums and it took her a few goes to get them perfect but it was over quickly.
The next step was talking me through brace options, costs and payment plans.
I was shown examples of the different braces that would work for me, firstly the normal metal train track style braces (price starting from £1000), the next option is tooth coloured ceramic braces (from £1250) and lastly the lingual braces that sit behind of the teeth so they can't be seen (from £3500).
I chose to go with the ceramic braces and we spoke about the costs and I decided to pay over 15 months. I was booked in for the next week to get them fitted and I was buzzing with excitement!
On the big day I arrived about 15 minutes before my appointment and I was quickly taken to have moulds of my teeth done. It wasn't fun having the plastic dig in to my gums and it took her a few goes to get them perfect but it was over quickly.
Straight away I was in the chair and the orthodontist applied a glue to each of my teeth, even with a warning of how disgusting the glue would taste, I still wasn't prepared! The glue tasted like sour sweets (which I hate!)
and with my mouth wide open I was almost choking. Next the orthodontist carefully placed a bracket on to each one of my upper teeth and set them with a UV light. The wire is then attached to each bracket by tying it with elastics (the elastics can be any colour you desire, but I'm sticking with the clear ones to keep it as discreet as possible). The excess wire was trimmed and then I was all done!
I was given a bag filled with dental goodies and even a free Colgate electric toothbrush and I was shown a quick video explaining how I should brush and care for my braces.
Later that day I was fully anticipating the pain, it was about 5 hours later when it really kicked in. My Nan made some delicious soup so I could eat, but it still took me an hour to sip down the small bowl full.
The pain persisted for a week, I was living on soft food and dosing up on paracetamol at steady intervals throughout the day. The pain was honestly agonising, especially since I live on toast. A few days after getting the braces fitted I made a nice soft meal of scrambled tofu, of course adding the delicious ingredient of turmeric. When I finished I went to brush my teeth like after every meal, only to see that my braces had turned completely yellow... the turmeric!
I had been warned that eating strong coloured spices was risky and so I should avoid tomato based dishes and curry, but stupidly I had already forgotten this detail.
I vigorously brushed but it was too late.
It was a full seven days before the pain settled, but I grind my teeth when I sleep so I don't think the pain would last that long for others.
I lived my life with stained braces until five weeks later when I was due to get my braces tightened. The tightening process was literally so quick, I was in and out in about two minutes. The orthodontist just changed my stained elastics and tightened the wire.
Luckily there was no pain afterwards and I could eat as normal!
I couldn't be happier that I went ahead with getting the braces. Especially after seeing the comparison photo's I took of just five weeks difference!
I'm so excited to see the change over the next year....
I will do an update post when they're off and if you have any questions in the meantime just let me know!
Thanks for reading
Instagram @wolvesandflames
and with my mouth wide open I was almost choking. Next the orthodontist carefully placed a bracket on to each one of my upper teeth and set them with a UV light. The wire is then attached to each bracket by tying it with elastics (the elastics can be any colour you desire, but I'm sticking with the clear ones to keep it as discreet as possible). The excess wire was trimmed and then I was all done!
I was given a bag filled with dental goodies and even a free Colgate electric toothbrush and I was shown a quick video explaining how I should brush and care for my braces.
Later that day I was fully anticipating the pain, it was about 5 hours later when it really kicked in. My Nan made some delicious soup so I could eat, but it still took me an hour to sip down the small bowl full.
The pain persisted for a week, I was living on soft food and dosing up on paracetamol at steady intervals throughout the day. The pain was honestly agonising, especially since I live on toast. A few days after getting the braces fitted I made a nice soft meal of scrambled tofu, of course adding the delicious ingredient of turmeric. When I finished I went to brush my teeth like after every meal, only to see that my braces had turned completely yellow... the turmeric!
I had been warned that eating strong coloured spices was risky and so I should avoid tomato based dishes and curry, but stupidly I had already forgotten this detail.
I vigorously brushed but it was too late.
It was a full seven days before the pain settled, but I grind my teeth when I sleep so I don't think the pain would last that long for others.
I lived my life with stained braces until five weeks later when I was due to get my braces tightened. The tightening process was literally so quick, I was in and out in about two minutes. The orthodontist just changed my stained elastics and tightened the wire.
Luckily there was no pain afterwards and I could eat as normal!
I couldn't be happier that I went ahead with getting the braces. Especially after seeing the comparison photo's I took of just five weeks difference!
I'm so excited to see the change over the next year....
I will do an update post when they're off and if you have any questions in the meantime just let me know!
Thanks for reading
Instagram @wolvesandflames
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