My adult brace journey so far...

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.

Before and after gallery

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.

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

My laser eye surgery experience

I found out I needed to wear glasses when I was 11 years old and just starting secondary school. I remember putting them on for the first time and being able to see every single detail, it was basically the first time I was properly seeing trees and clouds. Looking back my post surgery experience is definitely similar to this, although I was able to see with my glasses, the surgery has brought my vision to a level I never dreamed possible.

A few months ago I was searching online for some new glasses, preferably clear frames so that they wouldn't dominate my face and be the first thing people noticed about me. I ended up on the Optical Express website and decided to look at the laser eye surgery link, this is where I saw that a person over the age of 18 can be treated. I've always known that I would end up getting the surgery, but I always had an idea that the minimum age was 21! This was pretty exciting and I decided to book in for my free consultation straight away.

When I arrived at the Liverpool one store the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I have always had an immense fear of anything touching or going near my eyes, this is why contact lenses have never even been an option for me! My consultant was completely understanding of this and was so patient. I found out that I was suitable for the surgery and that my thick cornea's (not something you hear often!) would ensure I had a quick and easy healing period.

A few days later I was all booked in for the surgery and I was literally counting down the days! I chose to have the most effective and expensive treatment, the Advanced CustomVue Wavefront. This meant that I would have various tests done to ensure that I was receiving the most accurate correction possible.

They gave me information packs to read through, explaining all of the risks and what I should do during the healing period and I was also given some eye drops to practice with, since they knew how much I struggled with that! I soon realised that the best technique for me was to lie on my side, put the drops in from the outer corner of my eye and allow it to drip down and coat the entire eye. I felt completely prepared!

The morning of the surgery I was extremely excited, I had been told to wear comfortable clothes, my hair out of the way and no makeup. When I arrived at the store I had to undergo several tests to help them determine my perfect prescription, this took a while as apparently the younger you are the harder it is to get this information. However they eventually got what they needed and I was becoming very nervous...

I then met my surgeon for the first time, who was really reassuring and funny. He told me he would perform the surgery today and soon after I was entering the surgery.

At this point I was shaking with nerves, the nurses were wonderful and they gave me a stress ball to help as I struggled to allow them to put the drops in my eyes. I was lying down on a bed and I felt so vulnerable, my eyes were refusing to open at this point and the surgeon had to put in the lid speculum which holds open the eye. It was all happening so quick and I started having a panic attack, I was breathing extremely heavily and I could feel my eyes tearing up which obviously wouldn't help the surgeon  The nurses quickly went and got one of the lovely girls who worked there and she held my hand for the rest of the treatment. I was so grateful, but also embarrassed of my overreaction!

During the surgery I felt pretty much nothing, I just had to remain extremely focused on the flashing laser and then once the laser had finished I felt a slight pressure as the surgeon smoothed down my cornea's flap. After experiencing it on one eye I was completely relieved and throughout the second eye being treated I had no worries.

Overall I think the process took about 10-15 minutes but it felt like no more than 2 to me. Afterwards I was immediately able to get up and the surgeon took me through to thoroughly check my eyes. All was well and I sat in a dark room until I felt good enough to leave. The amazing employee who had held my hand joined me and gave me all of the information of the do's and don't's over the next 1-4 weeks. I was shocked to hear I couldn't jog or lift weights for a week, but looking back I'm glad I took that time to allow my body to repair itself.

Travelling home I wore sunglasses and my eyes were watering non stop. It was so strange, I could see perfectly but there was a cloud of mist in my vision. Once I was home I quickly had lunch and then I went straight to bed. I had to wear special eye shields to ensure I couldn't rub my eyes whilst I slept (they were basically cushioned goggles) but I was able to sleep fine wearing them. I woke up once to take some paracetamol because there was a little discomfort in my eyes stopping me from sleeping, but that was the last pain I felt for the entire healing process.

The next day it was extremely difficult to focus, so I couldn't read anything or focus on small details, but I was fine whilst watching TV and going for a walk.

I had bruising in both of my eyes after the surgery and the right eye's bruising was especially visible! I was told this would take 2-3 weeks to go and now (3 weeks later) there is no sign of it.

I couldn't be happier with the results of my surgery, I had no idea that my glasses had held me back so much, both physically and mentally. I feel like a new person and I can see clearer than I ever could with my glasses.

I feel free to do anything I want and as a make up student I now have no restrictions with my makeup as there is nothing covering my face now!

I reccomend this surgery to anyone who is considering it, however if you in any way like wearing glasses or contacts then it probably isn't for you. Personally I hated everything about wearing glasses and the restrictions they held on my life. I am now an entirely new, confident person and my surgery experience went smoothly from start to finish.

I hope this was helpful and good luck to anyone who decides to undergo the surgery!

Instagram @wolvesandflames