36 years of worry

[April]

Month 12 .........

Nearly a whole year of braces and 16 months since my journey began - where has the time gone?

After my wires were changed today Dr. T tells me that there are one more set of wires to go then ......... they are off!!!!
As, apparently, it is better to leave the ones I have on as long as possible I don't have my next appointment to have them changed until early January so fingers crossed February should be the last I see of them.

Plus I still have my appointment with Dr. H on Wednesday to have the bottom right permanent implant tops put on

 

[JessicaB]

That's fantastic April, you're doing so well! Must be exciting to know you are on the home stretch with the braces too. Sounds like it's gone quite quickly for you?

 

[Dr. Shirley]

April

I am SOOOOOO excited for you!! you have come so far and are gonna have the smile and ability to chew the way you deserve to.

I feel cheery in my heart for you. congratulations April. YOu have taken the steps ....step by step to be able to have what you wanted.

cheers to your courage and dedication,
Dr.Shirley

 

[April]

I now have my bottom permanent tops, just need to wait until my next appointment to have a final tighten then he will put the white fillings over the screw holes.

I have found the down side to not constantly worrying, of having no sleepless nights, no infections, no pain and teeth I can actually use ....... I have put on 4kg's
If I carry on like this, especially with all the christmas goodies around the house, I will need a new wardrobe by the new year.

 

[Terrified59]

Hello April and congratulations.

I've seen diagrams about how the implants look and you're right they do look like rawplugs. My question, it looks so painful, did you have your teeth out and straight after have the implants put in? How much pain were you in after and for how long? I would really like to have implants, but whether I can afford them is another question. I'm British but live in the States now and the cost here is scary, but I'd rather do it then have a full set of bottom dentures! I really am terrified of dentists too!

 

[April]

Hi Terrified59

When I had my teeth out I was fast asleep - wouldn't have had it any other way - and they put the implants in straight away,

I took the full course of the antibiotics but the pain killers I only took for a couple of days (because they told me to) but honestly, I forgot about it after that, I had NO PAIN whatsoever.

I have said that if I hadn't been in such a state and realised how brilliant they would be I would have had all my teeth out and a full set of implants put in!! I had six altogether and lived of mashed potato and custard for 3 months (good for the waistline), the reason for this is to give the impants chance to embed themselves but had the temporary 'tops' put on after 3 days.

Like you I am a British but live in the Middle East and like you I have had to pay for my treatment and yes it was very expensive however, paying and being such a phobic meant I could have what I wanted which in turn helped to calm me.

Finances aside it was an altogether positive, pain free experience but do keep of the internet, it will really wind you up

Let me know what you decide ....

 

[April]

I was thinking today, one of the things I did was to set a date when I wanted to be 'somewhere else' as far as my teeth were concerned. OK, I changed the date a few times but I am now almost finished , just before my 49th birthday - I will have a year of decent teeth still in my fourties

Coming out the other side is a fantastic place to be and being pain free is even better.

Choose a date and aim for it. This year on 10th October 2010 (10/10/10) wouldn't it be great if we could all have reasonable teeth, less worry and a pain free life ...... make a pact with yourself.

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 

[cjb1966]

thanks for sharing your story i am in agony but trying to get to the dentist just so frightened.

you were very brave

 

[jenjen]

The fear that you have at the moment is as bad as it gets. After breaking a filling it took me 6 months to go to the dentist and I promise you it was 100 times better than I thought it would. Make that call (or get someone else to) you won't regret it

 

[April]

Month 13 .........

Firstly, I would like to wish everyone a happy and painfree new year.

Amazingly I am still going to the dentist on my own, I am still very nervous but very confident and comfortable with both the dentist and orthodontist.

I have now had my last wire put on and been told that it may take a month, maybe two, for a minor adjustment on my tooth that was twisted - all the rest are perfect.

The end of the braces is nigh ......

 

[JessicaB]

I'm so happy and excited for you April. Can you imagine how fantastic you are going to feel the day the braces come off and you see your fantastic straight teeth for the first time. You've done so brilliantly to get this far with your treatment and to develop a good relationship with your dentist and your orthodontist. I too hope to one day have a more relaxed relationship with my dentist, and also to maybe even be brave enough to get braces myself.

 

[April]

Month 14 ......

Another final tweek and it will be done, apparently!

It's fine really, was just hoping that at this months visit I would be told the braces could come off - so near and yet so far.

Can't believe I am so impatient because after they come off I have to have either veneers or crowns on my front 4 teeth, that will be a whole new experience and plus a couple of fillings, would have thought I would have wanted to put it off as long as possible.

4 more weeks ....................

 

[April]

15 months and 5 days later ...........they are off!

I really can't believe it, I have straight teeth. I knew they were straighter but with the braces on I couldn't quite see what was happening but when he took them off - WOW!
I am actually speechless ....... but smiling alot!

I now have my next appointment with Dr. H who will start on the next phase with only 2 weeks to go until my deadline. The only thing is Dr. T wants me to have the fibres cut in my 3 teeth that were severly twisted. He said that although he has put in a permanent retainer he would like me to have that done as a back up - all done under a local ...... ummmm, will see how I feel about that at a later date.

Shame I don't drink, I could really celebrate if I did

 

[Jamie_39]

Nothing much to say other than



Even if you don't drink, you should find your own way of celebrating - a crunchy apple, bitten into directly perhaps?

 

[April]

I called Dr. H last week to see if he could cut the fibres in my teeth, he said that he couldn't, I just didn't want to go to someone else, it has taken me so long to get where I am.

Anyway, back to today. I went to have the permanent tops put on my top implants and to have a small filing done on my front tooth, The tops fitted perfectly then he used the wand (think thats what it is called) to numb my front tooth for the filling, which of course took minutes. Just when I thought it was safe to breathe normally again he announced that he had a treat for me, he could cut the fibres and he may as well do it NOW

I have been getting myself wound up since they told me about it, I have even been offered a couple of cancellations which, needless to say, I turned down very quickly. I didn't really know what to say, how could I say no, I was already numb (apparently he had numbed me more because he knew what he was going to do) and I was already there ..........

Needless to say, once again, it was over in 2 minutes and I had been panicking about nothing. He cut the fibres in 4 teeth altogether and did say that they may be sore for a few hours but normal pain killers would sort out any discomfort.

I have another appointment in 3 weeks to discuss any further treatment I may choose to have - 'choose to have', I have never 'choosen' to have dental treatment in my life!!
If I choose not to have any further treatment then basically I am done..... I do wish I could stop crying, I blubbed when I saw them in the dentists office and have blubbed several times since, I just feel a cross between elation and feeling emotionally drained.

The good news is that I can smile for the first time in 30 years without hiding my teeth, I can have my photo taken,I can eat anything I want anywhere in my mouth I want, I am not in pain, I can sleep at night, no pain killers, no antibiotics ........

............ and today is my birthday, what a fantastic present

 

[RP]

Congratulations, It is so nice to hear of someone who is done......Happy Birthday.

rp

 

[robotguy]

Wow, well done and what a great present to yourself.

Congratulations.

 

[ScaredJulie]

Congratulations, well done you, HAPPY BIRTHDAY

 

[April]

Basically, other than the final tightening of my implants, in about 6 weeks, then the white composite filling I don't HAVE to have any further treatment ........ but

I have good healthy teeth now, which was my aim but now I have the opportunity to put the 'icing on the cake'. I have chatted to Dr. H about veneers and teeth whitening on several occasions so today I had an appointment to discuss what comes next, if I choose ...... I choose, what I strange feeling to say that about dental treatment, I have never been able to say that all my life.

My teeth are very sensitive and apparently the whitening they do in the surgery with the chemicals can leave you with aching teeth ...... I really, really don't want any pain, plus Dr. H has suggested I don't go down that road for the time being.

If I went down the veneers root I would need 13 altogether, that would work out at about 8,000 sterling (remembering that I live outside the U.K.and have to pay for all dental treatment). All I will say about the cost to date is that my husband has said he is going to buy me a set of number plates to hang around my neck

The other option is the home whitening system which apparently you have more control over i.e. strength of chemical and although it takes longer is more gentle.

................. I collect my home whitening tray next Wednesday

 

[April]

I am now the proud owner of a home whitening kit. Came away with instructions on how to use it and some industrial strength flouride to use after - followed by a trip to the chemist for some strong Brufen, all this, apparently, will help lessen any pain I may get because of my sensitive teeth

It is sat in my bathroom, not decided when I will start using it yet, just don't want any pain