5 Months 7 days!
Last month was my least blogged month, which is ironic because it had some of the most dramatic updates.
I went to for my fourth appointment last month and my bottom teeth have aligned almost completely. It’s hard to believe that once upon a time, my bottom left canine jutted out. Because it is now firmly in place. Amen!
I expected they would change my arch wire, as was done on the second month. In fact, I even had my toothbrush ready for a comfortable brushing session when they remove the wire. Instead, they changed my elastic in a less than 5 minute procedure. The orthodontist kept asking for a certain tool that he said I needed, but this was not located. I was already feeling disappointed. My dental clinic is out of town and to go all the way there, a more than two hour journey (to and fro) and find there’s missing equipment is quite upsetting.
My orthodontist then began to insert a new thing into my mouth. “Let’s go to the mirror, I show you how to put this on.”
To my amazement, it was, a rubber band, that was to be held on the four hooks of my canines.
Now, up to this point, NOTHING had even remotely suggested or prepared me that I would ever wear rubber bands! I may have seen them online during my initial research, but I didn’t pay much attention to them as I assumed that they are for the more severe cases.
I laughed in disbelief for several minutes as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
“Haiya, seriously?” I kept saying.
“Haiya, seriously?” I kept saying.
“Yeah,” the dentist said, with a straight face.
“How often?” I could barely open my mouth comfortably as the rubber band kept my teeth from going too far apart.
“24/7.”
“And eating?” I was still in shock.
“You eat with them on.”
I began to envision my life. IT WAS OVER. How was I going to walk around with a very visibly brightly coloured rubber band in my mouth? From the side, I looked like a vampire!
I had a coffee meet up that day with my gal Faith, but before meeting her, I swung by a cybercafé to read about this new gadget in holding my lower and upper teeth together.
Alas! They do exist, and I am, apparently, not the first. My heart rate began to calm down a bit when I read the positive things people said about them. The positive things being that they do accelerate the treatment period and you will be glad you got them on.
With that small consolation, I went for coffee and cake, and was dismayed to discover that my mouth couldn’t open wide enough for the cake to pass. And even sadder that I couldn’t remove the rubber band because I needed to take a picture I coz didn't memorise how the dentist had showed me and I’d have to be putting it on— on my own.
Life with rubber bands is far from glamorous. What keeps me going is keeping my eyes on the goal. Sometimes they snap broken and give me (and everyone around) a scare.
Most of the time the problem is the metal torture. My mind is a real battle field I tell you. They say it's typical of the melancholic personality type, which I am purported to be. (I am not keen on all that psychology hogwash - forgive my strong language).
So I keep thinking , that they must be thinking…The things people do for beauty! or how vain I am, or my goodness what’s that ridiculous thing you've got in there. or isn't this going too far!
Interesting that no one has actually said these things to me! Oh I do need help !! It’s more than just braces and the horrid rubber bands!
I know I shouldn’t care what people think, but sometimes it bothers me. I do not want to come off as vain, or on the flip side, with low self esteem.
That said, time heals, including these torturous feeling…and I am gradually getting over whatever hang-ups I may have had about rubber bands. I am purposing every day not to give up prematurely. I now wear them proudly.
Before I would only leave the house with the colourless ones. Now I wear green orange, red bands to work!
I have truly come a long way in the last month. I noticed my upper and lower canines are now touching. I am guessing with consistent wearing, it will only be a matter of time before the rest of the bite closes. I hope someday I’ll look back on this with gratitude.
I am beginning to truly appreciate my orthodontist’s expertise and candidness.
Apparently, the other treatment he would have performed would have moved my front teeth in place, but moved my back ones as well, and that’s a whole ‘nother mess.
So kesho, I have my 5 th appointment! (How about that aiy!) I have no expectations. Let’s see how that goes.
So August was a dramatic month. Both in my brace face experiences and in life in general. The drama wasn’t necessarily positive, but I do thank God, for these seemingly negative and painful things, do keep us human and humble…
Still no clue, how much more to go
No comments:
Post a Comment