De-Bracing Day!

De-bracing day was 16th February 2015.

That was 6 years, 8 months and 20 days in braces.

I woke up at 6.45am REALLY nervous! Is there anyone in this world who gets more nervous than excited about getting their braces off?

My husband dropped me off at the orthodontist and I while I was sat in the waiting area, I could feel myself shaking!

What if when I got my braces off, I'd be left with little white squares on my teeth from where the brackets had been on for so long.

What if my teeth moved really quickly in the wrong direction whilst waiting for my retainers?
It's not like we can just make an adjustment or change the configuration of the elastics.

What if my jaw moves?

What about my false tooth on my retainer...I'll have to take it out for eating and that will mean no eating in public until I get my implant done.

As I was sat in the waiting area, my orthodontist came in...late as usual...and then I heard her tell the receptionist that she had a cold so if any patients didn't want to be treated, then to reschedule their appointments.

I know I've picked up lots of things since my surgery but there was no way I was rescheduling my appointment so I said I'd take the germs.

It took about 20 minutes to get the braces off. Was ok actually, even the dreaded burr wasn't too bad.

It felt really weird though! And my teeth looked HUGE!
I admit I did burst into tears when I saw my bare teeth in the mirror!

After that I went home and didn't really know what to do with myself except for look in the mirror 20 million times :)

I had bought an apple. A nice red shiny apple. I'd not eaten an apple for nearly 7 years.

Except my teeth were wobbly so I only manage to eat a little bit of it before envisioning my teeth coming out in the apple.

Back to ortho in the late afternoon to get my retainers.
At this point I told the ortho that my teeth were wobbly. She said it was just because I had been in heavy elastics for so long and that they should settle.

I got a Hawley retainer with my false tooth attached for the top. The good news was I could keep it in 24/7, that meant I don't have to take it out when eating!

I got an Essix retainer for the bottom.

I had a good few days where my teeth just really ached with the retainers and all I wanted to do was take them out to get a rest. But I persevered. I didn't really struggle with lisping or gagging with them in, actually just sleeping with them in overnight really helped in that respect I think.

Both retainers in full time for 2 weeks. I can take the lower retainer out for eating.
Then move to both retainers in from just after 6pm to next morning.

Now the pics!