Braces

Had to visit the orthodontist today because one of my braces came loose. A 'cleat', as they call it, which near as I can tell is a small anchor that's glued to the inside of my top back molars. I bit a piece of hard bread over the weekend and it popped off.


 The braces, for the record, are a pain. It's not like I haven't had them before, of course--I wore them for 2.5 years starting when I was 13 to correct a bad overbite. That plus two years in a retainer was, I thought, the end of them for all time for me.

No such luck. Braces are required for surgery in order to secure the jaw, if I didn't want to have arch bars.

What are arch bars, you ask?

Needless to say, no thanks. "Simple Application" my foot. I ain't wearin' those unless I have to, particularly given I read that they have to be surgically removed.

The orthodontist I saw initially wanted me in braces for eighteen months before surgery so she could correct what she said was some molar crowding on one side, and a slight crossbite.

My answer to that was absolutely not. My teeth look fine and have been giving me no problems. I am not delaying surgery for the sake of adjustments I don't feel I needed. So, I asked for the bare minimum necessary for surgery, which amounted to what are called 'passive' wires--braces that secure but do not move the teeth. I got them on three months ago now and had 'surgical supports'--basically small hooks on my frontmost molars--installed last week. The braces have to be on for a set time before surgery so your jaw can adjust to them. Your teeth still will move a bit, just to accommodate them, and they have to settle in before surgery.

Still... it was large medical bill that insurance did not pick up, as my orthodontic coverage only applies to dependents under 18. More on insurance later.

What do I look like in braces, you wonder?

I'll count my blessings. At least they're the clear kind. A little more understated than the mouthful of metal I remember having as a kid. They're still a royal pain to clean, and the eating restrictions aren't always fun. No hard candy, no popcorn (already ignored), no nuts, and so on...

They have to stay on until at least two months after surgery. They're how the teeth and jaw are secured after surgery, using wires and rubber bands. As I understand it, I'll have to wear the rubber bands 24/7 for the first month or two, then at night for another month or two after. Basically, I'll be unable to move my jaw much for a long time. Necessary, I know. But the eating restrictions especially are going to be hard. Liquid and puree diets, here I come...