My imperfect teeth are hereditary. I have a noticeable gap between my 2 front upper teeth, and some spaces on the bottom. One on top grew in crooked (probably b/c I constantly toyed with it as a child)...oh, did I mention that my lower jaw juts out slightly more than my upper jaw?
My mommy couldn't afford orthodontic treatment when I was a child. As I grew older, I knew that I'd get the optimal smile at the first chance I got. That chance came after I began my teaching career right after graduating from college...thank God for benefits!
My journey officially began in December 2005. I asked my dentist if he suggested braces. He looked, and said "Class III...very complicated. I will give a referral." I had no idea what he was talking about, and was kind of offended! Nevertheless, I took the referral and made an appointment for an initial consultation.
In February, I visited Orthodontist #1. His office was top of the line: very contemporary feel, with a waiting area that had SPAMS, and another room with comfy living room furniture, a computer with 'Net access, and a massage chair! He looked in my mouth, made some marks on a chart, and gave me the run down: braces for about a year and a half, followed by orthognathic surgery and maybe back in braces for a few more months. My jaw literally dropped...I was not expecting to hear the S-word! Honestly, I wasn't even thinking that my jaw structure had anything to do with the position of my teeth! I thought I'd just get the braces, my teeth would straighten, and that would be the end! My mom had jaw surgery...but it was because her hinges would pop and get stuck. Her horror stories popped into my mind. Suddenly, I became very frightened. I hate the idea of any level of surgery...especially if you have to have tubes running down your nose! Ugh. So he gave me a booklet which gave detailed info about how the ortho & surgeon collaborate and what steps the procedure would occur in. His assistant also outlined my payment plan...with a deposit of $670...$870 with the surgery! Even split in half, I knew that I could not afford surgery a large sum. I left the office mortified, and called my mom, bursting at the seam with tears. I seriously contemplated it for the next few days, then realized that I could get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th opinion! Things started to look up as I found a 2nd ortho to visit.
In April, I visited Orthodontist #2 for yet another initial consultation. His office had a more homey feel. He assessed me and said that surgery MIGHT be a POSSIBILITY. That put me at ease, b/c I knew there was at least a small chance that I could dodge it! His payment plan was a lot more reasonable too! I was relieved, and actually became excited! I decided to go with Ortho #2 and schedule my records appointment.
My records appointment was a couple of weeks ago. Of course, they did the typical pics, x-rays, and impressions. That plaster they use tastes horrible! Maybe I'll be the person to invent some that is more pleasing to the tongue...like cherry-flavored!
Anyway, I was set to come back 2 weeks later for my secondary consultation, which was yesterday. It was weird seeing all of those pics of myself from all angles...then the ones of my teeth! You could see exactly where all of my imperfections are! It also made me realize that my smile is not bad at all...just a few areas that need to be improved upon. According to the measurements obtained from the x-rays, the teeth should be aligned at 1, and my lower jaw sits out at 3.1 in proportion to my upper jaw...not too bad. So he suggested that I wear upper & lower braces for a year, and get rubber bands to assist in pushing my bottom teeth behind my upper teeth. He seems optimistic that such treatment will do the trick. If not...on to surgery. I'm actually very excited, and know that it's b/c I am looking forward to the finished product. I love my smile, and I love to laugh, so this means a lot to me.
So when will my treatment begin, you ask? I get banded with separators on 7/28, and I will be BRACED on 8/1! There is a possibility that I'll get it done sooner, depending on if others cancel their appointments and I get picked up from the waiting list! But that time frame actually works out for me because I will begin receiving my newly raised salary by the time I begin making my monthly payments (September). I want to start up a flex spending account for it...if you have experience in using one for your orthodontic treatment, please let me know how well it's worked for you!
Now's the big debate:ceramics or metal? I know it's mainly a personal preference...my ortho seems neutral and isn't pushing one over the other. If I get ceramics, it's an additional $250 for top or bottom, $500 for both, due at the time braces are put on. I have a friend who recently had her metals removed, and I thought she pulled it off well. I also have a friend who's currently in ceramics...up close, I'm like "Well, you can still see that she has braces, so what's really the point?" I know that it's mainly aesthetics. I don't necessarily feel pressured to get ceramics b/c of the nature of my career, and I don't think I'd feel any more or less comfortable communicating with my students, their parents, or my colleagues with one or the other. Maybe I will set aside $250 and follow what seems to be a popular trend on this board: ceramics on top and metals on bottom. Input please!
In the meantime...I'm glad to have found archwired.com and this message board! I would love to post pics, so if you guys know of sites where I can get free FTP space, please let me know! I look forward to receiving feedback and sharing such a common, yet personal experience with others! Ciao!
~*Ms Tee*~
) who did not want to pursue surgery. I'm doing braces only and start elastics in 10 days time to do the hard work in making ends meet. 
I won't be getting any pretty colours because my brackets will have the 'trap doors' on them so no ligs. 
