POSTED UNDER Braces Reviews
22 Year Old's Journey with Clarity Braces. - Redcliffe, AU
UPDATED FROM idealgrind
9 months post
9.5 Months (16th June)
idealgrindJuly 16, 2015
WORTH IT$5,770
Top arch clear braces have been on for 38 weeks (9.5 months) and bottom arch metal braces have been on for 25 weeks (nearly 6.5 months).
My next appointment is TOMORROW, however since I think it'll be a major change (ie. Potentially new wires and getting elastics) and I haven updated photos in a while, I thought I'd upload some photos! Apologies for the crappy photo quality.
Will update again tomorrow after my appointment :)
My next appointment is TOMORROW, however since I think it'll be a major change (ie. Potentially new wires and getting elastics) and I haven updated photos in a while, I thought I'd upload some photos! Apologies for the crappy photo quality.
Will update again tomorrow after my appointment :)
Replies (2)
October 25, 2017
Hi :) did you end up getting your gum contouring done and if so were you happy with your results. Who was the dentist ?
X
UPDATED FROM idealgrind
8 months post
8 Months (5th June 2015)
idealgrindJune 15, 2015
Top arch clear braces have now been on for 32 weeks (8 months) and bottom arch metal braces have been on for 19 weeks (almost 5 months).
Can't believe how fast time has flown by!
Not much happened at this adjustment - change of ligatures as per usual and only a slight "bend" by hand in the wire for the bottom arch. The wire bend made my bottom teeth feel somewhat tighter for a couple of days, but no pain and discomfort.
My ortho says he will probably start me on elastic bands the next time I come in, which will be exciting to see things moving again.
Differences have been so subtle again to the eye ... but to me I have noticed changes. Apologies I haven't posted photos in a while, I will definitely be posting some within the next week or so as I want to take photos again before I start using the elastic bands!
I notice myself focusing on my teeth a lot like I did before braces. For example, I seem to catch myself biting my lower lip a lot, running my tongue along my bottom brackets and (this one I don't know how to explain) "matching" my top and bottom teeth up. I can't tell for sure, but I think I've done a little bit of grinding behaviour. This really worries me and is something I DEFINITELY want to sort out when my braces come off.
I haven't really talked to my orthodontist much about my plans post-braces and I feel like I really need to make the step to do that sometime soon, so he knows exactly what I'm after. I think I've spoken about this before, but once the braces are off I'd like to do some whitening, gum contouring on my top 6 'smile' teeth and potentially cosmetic bonding on those same teeth so they are a bit longer. As for the bottom teeth, I'd love to cosmetic bond the 6 front teeth as well due to the grinding they've encountered, but that'll depend on cost! I definitely want to let my orthodontist know about my plans at my next appointment so he knows exactly what I want and can help prepare and facilitate for that.
Next appointment schedule for 6 weeks (from 5th June) which is the 17th July.
Can't believe how fast time has flown by!
Not much happened at this adjustment - change of ligatures as per usual and only a slight "bend" by hand in the wire for the bottom arch. The wire bend made my bottom teeth feel somewhat tighter for a couple of days, but no pain and discomfort.
My ortho says he will probably start me on elastic bands the next time I come in, which will be exciting to see things moving again.
Differences have been so subtle again to the eye ... but to me I have noticed changes. Apologies I haven't posted photos in a while, I will definitely be posting some within the next week or so as I want to take photos again before I start using the elastic bands!
I notice myself focusing on my teeth a lot like I did before braces. For example, I seem to catch myself biting my lower lip a lot, running my tongue along my bottom brackets and (this one I don't know how to explain) "matching" my top and bottom teeth up. I can't tell for sure, but I think I've done a little bit of grinding behaviour. This really worries me and is something I DEFINITELY want to sort out when my braces come off.
I haven't really talked to my orthodontist much about my plans post-braces and I feel like I really need to make the step to do that sometime soon, so he knows exactly what I'm after. I think I've spoken about this before, but once the braces are off I'd like to do some whitening, gum contouring on my top 6 'smile' teeth and potentially cosmetic bonding on those same teeth so they are a bit longer. As for the bottom teeth, I'd love to cosmetic bond the 6 front teeth as well due to the grinding they've encountered, but that'll depend on cost! I definitely want to let my orthodontist know about my plans at my next appointment so he knows exactly what I want and can help prepare and facilitate for that.
Next appointment schedule for 6 weeks (from 5th June) which is the 17th July.
Replies (1)
June 29, 2015
omg! you posted a grip of useful information. THANK YOU. You are a sweetheart.
July 13, 2015
Awesome! I'm glad to hear that :D Would be more than happy to answer any of your questions - don't hesitate :)
UPDATED FROM idealgrind
6 months post
6.5 months (24th April 2015)
idealgrindApril 29, 2015
Top arch clear braces have been on for 26 weeks (6 and a half months) and lower arch metal braces have been on for 13 weeks.
It had been 8 weeks since my last went to the orthodontist, so my clear ligatures had stained a little bit! I still didn't really mind it that much, they were only a little tinge yellow. I decided to stick with the clear ligatures (and probably will for the remainder of my treatment), as I feel that even with slight staining they'd probably be less noticeable than another colour. I got silver ligatures on my bottom metal braces as they blend nicely and I quite like them :)
Not too much to report on the top arch - only had my ligatures changed like last time. For some reason though, I feel like they've moved slightly and look a bit better. My bottom archwire was changed from the original thin wire I've had on since I got the bottom brackets on, to the beta 3 wire (which I'm 90% sure is the same wire I currently have on the top arch). It's a thicker wire which appears to be square rather than round.
My bottom teeth are nice and straight but haven't changed significantly since my last update, so I won't upload any photos this time. My bite is a bit crooked which annoys me a little!
In other news, I had a check up and clean with my general dentist and oral hygienist in March (all is well). We discussed what I'd like to do once my orthodontic treatment is finished (cosmetic bonding of the upper 4-6 'smile' teeth' and gum recontouring and POTENTIALLY cosmetic bonding of the lower 5-6 'smile' teeth as they've been worn down from grinding... if I have any $$ left to spare!). We discussed how this might work considering my orthodontist likes to use a permanent wire retainer that he glues in. My dentist said that I should discuss this later down the track with my ortho, so that he can potentially glue the wire retainer in a place that won't make cosmetic bonding troublesome. Otherwise, we might just have to take it off and glue a new one back in once bonding is complete. He said it might be best to wait a couple months after my treatment before doing the bonding just to let the teeth 'settle' a bit. Also, I'll be referred to a good periodontist for gum recontouring if I want to proceed with that :)
Next appointment scheduled for 6 weeks on the 5th June.
It had been 8 weeks since my last went to the orthodontist, so my clear ligatures had stained a little bit! I still didn't really mind it that much, they were only a little tinge yellow. I decided to stick with the clear ligatures (and probably will for the remainder of my treatment), as I feel that even with slight staining they'd probably be less noticeable than another colour. I got silver ligatures on my bottom metal braces as they blend nicely and I quite like them :)
Not too much to report on the top arch - only had my ligatures changed like last time. For some reason though, I feel like they've moved slightly and look a bit better. My bottom archwire was changed from the original thin wire I've had on since I got the bottom brackets on, to the beta 3 wire (which I'm 90% sure is the same wire I currently have on the top arch). It's a thicker wire which appears to be square rather than round.
My bottom teeth are nice and straight but haven't changed significantly since my last update, so I won't upload any photos this time. My bite is a bit crooked which annoys me a little!
In other news, I had a check up and clean with my general dentist and oral hygienist in March (all is well). We discussed what I'd like to do once my orthodontic treatment is finished (cosmetic bonding of the upper 4-6 'smile' teeth' and gum recontouring and POTENTIALLY cosmetic bonding of the lower 5-6 'smile' teeth as they've been worn down from grinding... if I have any $$ left to spare!). We discussed how this might work considering my orthodontist likes to use a permanent wire retainer that he glues in. My dentist said that I should discuss this later down the track with my ortho, so that he can potentially glue the wire retainer in a place that won't make cosmetic bonding troublesome. Otherwise, we might just have to take it off and glue a new one back in once bonding is complete. He said it might be best to wait a couple months after my treatment before doing the bonding just to let the teeth 'settle' a bit. Also, I'll be referred to a good periodontist for gum recontouring if I want to proceed with that :)
Next appointment scheduled for 6 weeks on the 5th June.
I'm getting braces soon but truly don't want them due to all the horror stories I've heard from friends and family about pain, can't eat this or that, etc..but I know how great the results are minus wearing the retainers.
Even when my braces were first put on it was only uncomfortable when eating for like a day or two for me. But then again, I had the bottom ones put on a couple months after the top. If they were put on at the same time it would've been more painful!
After tightening its a slight tingle but I can eat and drink whatever I want.
I JUST got given elastics at my appointment yesterday and only have to wear them at night time for the next two months. Woke up this morning and it feels strange but not painful.
Overall, braces is nowhere near as painful as I thought it would be. I also expected to not be able to eat and drink certain things, but I eat and drink everything I used to (except biting into an apple). The only thing I have had to change in my lifestyle is not eating things with turmeric like Indian food because it stains my clear ligatures.
I'm so so happy I decided to get them, I spent ages worrying about what I'd look like, how it would feel, how it would affect me. If anything it has taught me not to care what people think and to be more confident!
If you feel you need them and that you'll look and feel better afterwards - do it! So worth it :)
Thanks again (: