As you all know by now, Ferris Orthodontics has taken charge of my mouth for the next year and is helping me correct a variety of issues with my bite and teeth. I’ve had my braces for about a month now, so it was time for my first check up with Dr. Hembree. I was a little nervous they would tell me I’ve been doing everything wrong, or broke every bracket without my knowledge, but the experience was completely painless and seamless. There were a few things I learned, though, that I have to share with you all in case you’re considering adult braces for yourself or orthodontic treatment for your little ones…
1. I learned how braces actually work.
I shared this with Orlando, and he kind of looked at me like, uh, yeah, everybody knows that. 🙂 But if you’re not in the camp that’s researched braces or has a general idea of how they function, allow me to divulge this fascinating discovery I made. Essentially braces have brackets bonded to your teeth, through which the orthodontist or dental hygienist runs a metal wire. That metal wire is formed to a U-shaped curve, which it wants to return to as soon as it’s on your teeth. So as it’s pulling back to that U-shape, it pulls your teeth with it. As you progress through your treatment, the wire that’s changed out each appointment gets stronger, and thicker. Slowly but sure, your teeth shift into this U shape, and voila! Straight teeth!
Now granted, I’m sure there’s a reason you have to school much longer than the time it took you to read that paragraph to become an orthodontist, but that’s the general concept as I understand it. Cool, right?!
2. I learned the appointments are crazy fast
I was literally in and out of my check up in about 30 minutes. That was enough time to check in, take a look at my teeth, take off my wire, brush my teeth, floss, have my brackets added to the very back molars, and a new wire added in. It will be even shorter next time because they won’t have to add any more brackets. Since Ferris Orthodontics is right down the street from my house, it was so convenient, smooth, and simple. For a busy mom and business owner, that’s music to my ears.
3. I learned how glorious it is to brush your teeth without the wires on.
It had only been about a month since I had been able to brush my teeth normally. But my goodness, when that wire was off and I could go brush my teeth without as much restriction, it felt FANTASTIC. I mean, I’m not even a person who is that obsessed with dental hygiene, but that was cathartic to say the least. It really just made me so excited to get them off in a few short months!
4. I learned how fast I’ll see results.
When I was able to brush my teeth, I could also take a moment to floss normally as well. Since my teeth are super tight and we’re trying to space them out, it was wild to see how much easier I can floss already. It used to be incredibly difficult for me to floss, but even within a month I can tell how much easier it is to move the floss between my teeth. Even just a quick glance at my teeth reveals that my front teeth have already straightened significantly, and where I originally had to have a “bumper” (a softer cover for a bracket that they were worried I could bite down on and potentially break) I no longer needed it because my bite has already corrected enough that I’m not at risk for biting down on it anymore.
5. I learned the back brackets are not quite as fun.
Because I want to be completely transparent through this process, I will tell you that the back brackets on my second molars have definitely taken the longest to become accustomed to. The other brackets caused a bit of rubbing, but I really didn’t need to use wax save for one weekend where I was talking frequently at a conference. The back brackets I’ve seen much more consistent rubbing, for whatever reason, and did take some pain medication for the discomfort. I currently have wax in place, so the good news is there are remedies for that irritation and you can still adjust within a few days.
Like I said, though, overall I can’t ask for a better experience than what I’m currently enjoying with Ferris Orthodontics, and I highly recommend them to anyone who is on the hunt for straighter teeth. They’re even been so kind as to offer all Haute in Texas readers $250 off braces or Invisalign! Call them to schedule a complimentary consultation, and tell them Haute in Texas sent you!
XO,
A
P.S. This post was sponsored by Ferris Orthodontics. Don’t worry though, all opinions are my own!
