That Julia Roberts’ Smile! My Dental Braces Journey

Okay so I’m not getting anywhere near Julia Roberts’ wide beam, (coz’ she’s so perfect!) but this blog post will talk about the journey to THE BEST VERSION of our mega-watt smile, with a little bit of determination, patience, lots of moolah (the truest thing on the planet), and last but not the least, tender loving care of our teeth. This dental braces journey is something I can share with everyone who’s having the same dental dilemmas, hoping that I can provide a guide and inspiration from a first-hand experience.

It all started during a period in my highschool days when I frequently had mouth sores or “singaw”. There are a lot of factors why we get mouth sores and I have my own set of hypothesis why I’m having one. I would accidentally bite my lips or inner cheeks, and I don’t know why I do that a lot of time. It was only when I observed my then well-aligned set of teeth started getting crowded on one side, while spaces show up in between other teeth, that I established one thing that’s causing my mouth sores and causing aesthetic problems with my teeth. Like tectonic plates, my teeth are moving. One factor is that I have a history of thumb-sucking as late as pre-elementary years, and according to research and professional advice, these could have placed strain on the alignment of my teeth early on and caused structural changes.

I decided a few years ago to get braces for my dentures, but my parents are practical folks (their top priorities include our education, bills, and the food on the table, which is absolutely understandable) so I have to wait until I am earning my own money to get my braces. I consulted few dentists and the common professional advice is tadaaa--! Get dental braces for my open bite. Yes, through the growing years, the incorrect way of biting food, the improper care and use of our teeth (i.e. tearing open shampoo sachets using our teeth, etc.) and some molar surgeries/extractions, are just a few factors why we get an open bite.

An open bite, as described by Subtelney and Sakuda, is an" open vertical dimension between the incisal edges of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth", (1997 Fields and Ngan, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry). An open bite is considered a type of malocclusion, or bad bite, which requires orthodontic treatment to fix.

I was referred to Dr. Edwin Maralit of Maralit Dental Clinic to get assessed and the first appointment with him was already solid; he introduced himself and was very professional throughout.

My first appointment with Dr. Maralit.

The cast and study cast analysis discussed during the second appoinment.

Dr. Maralit made a cast of my oral cavity which he then discussed to me on my second appointment a week after. The final assessment via study cast analysis was made; and the final verdict? Dental braces until the corrections are made and fixed bridge thereafter. If not corrected, I may further aggravate this malocclusion and develop temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), where there is presence of pain around the jaw during swalowing or opening of the mouth. I really liked this dentist because he explained tediously and clearly, he’s very skilled and he definitely know what he’s doing. Dr. Maralit gave me several options for my dental care plan and he charged reasonably. The assistants were also nice and very polite, this team is a match made in heaven and I am more than excited to get started.

The receiving area/lobby.

The clinic was also very homey and clean; that’s when you know that things here are sanitized and sterile, when the sight and smell is good and the place obviously follows 5S. As soon as I made my partial payment, I was given a date for the installment of braces. I was really ecstatic at this point.

Took this "say cheeeese!" shot at the office a few hours before the actual orthodontic treatment, so I can compare the before and after look.

The actual date came, October 27, 2016. Words of advice: Be on time, brush your teeth thoroughly and bring hanky or tissues (although they will provide for you, but just in case). Make a mental note of your inquiries so you can have the most out of your appointment. Researching is a plus.

While waiting for my turn, I took the last shot of my "signature smile". Oh I'm gonna miss that! I will be momentarily relieved of that signature smile since the brackets will not make it possible for me to beam like that anymore.

Dr. Maralit making his final run-through with my dental chart and record (while chewing on his orange; he jokingly added that oranges are breath-freshener, it never hurts to hear good-to-know info.)

I made an impossible mission possible by showing up at exactly 2 pm, (I have to mention that I was coming from work and just beat the infamous traffic of Calamba like a boss.) I was DETERMINED to get the braces installed today.

Sitting on the working bench was surreal. This is it! :)

I’ve been fantasizing about this elusive day since college and now here it is. I just really aspiring to improve my oral structure since it is affecting the way I masticate. Our food intake gets affected negatively if there is an impending mechanical obstruction, it is actually one of my hypotheses on why I freaking eat so slooOow. Since I have an incorrect bite, I tend to masticate my food very well for longer time. Dental corrections are not only just to give a nice boost to our smile, but it directly addresses issues on nutrition, what hinders food intake adequacy and personal well-being.

The whole operation lasted for 2 ½ hours; the dentist started with a quick scaling, then the actual installation of brackets, he will also give you options on the colors of your elastics. The whole time you will have to open wide, sometimes you will get instructed to close and grind your teeth on a rough paper, to gargle and spit. Overall, it is NOT a painful experience. (Or is it just because I have a high level pain tolerance…) But no, really, it is non-invasive procedure, no needles, no need of anaesthesia, in case you are wondering. It is PAIN-FREE. But what comes after is the painful part, and I am not taking about the fee here.

Done! Only 2 1/2 hours and I am good to go.

What the braces do is to realign the set of your teeth and to correct gaps. So every month, there will be adjustments to your braces, meaning it has to be tightened as planned. These tightening will cause a different orientation to your teeth as it moves accordingly; chances are you will get mouth sores as the brackets scratches different parts of your inner cheeks. Not only that, the first week after the adjustment, your teeth will feel numb and painful to bite. Dr. Maralit recommended soft bristles for my new toothbrush; he also taught me the proper way to brush my teeth now and the ample pressure to apply.

Dr. Maralit jokingly asserted to me that famed line “NO PAIN, NO GAIN”, alongside many humorous small talks during and after the operation. I got a huge cut/mouth sore a day after I had my dental braces, so I’m telling you now to secure a gel that you can apply on the brackets. The gel will act as a lubricant so it won’t bruise your inner cheeks. My advice to you is to change your toothpaste as well to GUMTECT because it has a SLS-FREE formulation and GUMSHIELD + that prevents or heals fast mouth sores or “singaw” aside from its anti-cavity protection. I downloaded a tutorial video on how to properly take care of your teeth and your braces, how to floss like a boss because it is really important that you do now that you have brackets.

I bought a pack of dental flossers with a toothpick on the other end because it’s a life-saver for all the times the food particles get stuck between the crevices of my brackets. Refrain from picking whatever it is that got stuck between your teeth and braces with the tip of your tongue, too much of that will bruise up your tongue as well. Another helpful tip is to buy a huge bottle of mouthwash too so you can thoroughly clean your mouth and teeth, killing the bacteria that thrives on the open wounds of your mouth.

The key here is to speed up healing every time you acquire a mouth sore which is almost inevitable when you have braces. Getting a dental brace is very expensive, that’s the truth, and it doesn’t stop at the installation of braces per se, it follows that you have to upgrade and invest on your dental care kit, tools, research, and additional procedures.

Okay let's talk about the new diet to adapt now that I have braces; this is where my expertise enters the scene :). At first I thought there will be a lot of pain and I would not be able to eat anything, and be on a General Liquid diet. But that is actually an exaggeration; you will only be on MECHANICAL SOFT DIET. I promise, it is not a painful procedure (the dental braces installation) and you will be able to tolerate mushy or soft foods.

A texture-altered diet such as Mechanical Soft diet is suitable for individuals who do have conditions affecting the mouth, esophagus, stomach and/or duodenum. This diet consist of food items that are tender (not necessarily blenderized) and could be easily masticated; some food items are easily melted in the mouth. Mechanical Soft Diet aims to provide oral feedings that will promote return of normal food intake. I promise to make a sample menu and nutrition tips for MECHANICAL SOFT DIET on my future post as a reference/guide to all those who are newly baptized metal mouth like me. :)

Definitely, another reason to smile! Good luck to me!

Now I shared with you some good ol’ dental braces hacks, I still have more months of adjustments and procedures to go, but I hope you find this blog post helpful (if you are going through the same experience or if you are planning to also get dental braces too). I’ll keep you posted for more updates and please stay with me till I graduate from my braces! Let’s finish this with flying colors!

God speed!

XOXO

-CLAIRE

#dentalbraces #mechanicalsoftdiet