Operation consent

I have just turned 21 and I'm nervous about having braces when I go back to university for my final year.

I have photos of my face and teeth taken for the before photos.
I had to smile with my teeth which I have never done!

I am then given the official consent form.
Both my orthodontists are present and Mr S goes through the form with me outlining the risks etc for my major operation and braces treatment.

I am told my actual surgery will take place at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

I have now been referred to the Maxillofacial Clinic at the Leicester Royal Infirmary concerning my wisdom teeth.

Dentist - filling...

Today I had an appointment with my dentist to have the filling Miss M requested.

It turned out when I was there my dentist told me I needed to have an injection so he could reach that area of my mouth more easily.

It was better I didn't know I needed an injection beforehand as I get very nervous of injections and have never had one in my mouth before.

My dentist injected my gum so it was numb and then filled around my tooth.

There was nothing wrong with the actual tooth; it just had a little chip off the edge of which meant it wasn't properly rounded for the bracket when I get braces.

My mouth was still sore when I got home.

Hello Miss M

Today I met Miss M who will do my brace work.

I was a bit nervous as I am used to my old orthodontist and feel weird having a new person looking at my teeth.

She seems nice enough.

I have new molds and x-rays taken and I'm given a new appointment for my proper consent for the whole treatment.

Miss M told me I need a filling for one of my back molars. It needs to be properly shaped before the braces are put on.

I now have a wisdom tooth appearing on my bottom jaw for which there is not enough room so it has to be taken out.
It is also impacted (meaning it is growing in the wrong direction and into my back molar tooth).

I am told both my bottom wisdom teeth will need to be removed. One of which hasn't started to appear yet.
This is to make more room for my bottom teeth to spread out.

I also need to have two upper teeth removed by my dentist.
This will either be my canine teeth or my pre-molars (Miss M said my dentist will decide).
This is to make more room on my upper jaw for my implant. (She's decided I'll have an implant and not a bridge)

Four teeth out to make room for one new!

The waiting is over!

I have finally got to the top of the waiting list!

I am now 20 years old and at University.

Mr S asks if I still want to go ahead.

I say yes and he refers me to another orthodontist Miss M who will deal with my brace work.

The waiting game begins...

Today I had x-rays and a mold/ impression taken of my teeth and jaws.

For the mold/ impression, putty stuff is put in your mouth on a U shaped plastic tray which sits on the teeth.
(The putty stuff can make you gag if you don't breathe calmly through your nose).

I had to bite down hard on it and when it has hardened, it is then eased it off my teeth (this is scary as it seems some of your teeth might get pulled out too).
It's then repeated for your other jaw.

For the x-rays (this is the first time I've had these done) I had to remove all my jewellery (given to my Dad for safe keeping) and put on a heavy waistcoat to protect me from the x-rays.

I then got x-rayed on two different machines.
The first one takes a shot of the whole jaw, teeth and teeth roots.
I had to bite my teeth on a piece of plastic in the middle of a circular machine; the machine then rotates all the way around your head.
That was a bit scary as it goes around the head very closely.

The second machine takes a side shot of the jaw showing how the teeth meet.
It has a similar piece of plastic to bite onto like the other machine.

Once my x-rays were complete, I had to wait for them to be developed and I then went back in to see Mr S.

He showed me the x-rays (I couldn't believe just how badly my teeth all line up).
I could also see the outline of my face on the x-rays proving it's me.

Mr S informs me I am now on the waiting list for my treatment.

Less chin, more cheeks?

I am finally 18 and have just finished college.

I am given the same options again.

Mr S tells me with the jaw operation my jaws will not be the only thing which will change; my facial appearance will change too.

I will have "less chin and more cheeks" as he put it.

I don't think my jaw has grown any bigger, maybe slightly but I can't tell.

I agree to the treatment as it's better than just keeping the teeth as they are now.

It's much better to have straight teeth then wonky ones!

Decisions, decisions...

My second visit to the orthodontics.

We had another chat and Mr S looked at my teeth again.

I am now 16. I was told that I had a number of options to straighten out my teeth and my underbite.

I have the option of having a major operation to shift the position of both of my jaws.

I was also told I can have braces to straighten my teeth and then a bridge or implant to replace my missing upper incisor. (I commented you can't see my top teeth anyway and Mr S told me you will be able to after my jaws have moved).

Or I can just keep the teeth as they are, which is a very crowded bottom jaw and a nicely spaced out upper jaw but with my upper central incisor missing.

I was informed that they need to wait until I am 18 so my jaw has stopped growing as Mr S told me my underbite will gradually get worse.