My dreaded gap has finally closed!

I went for my regular adjustment appointment on Monday and as usual I had my power chains replaced.  Now I love it when I get my power chains replaced, mostly because they are fresh and white and everything looks a lot nicer.  Then, this morning when I woke (only two days later) I noticed that the gap in between my front teeth has completely closed.  The fresh power chains had done their job to pull that remaining 0.25mm gap together!

That's a total of 478 days (or 1 year, 3 months and 22 days) from when I stopped expanding on April 8th 2013 to the gap being finally closed.  Phew!  Of course this is still not the end - I still have my big surgery to go, but it's a milestone nonetheless.

Here's a photo of my now gapless smile.

I've finished paying for my braces!

This was a nice surprise for the middle of the week!  I logged on to my internet banking today to check my credit card and wondered why my orthodontic payment had not been debited this month.  After checking my treatment plan I realised that I actually made my final payment last month.  Of course the payments I have made cover my whole treatment plan so I will continue to be seen - it just means that I no longer have the expense each month.

Time for a happy dance!

Living with braces - dispelling some myths and my top tips

Braces - those magical things that move your teeth and can sometimes be a complete pain in the butt.  But what is it really like to live with braces?

Before I got my braces I heard all sorts of advice from different people.  Some who had braces themselves many years ago when the technology was not as advanced and others who have braces or know someone who has braces now.  After living with braces for more than a year, I have come to realise that there is a lot of mis-information about them.  So in my own experience, here are the biggest myths about living with braces:

"It's really difficult to eat and you will lose weight"
Oh how I wish this one was true.  Eating can certainly be annoying because of the food constantly getting stuck all around your mouth and there are certain foods to avoid, but I would not say it is difficult.  And unfortunately the weight loss part did not happen for me.

"You cannot eat anything crunchy or chewy"
With braces you do need to be aware of what you eat.  However as long as you are not chewing down on lead pipes, imitating jaws from the James Bond movies or eating raw steaks - you will be fine.  Cut any large or crunchy items such as apples and carrots into small bite size pieces, take your time to chew your food carefully and you will soon figure out what you shouldn't eat and what is just a pain in the ass.

"Wait until you get them tightened - that's really painful"
When I heard this I dreaded my first adjustment appointment.  I imagined that the wires would be wrapped around the brackets tighter and tighter causing me immense pain.  In reality, braces are not actually 'tightened'.  At each appointment (usually every 4-6 weeks depending on your treatment plan) the o-rings are removed allowing your brackets to open, the wire is then removed and usually replaced by a thicker/stronger wire.  While this can be a little uncomfortable, I personally never experienced any pain.

"Don't consume curries, coffee or red wine - you will stain your braces"
As if!  But seriously - this is a complete myth because your braces can not and will not stain.  When you consume these types of food its the o-rings and power chains which discolour, but these are replaced at every adjustment appointment.  Some people find that by using grey coloured o-rings instead of white, they stain less easily.  Personally I like the nice clean look of white/clear o-rings when they are replaced.  And if like me you drink a lot of coffee - use a straw!

My top tips for living with braces

So, there are some myths dispelled.  Now for my top tips on living with braces and how to make the journey as comfortable as possible.

• Follow the advice of your orthodontist and dentist.  This may sound self explanatory but I have constantly read on online forums - 'Well they told me to do this, but I don't think I need to'.  Seriously, they are professionals and know what they are talking about.


• Have a top-notch dental hygiene regime.  I cannot stress how important this is.  When you have braces it is even more difficult to clean and floss, so regular visits to the dentist for cleans are imperative.  I go for a clean every 2-3 months and use my Waterpik at home every day (see below).


• Buy a Waterpik.  This is a device which is also known as a water flosser.  It uses high powered air and water and helps clean between your teeth, between your braces and everywhere in between.  I use this religiously twice a day and it has been one of my greatest investments.


• Get lots of orthodontic wax - and I mean lots.  Braces rub against the inside of your mouth and can cause ulcers and soreness.  Orthodontic wax is a pliable wax which you can use to coat brackets and wires which rub - reducing discomfort greatly.


• Invest in pixsters.  These are mini flossing tools which you can conveniently carry around with you.  Make sure you take them everywhere - especially when dining out as food will collect around your braces very easily.  I usually make a discreet bathroom visit as soon as I have finished eating.


• Be positive!  While braces can sometimes make you dislike your appearance, just remember why you have them and think of the end results.  Positive thinking can go a long way in terms of healing and how you deal with the reactions of others.

That's all for this update and for all you horror movie fans out there, enjoy the related YouTube video below!

How much will it all cost?

When I started enquiring about 'fixing' my jaw I first did a lot of research on pricing.  While the costs have worked out to a little more than I originally expected (well OK around 40% more), I still had a fair idea of what I was letting myself in for.

So for those of you out there who are looking into SARME/SARPE, orthodontics and bi-max surgery - here is the cost for each stage along with a breakdown of what fees make up the total.  All prices are in Australian dollars before any rebates from my private health fund or Medicare.

Stage 1 SARME = $6,250

Surgical fee = $3,000

Teeth removed x 5 = $550 (total)

Day surgery fees = $1,800

Anaesthetist fees = $900

Stage 2 Orthodontics = $10,800

Braces, adjustments and all appointment fees = $10,800 ($3750 initial deposit then $470 per month for 15 months).

While the orthodontics sound expensive this also includes consultations for two years after orthodontic work is completed.

Stage 3 Bi-maxillary (double jaw) surgery = $23,000 (approx.)

Pre-op surgical appointment = $1,500 (approx)
Surgical fees = $17,000

Hospital and anaesthetist fees including 1 night high dependency unit and five night stay total = $4,000 (approx.)

Other fees for x-rays, consults, veneers, cleaning and general dental = $3,000 (approx.)

Grand total for entire treatment = $40,000 (before any rebates)

Expensive?  Well yes it is - but remember these fees are before any health fund or Medicare rebates.  I can expect to receive about $8,000 in total from these rebates.  Then there are the tax refunds on top of that - the Australian government will give 20% back on all medical expenses over $2,200 in any tax year (after rebates from health funds and Medicare).  The cost of these procedures will be spread over two years, but I can still expect to receive another $5,000 or so back, which brings the grand total out of pocket to around $27,000 which is much more manageable.

If you are still reading but unsure of the prices I think its a matter of putting things into perspective.  Some people would not think twice about spending this much money on a brand new car.  Some people will easily spend $10K on an overseas holiday.  This is something that will last me for the rest of my life, so I definitely think it is a wise investment.

Well that's all for now - it's late here in Sydney and time for bed.  If you have any questions feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment.