The Ordeal of Getting Teeth Braces at 70
Day 1
It is now 6.24 am. It is dark outside and the house is silent. It’s amazing how fast that first 30 minutes moved by early in the morning. I got 0 deep sleep last night for reasons unknown.
I don’t think that I have too much to say this morning. I am about to drive to Malvern to visit the dentist. If all goes as is planned this morning I will be having my braces put on my teeth. I’m really hoping that the pain doesn’t become an issue but after last week when I had simple dividers put in I suspect that it may be unbearable for a while.
Apart from all of the aforementioned and a funny afternoon and night yesterday I feel surprisingly good this morning.
The darkness is being pierced by the sounds of dogs barking and birds awakening, I can hear a clock ticking off to the right. It’s funny how I never hear these ambient noises throughout the day and night. I can even hear the fridge purring.
Allissa sent me a message this morning about tinnitus and steroids. This was my answer.
“Good morning Lis. I’m feeling pretty good this morning. The neurological stuff seems to have calmed down overnight, even the tints is back to it’s normal level (maybe a wee bit louder). I GOT THE LISTERINE AND BETANINE AND DID THE GARGLES. Sorry about the caps…. I don’t have any symptoms this morning apart from that. How are you feeling? I got your message this morning. I will go ahead with the braces. I think it should be fine. Overall I would rather have them in now so any dramas happen before I go to Bali. The Doctor Gigi Dentist) in Bali may not know what to do in an emergency. I’ve started reading the article but only 50% done. Most important thing this morning is to head off early and beat the traffic. Thanks for thinking about me. Love you. Dad”
Day 2
It has been almost 24 hours since I had my new braces put on my mouth. This is going to take a bit of getting used to. The preparation was based on electronic and computerised scans done on my jaw and teeth. A mould was made of my complete mouth, jaws and teeth and then made in a plaster like material which was sent to the “brace-maker” along with the specifications from the computer program that works out the exact shape and forces that the braces need to exert to do their job properly and efficiently.
Now that the braces have been assembled in my mouth my whole jaw seems to be in a new position and my teeth are covered in metal which is cutting into my gums when I speak, eat or move my jaw. I am going to have trouble eating for the next few days so I reckon I might have to get used to scrambled eggs and berries and cream. The idea of chewing is not very appealing to me right now. I suppose like any pain it will ease as the days go forward and as I get more used to the new landscape in my mouth. I am also having trouble speaking. What comes out of my mouth seems awkward and a bit out of control.
I have metal braces. I was expecting clear braces but I suspect my dentist asked me some questions that I did not fully comprehend at the time of asking. Questions relating to cost and time. It looks like metal braces, although not as unobtrusive do the job faster and cost less. I know I was told that the difference between standard braces and invisalign braces is that the metal braces take 12-14 months whereas the invisalign ones can take 2 years. The invisalign braces also cost a whole lot more.
Apart from the fact of looking like the almost comic Jaws from an old James Bond movie I am surprised that I am not self conscious having jangly metal all over my teeth.
According to my dentist the braces will help my teeth and jaw align to compensate for the fact that I have had missing teeth for well over 10 years. This will mean that when I get my implants they will “work and take better”. He compared it to straightening the floor and walls of an old house before plastering and painting the walls. The idea is to minimise the potential for future cracks and blemishes in “the renovation”.
So for now my mouth feels raw and painful, my inner cheeks and gums feel cut up and a bit infected but I’m pretty certain that this will calm down in the days to come and I will adjust and get used to my new circumstances.
For now I think I’d better talk while clenching my jaws which will sound and look weird but overall will result in less pain (with the help of an occasional paracetamol tablet).
Day 3
I am about to embark on Day 3 of my tooth straightening odyssey. Pain is my constant companion. Eating has become a challenge to the extent that liquid diets are looking like a perfect option. Pain killers and suppressors have become the norm. I’m assuming that by the end of the weekend I will have re-adjusted not so much back to normalcy but I am surmising that I will get used to my new condition.
I have just noticed that the braces on the left side of my lower jaw have become quite loose and are moving. These will need to be looked at as a priority before they get worse.
I suppose that all of this pain and travail that I am putting myself through will eventually pay off. Changing my diet and losing weight wasn’t easy, fighting cancer was like climbing Mt Everest, all of my actions have a price but so far they have all been worthwhile. Getting myself into tip top condition for the final stages of my journey as Gary Collier are all worthwhile. Not that the final stages are upon me. The way I’m planning things I will be around for another 30% of my allocated time.
Later today we have to return to Red Hill with a van load of prints. Before this happens I will have driven to South Yarra and back, loaded the van and driven down Peninsula Link. It’s looking like there is a big day ahead of us so I won’t give myself any unrealistic targets in regard to going for walks, having saunas etc. The most important tasks will be having my braces re-adjusted and working out an eating strategy.
Day 4
I am now on Day 4 of my braces experience. Intense isn’t a strong enough word for what’s happening inside my mouth.
I revisited my dentist yesterday morning after my HBOT session because one of the small clamps had come loose and it felt like my mouth was going to fall apart. He readjusted it and built up the top of my back tooth on the right side so my clenched teeth wouldn’t interact so intensely with the braces which end up causing me pain, ulcers and inflammation. It worked but the sensation of the misaligned height makes me very conscious of my mouth. That’s it really. Having your attention stuck on a part of your body. It causes you to introvert and get “stuck in your head” as opposed to embracing all the wonderful things that exist outside yourself.
The interaction with the world around you is so much more rewarding than getting lost in the dark recesses of your own thoughts and feelings.
The biggest trick is to relax my mouth and to move it as little as possible. This means eating very soft food like cauliflower and mushroom soup blended in the NutriBullet and cooked rhubarb with cram, coconut cream and coconut yoghurt. I simply cannot chew anything.
I am going back too the dentist in 3 weeks to get my mouth adjusted before heading off to Bali. If I do all the right things I should be used to the strange new feeling by then.
The other thing that I haven’t got my head around is the cost. The braces cost over $8000 but there was no explanation or breakdown. What this does is to sew seeds of doubt about whether you are being overcharged. Probably not but it is an interesting point to keep in mind when dealing with people in the future. Always keep them fully informed and in the loop.
I cut down on the painkillers yesterday and only took 4 paracetamol plus I used the Bonjela Gel that A recommended. I feel well fed and optimistic that I can create a menu that consists of soft foods that are nutritious and tasty at the same time.
