oh{FISH}iee: My Braces Journey at the Age of 30

I finally got my braces on! ❤❤❤

Getting braces has always been on my bucket list but I have not been taking this matter seriously until I fell sick in July 2022 and really slowed down my life to think about the things I would like to do to change my life moving forward.

One of them is, of course, getting braces.

Fortunately, there is no age limit for braces treatment. Having said that, I probably feel more conscious about it than any other kid. One important thing I remind myself is that getting dental braces should be beyond the aesthetics benefits; it also helps reduce risk of cavities and gum disease - yay for healthier, happier smile for years to come.

My last selfie before putting on the braces.

I always have "rabbit teeth" that look quite obvious at certain angle. So I started my braces journey by Googling some dental clinics nearby my place and made an appointment with the orthodontist. The first session was just a simple introduction and dental X-ray, and I agreed to sign up for the package without much deliberation.

Removal of 6 pieces of teeth altogether

The next appointment was with the oral maxillofacial surgeon, where I got my wisdom tooth (left side only, top and bottom) extracted. This was the toughest part of the whole process and soft food has been my best friend ever since.

I had another two pairs of teeth (one pair on left, another on right, both top and bottom) extracted during the following couple of weeks, in order to make way for the rest of the teeth due to my overcrowded teeth condition.

The 'before' - yes, quite crooked :(

The first day of putting on upper braces @ 28 August 2022.

It felt like I couldn’t eat for a month (or more) because I had a hole on each side of my mouth. A week after having the teeth extracted, in end-August 2022, I had my top braces put on, followed by the bottom braces two months later.

30 September 2022 - I could already see improvements on the upper row in just one month!

And then two months later, here's the lower braces I got on 30 October 2022.

I started off with smiling without showing my teeth (and braces) but hey now I just own it. Time flew by, people hardly noticed until I pointed it out to them, and you know what? I'd still think it is brave and I believe that my future self would thank me for it.

Progress update: Oct - Dec 2022

In the midst of my first few months with braces, I decided the thing I missed most was eating without cutting the food into very small pieces. The journey went on... and I would get used to it eventually.

Progress update: Jan - April 2023

Within the first 6 months of wearing braces, I could see significant movements in my teeth. The teeth realignment had been improving steadily. From April 2023 onwards, I started putting on the "rubber band" at both ends to "close the gap" between the teeth. The journey of having self-discipline continued as I started to follow the routine of removing the band before meals and putting it on again after brushing the teeth each time after meal.

Progress update: Aug 2023 - Apr 2024

Fast forward to August 2023, I was at the 11th month mark (also my 9th dental visit) and another step closer to a set of fully realigned teeth. The progress was about 80% at this stage, faster than expected.

The changes from August 2023 onwards were rather less significant. Hence I didn't really take monthly pictures to record the progress.

Progress update: May 2024

Towards 20th month, the teeth were fully realigned, but it still required several months to close the minor gaps between each tooth. Definitely it took a lot of patience but the process was a lot more comfortable.