If you had read on my previous posts on my braces journey from the first time on teeth extraction, the second teeth extraction, putting on braces to the latest post on after 70 days of putting on braces which i wrote on May last year wth, you'll definitely wondering how i look after putting on braces (am still wearing the braces) after 15 months now.

          I put on my braces on 13rd March of 2012, which is 15 months now, and my teeth are now align correctly with the upper and lower teeth fit together with little or less malocclusion problem.

          I had Class 2 malocclusion and overjet problems previously. Class 2 malocclusion is called retrognathism or overbite, occurs when the upper jaw and teeth severely overlap the lower jaw and teeth; while overjet or also the horizontal overlap, refers to the extent of horizontal (anterior-posterior) overlap of the upper central incisors over the lower central incisors. (Info from wikipedia)

          Picture below shows the differences between overbite and overjet, which are the problems i have before putting on braces. (Picture from wikipedia)

 

 Class II malocclusion / Overjet

 And i have crowding problem too for my lower teeth

 

 This is the overview of my teeth before putting of braces.

I was shocked looking at my crooked teeth

after finding pile of my self-teeth-shots i took before teeth extraction LOL!

P/S: Pardon the low quality of the pictures taken N years ago

 

 The condition of my maxillary/upper teeth.

My posterior teeth are still okay,

but my two BIG anterior incisors are protruded.

 The condition of my mandibular/lower teeth.

My lower teeth are crowded with improper alignment.

 A picture of me before putting on braces.

Big and round face wtf!

Although i have crooked and crowded teeth,

i like to show my teeth when taking pictures last time.

I think i looked pretty showing my teeth when smiling LOL.

Confidence overloaded.

 But after i entered dental school and

many seniors asked me "why don't you go to see this orthodontist and blah blah blah",

i realized that my teeth looked "not-okay" at all.

 When i think that showing the front view of my teeth when smiling makes me pretty,

a picture of side view of my crooked teeth shocked me to the max LOLOL!

 Another side view picture showing the right side of the teeth condition.

OH NO!!!

          My parents were shocked too when i showed these pictures to them, i was like "OMG my teeth were like this crooked and this crowded before and i nearly can't recognized them for living with me for almost 20 years lol!". 

          Luckily that i was brave enough to find our faculty's orthodontist Dr Asma and requested for braces and at that time i was just entered the dental school. After extracted four premolars and suffering all the pain and tears, finally i am on my journey to the perfectly-straight-and-everyone-envy-set-of-teeth hahaha :D 

          Besides correcting my crowded teeth, wearing braces also changes my facial features especially from the round and big face to the "not that round and big face" haha! Viewing the old pictures, yes i can tell that my facial features changed a lot and i almost can't recognized my old self! I don't know how to describe the changes but you'll definitely see the changes in the pictures!

This is me before and the first day putting on braces.

Left: Selfie right after the teeth extraction.

Middle: Appointment with Dr Asma for consultation with my teeth model!

Right: The first day putting on braces.

 Deng deng deng! This is me after putting on braces after more than a year.

Left: Picture on 5th April 2013.

Middle: Recent selfie. My chin appears more sharper whenever i smile

and my face is not that big and round like last time

although my cheeks are still quite prominent (this is baby fats okay hehe).

Right: My latest profile picture haha! The picture of my side view is no longer shocking anymore lol!

          Comparing the before and after pictures, you can tell that my teeth are now no longer protruded but align straightly with the correct occlusion between upper and lower teeth. My face appears less rounded too with sharper and pointed chin, but my cheeks are quite chubby due to the baby fats that accompanying me since the day i was born lol. You can't tell that the before and after pictures are of the same person isn't it?

          For a clearer and nearer view of the changes of my teeth alignment before and after putting on braces, here are the comparison of the photos:

Front view of my teeth

Upper and lower conditions of my teeth

Left side view

Right side view

          Putting on braces is pretty amazing huh? The changes on my teeth and on my facial features are so obvious after i combining all the pictures together. The braces are like a part of my body now, i can't feel it if you don't mention about it even when i'm eating, chewing, drinking or biting.

          I think my orthodontist will take off the braces once the small gaps between the teeth (if you notice in the side view pictures) are disappears and all the teeth are align side by side. Will update with you guys once i remove the appliances and start wearing the retainer!

 There are hundreds of languages around the world,

 but a SMILE speaks them all :)

So don't forget to smile!

Hope you guys like this post,

i spent the whole day to find the old pictures and edited them!

And

Dare to have your braces on today!

Till then, goodbye!

        (If you haven't read my last posts on my teeth extraction & bonding experiences, click HERE for the first time on teeth extraction, HERE for the second time of teeth extraction & HERE for the bonding session! Happy reading!)

        So today i'm going to blog about my teeth, my braces plus the new members - baby blue rubber bands that hook around the bracket since i had my orthodontic appointment today.

        It's exactly 70 days since the day i put on my braces, which is on 13 of March, after the two sessions on teeth extraction and the bonding session, and the changes on the alignment of my teeth are very apparent after reviewing back the before-and-after pictures!

        My appointment today basically was changing the archwire & putting on the rubber band around each & every bracket for a more tight & firm straightening procedure.

        As the teeth are stretched & tighten more, you can actually feel the pressure & slight pain like the teeth are gonna break when you're chewing or even brushing.

        But trust me, after a few days it will back to normal again because every time after the appointment your pain threshold level will definitely increase to a higher level. So i had another level up today!

         After all, for a perfect set of teeth, you need to sacrifice for years, i'm gonna called it the duckling years, but it's worth for a everyone-envy-straight-teeth!

It's magical isn't it?

My lower right lateral incisor is moving to the place it should be placed haha!

Spot the baby blue rubber band :)

 Oh i'm like a hippo opening a big big mouth!

The left maxillary central incisor is aligns side-by-side with the adjacent teeth.
Note that i have shovel shaped incisors,
which is one of the traits of native American or Asian ancestry.

Btw the big holes (where the premolars have been extracted) are yet to be closed.

        If you're planning to put on braces, don't hesitate, go for it & it's really like a life changing process that you'll never regret going for it. Awaiting the day when i can really take off the braces!

 ******************************

         P/S: Have a look on my latest post on before and after 15 months of putting on braces! There are a lot of before and after pictures in that post! Hope you guys enjoy reading my blog posts :)

        Finally i'm wearing the braces after the two DREADFUL sessions on teeth extraction! (Read my posts on first time on teeth extraction HERE & the second time teeth extraction HERE!)

        The braces that i'm wearing is the self-ligating type, which is the latest breakthrough on orthodontics. The self-ligating braces are in combination with high technology wires, smaller in size & apply to the teeth with much more gentle force, which results in shorter treatment time & far fewer adjustments.

        I'm feel so lucky that i can actually wear this braces performed by our orthodontist, Dr Asma in our faculty. Dr Asma put the brackets on my teeth one by one gently & all the procedures are finished in about 45 minutes.

        While Dr Asma putting the brackets i'm actually viewing the whole procedures with a mirror in my hand. I can say that bonding is much more "relax" than teeth extraction, with only slight pressure putting on your teeth.

        But i starting to worry because my friends who are still wearing the braces or wore the braces before told me that after a few hours or maybe at night you'll be in great pain until you wake up from your dream! Hope my pain receptors are not as profuse or sensitive as theirs.

        Another thing is start from that moment i can only "drink" porridge & some cereal drinks or hot milo. Eating on solid food make my teeth feel very uncomfortable & uneasy. So actually yesterday night before i went for bonding i ate a lot, seems like it was my last dinner. Haha!

Some introduction to parts of the braces

This's the traditional braces with colourful elastic ligature to choose from

The invisalign braces for minor case patient

This's the self-ligating bracket for the self-ligating braces

which no need the elastic ligature

The self-ligating braces which are smaller in size & less noticeable

Smile with braces actually is not that bad right?

        I had my another teeth extraction today, exactly after one-week of my last extraction of my left maxillary & mandibular first premolars (read my post on first time of teeth extraction HERE!). I would say today's extraction was a better one, but my teeth were still the hardest to be extracted (the seniors called it degil) & i had around total of 8-10 injections of local anesthetics especially on my right maxillary first premolar. The injections were a little bit painful but luckily the anesthesia was invented if not the extraction would be the most painful thing to suffer (x100 times).

        They spent nearly 30 mins to extracted my giant big teeth each (that's why they called it degil) & i can saw the seniors are really exhausted after extracted my teeth.

        Another thing that made me so embarrassed was i cried when the senior extracted my mandibular premolar & accidentally hitted my maxilla & the teeth. Actually it was not that painful but i dont know why i started crying silently after they extracted the tooth. Maybe there was some physiology changed in my body or hormone imbalance lolol, too stressful to suffer the extraction i think.

        The Indian handsome doctor whose helped me to take out the fractured root in the tooth socket last week recognized me today, it made me so happy & surprised, also made me really admired him, respected his professional & his concern towards his patients (that's me! haha). The fifth year senior who responsible for the extraction today is Siti Halijah & her partner.

Notice the new deep wound on my right side of my mandible.

The left side wound (extracted last week, appeared in white colour) is in the healing process.

The bloody wound. A bit blur.

 The maxilla. The new wound is on the right side of my maxilla,

while left side is in healing process too.

Deep bloody wound & a bit scary huh?

Tada! Another big hole on my right side of my teeth!

First picture taken after the four first premolars were extracted.

Luckily the big holessss are not that noticeable when captured from front haha.
But with a swollen face lol.

        I was switched to "Thank God!" mood when they had finally finished extracted my teeth. Finished those suffering extraction sessions, the bonding session awaiting me on next Tuesday! Yay :D

          I went to the oral surgical operation clinic today for my appointment on teeth extraction for orthodontic treatment on next month. To be exact, the teeth that were going to extract today were left maxillary & mandibular first premolars, 24 & 34. It was the first time that i went to clinic to have my teeth extracted, two teeth together with two local anesthetics & four injections!

          To be honest, i was very nervous & afraid, especially when i saw the huge syringes inserted into my mouth. After having four injections of the anesthetics, my left side of the mouth, nose & face were totally paralyzed. Many of my friends told me having injections are the most painful part of teeth extraction, but luckily i feel nothing at all when the syringes were inserted in my sulcus.

          Forgot to mention that the one who performed the teeth extraction of mine is my fifth year senior Noraziza & Camy, her assistant.

          The most difficult part is to extract my teeth, since my teeth are relatively large & huge in size. For my maxillary first premolar, the tooth was extracted with a tiny root fractured accidentally in the socket! I was like OMG! & it have to be taken out later to leave a clear space for ortho treament.

          After extracted my mandibular first premolar for almost 30 minutes (the suffering 30 mins & the most difficult part to perform for both of them i think because the senior accidentally cut my gingiva & it bleed heavily but i have no feeling at all), they called for doctor (a very nice, handsome & young doctor lol) to take out the tiny fractured root inside the socket on the maxilla.

          Another suffering 30 minutes.

          My left side of the mouth was paralyzed, but i can taste on my salty blood with the taste buds on my right side of my tongue. Lolol.

          Actually after the extraction i have an anatomy lecture in the dissection hall, but the seniors insisted me to go back to hostel to take a rest with packs of cotton wool to be bitten in case of bleeding, and some antibiotics & paracetamol pills.

Before the teeth extraction with molar band on the first molar.

A radiograph of my teeth!

Note that the impacted third molars on both left & right side of my lower teeth,

partially erupted third molars on both left & right side of my upper teeth.
Notice the loooong roots of my teeth, that's why extraction was so suffering for me lol.

Another radiograph of mine.
It showed that i have a severe overjet aka horizontal overlap,

no wonder my lecturer called me "bird face" wtf.

(Overjet: Extension of the incisal or buccal cusp ridges of the upper teeth horizontally (labially or buccally)

beyond the ridges of the teeth in the lower jaw when the jaws are closed normally.)

My teeth, with bloody tissue still intact on the roots.

The wound on the left side of the mandible.

Notice the silver thingy on my first molar is the molar band.

A big space on the left side of my maxilla.

There're a big space between my canines & second premolars after extraction.
Notice that are a BIG BIG wound out there >.<

          Hope that my another appointment on next week for extraction on right side of premolars would be an easy & better one! Pray hard :)