Month 24: Braces are off!

I’m finally done! All in all, my orthodontic journey lasted a little over 2 years.
So what have I undergone during this period?

• Palette expander (created vertical space)
• Bite plate retainer (created horizontal space)
• 5 TADs (small screws that were hand-drilled into my gums to provide more force on teeth than just bands and wires alone)
• Numerous bite blocks
• Extracted my baby tooth and subsequently completed an implant
• Minor remodeling (mostly small cosmetic tweaks, no veneers)
• Many rubber bands (formations included triangles, squares, diagonals, etc)

So what do all of the above translate to? The following:

• Corrected breathing, including eliminating mouth breathing and severe morning congestion
• Corrected facial asymmetry
• Corrected overcrowding
• Corrected overbite (malocclusion II)
• Corrected overjet
• Protruded lower jaw (but not to the results of a sliding genioplasty), which made my face appear more angular
• Wider smile with more visible teeth

Concluding thoughts:

In the end, I am glad I decided to get traditional braces despite being a tad late to game (late-20s). But did it feel odd to me in the beginning? Of course. I was initially set on Invisalign and while I was disappointed that I couldn’t fix my teeth inconspicuously, I will always choose the option that prioritizes my long-term health over being socially uncomfortable in the short-term. After all, life gets too busy to worry about how others may perceive my new and temporary appearance. After all, it ended up not only being a great conversation opener but also made me more distinct for the time being.

Thanks for riding along all – remember to floss daily and retainers are for life.