Elsewhere, I’ve posted about my journey with orthodontics as an adult. Here, I’ll give more, in depth, details of my experience. As a 42 year old guy back in 1990, I decided to get my deep, severe overbite, TMJ issues, etc., finally addressed. I had had this problem for nearly 20 years at that point. During those years, several specialists told me that jaw breaking surgery was the only way to fix my problem. My wife is an RN who had plenty of ICU experience taking care of such patients who had their jaws broken with this surgery. She told me to NEVER even think of having that done. Usually, you will have to spend several days in the hospital with your jaw wired shut. For the first few days, you will be in ICU, because someone (usually a nurse) will have to clip the wires of your locked jaw if you vomit....otherwise, you’ll choke to death. This is a real possibility after this surgery. She told me she had clipped many wires in her career. In 1990, my new, regular dentist recommended an orthodontist who specialized in “difficult” adult cases. I soon made an appointment with this guy. After a thorough examination with x-rays, impressions, etc., he came up with a plan which WOULD NOT involve surgery to break my jaw.
He said I was lucky because my upper teeth and jaw, although very much jetting forward, had plenty of room in the back where they could be moved because my wisdom teeth had been removed many years earlier. Then, I had two choices presented to me. He said I could have four pre-molars, two on each side extracted from my upper jaw —OR— wear cervical headgear virtually 24/7. He said most adults would do the extractions. I told him I did NOT want any extractions, if possible. He said headgear was the only other option. He then told that he had had ONLY ONE adult patient ever choose and stay with the headgear route. I CHOSE HEADGEAR.
In a short time, I was fitted with separators between my back molars. A week later, I came back to have 8 heavy metal bands placed on my back molars, upper and lower. There were all kinds of hooks and tubes on these bands. I was told I would have rubber bands, powerchains and the headgear attached to these hooks and tubes at a future time. Glue-on brackets were placed on all the other teeth and a very small wire was installed through the brackets and bands. This process was painless, but a couple days later, my teeth were so sore, I found that a liquid diet worked best.
A month later, I went in and had just my upper wire “upgraded”. My orthodontist put what he called “reverse curves” on both ends of the upper wire. This caused immediate pressure in my upper molars. A couple days later, all my molars were rather sore, but tolerable. It actually felt good because I KNEW things were moving. I already was experiencing positive changes in my bite.
Moving forward, I had appointments every month where new wires were installed on the upper teeth ALWAYS with the “reverse curves” on the wire. My lower teeth only had one wire change to this point. These teeth were having only minor adjustments to straighten out individual teeth which were slightly rotated, etc. Nothing was too painful, but after 5 months, I STILL HAD NO HEADGEAR.
At month six, the fun really began. It was a LONG appointment. First, I had a new heavier wire place on the top teeth with the reverse curves, as usual. Then, a thin wire, metal powerchain was woven back and forth through all the upper brackets from the back molars across all the upper teeth. And rubber bands, were placed from the back of my lower jaw to hooks on the incisors of my upper teeth helping to pull my upper jaw backwards.
AND THEN IT HAPPENED! The headgear device was shown to me. After the face bow was properly sized and adjusted, I was shown how to install/remove it. I was told it could only come out when eating or showering. So, I walked out of the ortho office, through the filled, staring waiting room, with a whole new look as a 43 year old grown man. When I got back to my office job, I also got lots of stares. In fact, I got lots of stares everywhere I went. I really didn’t mind it so much. After a while, people asked me what was going on and I was happy to explain how it all was working.
Moving forward two years, I continued having monthly adjustments and tweaking done with rubber bands and various powerchains. After a total of 30 months, all my upper teeth were moved back about 3/4 of an inch, filling the space where my wisdom teeth HAD been. My bite was incredible and everything fit perfectly. On June 1, 1993, at the age of 43, my braces were removed. I was fitted with Hawley retainers, upper and lower, and STILL wear them at night today.
In the end, I can truly say that my personal experience with orthodontics and the similar orthodontic experiences of close friends, has probably caused my braces fetish. I still enjoy seeing people with a mouthful of traditional metal braces, especially on women.
Headgear..? For me it was a good experience and saved me from having my jaw broken....