Measured for Molar Bands

On Thursday, Jan. 13, I was measured for molar bands, which will attach and position an "Easy Arch" expander to widen my narrow upper palette.

To measure me for the bands, they took out the four spacers--what a relief! The relief was short-lived, however, when they began fitting me for molar bands. They settled onto a size "18," but in order to place the bands correctly, I kept having to bite down on a stick placed between the bottom of the band and my lower teeth. When I bit down, the molar band would slide upward until it rested against the gumline. With my teeth already sore from the spacers, this was an incredibly painful experience. A properly sized molar band, I learned, fits tightly around your teeth. I felt as if someone had a vice grip on each tooth and would pull them out at any moment. Additionally, each band has some metal loops on the outside, which rubbed against the inside of my cheeks--not painfully, but annoyingly.

After getting both molar bands in place, the orthodontist's assitant took another impression of my teeth. This impression will be used to make my expander. After the impression, the molar bands came off and I received a new set of spacers. This time, however, the spacers slipped right in--clearly, my teeth have moved a bit already.

Since receiving my spacers, I have made every effort to avoid eating sugar. I know that I'll be able to keep my braced teeth cleaner and healthier with a sugar-free diet. Today, though, I indulged. My fiance, his mother, and I went to the Portland Bridal Show. There, I sampled every bit of cake and sweet treat I found. I don't consider this a setback, rather, the dirty (and delicious) work of wedding planning.

With only four days until my braces go on, I'm feeling both nervous and excited. I am nervous because the crooked smile I have flashed myself in the mirror for 13 years will be no more. I am excited for the same reason.