In a panicked state over a gap between my teeth that was most definitely not there before I had a chat with Dr Levinson who of course gave me his assurance that this was indeed perfectly normal in my situation. Phew!

Dr Levinson explained that we move the roots of the teeth into their corrected straightened positions, and then work towards closing the gaps and positioning the crowns to achieve the best functional and aesthetic position.

So that gap that has opened up is simply part of the corrective process and indicates that the roots of my teeth are responding to the treatment just as they should. Hurrah!

I did feel some strange sensations as my teeth moved around, with the most noticeable effect of this the way my teeth fitted together. Suddenly all those little ridges and bumps that had spent years working their way into a comfortable interlocking position were being shifted into a more appropriate structural position – so those little bumps and ridges knocked against each other as a new order was established.

That also made eating interesting for a while too, but over time things settled down again.

Now I have to contend with a strange habit I have developed of catching my lower lip between my teeth, I’m not sure exactly why this happens, but it does, and occasionally I find myself awake in the night with my lip firmly crunched between my teeth…ouch!

My point is that having braces is so much like being a parent. Anybody who is a parent will understand this analogy…at each stage of parenting your delightful offspring develops some annoying habit that you cannot wait to end. When eventually it does it is quickly replaced by a new annoying habit and so the cycle goes.
My braces journey is very much like that, a little niggle here or twinge there is quickly over, and soon replaced by another niggle or twinge until one day I will wake up and my journey will be over! My teeth will be in all the right positions, my smile will be aligned, and my joyous grin will be genuinely beaming!

So until then I remember…this too shall pass!

She is passionate about her work, and we consider her to be the guru on preventive dental care. She is often found in the brushing stations at our practices motivating and educating many of our patients and staff.

Rosie’s interests include hiking, scuba diving, skiing and more recently sailing catamarans. In her more quiet and reflective moments, she makes the best muffins and cakes imaginable and is a wealth of information on nutrition.

We decided to get to know her a bit better with a quick 5;

1. What was the defining moment that lead to your decision to work in oral health? Discovering the opportunity to make a difference with people’s oral health.
2. What is the worst part of your day? On occasion not having enough time to catch up with people who I work with every day.
3. The biggest buzz about your work? Seeing the change in people when they see the results of their efforts, a great smile!
4. If you could give your 13 year old self some advice, what would it be? Take it easy…don’t stress!
5. Current favourite band? Coldplay

Some of my favorite things include:

1. Porridge – although you really have to brush well to make sure there is none still lurking around the brackets…seriously that stuff sticks like glue!
2. Yoghurt – always a nice soothing treat, calcium which is good, some is even reinforced with additional cultures and nutrients our bodies need, and if you get an unsweetened yoghurt you’re not sugar loading your mouth either. Just be careful not to get one with large fruit seeds – they have a tendency to wedge themselves under the wires!
3. Banana – healthy and soft! Just watch out for the stringy bits on the outside.
4. Wholemeal vegemite sandwiches – OK so wholemeal is not as good as wholegrain…but have you tried to swallow whole chunks of grainy bread?  Not nice.  Softer wholemeal it is.  The vegemite is good for any ulcers due to the high sodium content and you can even have a good excuse for cutting off the crusts (for a while anyway).
5. Pasta – but you need to be sure it is cooked a little bit past el dente.  You want it almost mushy, oh and spaghetti is a no-no…too thin and sticks in awkward places.  Stick with large noodlely type shapes.
6. Puree soup with bread dipped in to soften it…I’ll say no more! Soft, soothing, and depending on your choice, nutritious.

They’re some of my favourites…anybody else want to share theirs?

When I was fitted with braces I didn’t find my lips and gums stuck in them at all, when I was speaking a lot (not often of course…) and my mouth got a bit dry, my top lip kind of catches mid sentence…I don’t think other people notice but it just feels a bit strange and you quickly have to loosen your lip and lubricate again.

Since getting the lower braces I do find my lower lip does seem to stick into the braces overnight, or when I have been concentrating for a while and I tend to purse my lips.  It does not hurt at all, just feels strange when you realize and push it off to release it.

I was also not looking forward to those first few days of raw rubbing while my gums toughened up to the new appliances…however to my pleasant surprise, it was only a day.  That’s it! No wax required this is gonna be a cinch….now if I could find soft enough food to eat all would be well!