I am feeling a little bit less stress than yesterday that's because the exams are over. Hooraaah! But let's not get too excited over this short-term happiness because I received an e-mail from my lecturer earlier this morning to get started on my Dissertation.
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As the title suggested, I took the morning off today from work to start on my braces journey.
Braces wasn't one of the option that I ever wanted when I was young despite not having a nicely align set of teeth. I always tell myself NO BRACES, NEVER when dentist suggested if I wanted any. Plus I personally hate going to the dentist. I would rather get admitted in the hospital and have my blood taken a hundred times than asking me to visit the dentist.
I still remember those days during Primary school whereby my friends will get so excited having to call up for dentist so that they can escape lesson, whereas for me, I always utter down my breath with a "Please NOT me, NOT me, please please please!!!" And if my name was called up, I'll go to the toilet and STARE at my teeth thinking whatever will happen later before slowly dragging my feet to the dentist. Haha!
As I grew older, I had a supernumerary teeth growing right on top of my right gum which look something like this. By the way, this are not mine.
I couldn't care less about having this extra tooth despite getting quite a number of tease from both Ayah & Muhammad, who kept asking me to remove it. But of course NOT! NOT the dentist.
And it wasn't only me. Mama told me that Adik had the same issue when she was younger too but hers grew on the hard palate of the mouth and the dentist at school, send her off to the specialist for surgery removal.
But Adik was young at that point of time, she didn't know anything. So she probably just follow whatever was decided. Whereas for me, I was already in Secondary school and I know how to feel pain, remember pain, differentiate pain and understand the pain of tooth extraction with NEEDLES. Because I was once injected with 4 needles in Primary school, just to remove my second molar. I almost died and tell myself, NO MORE dentist in my entire life.
But as you grew older, things changed.
You understand how important dentist are and how important to keep your teeth clean and healthy and not just your body. I start getting holes in the teeth which basically pains when I try to eat food that is hard to chew like your crackers, keropok, they are MY FAVOURITE. Hahaha!
I decided to gather my courage and visit the dentist. Furthermore, I have already started working and I was able to bear my own expenses. So, I promise myself to visit the dentist at least once a year despite the fact I know we have to do it at least 6 months? Haha! But dentist can be quite pricey, so yes, sticking that to 1 year once.
My dental visit could cost me up to ea least $300-$400 for polishing, scaling, a few fillings here and there and sometimes, they need to inject to numb the area. Everything was quite bearable and so I told myself, dentist wasn't that bad afterall and thus, I make subsequent appointment for my next dentist visit.
Despite still being scared to visit the dentist, I was a little less scared than before. So, I decided to get my supernumerary tooth extracted after so long. While visiting the dentist, I was told if I wanted to put on braces. Because if I wanted, some dentist would prefer to remove my existing molar tooth rather than the supernumerary tooth depending on the X-ray.
From there, I started to explore into doing braces. Furthermore, my colleagues had braces on and their teeth look so nice!
And even before that, a few occasion that I have actually wanted to put braces on but it was quite pricey for me plus I had to pay for school fees. And I didn't know which dental serve good braces and at a reasonable price. Some braces could really be death of you costing up to 6K to 7K even for just ceramic braces. I almost died.
A lot of my friends, I mean A LOT of them tell me NOT to remove it and not to put on braces, because they told me my extra tooth makes it me to be me. It's just me. HAHA! They say that teeth set me to be cutest. But I swear I find it ugly especially when I take pictures smiling with my teeth shown. Thus, I always have pictures taken without showing my teeth. Lol!
As my determination grew more, I wanted to get my braces done as soon as possible before Hari Raya this year. Lol! So, I book an appointment at a dental in Holland V, since JM told me I have to get a dental close to me or along the way because it is a tiring process to visit the dentist for tightening & etc especially for every appointment, if the dental is far.
But I find Holland V to be a little bit too pricey which almost can cost me up to 6K for the braces which doesn't include X-ray, extraction, retainers and etc in the braces package. So I had the appointment cancel.
Alhamdulilah! I stumble upon Facebook regarding a Dental at Harbourfront which have done a number of braces. They were having a promotion price of braces for Ceramic braces nett at 3.6K with retainers, extraction and x-rays inclusive up till July.
So I decided to ask some questions which I find the braces price the most reasonable one from almost 30 dentals that I went to survey in. And then, right of the back, I book an appointment with them which was TODAY.
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Braces Journey 1:-
My appointment was at 11am which I came right on the dot of 1100 hours, I thought I wanted to reach there earlier but I kind of lost my way while heading to look for the dental. Well, nothing is new when it comes to me and directions. We NEVER get along.
After locating the dental, I waited about half an hour before I was called in for consultation. As I was seated outside I realised the dentist was a Malay male doctor. Firstly, I never find it comfortable if a doctor that is consulting me is of the same race as me and especially if he is a male. Don't ask me why, I'm not sure myself too. Lol! Secondly, my heart was thumping quite fast. Like I said, I didn't like visiting the dentist plus needles.
I used to like doing scaling and polishing and not even now anymore, because my teeth are sensitive and it's PAINFUL when those are done.
But fret not, the doctor was really nice and I did not regret! I had my fears and uneasiness leashed off. Lol! Plus it didn't feel like as if I was at the dentist at all! I really like the environment. The staff are all so friendly and it is just a welcoming environment when you step inside.
Consultation,
Photos of my tooth was taken. I realised I had one decay tooth and they had to clean it up for me before putting on the braces. Doctor said my case isn't a very difficult one compared to some others and he can try to get braces-fix on me as soon as possible, before the fasting month and that's the best part.
I was just planning to get my braces on before the fasting month and Hari Raya especially. Can you imagine doing braces during the fasting month? Batal kay puasa.
After taking pictures of the tooth, my clay tooth model was made. I was made to bite into the clay thingy to get the shape of my teeth implanted. Lol!
I remembered mine tasted like a bland Grape taste? Or maybe I was just hallucinating it to be bland grape since it was purple in colour. Haha! The top set of teeth clay modelling was fine but the bottom one was a bit too painful for me and almost put me into tears. And it felt like my whole teeth will just get yank out from my mouth, the moment the clay was pulled-forced off my teeth. Hahaha!
I I didn't realise the process of doing braces is just ugly. They keep asking me to open my mouth, close my mouth, take pictures of my jaw blah blah blah and insert bits of pieces of thingy inside my mouth to get a good model of your teeth. Lol! It is just so UNGLAM and I just cannot picture how ugly my face will look like. Zzz!
After which an X-ray was taken and I was pretty sure of the wisdom tooth that needs to get extracted. Thank you to JM for sharing me her braces experience. Thus, I was rather prepared and more knowledgeable of the process of putting on braces.
So 2 of my bottom wisdom tooth needs to get extracted, either before or at the end of the braces process, Doctor said. But Doctor said, he can do it for me after the process of braces is completed. I wish I could suggest to remove my top wisdom tooth as well since it serve no purpose but I forgot to ask. Zzz!
And that is how basically my wisdom tooth looks like, slanted.
I never thought I had any wisdom tooth ever because I remember people usually say you'll get fever and pain from growing wisdom tooth. But I never experience one before and suddenly, without me knowing it, I had wisdom. Boy, I am so proud of myself, NOT. Since it grew in such a way. Haiyaz!
After everything, I was left with the hygienist to get my teeth clean, polish and filled. I had 2 jabs given on my gum as well as my hard palate, just to numb the area before starting to clean the decay part of the tooth. Because the decay is quite deep, so the cleaning up process might be painful for me. The numbing part of course, needles and injection at the hard palate was painful but with such nice hygienist, it lift it up the pain. Told you, everyone was so friendly that it didn't feel like I was at the dentist at all.
Everything took about like 1 hour an a half?
After payment, they had this consultation who showed me people who basically have the same problem like me and their process of doing the braces before getting a new set of aligned teeth. He even told me to be mentally prepared before braces-fix and to get a good heavy breakfast. Sounds scary? Haha!
And my next appointment would be in 2 weeks time, whereby I am required to extract 4 tooth and probably to start on my braces. Oh well, this is getting exciting but Mama just cringe when I told her at the end of the process I'll be extracting 6 tooth altogether. But JM extracted 8 at one shot okay. That girl is even power.
So, whatever it is braces. Please have mercy on me. Please be nice, please be gentle. I have such low tolerance level towards pain especially when it involves teeth, dentist and mouth. HAHA!
Till here, need to get a good sleep and rest.
Having slight fever.
XOXO,
Princess Azie Anni ♥
