me,Mavis Smile Project

2006-02-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

Wax ... the Elixir of Life! ... the Ambrosia of the Gods! Those with braces cannot live without it!
The little blue case is the "free" wax that I am given by my Ortho folks -- 2 with every visit! (um, that's about enough to get me through the weekend, THANKS!). It's called OrthoSil and will do in a pinch, but it is so soft and difficult to stick to an annoying bracket, though it won't release from my fingers.

The clear "GUM" case is what I supplement from the drug store. I have found it in just a few stores, and it generally runs $1.89 for that one little pack... which doesn't last long ... and then you have the damn little case to throw out... but it works like a charm.

OK, so for the 13 weeks or so that I have been living with braces, I have probably purchased at least 10 little GUM packs. Recognizing that I will have these things for probably another 20 months, I started wondering -- a) wasn't this going to get a little excessive $-wise? and b) what the heck would I do with all the little clear cases?

GOOGLE to the rescue! Look at what those cases are resting on. That's a ONE-POUND box of what appears to be E X A C T L Y the same product that comes in the GUM cases. Same color, same ropey shape, feels the same on my gum.

From my rough calculations, I could refill the little case 108 times with the contents of my one-pound box. If I purchased those 108 cases at my local drug store, it would cost $204.12 plus tax! What did I pay from International Dental Supply? $7.95 plus $5.00 shipping. ... AND I won't have 108 little cases to throw away! Look for item 245-0003, "Utility Wax 1 lb. Box White"

2006-01-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

January 13 -- My 10-week checkup was early this week, at which time I received a full bracket on the lower right tooth that was previously able to accept only a half-bracket (as it was pushed so far behind it's neighbor). I also came away with a heavier arch wire, and the news that everything is progressing very well!

2005-12-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

December 5, 2005 - Only 5 weeks since braces installed. Note the straighter line of the wire!

2005-10-31T17:16:00.000-08:00

October 31, 2005

Approximately 8 hours after the dreaded appliances were installed.

2005-10-31T11:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to the very nice web site of my ortho team. It is full of everything you always wanted to know (and some stuff you didn't ...) about orthodontics.

2005-10-30T17:15:00.000-08:00

October 30, 2005

This is my unofficial "before" shot, taken at home as I sweat bullets. Tomorrow is the big day for installation.

I can't imagine how they will glue an appliance on that one lower tooth that sits so far back behind its' two neighbors.

This picture is actually rather kind to the 2 front teeth. They are temporary crowns and don't have the opacity of the expensive lab-produced kind. They were installed to better help the appliances hold on. After ortho, I will have permanent crowns remade.