Thursday March 8, 2018
Week 2 after D-Day

Life is Good!
Here are some random thoughts that went through my head after the braces were removed.

....oh, my gosh! I forgot to put my elastics in! Oh, wait! I don't have to wear them anymore...
....my teeth feel naked!
....is it Really true? My braces are off? I am actually Done?!
....ugh, I'm off to bed and have to Floss...Oh! Wait! The braces are Off! Flossing is going to be a breeze!
....nuts? I can eat nuts? Pass the bag of almonds!

These photo collages were graciously supplied by Dr. Jusino and represent the 'Before and After' appearance of my teeth, bite, facial profile and smile. If you can ignore the droopy chin and eyebrow asymmetries ( I guess I need a new esthetician) of this now 60-something orthodontic 'project', you should be able to see what was accomplished over 17 months of treatment. 
See if you can identify the following: 1) The change in the midline of the upper and lower front teeth. 
2) The change in the curvature/alignment of the upper front teeth.
3) The change in the curvature/alignment of the lower front teeth.  
4) The change in the position of the lower second bicuspid relative to the lower first molar..this one is tough; hint: look at the middle photos on the right side of the collages. 
5) The difference in length of the upper front teeth. 
6) The change in overlap of the upper front teeth with the lower front teeth.  
These may seem like small changes but collectively they result in a more balanced bite, profile and smile. The outcome was well worth the time invested and the effort expended modifying my lifestyle to achieve this goal.

Thursday February 22, 2018
Week 77
Month 17.5

IT'S "D-DAY"!!!
D-DAY = Debanding Day
It has been Exactly 77 weeks; 539 days; 12,936 hours since I was banded and wired for my orthodontic treatment beginning September 8, 2016 and I AM DONE!!!!!
It is difficult to explain how GOOD my teeth feel now that they are properly aligned. I entered into this project with the goal of improving my bite. Changes to the appearance of my smile were secondary but all I can say is, WOW. My bite feels Great and my teeth Look Fabulous! 

This is the photo that was taken just a few minutes after the bands were removed. Go ahead, Zoom your computer to see my smile up close. It's wonderful! And, you'll have to take my 'word' that the bite that Dr. Jusino achieved for me is equally wonderful. What I notice now that the braces are off and my teeth are positioned where they belong is that smiling is easier; the actual physical movement of my facial muscles into a smile doesn't feel stretched like it had for many years. I always felt that either my teeth were too big or that I had too many to fit into a comfortable smile. Not so...they were just in the wrong place. 

Here are a couple of photos that were taken within a day or two of having the braces removed. At the time the photos were taken, I  wondered if my smile would appear awkward or staged. What I see is a smile that looks graceful and natural. Am I biased? Perhaps. But, I know that moving forward, I will feel more confident and comfortable when I am included in photos with family and friends.

This is Not the end of my blogging entries because removal of brackets and wires is not the end of an orthodontic journey. Stay tuned for more reflections on life-after-braces. There are some valuable insights for anyone considering orthodontics or in the midst of treatment anticipating their own personal D-Day!

Carolyn

Sunday January 28, 2018
Week 72
Month 16

OOPS!
In reviewing my blog postings I just discovered that they Have Not Been Posting as I had planned/scheduled. They are wayyyy behind dating to late October. I have rescheduled the postings and there will be one each day at 7 am for the next week to catch you up on my progress to date. Make sure you go back and read from October 10, 2017 so you don't miss out on any tidbits. As you read through them and catch up, there will be some nice surprises!
Carolyn