braces: what more could they do to me!?

This orthodontist of mine....I think he's just trying meet some quota or bet to see how many different devices and techniques they can use on one patient.

I had my appointment yesterday and where I'm not in the typical amount of discomfort in that they usually leave me, they did something to me that made me want to pass out.

They took off part of my 2 front teeth!!!!! Or as they like to call it an "interproximal enamel reduction". Oh right...as if I wasn't going to flip out about this....and round and round we went...

I had so many pressing questions for the orthodontist that he told the hygienist he was glad he wasn't doing it!

Very seriously, the whole thing made me quite nervous. Sanding off some of my tooth?? Changing the dimensions of teeth that I actually happened to like but were just in the wrong spot! It took a lot of convincing but after he promised me his office has never screwed it up before I conceded. I didn't have to go along with this, but if I didn't I would have 2 very noticeable gaps between my teeth at the end of my treatment.

WOW!! I CANNOT BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE! 

I'M SO HAPPY.

I had envisioned a loud, menacing device that would be used in this unsettling so called 'common practice', it turned out to be a teensy weensy thin piece of very fine sand paper and it took her less than 20 seconds to complete her little project. That was fine, I just get really nutty when I don't know what to expect. And when it comes to my brain, bones, bloodstream and organs I become profoundly neurotic.

 Oh yea...they also added another 'chain' to my top teeth. If you've had braces you are certainly familiar with this, if you haven't...it's basically a chair around all the brackets to close in any gaps-meaning 2 things 1. it's a real pain in the butt to floss and 2. I'm almost done!

And don't forget the rubber bands.

On the lighter side, we really were laughing very hard about the whole situation and how nervous and cautious I was. I actually had tears in my eyes we were laughing so hard...I've never had such a damn good time at the dentist office.