The next week was hell – I had heard braces were bad but this was pain like I’d never felt. Matt said it was because my teeth hadn’t had time with the spacers so the bands were forcing them apart while moving the teeth but it was unbearable.
The orthodontist had been very clear about hygiene being important so Matt had taken it upon himself to oversee me brushing twice a day – followed by a waterpick to clean around the braces.
The brushing was agony and once or twice when Matt didn’t think I’d been thorough enough he started over – doing it for me, I have never been so humiliated.

Exactly a week after getting braces, I was sitting back in the orthodontists office.  I was jiggling anxiously as Matt turned to me “I wonder what he has in store for you today”
I frowned “just a check I think”
Matt nodded “and your bite plate”
I shrugged “that’ll just be the same as these bite turbos though, won’t it?”
Before Matt could answer, we were shown back.

I was laid down immediately and the orthodontist checked my mouth. As he prodded and poked he hummed and hah’d and I became more nervous.
He kept me laying down but moved around “OK – so 1 bit of good news and 2 bits of bad news – the good news is I am going to take these expanders out today!”
I grinned widely, so happy to hear it
“the bad news is I am going to replace them with a combined expander and bite plate”
My heart sunk – he had totally teased me there. He laughed lightly “sorry to have got your hopes up, but I am concerned if I take the expanders out – there will be relapse. We need them in place for at least 3-6 months for retention. You’ve done well with them though!”
I pretended to smile and Matt spoke up “what’s the second bit of bad news?”
The orthodontist gripped my jaw “despite widening it – I am concerned that there still is not enough space. I know we hoped you could keep them but I think it’s time to admit we need to get those pesky wisdom teeth out”
I groaned internally but Matt nodded “we can schedule that with her dentist ASAP. They’re not attached to the expander right? So nothing needs to change?”
The orthodontist shook his head “they’re not connected to anything – they can whip them right out then we can use an extraoral appliance to utilise that space”
I wasn’t listening at this point, just knowing I need to get 4 teeth removed was enough to panic me.
Matt nodded “so we need it done quickly?”
The orthodontist nodded “there will be no improvement until we have more space so yes – the sooner the better”
They discussed the details in depth as I laid there, trying not to cry.
Finally he had me open up again and he pulled out the expanders then had me rise – my mouth seemed huge without them in and I wished he didn’t have to put them back.
Immediately though, I had the lip spreader back in and the new appliance was fitted.
As he took the lip spreader out, my tongue worked its way over – if anything, this was even bigger than before.
The expander box was literally the width of my palate and it went from my molars to pre molars then immediately there was an acrylic plate which went from my premolars all the way to my front teeth. I could feel the plastic was thick and I was dreading trying to talk like this.
As he took the lip spreader out he handed me the mirrow and I saw the fluroscent yellow acrylic actually came below my top teeth – hanging underneath. I tipped my head back and saw it was really thick.
I looked at matt “iiiihh biiggggaaa”
The orthodontist nodded “it is bigger. We need your lower teeth to hit the acrylic before anything else, so your molars have chance to erupt and you don’t damage your teeth…”
Matt grinned, pulling out his phone again. I sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing.
He turned to Matt “make her practice reading out loud – her speech is going to be severely affected and although we don’t know how much will go away while she has this appliance – there will be some improvement”
Some improvement? Speech impediment?

Matt led me out and immediately I looked in the mirror again “awwwful”
Matt giggled slightly “aww your speech is so cute. It’s not awful. It’s a medical necessity. Now – let’s get you home and get some soup into you”
Eating was a nightmare – now I had about a 1cm gap between my teeth closing and my lips didn’t fit over my braces – I ended up dribbling more out than I ate and I realised this was going to be hell.
Matt tried to drag me to his works party but I refused to leave – there was no way I was being seen in public until I had my speech under control.

Two weeks later I was back at home after having my wisdom teeth removed. I was in pain and puffy. Matt was looking after me and being really kind. He had got me as much soft food and yoghurt as I could manage and was helping me take painkillers every 2 hours.
I seemed to heal well and a week later was totally recovered. My jaw still ached but I had no open wounds and my gums had healed over – although I had been terrified, it wasn’t as bad as I had thought.

On Thursday lunchtime, Matt casually spoke up “Oh – forgot to mention – the ortho wanted you in today, it’s been a week since your wisdom teeth out and he wants to check the braces aren’t interfering and to see what he can do to use the space”
I groaned but nodded “I hope he doesn’t poke too much. I am still sore”
Matt nodded but didn’t say anything.

After lunch we headed out and as we laid there the orthodontist smiled “this all looks great – you have healed well so we can get you started with your appliance today!”
I groaned “another one?! How will it fit in my mouth?!”
The orthodontist held it up and I immediately shook my head “absolutely not!”
He grinned “absolutely yes! Headgear is the best way to push those molars back into the space we have created”
I shook my head but he interrupted again “now – do not panic, this is not full time wear!”
I relaxed slightly but then he carried on “I am simply asking for 14 hours a day for the next 3 months before you totally heal. Then we will drop it down further”
I looked at Matt for help but he just nodded “I always wanted to see you in headgear”
I looked between them “I won't wear it”
The orthodontist had a steeley look “well we will review at your next appointment in 3 weeks and if you haven’t been – I will wire it in. You are on the compliance programme, remember…”
I nodded, offering up a meek “ok”
He held my lips back as he put it in, once it was secured he tugged on it – pulling my face side to side “now for the van beek you had combination straps. We aren’t going to do that this time, you are just going to be in high pull”
He pulled out the two straps putting one over my head and one behind. I could see the large facebow in my peripheral vision and immediately felt ridiculous. Tears sprang to my eyes again but Matt smiled gently “hey, it’s not forever. And you look really cute”
I shook my head “I look ridiculous!”
The orthodontist frowned “you are doing this for your oral health – you could never look ridiculous!”
I nodded, knowing I wasn’t going to win this battle. He showed me how to put it in and take it out then reminded me “all appliances are to be worn in the office…”
I looked at him, eyes wide “I have to wear this out there?!”
He nodded, smiling “you will be a GREAT example to my younger patients. Schedule a follow up in 4 weeks – remember 14 hours. No less….”
I nodded, following Matt out.
I dipped my head down, trying to avoid anyone seeing me but Matt walked slowly and we waited at the front desk to schedule my next appointment. I didn’t dare look up at anyone but I could feel all eyes on me anyway.

As soon as we were out, I ripped out the headgear “you knew he was going to give me this?”
Matt nodded “he did tell you extraoral appliances last time…I assumed you knew”
I was raging “I would never have agreed to this! This is getting ridiculous Matt! I have no space in my mouth…”
Matt shrugged “technically it sits outside your mouth…”
I cried “you think this is funny?”
He shook his head “of course not – I just don’t think it’s as big a deal as you think. Plenty of teens have this. You don’t have to wear it out the house!”
I cried “but 14 hours a day! That’s 7pm-9am!”
Matt nodded “I know it seems hard but like he said – not for long. If you wear it properly then you will be dropped down to night time wear soon!”
I shook my head “this is hell”
I was right – it was hell. Matt tried to police he 14 hours, but it was nearly impossible.
Even if I put it in right after dinner it was often 7.30 and I took it off when I got up about 8-8.30 every day. I was hitting a solid 12-13 hours but NEVER 14. Matt didn’t know though – he was always working when I took it off in the morning and since I wore it in the evenings with him, he was satisfied.
I felt like I had got away with it. What I didn’t realise is that the orthodontist had a timer in the strap and was tracking it all…

When I went back 4 weeks later, I was feeling very smug. I had cheated Matt and he had no idea.
As we pulled up, he handed me the headgear. I shook my head but he shrugged “it’s the rules…”
I sighed, pushing it into the molar tubes and pulling the straps on. Immediately I blushed as we walked in and checked in. Other patients all stared at me  as I sat down. I kept my head down, mortified by this but Matt kept talking to me – keeping attention on me. It felt like we were sat there forever – every patient went in before us and a new crowd appeared while we were there – it began to feel like they had done it on purpose so the most people would see me.
Finally we were called back – he had me laying there with my headgear in and although he undid the straps, he left the facebow in. He went over to his computer “Now Rosie – I didn’t tell you this, but there is a little chip in your headgear strap that detects pressure so I can tell if you hit the required wear time”
I gulped slightly “I tried”
He ignored me and tutted “HMM, I needed 396 wear time hours, that’s 14 hours a day for the 4 weeks you have had it, you have barely hit 350…”
I began to protest but he silenced me immediately “this is now the 2nd time you have been caught lying. I told you there would be no warnings. Today I am going to use the wire ligatures to wire it in. You will wear it full time for 1 month, which will make up for lost time…”
I shook my head but he refused to listen “Rosie – you are on the compliance plan. We can do what we want!”
As he replaced the wire then tied the headgear in, he had me open and close “hmmm time for rubber bands I think”
I groaned but he looked at me sternly “trust me – if you don’t wear these, it will be hell”
I nodded and he added a triangle on bands to both sides of my jaw. When I went to talk I could barely open my mouth.
“They are 24/7 – even when eating. Only time they should be out is for 4 minutes a day while you brush your teeth”
As he sat me up I reached and touched the facebow “what about this when I shower?”
He shrugged “disconnect the straps, shower and then reconnect it after. You will have it for 23 hours a day. The facebow will not come out so you may as well have the straps connected to be doing something”
Matt grinned “at least you know she will have it on in the office again!”
They both laughed lightly and I nearly cried as I felt they were mocking me.
The orthodontist checked everything one last time “see me in 4 weeks, if you have made good progress to make up for the lost time, we should be able to unwire it”
I nodded, blinking back my tears – I felt SO humiliated.

Over the next 4 weeks, I made sure the straps were connected at least 23 hours a day – desperate to get the headgear out. I also kept up with the rubber bands, wearing them constantly – too scared not to.
When I attended for my follow up the orthodontist was very pleased “you finally listened to us! I will take the facebow out and you can now go down to nightly wear only” I grinned widely but when he checked my bite he was unhappy “you haven’t been wearing the bands…”
I protested immediately and Matt agreed he had never seen me without them, the orthodontist hummed “well maybe it’s the other forces are too strong. We need to step it up. I am going to add a forsus appliance – a spring instead of the bands. It will help to position your jaws properly”
As he connected it, I flinched at the pressure on my lower jaw and when I tried to open my mouth – it felt locked. He saw me panic “don’t worry – it’s just much stronger than you are used to. You can open slowly”
I nodded and tried to open slowly, cringing as I heard it squeak as I moved. He gave me a mirror and I cringed more – the springs held my jaw in an awkward position like the twin blocks had but they also poked my cheeks out even more – making me look like a chipmunk.
I glanced at him but he smiled widely “expansion done, bite plate is helping those molars, full bands, headgear and now springs. This is the final hurdle for you!”
Hearing those words brought me comfort and I knew I needed to just suck it up.

Luckily over the next few weeks I didn’t have to think about elastics and the 8 hours of headgear seemed like nothing in comparison. I felt like I was really making progress. My teeth were lining up nicely.
When I went back for the check up, the orthodontist was very happy and agreed I could stop wearing the headgear now my molars were in the right position.
The following months went smoothly and I had no more nasty surprises.
After 6 months my palate expanders came out but the bite plate stayed. I went for 3 weekly tightenings and although the bite plate still affected my speech eventually the orthodontist agreed my molars had come down enough so they took it out.
My jaw was in the right position finally so the springs came out – leaving me with just full bands. It took two years of 3 weekly appointments to get my teeth lined up.

Just when I thought the process was over, he reviewed my teeth “right – the bands can come off but we will need to use brackets and power chains to close the gaps they have created. Unfortunately because you have undergone SUCH extensive work, we will use the brackets as retention for a year.
I grumbled “Another year?! I have already done 3 years of braces”
He nodded seriously “yes – another year, I need to know they’re not going to relapse”
I sighed but he shrugged “you will have 3 monthly check ups – your contract has an automatic return to braces clause if at any time your teeth shift or you’re not wearing retainers. It’ll be straight back to bands for you so it really is in your best interest to make sure they’re ready to come off.”
I sighed and nodded – what’s one more year when I’ve already done all of this anyway?!

“Now Rosie – I didn’t tell you this, but there is a little chip in your headgear strap that detects pressure so I can tell if you hit the required wear time”
I gulped slightly “I tried”
He ignored me and tutted “HMM, I needed 396 wear time hours, that’s 14 hours a day for the 4 weeks you have had it, you have barely hit 350…”

I suspect a real-life orthodontist would be doing cartwheels of joy at the idea of a patient being so compliant with headgear. I've read academic studies that suggest that young patients typically only manage 50-60%. I doubt if there are any comparable figures for adults as h/g use is so rare. Still, I suspect compliance is better because the treatment is voluntary (even though adult wear times are typically longer).

Anyway it'll be interesting to see what happens next. The only thing stopping me from wanting to see Rosie's orthodontist get struck off is the hope that he'll fit some attention-grabbing braces and permanent headgear to Matt shortly before he is arrested and remanded for coercive control. Perhaps in an ironic twist, Rosie will come to view the symbol of her torture as a symbol of emancipation when she meets a new braces-wearing partner and realises how attractive braces can be. Under the care of a new orthodontist, she'll continue to wear braces until she is happy with her bite and smile, but on her terms.