Chapter 3
I didn’t wear my expander anywhere near as much as I should.
I wore it every night and I tried for a few hours during the day but I just couldn’t get on with it. My speech was garbled and I drooled all the time. I figured though, that as long as I was wearing it about 12 hours a day, it would still do the job.
A week later, I returned to the dentist. Ben was waiting and greeted me warmly but I could see his focus was on my mouth.
Soon enough I found myself laying in the chair, fully reclined. My mouth was hanging open, the dentist prodding around while Ben sat watching.
“Have you been wearing the appliance?”
I nodded, grunting in agreement.
He sighed “there is no movement. Either it’s not enough or you’re lying…luckily for you I have a chip in every device that monitors wear time. Let’s just check that.”
He popped out the appliance and then placed a plastic block between my back teeth, keeping my jaw open. The biggest lip spreader went in and my mouth felt incredibly exposed. I felt ridiculous but Ben smiled as he looked on and I relaxed slightly.
My heart began to pound as he clicked on the computer. Ben walked over and looked at the screen. A few seconds later, I heard a loud sigh.
A few seconds later, both faces reappeared above me.
The dentist spoke up first “we can see you have not achieved anywhere near the required time”
I tried to explain but with the lip spreader and bite blocks in it just came out as a jumbled mess.
Ben looked at me for a few seconds before speaking up “I need to remind you that this is all voluntary. You do not have to take part in this…but if you are taking part – it is very important you follow all the rules. I will give you this one chance, the benefit of the doubt – just today. If you choose to continue on, there will be no second chances. You will wear all appliances as directed, if you don’t – then the contract ends, the braces will be removed and you will no longer be paid. But if you continue, you will wear the appliances and receive a great monthly wage…”
I nodded, my face burning red from shame.
The dentist looked at Ben, then back at me “and you’d like to continue?”
I nodded, knowing I desperately needed the money,
The dentist nodded “well, compliance can be difficult in adults – let’s change this appliance. We did suspect you wouldn’t be able to tolerate it so we have a back up plan ready. I am going to place some spacers and you will come back in around 3 hours to have your appliance fitted.”
I tried to ask a question but they couldn’t understand me, he quickly removed the lip spreader and I repeated myself “they work that quickly?”
He nodded “usually, they wouldn’t but these are special ones – they are small springs instead of just circles. It moves the teeth incredibly quickly but obviously that means a bit more discomfort”
I nodded and he placed the lip spreader back in. He got to work, placing the separators into my mouth – it felt like a lot but until I could feel around I couldn’t say for sure.
Soon, he took it all out and my tongue moved to my upper teeth. There were 5 separators each side, beginning at my wisdom teeth and ending at my canine. As him and Ben sat there going over the plan, my teeth began to throb already.
We scheduled the next appointment for 1pm, and I stood up, feeling a bit apprehensive about what was to come.
‘
As we stepped outside, Ben smiled at me “remember I said I have my own dental chair?”
I nodded, the dread growing in my stomach. Ben spoke up again “well, I’d really like it if you’d come and let me take a look. We have a couple of hours to kill and I can make you coffee, give you something to eat?”
I hesitated but then nodded slowly, not wanting him to end the contract.
His house was literally 1 minute away and it was gorgeous. It was huge, with an annexe and a large garage.
He showed me insane “so…would you like a drink first, or just to get on with it?”
I shrugged “I guess, just get on with it?”
He nodded, leading me upstairs. He opened a door, revealing a large bedroom. He turned to look at me “I had this house custom built. There is an en-suite attached to it there, a large walk in closet….and finally – this room. As he opened another door, we stepped in. There was a sleek dental chair in the middle, with a few other props around.
I suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable “so..you had it built like this?”
He nodded “I had hoped to find a wife who agreed to be in braces, but it never happened…but it gives me an opportunity for the future!”
I nodded, “so – shall I sit?”
He smiled, beckoning to the chair. I laid there for a few minutes, mouth open, feeling very self conscious. A few minutes later – he sat me up “it really is going to be a beautiful appliance…”
I grimaced “what is it?”
He smiled, “you’ll see!”
That afternoon, at 1pm we headed back to the dentist. He sat me down and propped my mouth open. As he tapped my teeth, they throbbed and I winced slightly. He removed the spacers and then pulled out the appliance. My eyes nearly popped out my head as I saw it.
He held it up “this is my version of a Haas expander. I have added metal caps instead of bands, and some acrylic for your palate”
I gulped as he lifted it up and tried to fit it in. It took about 30 minutes of adjusting before he was satisfied “ok, we will glue this in then!”
As he set the glue, my heart began pounding again – I knew this was going to be a big adjustment.
He sat me up, took out the lip spreaders then him and Ben stood, staring at me.
I explored it with my tongue, feeling how all my teeth up to and including my pre-molars were covered in metal like a metal crown. The actual expander and acrylic took up my entire palate. It was like my removable one, but much worse.
I realised they were waiting for me to say something so I grimaced “ithssss okaaa I guethhh”
Ben smiled when he heard me talk and the dentist nodded “it is ok, you will adapt. Of course you will always have a lisp with an appliance like this but it won't be this bad…”
I nodded, cheeks burning again.
We scheduled my appointment for a check up next week, then headed outside. I wanted to get home, to cry a bit and to try and see what I really looked like but Ben had other plans “so, back to mine for me to have a proper look again?”
My heart sunk, but I nodded “lethhh go”
