I started in 2013 and finished in 2018. First of all, my two front teeth protruded a lot, and the gum bone itself also protruded, so I thought that even if I got orthodontic treatment, it wouldn’t go in much, and I didn’t do it until I became an adult.
But my malocclusion got worse, so my right temporomandibular joint slipped out, and later even my left temporomandibular joint felt like it was about to slip out. When I went to the dentist, they recommended orthodontic treatment. I didn’t think it would change dramatically, so I hesitated a lot, but in the end I’m very satisfied both aesthetically and functionally. I had 4 teeth extracted. My teeth were quite large and strong.
First, my mouth closes! When I sat somewhere like on the subway and zoned out, my mouth was always open, and even when I slept my mouth was open.. Anyway, my mouth was open and my teeth were protruding, but now my mouth closes even without putting effort into it. People with a protruding mouth will know what I mean..
And after orthodontic treatment, my mouth line became really pretty. My overall impression also became more refined. Friends I haven’t seen in a long time say I look prettier somehow, but they can’t pinpoint exactly what it is. When I say I had braces, they go, “Ah~” Until then, my lips were thick, so I had been hiding my teeth pretty wellㅋㅋ Sigh.. So my lips were also slightly turned outward? and that improved too. If thin lips are your complex, this is something you may want to think about. My lips were originally very thick.. Even after my mouth, which had been turned outward, went back in, my lips are still on the thick side.
And now the bad parts.. The cheek fat drops off suddenly, and the cheeks become hollow all at once. The cheekbone area in front of the ears sinks in. I had a lot of facial fat, like my face was swollen, so I was glad it went down, but as I get older, my facial fat is disappearing at a frightening speed. My face shape is large, round, and broad, so it was okay; otherwise, I might be regretting it a bit by now. Since I had so much fat, once the cheek fat disappeared, it felt like I had gotten every facial contouring injection possible. My eyes, nose, and mouth look more defined. But even I, who never worried about cheek fat, am scared because it’s noticeably disappearing now that I’m entering my 30s..
Also, orthodontic treatment is lifelong. It doesn’t end when you take off the braces; you have to wear a retainer before bed. If you skip it for a few days, your teeth move like magic, and when you put the retainer on after a while, it feels tight. Especially in my case, my temporomandibular joint starts to hurt gradually. One retainer is 200,000 won, and upper and lower together are 400,000 won, but I really lost them often.. Fortunately? I found them again, but while looking for them I ended up digging through quite a few restaurant trash cans...
Ah, in my case, I had gingival bone overgrowth. On the root side of my upper gums, the alveolar bone protruded outward, and my ex-boyfriend asked what that was on my gums when I smiled and whether it was also a tooth, so I was shocked and booked removal surgery.
The surgery is a bit painful, but it’s a very simple surgery.. I even made the appointment, but when I searched, people said there are cases where later there isn’t enough tooth-supporting bone and grafting is needed. So I thought I’d save it and shave it down when I get olderㅋㅋㅋㅋ and ended up canceling the appointment...
My orthodontic treatment was very slow!! My teeth were large and didn’t move easily, so it was slow, but in return it didn’t hurt too much. So I chewed, bit, tasted, and enjoyed everything... Fortunately, maybe because I got scaling once a month, I didn’t get cavities either. But my gums are weak, so every time I got scaling it was a sea of blood.
These days my cheek fat has gone beyond just disappearing and is starting to sag, so I’m a bit worried.. But even if I could turn back time, I’d still want to do it. First, I can take photos while smiling. I don’t have to cover my mouth. My mouth closes. My overall impression gets better.
The jawline itself doesn’t change. The gum bone and jawbone are separate. It’s just that as facial fat decreases a bit, the jawline gets neater.
I paid 4 million won for ceramic braces and 50,000 won a month for treatment fees. It cost a lump sum, but I don’t regret it, and I’m satisfied with just the improvement in my temporomandibular joint! At the dental clinic I went to, the director and the doctor in charge change every 5 years. Still, I was lucky? and received treatment from one doctor for 4 years, but I think it would be annoying if they changed after only 2 years.
But since the hospital was a general dental hospital, it was good that if my gums were bad, a gum specialist would see me right away, and if I got a cavity, another specialist would see me.
I’m sure I’ll have gum or nerve problems later, so I’m planning to sign up for an expensive dental insurance plan!
I wrote this without much order, but I hope the review helps.