Chapter Fifty Six:

Andi was stunned by Megan's comment.  Was she...  no surely not... the three of them... together?  She turned and looked at Brad.  Andi was even more shocked by the thoughts that ran through her head.  She was married she told herself.  Brad is married.  We work together.  But.... he is so sexy and masculine.  And it has been so adorable seeing how, despite trying his best to hide it, he of all people is insecure about going into treatment.  How is this going to even work she wondered.  She didn't know, but she told herself they could figure it out.

Andi's thought train was derailed when Megan said "it would be fun.  But I am not good at sharing.  Sorry Andi, I think I will have to keep him all to myself.  But isn't he just the cutest.  And the sexiest.  And he is just going to get sexier when he gets his appliances."

Andi exhaled in her mind.  She turned and looked at Megan and said "you are a lucky woman.  Brad is a world class orthodontist.  It is only fitting he has a world class smile.  But I agree with you that is it is sexy when a man takes care of himself.  For example fine tuning his smile."  That gave her an idea.  She continued "you know, I might have to talk my hubby Patrick into a consult."

Andi noticed Megan light up when she said "oh, you totally should.  Us women folk are all in treatment together.  It would only be fitting that all the men folk join us.  I mean Alex fiancé joined the party.  Why shouldn't Patrick?"

Andi thought a moment before responded "you are right, why shouldn't he?  We can always improve.  I will work on him."  She glanced over as she caught movement out of her eye and saw Maggie entering the treatment area.

Maggie noticed the three, with Dr. Brad being the one in the chair.  This seemed strange to her.  The trio were all wishing her a good morning as she walked over.  She returned the gesture before asking "so, what have we got going on here?"

Before the ladies could answer Brad replied "well all you ladies looked like you were having so much fun perfecting your airways, your bites, and your smiles I have decided to join you."

Maggie's mouth physically dropped open in surprise.  After a few seconds she asked "so what is the treatment plan?"

Andi replied "a Miller appliance, miller headgear, and then braces.  He will get to experience first-hand what his patients, and us, are experiencing."

Maggie exclaimed "oh wow!  That is great!  You have to let me assist!"

Andi said "I think the line will start over there" as she pointed towards the corner and laughed.

Dr. Brad shook his head and said "wow, you are ALL going to get your licks in on poor old Dr. Brad aren't you?"

That Thursday morning Jim kissed Tara.  He again told her "baby, I wish you would let me come to your appointments today."  They had already had this conversation once this morning, and several times during the week.   Despite Tara's obvious anxiety during the week, her response had been the same every time as it was now.

Tara replied "no sweetie, I am a big girl.  I will be fine.  You are busy.  You don't need to waste a day watching me in doctor's appointments.  Please, go.  I know how much you have going on.  I promise I will call you after each appointment."

Jim relented and said "ok hardhead.  I know you will have a long day with all your appointments, I will take care of dinner.   And some wine.  I understand why you wanted to schedule your audiology, orthopedic, and orthodontic appointments on one day, but I know it will be a lot.  If you need anything, anything at all, please let me know.  Please?"

Tara kissed him and said "you are so sweet.  Now go, you don't need to be late on my account."  As he turned she swatted him on the butt.  He gave her a smile.  She looked at his discreet clear braces and said "I love you."  Jim turned back around and gave her a peck and said "I love you more" before turning and heading out the door.

Once he had gone, Tara looked at her phone to check her emails.  She had tried her best to catch up on everything since she was taking the day off.  She sent Beverly a text.

T:  Just a reminder I will be out today.

She got a response almost instantaneously.

B:  I know, and I have been thinking about you.  Everything will go swimmingly.  I know it.  And if you need anything please let me know.

T:  Thank you so much.  The truth is I am so nervous.

B:  I know you are.  And I can understand.  But you will be fine.  And if you need to take tomorrow off too, I totally understand.

T:  Thank you.  But I have so much to do.  Plus I need to face it head on.  Even if I do look like a baby giraffe learning how to walk.

B:  You will not look like a baby giraffe learning how to walk.  If there is anything I can do, please let me know.

T:  Thank you.

After administering a battery of tests, both with and without her hearing aids, Dr. Alicia had asked Tara to follow her into her office.  As they entered the office, Tara just happened to look at Dr. Alicia's desk.  She was surprised to see a blue Petit facemask laying on the far edge of it.  Tara asked "when did you get a facemask?"

Dr. Alicia abruptly turned towards her and asked "a facemask?"

Tara said "yes, for your braces?"

Dr. Alicia's face took on a reddened embarrassed hue before she turned and looked at her desk.  She saw the facemask laying on top of the desk.  She turned back to Tara and said "I can't believe I left that laying out.  It is so embarrassing.  I always hide it in my desk.  I feel mortified.   That was supposed to be my little secret.  I look so horrible in it.  But since you have seen it, I will tell you.  I got it three months ago.  I am supposed to wear it fourteen to sixteen hours a day.  It is so hard.  I wear it here in my office when I am not seeing patients.  God I hate it.  And I always hide it away in my desk so no one will see it.  Well, I always did until today."

Tara surprised her when she said "I just wish I had a little facemask like that.  I have a Sleep Well mask integrated into a CTO brace that I have to wear.  Now that really is embarrassing."

Dr. Alicia looked surprised.  She said "wait, a CTO brace like Alex and some of the other girls at Dr. Millers wear?  Did you go see him?  I know we talked about it briefly.  Are you in treatment?  But you don't have braces?"

Tara said "yes and yes.  I did go see him.  On your recommendation.  And I am in treatment.  He has helped me tremendously with my headaches and jaw pain.  But I have to wear a CTO at night.  Right now I just have a little daytime splint I wear.  And these hooks."  She bared her teeth and opened her mouth for Alicia.  She continued "and I have a nighttime appliance I wear.  It is a beast.  But I will eventually be getting a Miller appliance.  I want to do this, but I am dreading that.  I hope it will be worth it.  Everyone tells me it will be."

Alicia said "It will totally be worth it.  Why don't we have a seat?"  After getting seated, Alicia continued "I am all too familiar with the Sleep Well mask.  I have one too that I wear at night.  Dr. Brad gave me this to wear whenever I can during the day."  She picked up the facemask.  She said "well, since you have seen it, and you know what it is like, would it be too weird if I went ahead and put it on?  I mean, I figure every minute helps."

Tara said "absolutely not."

She watched as Dr. Alicia opened her desk drawer and pulled out a bag of elastics.  Tara saw they were 1/2" 16 oz elastics, the same as she wore.  In just a few seconds, Dr. Alicia had placed the mask up against her face and attached two elastics from hooks on her brackets to the mask.  As she placed the bag of elastics back in the drawer and closed it, Tara said "wow, that was fast."

Alicia looked up and gave her an embarrassed smile before she said "I should be good at it, I put it on and take it off five or six times a day.  I have always been horrified for any patient to see me in it.  I am afraid they wouldn't respect me or take me seriously.  Some of the other girls her in the office have surprised me and caught me wearing it, and I don't even like that.  But that is different."

Tara said "well, I certainly won't think less of you.  In fact, I think it is cool that you have to wear one.  It puts me at ease some.  Because I am really nervous about what you are going to tell me."

Alicia smiled and said "well there is no reason to be nervous.  I just want to talk about your current hearing aids.  Unfortunately, I am not happy with the level of performance your current aids are providing.  You show significant, marked improvement with them versus without them.  I am sure you noticed that.  But we can do better.  I would like to transition you to a pair of behind the ear aids."  She turned her head to the left and pulled her hair back, revealing a pink hearing aid nestled behind her right ear, a clear tube snaking from it into her ear canal.  Tara realized it looked identical to the ones Alex wore.  Alicia dropped her hair and turned back towards Tara as she said "like I wear.  Once you get used to them, you will love them.  And you have long hair, so you will be able to hide them easily.  Though, I expect after a while you won't try to."  Tara thought of Alex, and how she sometimes wore her hair up.  She almost seemed proud to display hers.

Tara took it in stride best she could.  She asked "so, when do you want to fit them?"

Alicia replied "right now."  She lifted her hand up to remove an elastic from her facemask. 

Tara stopped her when she said "would you keep it on?  I know it is weird.  But I am scared about getting even more obvious hearing aids.  It helps knowing that someone else is going through the same things I am going through."

Alicia cocked her head at Tara.  After a moment she said "ok, sure."

The fitting went quickly.  Afterwards Dr. Alicia had Tara go back into the audiology chamber and don headphones again.  As she listened, raising her hand when she heard something, Tara realized she was raising her hand much more than she was during her previous test.  The whole time, she had been watching Dr. Alicia.  She had her head down intently studying the monitor.  It seemed as if she had completely forgotten she was wearing her facemask.  As Tara exited the chamber, Alicia said "you did great.  What did you think?  You heard a lot more little noises didn't you?"

Tara said "yes, goodness yes.  That wasn't the same test as earlier though was it?"

Alicia smiled at her and said "it was the exact same.  All those little noises were there, you just didn't hear them.  Let's go back to my office and I will go over care and maintenance."

Ten minutes later, Dr. Alicia stood from behind her desk.  As she made her way around it, Tara stood too.  Alicia handed Tara a bag with literature on her new aids, a case, and a whole pack of batteries.  Alicia said "so, these aren't rechargeable.  So you won't need to worry about remembering to recharge them every night.  You will though want to keep a few spare batteries stowed where you spend the most of your time; home, car, office and keep a few in your purse.  You will be so happy with these.  I promise.  Any questions?"

Tara shook her head and said "no questions.  But thank you.  Thank you for being so sweet.  And thank you for wearing your facemask.  I don't know why, but it put me at ease.  I actually have an appointment at Dr. Millers this afternoon, I am going to ask him if I can try out a Petit.  Just to get a little break from my other mask.  And I am going to try to get a little time in whenever I have a chance to.  Like you."

Alicia said "first, you are welcome.  Second, thank you.  Thank you for being such a wonderful patient.  So you have an appointment at Dr. Millers today too?  Tell them all I said hello.  And be sure to tell them what a good job I am doing wearing this."  She laughed as she pointed up towards the facemask she still had on.

Tara replied "I certainly will.  And you know what?  You should just wear it.  Even with patients.  Think about how much more time you would get in.  And maybe it would help some patients.  It would humanize you, not make you seem like the big scary doctor."

Alicia laughed before she said "big and scary?  I don't think anyone has ever called me that."

Tara said "maybe not, but a lot of people are terrified being in doctor's offices.  Everything is big and scary.  Thank you for making it less scary."

After she had seen Tara to the front desk to make her follow up appointment, Alicia went back to her office.  She had planned to take her facemask off.  But after thinking about everything that Tara had said, she made a decision.  She left it on and looked at her computer screen to see who her next patient was.

Back in her car, Tara called Jim as she said she would.  She told Jim about the appointment and her new hearing aids.  And she assured him she really wasn't upset about them.  And she did hear much better with them.  Then she mentioned that Dr. Alicia wore a facemask too.  And how she had worn it for her during the second half of their appointment.  Tara said she didn't know why, but it had calmed her.  Jim told her how proud he was of her, told her that her next two appointments would go just as well, and told her how much he loved her.

Tara arrived at Dr. Morales ten minutes early.  She sat in her car several minutes as the butterflies churned in her stomach.  This was the appointment she was really dreading.  She knew that she would walk out of this appointment wearing full leg braces.  Leg braces that she would have to wear for... forever she wondered?  She was so worried.  About living with them.  But mainly about her and Jim.  Despite Jim telling her how sexy he had found her when she had worn Alex' that night, she worried he was just telling her what she wanted to hear.  She believed that he loved her.  She knew she loved him.  But her insecurity made her wonder if his love was strong enough to love a little crippled girl in leg braces.  She was feeling sorry for herself as she got out of the car.  The walk across the parking lot seemed to be the longest walk of her life.  She felt as if she was walking to the gallows.

She entered the foyer of the medical building and headed towards Dr. Morales office.  She stopped at the door and stood for several moments.  She was so scared.  Finally she opened the door.  After stepping through the door she stopped in her tracks.  Her jaw dropped open.  Because sitting side by side in the waiting room, right in front of the entrance, were Jim and Alex.  Both were smiling at her, though their smiles were obscured by the Petit facemasks they wore.  Alex' was pink and Jim's was blue.  They both stood and stepped over towards her.  Tara was oblivious to anyone or anything else.  She was so surprised she couldn't even speak.

Jim wrapped his strong muscular arms around her shoulders and held her.  Alex squeezed in from the side and wrapped her arms around Tara's waist.  Jim said "I hope you aren't upset baby.  But I wanted to be here for you."  Alex chimed in "me too."

A tear ran down Tara's face.  She finally spoke.  She said "no, I am not upset.  This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done.  I love you both so much."   

   

Ch. 102 -  Judy's New Friends
 
 
As Kathy, Judy, and I sat and talked, various topics came up:
 
 
J - So tell me all about your orthodontic treatment. I'm very curious since Collie has arranged for me to get braces from your orthodontist, too.
 
 
L - When I was a teen and first started wearing a Milwaukee brace, we couldn't afford both orthopedic and orthodontic treatment. I had to wear a large rubber splint in my mouth in an attempt to protect my teeth. It was horrid and didn't work well, and I stopped wearing it when I went to college. It was then that my teeth really started to get crooked. I stopped wearing my Milwaukee brace when I entered the business world, and I just lived with my crooked smile and back pain.
 
 
When I resumed wearing a Milwaukee brace later in life, I also got orthodontic treatment to go along with it. I only really need braces and a splint to protect my teeth. However, I have developed a real love of orthodontics and want as many intrusive appliances in my mouth as possible. Almost everything in my mouth, including my double facebow headgear, is not really necessary; it is just to satisfy my odd desire. I love what most people would despise.
 
 
J - Leigh, would you tell me about your appliances, please? I'm very curious about what's in your mouth. It looks like quite a mouthful, and I am surprised you can speak at all.
 
 
L - Well, like I said, I really only need basic orthodontic braces, even just clear ones, and a removable splint. My expanders were used for a slight adjustment to my bite, but they are not active anymore. I keep them because they give me this really bad lisp that Joel thinks is sexy. My bite blocks do the job of a removable splint, but they are much larger than necessary; they hold my mouth partially open and make eating very difficult, as you saw at lunch. My tongue crib and wired-in double facebow headgear are also just for pleasure. My friends and I wear full bands because we love how they look, but now Joe uses them quite often with regular patients who are willing to wear them. He believes they provide better results than bonded brackets in most cases.
 
 
J - How about you, Kathy? What's the story with your braces?
 
 
K - Some time ago, I had Leigh help me with a little adventure. I wanted to experience wearing a long leg cast, and Leigh put a beautiful black cast on my left leg. After my cast was applied, I told Leigh how I was fascinated with the wires on her teeth on the occasions she'd had her jaw wired shut. I wanted to experience that, too, and asked if it was possible. Leigh had a kit that allowed her to wire my jaw shut quickly and easily, and I remained that way for many months. But it took a real toll on my teeth, and they became very crooked. I have worn braces several times in the past, and now here I am with them again, plus a lot of extras just because I want them.
 
 
J - So, Leigh, you have broken your jaw several times in the past and had it wired shut? That had to be a miserable experience for you, and Kathy, you had your jaw wired shut just to see what it was like?
 
 
L - No, I've never broken my jaw, and yes, Kathy had it done for pleasure only. I like being wired shut for my enjoyment, and I do so quite often. It really grounds and relaxes me; I absolutely love how it feels. We all have hooks on our braces that can be used to wire our jaws shut. You can get them on your braces too, Judy. It's really something to experience. You will either love it or hate it, but if you hate it, give it a week or two to grow on you. The first time I was wired shut, I had a panic attack and hated it for the first week. Now, I absolutely love being wired shut, and so does my husband, Joel. In fact, almost every evening after dinner, I wire Joel's jaw shut. He loves the feeling of waking up in the morning with his jaw completely immobilized, and I like it since it prevents him from snoring.
 
 
J - Wow, that's something I'd like to try. There are so many things I hope to try after I get settled in. I think I'm really going to enjoy my new life here with you and all your friends. Collie has told me how wonderful and understanding everyone is. This is the first time I have ever been around people who understand me and share my feelings. So, what other things have you ladies done?
 
 
L - Rebekah, Emme, and I even experienced what we consider the holy grail of immobilization: we all wore halo braces. Rebekah and I had ours at the same time and wore them for nine months. We spent several weekends in spinal traction, too. It was a really intense experience, and we enjoyed every second of it.
 
 
The only downside is that getting the halo ring applied is very painful, as is when your pins are re-torqued. Otherwise, there is a constant feeling of pressure from the pins, but you get used to it. Our friend Emme wore hers for around six months just for fun. She even had to wear one for real as a teen after a very tragic accident that took the life of her best friend.
 
 
J - Collie sent me the pictures of you two in those braces and in your traction wheelchairs. You both were all smiles in the pictures, looking like you were having a great time.
 
 
L - That's right, it was a lot of fun. It was really quite a thing to experience living with braces screwed into our heads for so many months. You get very used to the immobilization and pressure from the pins and don't really think about it until someone asks about your brace. The brace just becomes part of you, and the longer you wear it, the less you notice it. The feeling of being rigid from my hips to my head simply became normal, and when I was back in my Milwaukee brace, it felt very strange and foreign to be able to move around a bit.
 
 
K - I plan to wear a halo brace sometime really soon, too. Leigh looked so cute in hers, and she got so much attention while wearing it, especially from Joel. I know Lydia would go wild with me wearing one.
 
 
J - Well, you all seem to be living the dream, and I am so glad I met you.
 
 
It was then that Joel and Lydia came through the front door, and we introduced them to Judy. After a short conversation, they went in to shower and get dressed for going out. We sat back down, and Judy asked, "Does everyone around here wear some sort of orthodontic or orthopedic braces?" Kathy and I laughed, and I said, "It seems so. Almost all our close friends are living the recreational orthopedic or orthodontic lifestyle, and many of us do both."
 
 
We then heard another car pull up; it must be Billy and Collene. Judy got up and went to the door to greet them. She and Collene had not seen each other for well over a year. When Collene came inside, the two sisters hugged and started crying, saying how much they missed each other. Judy then hugged Billy and thanked him for making her sister so happy.
 
 
Collene took a long look at Judy and said, "We have got to get you out of those old braces and into some that look as good as you do and fit properly, too. I didn't realize how worn-out your braces are or how poorly they fit. Those teeth of yours are going to be getting in line, too. I have everything arranged just like we talked about it. You should be all fixed up in a few weeks with new braces from head to toe."
 
 
Judy replied, "Oh, that's great, Collie. You're so supportive of me and my lifestyle, and these friends of yours are great." Collene said, "They are great people and have helped make a wonderful life for Billy and me, and I'm sure they will do the same for you. Just wait until you get your new braces; you'll be able to wear sandals and high heels like me, and they will be so much more comfortable than my old hand-me-downs."
 
 
Joel and Lydia soon emerged from their rooms, nicely dressed for a night out. Then I got a text on my phone from Rebekah. She asked if Joel and I wanted to go out for dinner, and she was sorry it was on such short notice. I texted back that we were getting ready ourselves and had a guest that would really like to meet her, and suggested that we take one of the buses awaiting conversion since there are so many of us.
 
 
I told everyone that Paul and Rebekah would be joining us for dinner and would be by to pick us up. Judy said, "That sounds great; I really want to meet Rebekah and Paul, but how are we all going to ride together? There are nine of us in all; we'll need a bus." Just then, the roar of an old Detroit could be heard, followed by the hissing of air brakes.
 
 
Judy looked out the window and said, "Shit, we are taking a bus!" when she saw the Scenicruiser that just pulled up. We all laughed, and Joel asked Judy if she knew the business that we were in. She replied that Collene never mentioned it, but it must have something to do with buses. Lydia said, "We are all partners in a company that repairs buses and converts them into motor homes. It's been a great business venture, and we are all so happy with how things turned out." We all then walked or crutched out to the bus for Judy to meet Paul and Rebekah and go to dinner.
 
 
As we approached, Paul opened the door, and he was dressed in a 1950s Greyhound driver's uniform. We had never seen him wearing it before and had a good laugh. Paul said he found it on eBay and just had to purchase it. We introduced Judy to Paul and Rebekah and took our seats, with Judy sitting next to Rebekah. The old bus was a bit noisy, so I couldn't hear what they talked about, but there were a lot of smiles and laughter. Rebekah and Judy seemed to really hit it off.
 
 
I leaned over and said to Collene that it looks like Judy is really enjoying herself. Collene replied, "Yes, she looks to be so happy meeting all of you. I have not seen her this happy in years. It hit us both hard when our parents split, and she is still not over it. I hope that a new start here will bring her happiness, and once she gets settled in, she can meet someone like Billy. She needs a man like him to brighten up her life."
 
 
We had never discussed where we were going to eat, and we found out when Paul pulled up in front of Harry's Grill. We attracted a lot of attention with the old bus, then even more as all of us braced and casted ladies carefully got off and crutched to the entrance. Paul had to go find a place to park the bus, so we all ordered cocktails and waited for him in the bar. When Paul finally arrived, we got settled in the dining room.
 
 
Over dinner, we all talked quite a bit more, mostly about getting Judy settled in. We all volunteered to host Judy while she found a place to live since Billy and Collene's apartment is so small. Judy thought it would be a fun way to get to know all of us better, too. Joel said he had purchased a fully handicap-accessible motor home that has a blown engine that he wants to repair and resell but is too busy to work on it. It's just parked behind the shop at home, and Judy was welcomed to make it her temporary home. She thanked him profusely and said it would be wonderful, like living in the little studio apartment she loved so much at her old college, plus it would be out in the country.
 
 
Paul asked if Judy had transportation lined up, and she said no; she always uses public transit. We explained that things are spread out here and that she really needs a car to get around easily. Lydia said that she and Kathy have a Lexus that the dealership low-balled them on when they bought Kathy's new car. They never drive it, and they asked if Judy would like to have it. Before she could reply, Joel said he would install hand controls in it for her.
 
 
Judy and Collene both began to cry, and Collene said how kind we all are and thanked us for helping Judy out. Collene said she was so glad that Billy had that chance encounter with Rebekah and me that made him want to talk to her. She was also thankful that I introduced her to Gary and Rita. Not only does she now have the most comfortable braces she has ever worn, she has a job she loves, and Billy is also making a living while learning his trade. Kathy said it is only right that we help them all out a bit with the success we have in our lives and told about how Joel's friend Ted helped us make our bus repair business a reality.
 
 
After dinner, we all loaded up the bus and headed home. Paul and Rebekah dropped us off at my house, said goodnight, and headed home. Kathy and Lydia got on their way home, and Kathy said she would be taking the rest of the week off and that I should do the same. She would notify the office in the morning. Collene said that I should come with her and Judy tomorrow for Judy's consultations with Gary and Joe. I thought that sounded like fun, and we offered our guest rooms to Billy, Collene, and Judy.
 
We were all exhausted and turned in for the night. Tomorrow would be another busy day with Judy's consultations, and I could tell she was very excited.

I agree a good start  as orthopaedic braces are a fetish of mine I like how this started

My dream(!) treatment would include multiple build up steps.

First of all it starts with ceramic brackets on top and metal on bottom. I'm told that later in the progress I would need expanders, elastics and - if they won't do their job - headgear. To protect my bottom braces biteturbos are added on two of my upper teeth.
On the next appointment the Ortho finds out I bit off the biteturbos and didn't come in to get this fixed. I get them back on and I have to wear elastics from the upper front to the lower molars. One on each side for 24/7. Pretty simple but irritating.
Four weeks later two of my bottom brackets are loose since i bit them off, along with the bite turbos. Despite I tell the Ortho otherwise, I didn't wear my elastics for 24/7 - not even close. My Ortho gets slightly mad and tells me that this is my very last chance to cooperate otherwise my treatments gets a nasty twist regarding the necessary devices.
Of course I won't change any of my behaviour which results in an extented appointment the next time I come in: Since my lower brackets broke off so often I get fully bands on all my lower teeth. To further prevent me from biting them off, I get a fixed biteplate on top. Heavier elastics are added and I'm free to go.
On the next appaointment I receive the upper and lower expanders which are completly covered in plastic. They look like hawley retainers and in addition to the biteplate I have a significant lisp.
To make this worse on the following appointment my Ortho detects a tongue thrust caused by the biteplate. But instead of removing the plate the upper expander will be modified. While the lab works on the expander, my upper ceramic brackets are exchanged to full bands with huge brackets. The new upper expander consists of a thick acrylic plate with a screw and integrated biteplate. To prevent my tongue from pushing the inner side of the biteplate have spikes. Two more elastics are added and that's it.

This is my setup for the next 1,5 years before the combi headgear is added for 20 hours a day and a lipbumper on bottom. This is for another year - given that I wear my headgear and lipbumper as prescribed.
After 3 years the headgear and lipbumper are removed and I have to wear zigzag elastics which don't allow me to open my mouth any further than a few millimeters for half a year.

On removal day my Ortho gives me a permanent retainer on top and bottom and Hawleys for 1 year 24/7. Afterwards Hawleys for 8 hours and clear retainers for at least another 8. If I fail to wear them and my teeth shifts back, everything from before will come back on immediatly to stay there for a minimum of 1 year.

Wow great start, I can’t wait for the next chapter. The orthopedic brace is a great addition.