18 January 2010

Back to my team of tooth fairies in Baker Street, for the final stage of the procedure. Today the Trans-palatal arch (TPA) would be fitted, and then the wire would be applied to activate my brace.

I really wasn't looking forward to the TPA. The examples I had seen on the net looked like instruments of torture. As Macy (or is it Stacy?) says on ArchWired, the actual appliance looks like a partially unbent paper clip. As its name suggests, it goes across your palate (the roof of your mouth), from one molar to the one on the opposite side, to hold these teeth in place. It follows the shape of your palate but does not actually touch the surface. It has a little kink in the centre so it fits around the ridge at the centre of your palate.

Mine had a metal hoop on each end, which would be fitting around the molars. This is what the spacers were for – to create enough room for these bits.

Fitting the device was painless, but I did suggest that the orthodontist might be something to do with the Spanish Inquisition. She took it very good-naturedly.

It did feel bizarre inside my mouth, and I was constantly aware of my tongue pressing against it.

Apparently the TPA just needs to stay in place until my canine has slotted into alignment with the rest of my teeth, which should take only a few months. Thank goodness.

Then the wire was threaded through the brackets (this felt like a very fiddly job) and secured with elastics. Having my canine tooth wired made me squeal a bit, as the pressure was applied, but the rest were not too bad, although I was aware of the tugging feeling on my teeth.

Everything is done now, until my next adjustment, at the beginning of March.