By Sue Seboda, Dental Part 18
Sooooo, you might wonder after hearing this dental saga, am I happy with the choice to do Wilckondontics and orthodontics? Without question, the answer is yes. The outcome is nothing short of amazing. And correcting my bite will result in good dental health well into the future whereas pulling an overcrowded tooth to resolve pain would have created nightmares both functionally and aesthetically. Is doing surgery and orthodontics a challenge and expensive? Yes, but it would have been far worse if I had done nothing.
Combining Wilckodontics with orthodontics was a winner, especially at my age. First of all, I needed the bone graft to even move the teeth and second, Wilckodontics reduced the overall time in orthodontics dramatically.
So what’s next? In a couple months after my back teeth settle, the periodontist will install a permanent retainer on the lower teeth and pull out the blue paper and grinder to make final adjustments to the bite. Remember the wear pattern on the teeth is based on the original location before the teeth were moved. It makes sense that the wear pattern may need to be adjusted before the bite is correct. This is done with subtle adjustments to the tooth’s surface. Unfortunately, I also have to replace some crowns for the same reason. Sigh.
After the bite is adjusted, my dentist with her artistic flare will do some bonding to fix the chips and minimize the appearance of the vertically challenged teeth. I have no interest in veneers or other invasive procedures that are strictly aesthetic. And that will be a wrap (I hope). Before and after pictures will be forthcoming. Plus I will do a complete summary of the pros and cons of the experience. If you need the list before it’s posted, please send a message.
The choice to do Wilckodontics and orthodontics should be made with open eyes, fully understanding your goals, the total cost, benefits, potential side effects and consequences of doing nothing. It is a long process requiring patience and perseverance. For me it was worth it. On the other hand, if the goal had been purely aesthetic, not sure my opinion would be the same. Pick the right team and feel free to ask for recommendations. My team is excellent. Which leads me to discuss an interesting trend….
PS. Thanks Lori for the perfect description of this experience, a saga.