elleven Dental’s Treatment Coordinator, Kirsty Rodger, has recently completed her own orthodontic treatment journey. Here, she talks about her own orthodontic adventure.

I had braces when I was fourteen through NHS Scotland.  However, I wasn’t very disciplined with my retainer, so I got bonded up again last year.  I chose to go with ceramic braces on the outside.  I know some of our patients need encouragement to go for the option of fixed braces because, obviously, it is visible, but for me it was the right choice.

I know I’m not disciplined enough to wear the removable braces – like Invisalign in London – for 22 hours a day, so I decided to go for fixed braces.  I chose the external fixed braces because it doesn’t affect my confidence; I wear them with confidence.  I think the more you try to hide them, the more self-conscious you become.

The fixed ceramic braces just fit in with my lifestyle and, actually, they are very discreet.  It’s just about keeping them clean.  All I need to do is keep them clean and turn up for my appointments.

The ceramic braces have white wires, so they are really not that noticeable.  You can hardly see them in photos.

In real life, there are certain foods that can stain them.  So you have to be careful with tea, coffee, red wine, curries, tomato-based pasta sauces etc.  They can all discolour your braces.  For the first two or three months, I was being super-careful, drinking coffee through a straw, that sort of thing.

But, actually, it is just the little band that goes around the bracket that can get stained and we change those every six weeks anyway.

After a while, I came to accept and love the fact I had a brace.  And I drank the coffee and drank the wine and ate the curry…

I didn’t notice any discolouration; it’s only after you get the new bands that you realise there has been any discolouration at all.  I suppose it’s because you have nothing to compare it to.

I haven’t really experienced any discomfort.  At the start when it went on, and every six weeks when they were tightened, there was a little bit of discomfort, but it quickly goes.  It’s generally not a problem.

I had the braces fixed about a year ago and I have only just had them removed.  So, the course of treatment has been around 12 months.

I’m absolutely delighted and so happy with the result.

Interested in finding out more? 
If you’d like to find out more or book an appointment, it’s easy; just email info@localhost or call 0207 487 2711.