Dear Kukka: Say CHEESE!!!!

CHEEEEEESE!

YEAY!!!! The pain and the effort of putting on-off those annoying rubbers have finally paid off! NO MORE BRACES!!! CONGRATULATIONS BEBI!! 🥳😘 What a journey! Your cute smile is getting prettier and prettier! Bubu's Bebi 🥰😘😍 

Do you remember when Project Kukka Denta started? It was in December, 15th 2021 by drg. Ardiny Andriany, Sp. Ort., at Klinik Denta. And yesterday the dentist took your braces off! So it means that it only took... 8 months for you to have your teeth fixed! 😱 

Actually drg. Dini told us that you could take the braces off in August, 1st. But you weren't ready. To tell you the truth nor was I 😄 Because in my mind a person has to wear braces like... Oh I don't know! At least 1,5 - 2 years??? Because in my time (AGES AGO 😂) that's how long it takes to have your teeth perfectly fixed! But apparently not anymore! Thanks to technology! 😆 drg. Dini also told me that your case wasn't complicated. Your teeth and mouth structure are in good shape. They just needed a little bit of work here and there. But then you said "I need more time." I said "Whatever makes you comfortable, baby!" 😘 So after drg. Dini fixed the loose bracket we went home with you still wearing braces. 

Buuuut 2 weeks later...mmm...fate interfered? 😆 When you were eating on Monday, August 1st, one of the brackets fell off! 😅 So rather than having it glued again I said "Why don't you get the braces removed for good? The dentist DID say that your teeth are now already perfect." As far as I can remember you didn't even think twice and said yes 😄 

So I made an appointment with drg. Dini on Friday, August 12th. It took 3 hours for drg. Dini to work on your teeth. The removing part was actually pretty fast. It was the cleaning and waiting for the retainers to be finished which took a long time. About the retainers... Check this out if you want to know more about it: How Orthodontic Retainers Are Made. Apparently nowadays there's this type of retainer which fits in over your teeth. The retainer looks clear which makes it seems invisible. First thing first: scanning! 

For 2 sets of retainers we had to wait for about 45 minutes. After that you had to pay attention to the dentist's instruction and you had to try to put-take off the retainer yourself. It was quite tricky 😅 But it was nothing that you couldn't do 😊 Finally after more than 3 tiring hours at the dentist the session was finished. Before we went home, drg. Dini reminded us: 

"Untuk 3 bulan pertama retainer dipakai sepanjang hari, kecuali saat makan, minum selain air putih, dan sikat gigi. Setelah 3 bulan, retainer cukup dipakai saat tidur saja, seumur hidup selama Kukka ingin menjaga posisi gigi sama persis dengan saat braces dilepas."

We thanked drg. Dini for everything and said goodbye. The second you got your braces off I took a picture and sent it to SiBapa. He was very surprised by how fast the whole process was. SiBapa also said that you look different 😊 

To celebrate "Copot Braces" the two of us had delicious dinner at your favorite restaurant Popolamama in Aeon. I watched you enjoyed a plate full of garlic bread, a big portion of spaghetti and a big glass of chocolate shake 😄 I was very happy for you because I know how annoying it is to eat if you wear braces. It's like... You can only enjoy 80% of your food. Right?! 😂 Not to mention the effort you need to clean your teeth afterwards! But now not anymore! 

Project Kukka Denta is finished! 🥳 Congratulations Bebinya Bubu 😘 Take good care of your teeth and remember: SMILE! 🥰

Project Kukka Denta

It was just another weekend when Kukka and I had a conversation about our plans during school holiday. Then we had a deal that when the holiday started and Bapa said "OK!", we would visit an Orthodontist to get Kukka's teeth fixed. After spending lots of time on Google and asking lots of friends, I finally made a decision which ortho to visit. The Kakas, Namira and Alyna, were the one who told me about drg. Ardiny Andriani, Sp.Ort in Klinik Denta. So I told SiBapa about it, called Klinik Denta and long story short, I made an appointment for Kukka. From the very beginning Kukka was... Well... She's just pretty cool about the whole thing. I told her about my experience when I wore braces very long time ago. I said that it would hurt but that it would be worth it. And that tomorrow we would just have a talk with the ortho.

And so Kukka and I met drg. Dini on Wednesday. Like The Kakas said, she's very nice. drg. Dini also explained things very clear and most importantly, I didn't forget to record the whole thing! 😆 Kukka was happy and proud when drg. Dini said that her teeth are in good condition. Meanwhile I was surprised that Kukka's case is not considered as a tough one. Her case is...totally...normal! No tooth need to be pulled out and that it will take only 1.5 years for Kukka's teeth to be perfectly aligned. So I asked what the next step was and what or where did Kukka has to go or do. In her fully covered body with post apocalyptic-like costume drg. Dini said "Sekarang bisa." Kukka and I were like... 😳😳 

Things certainly have changed like A LOT since... 1997? I think that was the year when I got my teeth fixed. Sadly not by an ortho so the result is not very good. It turns out nowadays you don't have to get your jaw scanned in... Oh I don't know! A lab??? You don't have to get your whole teeth...casted? All you have to do is visit an obviously good orthodontist, sit down nicely, open your mouth widely and be patient 😆 The procedure lasted from 12pm - 3pm. I was there the whole time. I asked a lot of questions because... Well like I said! Things certainly have changed since 1997 😂 While Kukka was busy with drg. Dini I chatted with SiBapa and sent him some pictures. He was also shocked when I said that the procedure would be done right away. The cost was also a big topic of our conversation since it was certainly not cheap 😂 But alhamdullillah alles ist gut 😊

Around 3pm the project was finished. Kukka kept saying that it didn't hurt at all. drg. Dini and I reminded her that the pain WOULD come probably later on at night or the day after. Before we went home drg. Dini explained about lots of things. I told Kukka to pay extra attention when drg. Dini explained about how to brush the teeth and how to change the rubber bands. Later on we said goodbyes and make sure that we will see each other again next month. I "warned" drg. Dini that I might text her lots of questions and she was totally okay about it. Alhamdulillah.

The minute we got home Kukka showed off her teeth to the maids who were very shocked and to Moochi who didn't care at all 😂 Kukka also sent a selfie to her dad and her beloved Uncle Ferry ☺️ Around dinner time Kukka said that it started to hurt. "Heheh... I know baby... I know..." so I kept saying that while hugging and kissing her again and again. I told Kukka that if the pain was unbearable drg. Dini said it's okay to take Panadol. But, as I predicted, my girl only complained like a couple of times and didn't shed a tear 😊 Her dad is more of a whiner than she is 🤪 Body's aching here and there from fitness session, he whines the entire day and demands our full attentions 🤣 Meanwhile his daughter keeps it to herself most of the time. I know how painful it is. I do remember. Although drg. Dini said thanks to the newest technology wearing braces is not as painful as it used to be. But it still hurts... My girl was more emotional when she had to change the rubber band. It was a bit difficult. I could hear how pissed off she was when she lost 1 rubber in the bathroom because it...snapped away? 😂 I offered her my help but she wanted to do it by herself. Perfect. It's been a long tiring day and Bubu needed the rest 😉

And so is the story about Kukka and her first day wearing braces. Wish us luck! 😉