My Braces Journey (Putting on Braces!)

This post is way overdue, but finally the day arrived for me to put on braces!!!

03 Aug 2016 -  $800 downpayment +$37 dental kit. Putting on braces for the upper set of teeth!

I overslept and was late for the appointment for almost half an hour, and the dentist said she will postpone the scaling and polishing to the next session and will put on braces for my upper set of teeth. 

First, she examined my teeth once more before gluing the brackets onto my teeth. Then she opened all of the sliding doors on the brackets and inserted the wire and closed the doors to secure it. The excess wire that was protruding out was cut away. All this took about 30 minutes. 

As soon as I was done with the upper braces, the dentist asked if I felt uncomfortable in any way. I answered no and was hurriedly "chased" out of the room. I recalled that the dentist told me she was putting on the upper set for me first, and I thought that's like a pre-empt for me and she would carry on with the lower set immediately after the upper set. Apparently, it wasn't and I had to leave the room immediately. I had no time to ask why the lower set wasn't done on the same day. (I assumed the condition of the upper set of teeth is more serious than the lower)

I'm not sure if it was due to the reason that I was late and it affected the entire line of patients, but I felt like the session ended very abruptly. I did not know that my lower set of teeth would not be done today as I was not told about it during the previous consultation.

The receptionist handed me a tablet and told me to watch this short video on how to take care of my teeth now that I have braces. After the video, she gave me a set of oral care products and it included mouth wash, toothbrush, interdental brush, wax and some brochures.

This is me with the upper set of braces!!!

Dental kit = $37 excluding GST 

*I only used the mouthwash for about a week as I realised it attracted ants even though I capped the lid tight. Sometimes I will find a drowned ant in my mouthwash too.

Also, the interdental brush is not really portable so I left it at home to dig out scraps of food stuck in between teeth and underneath the wire. I bought a pack of mini interdental brushes (cost about 4$ from Watsons) so I can clean my teeth after meals.

01 Sep 2016 - $220 + $90 scaling and polishing. Putting on the lower set of braces!

The dentist seemed to be happier as compared to my previous visit. I asked her the reason why the upper and lower braces are done on separate days. She told me that some people have a lower pain tolerance for the lower set of teeth, and why she did it separately is to allow the patient to adapt to the upper braces, before putting on the lower set a month later. Initially, I thought that my upper teeth are more crooked (ie more serious) than my bottom teeth. But I was also told that my bottom teeth are more crooked!

We proceeded on with doing the scaling and polishing that we skipped the previous session and then to putting on the lower braces.

Tadah!!

As you can see, my upper set of teeth, esp the bunny teeth is so much better already!!!

Today is day 2 of me with full braces on, the lower braces are making my bottom front teeth sore!!!! I don't think I feel as sore as compared to the upper braces the previous month. I can hardly bite anything (even with my back teeth) and brushing my teeth hurts. My inner lips feel swollen and I hope I don't have ulcers!!! The dentist told me to apply lots of wax but we shall see.

It looks like I got to wait for a few more days before I can go back to my normal diet. For now, yoghurt every damn day hahaha.

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After the placement of braces, the remainng sessions are more or less the same, where you go back to the dentist to have your wires changed.

13 Oct 2016 - $220. Changing the upper wire

26 Nov 2016 - $220. Changing the bottom wire

11 Jan 2017 - $220. Changing the upper wire

23 Feb 2017 - $220. Changing the bottom wire

06 Apr  2017 - $220. Did a second X-Ray. Did a re-alignment of two brackets on the upper teeth, and a change of the upper wire.

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Changing of the wires took a relatively short time (less than 5 minutes) so it is all good. Except there was once whereby the dentist had to re-align two of my brackets after an x-ray. I'm not sure if it was mis-aligned in the first place or the dentist had to shift them to improve the movement of the teeth. But oh wells I can only trust my dentist right?

Anyways, I have switched over to another outlet (but still attached to the same dentist) as it is located near my office and I can go there during lunchtime. I will update about my braces in another post. So till then!

My First: GV Gold Class Experience

On a very fine day Jack and I decided to try out watching a movie in another sort of cinema, or rather the same setting but with another level of service/comfort aspect. After researching what the 3 main cinemas have to offer, we decided to try out the Golden Village Gold Class! 

We went to the Vivo City branch, the seats are in pairs with a small table in between the chairs. There is a button which you can press to call for the waiter. Also, you can order food/drinks with their lighted menu!! They serve alcohol too and I could see a few people ordered wine there.

There is also a blanket and the leg and back rest of the chair can be adjusted to your preference, which makes the whole cinema a very nice and cosy experience. But one thing about the chair is that I can't seem to adjust the angle of the leg rest to a nice position. It seems like it is either down, or 90 degrees up, so my legs were a bit aching as they were lifted so high up! Jack had the same issue too.

Anyways the price of a ticket is $29, but with DBS/POSB card, we purchased a ticket for $26. 

However, the booking fee is $2.50 per transaction (the normal booking fee is $1.50). In order to save the cost of the booking fee, you can go to any of the Golden Village Gold Class branches to get the tickets. Remember, only at the Gold Class lounge areas which are at Vivo City, Suntec City, Great World City and at Katong. If you arrive early, you can hang around at the lounge area as well (no entertainment there though).

It was a good experience so far and one should try this at least once!!!! Be sure to watch a long movie so as to make the price more worthy :>

Class 3A Part 1: Enrollment and Theory Tests

After thinking about taking up driving for awhile, I finally got down to SSDC on 19 Jul to enroll myself for Class 3A. Although CDC is nearer to my house, I chose to learn it at SSDC as I saw that CDC's contract with the land is closing down at the end of the year. I didn't want to risk shifting to another location in the midst of my driving lessons. (however up to this date, I have not gotten any updates on their location shift :/)

How to get there: 

The driving centre is located at a deserted area of Woodlands. In order to get there, you can take the shuttle bus at BS46771, which is the bus stop opposite Admiralty station. The timings of the shuttle bus pick up can be found here.

What to expect:

Proceed straight to level 3 and approach the customer service counter. The staff there will hand you the enrollment form for you to fill up. Thereafter they will explain the entire process on how to get a driving licence. The information can be quite bombarding, but the details given can also be found in the booklet they hand to you later.

Basically, the entire process is like this:

All in all, you need to pass your BTT in order to apply for a PDL so that you can book your driving lessons. For the FTT, you can either take it after your BTT, or in the midst of your driving lessons. You just need to pass it before you go for TP your practical test.

One additional thing about SSDC is that they implemented this theory trial test (TTT). You have to attend 2 of these sessions and pass one of the sessions before you can actually take the actual BTT (and also the FTT). Therefore, you will need to go for at least 4 of these TTT.

Theory Trial Test (TTT):

This is a pre-test for the BTT and FTT. The centre states that passing the TTT is a prerequisite of the BTT and FTT. Basically, there is a practice mode and a "test" mode. You have the option of choosing one of the modes for each session.

The practice mode allows you to try all questions within 45 minutes, whereas the "test" mode gives you 50 random questions and you have to pass this in order to sign up for BTT/FTT. You can choose to practise some questions before taking the trial test, or you can attempt the trial test straightaway. However, during the 2 TTTs, you must pass the "test" mode.

Let's say you pass the "test" mode on the first try, you can go sign up for BTT/FTT. For the second trial test, you can opt for the practice mode so you can have more practice for the actual test.

Basic Theory Test (BTT)/ Final Theory Test (FTT):

50 MCQs (3 choices per question) are given and you need to score at least 46 to pass it.

Also, I heard from the staff that there are theory lessons available at the centre itself (100 mins each) and it is free of charge. Their website also provides theory lessons (20 mins each). I find it a hassle (or maybe redundant) to go down to the centre for these lessons as they have already provided me with the guides. I read through the guide once and mass attempted questions found here. I found a few mobile applications that provide me with sample questions that I can practise on when I'm on the move. Just search for "BTT" or "FTT" in the app store :)

After passing the BTT, you can apply for the PDL straightaway so you can book for driving lessons. You can apply it at the level 1 counter and get the PDL on the spot. It is just outside the BTT/FTT test room.

Cost:

Enrollment Fee ($96.30) + Theory Fee ($69.55) = $165.85, inclusive of BTT and FTT guides
Theory Trial Test: $3.21 X 4 = $12.84
Basic Theory Test: $6.50
Final Theory Test: $6.50
Provisional Driving License: $25 (valid for 6 months)

Total cost before actual driving lessons: $216.69
**provided that you don't have to retake any of the tests

Duration:

Overall, it took me about 2 months to complete the theory tests:

19 Jul - Enrollment
25 Jul - TTT for BTT
11 Aug - BTT and Application for PDL
22 Aug - TTT for FTT
08 Sep - FTT
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26 Sep - Practical Lesson 1

You are also able to go for driving lessons once you have a PDL but the next available timeslot stretches all the way to 26 Sep (in my case), which is like 1.5 months later. So it is always good to check for available timeslots and book in advance.

I shall end this post here as I'm still in the midst of my driving lessons. Till then!

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

(Please refer to Kranji Marshes post as the Sungei Buloh hike is a continuation post)

We arrived at the wetland centre via the shuttle bus. Having explored the migratory bird trail before (that's if if I recalled correctly), we decided to try out the new and extended trail - the coastal trail, which is depicted as the red line as shown on the map below.

Unlike the hikes that I have went, this is not the rocky/with soil kind of walk. The trail is mostly made up of planks, like a boardwalk, and is clean. 

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Sungei Buloh Wetland Centre

301 Neo Tiew Crescent

Singapore 718925

Sungei Buloh Visitor Centre 

60 Kranji Way, #01-00

Singapore 739453

My Braces Journey (Consultation phase)

I will be documenting down my braces journey so I can see the progress of my teeth and also the exact cost of it. I have been wanting braces for quite a while but the cost of it just deters me from getting it as I do not have much money as a student. Having a tiny bit of money now, braces here I come!!!! ٩◔‿◔۶

Consultation #1: 02 June 2016

I went down to iDental (Yishun) after booking an appointment with them online (they called me after that).

- Examining of teeth

- Teeth molding/ Study model (some blue tack lookalike thing will be placed on the upper jaw and lower jaw separately so that the dentist is able to get your measurement of tooth size and overall teeth structure)

- Photographs of me smiling with and without teeth, my front and side view

- X-RAY using multiple machines

Damage: $220 + 0.7% GST = $235.40

Consultation #2: 30 June 2016

The dentist showed me the pictures taken from the first consultation, which includes my front and side view of my face, as well as the teeth.

- Explanation on 5 different types of braces I can do and the prices (student pricing) -

1.) 1st gen traditional braces, $3500

2.) 1st gen ceramic braces, $4000

3.) 2nd gen self-ligating braces, $4500

4.) 2nd gen ceramic braces, $5000

5.) Invisalign, $7000

**After the dentist's explanation and some research and watching videos online, this is what I found out:

Physical Appearance

First gen braces are the most common and they have colored rubber bands attached to the brackets. For the second gen braces, also known as Damon braces, the brackets have this sliding door which can open to fit the wire inside, thus it does not require rubber bands to secure it, ie everything will be in the stainless steel colour.

Faster Treatment

I found out that the second gen braces would provide a faster treatment in terms of:

- Shorter duration: do not have to wear braces as long as conventional braces due to lesser friction between the wire and the brackets

- Shorter time spent on the dental chair as there is not a need to remove and replace the rubber bands

- Fewer trips to the dentist as the wire used will move teeth faster and does not require as many adjustments (not sure if this is true but we shall see in due course)

However, the total duration of wearing braces is still subjected to each individual.

Better Hygiene and More Comfortable

The traditional braces are secured with elastics, which make the braces process more uncomfortable as they will be "tighter". Dirt and bacteria will get trapped in between the rubber bands more easily as well.

No extraction of teeth!!!!

The dentist recommended me to opt for the self-ligating braces as this method does not require any extraction of teeth! I was also told that if my teeth were to get extracted, it would result in my face becoming flatter. Having a flat face will make one look old.

Therefore, I decided to take up the second generation self-ligating braces.

Basically, I have to make a downpayment of $800 and also the polishing treatment ($60-$120) for the next session. At the same time, I will put on braces during the next visit. After that, I will have to make monthly payments of $220 for my student package.

The cost of retainers, scaling & polishing, extraction (no extraction in this case) and bracket loss are not included in the $4500 package.

Then, it was for any last questions before authorising the dental treatments that I'll be receiving

Damage: FREE OF CHARGE

I have set the next dental visit for putting on braces and it will be on 03 August!!! (▰˘◡˘▰)

Kranji Marshes

Spent a day outdoors the day after my exams ended. I have seen people raving about Kranji Marshes on the net so why not take a look for myself! 

We took a shuttle bus at 0830 just outside Kranji MRT station ($3 round trip that is valid the whole day, and it brings you to other places like Sungei Buloh, Bollywood Veggies and Jurong Frog Farm)

Shuttle bus timetable

The bus dropped us off right in front of the entrance.
(**THERE IS ONE AND ONLY TOILET AT KRANJI MARSHES AT THE ENTRANCE)

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The walk is a pavement kind of route, so it is not challenging and takes around 20 minutes to get to the Raptor tower. Before you reach the paved route you can see some weaved sculptures like this. There are also 2 resting spots for you to rest if there is a need.

View from one of the huts. There was a nature enthusiast(?) camping there as well!

Finally we have reached the iconic tower of Kranji Marshes!

View from the Raptor tower

I would say that one should go to Kranji Marshes at least once to explore this place! Perhaps we had gone on a weekday (Friday) and took the first shuttle bus in, so there wasn't many people. Only 2 other girls alighted at Kranji Marshes with us. I enjoy the peace and the breeze when I'm at the tower :)

Kranji Marshes

11 Neo Tiew Lane 2

Singapore 718814

Opening hours: 7AM - 7PM

Tel: 6794 1401

Study Areas for a North-Eastie

I am one of the many students who can't study at home as there are too many distractions in the house. So, I would always head out to study, be it alone or with a group of friends. One of my priorities when I study outside my house is that it must be quiet!!!! I can't understand how people are able to study in McDonald's/Starbucks because the environment is so noisy. It also limits the food/drinks I wanna consume. It would be damn sian if I have to eat the same food everyday. There would be a large crowd when it comes to peak hours and I will be either forced to move out OR feel guilty for hogging the seat.

Even though I love the school library for its cubicles, I cannot afford to travel down to the West just for self revision! Cost and time are the next two important factors when you maximise your studying time and minimise the travelling/meal cost.

These are the few study areas that I have been to for the past few years (and also my favourite study place!)-

1.) National Library

Oh this is the largest library that is unfamiliar to many. It is also so much more accessible with the recent opening of DTL2, so North-Easties do not need to transfer twice to get to Bugis station.

There are reading tables at almost every corner of the library for you to do your self-study. I always go to the 7th or 8th floor to do my revision if I am there. The reading table is actually a large table where students sit along all 4 sides of the table. There will be 2 plugs at both ends of the table.

*The sole purpose of the reading table is to do reading there (duh). So if you are caught taking a quick nap, the librarian will wake you up!!

*There will be bag checks before you enter the library at each floor

National Library

100 Victoria Street,
Singapore 188064

Opening hours: 10AM to 9PM

Closed on PH

2.) Woodlands Regional Library

I visited this library almost weekly nearing the date of my exams during my second year of Uni as I have a group of friends who live at the North area, and it was pretty convenient to get to Woodlands via SV161/168. There are 4 chairs for each table. However, the librarian does not allow a fifth chair to be put at the edge of the table even though there is plenty of space. I kinda like to study in this library but the food here is expensive :/

Woodlands Regional Library

900 South Woodlands Drive, #01-03

Singapore 730900

Opening hours: 10AM to 9PM

Closed on PH

3.) Bishan Public Library

I visited this library once as I was meeting friends for dinner around the area. I find that the tables here are pretty small. 4 can be seated at a table but I find it hard to lay out all all my papers when the table is fully occupied. There are not as many seats as compared to Woodlands Library. The food here is cheap though.

Bishan Public Library

5 Bishan Place #01-01,
Singapore 579841

Opening hours: 10 to 9PM

Closed on PH

4.) Serangoon Public Library

At this library, there is a room where you do quiet reading here but there are tables and chairs (those kind for tutorials in poly) for you to do your self-study. Everybody here likes to push the tables towards the wall for lesser distraction and the plugs. A pretty good study place but sometimes there are events held in the room. I'm not sure if they post notices beforehand, but I made 1 or 2 wasted trips as the room will hold events every now and then.

Serangoon Public Library

23 Serangoon Central, NEX #04-82/83
Singapore 556083

Opening hours: 11AM to 9PM

Closed on PH

5.) Sengkang Community Centre (SKCC)

Now now, this is my favourite place to study thus far. I think I have spent around 7 years studying here, ever since Secondary 4, to Poly, and then to Uni. Before the centre established the study room, I have sat at level 1 of SKCC then to level 4 benches just in front of the basketball court (the court no longer exists and has shifted to outside of SKCC), and then to the study room.

There are now 2 rooms, and I always go to the first room. The first room is like a classroom style where all chairs are facing the same direction towards the whiteboard.

The picture below is how it looks like during the 24hour study period. They provide hot drinks and snacks during this period as well. Anyway, it is a brightly lit room (unlike the pic) and a conducive environment to study in. It is very quiet, and this extent can be compared to that of a library's. Food and drinks can be consumed here so this is an bonus for me as I will usually fall asleep without coffee.

Credits

Food can be gotten from Compass Point (under renovation) and at Kopitiam Square!! The latter is really affordable if you want to study daily at SKCC. Anyway, if you want to study here, you need to come early, esp during exam periods. I usually reach at 9AM and is hardly the first one that reach.

Oh, there is a watercooler at level 1 of West Wing too.

Sengkang Community Centre

2 Sengkang Square #04-01/02
Singapore 545025

(East Wing, polyclinic side)

Opening hours: Usually 9AM- around 10 or 11PM; can be 24hours during exam periods

Closed on PH

So yep! In short, SKCC is my favourite place to study in cuz of its:

• Aircon 
• Quiet ambience
• Affordable food
• Food/drinks can be consumed in the room
• Power sockets in the room

P.S. I have also been to the study room at Punggol 21 CC but I don't like the study periods (weekdays 12nn to 6PM, weekends is like after 6PM or something) as the classroom is used for normal lessons as well.