Hello

[ashleyhowarth]

Hey everyone,

Im new here, got my Damon braces on at the end of January and went for my first appointment today. I have to say I am already feeling the pain . They changed the wire today from a rounded wire to a rectangle wire (whatever that means?) Anyway as soon as she changed it I could feel how much tighter it was. Today is also the first day with elastics. This is not going to be fun is it :P

[Sunny]

Hi and welcome to this forum Ashley!

The different types of wire product different ways of moving teeth.

Your teeth must be progressing well to have so many things done at your first adjustment, which is great news for your progress!

Make sure you wear your elastics as long as possible ... and you'll find you adjust much faster to them. The people who find their elastics are the most difficult to cope with, are those who put them in, take them out, put them back in, take them out again ... etc. This way the teeth are being moved back and forwards, back and forwards and this isn't good for their roots and their future health.

Here's to your mouth feeling heaps better very soon!

[ashleyhowarth]

Thank you for the tips on the elastics! Im gonna leave them in as much as possible. They are super annoying but I think that I can get passed that part. As the day continues on my teeth just hurt more and more. Do you happen to know about how long it hurts for after an adjustment?
Also, I noticed that you have had your braces for 4 years? How come so long? I couldnt imagin having these on for 4 years ouch!

[Sunny]

Ashley there's no way of knowing how the comfort levels will be after an adjustment. Sometimes there's no discomfort and other times some people feel a lot. I usually felt changes for a few hours ... but nothing that wasn't helped with warm salt water rinses.

My treatment ... my poor ortho deserves a medal for not throwing me out of his office! Several times he's had to re-write my treatment plan due to unexpected problems. Fortunately this isn't common ... but it's frustrating for everyone involved. Luckily I've never had more than mild discomfort ... and that was only recently when I had to change from two elastics a day to seven ... a radical approach to try and bring my bite together. I did ache for a couple of days ... dull, but still there ... and then if vanished. Yah!

I'm hoping to have these things off very soon!!!!!!!!!!

[ashleyhowarth]

Ill give that salt water a try when I get home from work. I have been taking advil for the pain but it doesnt last for very long. I have had little to no sleep last night cause of the discomfort I am having. It hurts a lot, I was literally in tears last night.
I have another question for you, I seem to be having a hard time changing my elastics. Is there an easier way of doing this? The dentist made it look so easy, I gotta be doing something wrong. Also, I am sappose to sleep with the elastics correct? And only take them out when I brush my teath or eat something? Sorry for all the questions. I start thinkin about the next 18 months. This is going to suck

[catgyrl]

Hi Ashley!!

I'm sorry you're having so much pain/discomfort. Sunny is absolutely right - those warm salt water rinses are a godsend. I do one first thing in the morning when I wake up, and again at night. (Sometimes during the day if I'm having a particularly troublesome sore area.)

I find that when it comes to the discomfort, the more I think I'm going to experience it, the more I do. I haven't had any actual adjustments yet (I think I might in 2-3 more weeks), but the experience I had yesterday (in my blog) about getting my molar bands (or, should I say, BAND, because the other one wouldn't go on) was enough for me to have a dull headache for most of the afternoon. Maybe if you don't anticipate it, or dwell on it, it might not feel as bad.

Then again, you might be one of those people who feel it more. I take everyone's advice here when they say it will pass.

Good luck to you!!
-Cathy

[Brace Face]

Hi Ashley,

I also find that immediately after an adjustment my braces feel much tighter and certainly for a couple of days my teeth do feel very sore and I take Ibuprofen if it's particularly bad. However, after the initial 48 hours I find it settles to just a mild discomfort whilst eating and it doesn't bother me much after that. Hopefully yours will have calmed down a bit by now and it's not to say it will hurt this much after every adjustment.

Elastic bands are fun too aren't they? I'm sure the orthos do these things just to amuse themselves sometimes.....they must have a real laugh when walk out of their surgeries sometimes! I have two strengths of elastic band, a smaller one for night times and larger for day. I have tried to eat with it in but, for me, this is too difficult and uncomfortable so I always take it out and replace it immediately afterwards. I also take it out to brush my teeth but otherwise it stays put......I decided I hated it so much my best option was to wear it obsessively so it would come out all the sooner (it is going at my next appointment i'm happy to say, worn for a total of 3 months).

I use tweezers to put my night time one in as it's so tight. Perhaps try that and see if it's easier?

Good luck, I hope this helps a little.

[Sunny]

Ashley elastics are mostly to be left in at all times except when brushing ... a minimum of 23 hours a day. Unless your ortho prerscribed otherwise.

I'm sorry to read you're still feeling sore, hopefully there will be a turn around today. Usually the people who wear their elastics the most, adjust the quickest, so here's to that happening for you.

Like all things ortho ... you'll find putting the elastics on gets easier. Just make sure you don't practise too often ... which means you don't have to do it very often during the day.

Good luck!

[ashleyhowarth]

Thanks everyone! I am feeling much better today! Just have a big of a headache, I think its from the elastics, they feel weird. I think I am getting a little faster at putting them in. Brace Face- I tried the tweezers out, and its much easier that way! so thanks for the tip.
Sunny- Im doing pretty good with keeping my elastics in. I only take them out when I brush my teeth, been trying to keep them in while I eat because I have heard that chewing with them in can make things happen faster also, not sure how true that is but I will give it a shot!
Thanks again everyone

[Sunny]

One more piece of advice ... keep your hydration levels well up, so that your mouth doesn't dry with the elastics, as this can cause the elastics to rub and make your mouth sore.

Great that you're feeling better!

[Brace Face]

So glad you're feeling better Ashley, the discomfort does pass fairly quickly. Chocolate buttons!! They are great for eating with elastics as they are easy to 'post' through. Works for me!

[catgyrl]

What are chocolate buttons? Is that something only available in England?

[Brace Face]

Cadbury's Chocolate Buttons. Maybe they are only available here, I don't know? A little packet of chocolate discs which are largely bought for little kids but now they make Giant Chocolate Buttons which I have decided is for the grown ups! Just the right size for posting. Heaven.

[Sunny]

Cadbury's chocolate buttons ... you've not lived if you've not eaten them!

I love chocolate button easter eggs ... my kids know to buy them for me ... not only do I get an awesome chocolate egg ... but it's filled with awesome chocolate buttons!

I eat as normal with elastics ... and I've had very tiny ones and many of them. What I sometimes need to do is cut my food smaller (remember I'm a raw foodie) and also eat with a teaspoon.