a bit worried

[newbie2904]

Hi everyone,
as many may know i got my braces four days ago. (ive been complaining about the pain a few threads ago [Thnx to Sunny and Bunny for tolerating it ])
I was just checking in the mirror, (many with braces may understand how when you get them u tend to stare in the mirror alot longer than usual) so i was just staring and thats when i noticed. My gums appear to be moving downwards from the sides of my teeth. Its only been 4 days, i thought i was being a bit paranoid, so i checked a few of my before pictures, and i was right. My gums do appear to be sinking downwards. It also worries me becasue if the gum is covering the sides of the teeth, they wont be able to get much closer= not perfect result.
You see my teeth arent really big.. but theyre not small either, im afraid the gums may sink even more, making my teeth appear even smaller.. i mean its only been like 4 days, what will happen in a year?
when i bite it does feel like my molars are sinking in but i didnt think that was really the case. Please tell me my teeth arent going to get smaller.

Thank You

Newbie

P.S thank you sunny for the warm salty water tip, it does sooth you mouth after few rinses

[Sunny]

Newbie ... great that the warm salt water rinses are working ... keep doing them ... and as often as you can each day, till your mouth feels great!

Gums ... if they're starting to recede already, you need to check how you're brushing your teeth. Make sure you use a soft toothbrush ... if it's a manual brush, use a childs small soft brush. If it's electric, make sure the head is small and soft. Don't push when you're brushing, just glide the brush gently over your teeth. If you feel the need to brush near your gums ... make it very gentle and brush horizontally ... never vertically. Before or after brushing ... I do this after ... use an interdental brush to clean around the brackets and under the archwire. This is another reason why you don't need to brush your teeth in any way other than gently.

Talk to your ortho about what's happening when you see him next. Good luck!

[newbie2904]

I use the brush my orthodontist gave me on the day i got the braces. i try to do exactly as he told me. but maybe i wasnt gentle enough (im afraid i may get tartar build up or anything i dont want on my teeth) i also try to brush i little on my gums (i used to have really bad gums.. so now i try to take better care) i just swift the brush on my gum quickly. but if thats whats causing the gum movement i wont do it any more.
i also brush in circles.. as i was told. first under the brackets.. then over.. than from the bottom of the teeth and lastly the back. (than i swift my tooth brush over my gums)

[Sunny]

The best way you can care for your gums newbie, is by flossing once a day ... every day!

Your brushing sounds fine ... just make sure all your movements are gentle and never down towards your gums.

Talk to your ortho about your gums ... this is the person who'll be able to help you.

[bobo]

I think I got the same problem as well and I talked to my orth and he said its normal. But I am still worring.

[Sunny]

Bobo ... if you don't trust your ortho, you need to think about why you're letting this person have the responsibility of sorting your bite and smile.

You could also talk to your dentist about this, but gums will always be affected when teeth move, so now it's about you taking great care of them ... in particular being very gently with them!

[Bunny]

Hi Newbie, hope you are feeling better.
My gums did the same, or so I thought, what was actually happening was that the teeth were being elevated, pulled out of the gum so give more height and correct my bite and to look better, he said it makes the gum line look smaller in comparison which is why you think the gums are shrinking!! Also in the beginning the soft tissue your teeth sit in is all messed about with what with all the pressure so the teeth can look different in the gum and the look of the jaw can change.If you know its not this is could be mega hard brushing, I changed from the brush the ortho gave me and bought a VITIS brush, softer and more of a V shape so you get to both sides of the bracket without scrubbing the hell out of the delicate gum area.
If you are still not happy give your Ortho a call. He/she wont mind, at the beginning I rang all the time!

Good luck. xxxx

[newbie2904]

Hey bunny, thanks for the reply!
I just wanted to tell you that my gums do not seem to be shrinking, ont he contrary they appear to be growing (not really but moving down abit). and what appears strangest to me is that its only happening on one side of the mouth. The thing that worried me was that the gums appear moving down so much that maybe (and this is just the paranoid me talking) the teeth wont be able to move as close together as they could be. The reason i say this is because one of my friends had braces for a year to close the gaps she had.. although the gaps are much smaller there are still very obvious gaps.. that is because her teeth are quite small and her gums appear to have moved down a bit.
Well thanks again

[Sunny]

Newbie if this is really worrying you, give your ortho a call and tell him about it.

Make sure you floss once a day, rinse with warm salt water to soothe the inside of your mouth. Many people have some form of gum swelling during orthodontic treatment, but usually it's not too much. If gum tissue gets in the road of tooth movement, there are ways an ortho can correct this, so please don't worry about that.

Good luck!

[Bunny]

Awww Newbie I get it,sorry I must of read your post incorrectly. I do know that as your teeth are adjusted the gums move about with them, perhaps this is the reason they are looking different, and they swell, I know this as I went for a clean at my normal dentist and he mentioned they were inflamed which freaked me out, he said it was due to the pushing and shoving and not to worry. Also I have been told to expect small gaps between teeth, they are ment to be that way and are easier to clean.
I wouldn't panic though, if the gums seem to be causing a problem with movement they can be reduced, also gaps in between teeth can be sorted with bonding.
Any major issues ring your ortho, but I think its first brace nerves, I had all sorts of concerns about my teeth and second guessing and measuring movement with my tongue-very scientific!! Your ortho is a wizz and will make sure you have lovely teeth just ride it out and try not to worry. Much love. xxxx

[Anny]

My gums did the same thing as yours Bunny - it looked as if my teeth were being pulled out and further from the gums. Whenever they get swollen I'm told to do a salt water rinse.