Getting spacers today ...
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Getting spacers today ...
Hello, I am a 26 y/o male going in to have my spacers put in today. After reading some articles online, I am kind of nervous about going. For those of you who have gone through this recently, please share your experiences. Thank you.
Spacers being put on do not hurt at all! Its the after affects that are irritating, its the feeling of having something stuck between your teeth that drove me mad. Also, the teeth at the back are usually sensitive and make it hard to eat. Spacers take two seconds to put in and the process is pain free, but the after effects are the worse than actually getting braced!
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xtrememkovr
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:20 am
- Location: Los Angeles, California
quite a few of us have had them spacers - so you're not alone. Also a quick search on the site will give you PLENTY of reading material... 
My experience:
I have had spacers in for almost a month now. I'm bracket'd up and waiting for the wires to be placed. I have molar bands on two of my molars on the bottom and just making more room for the bands on the top (hence the long 20 day+ sentence on top). What I found is that the first time round they were very ouchie for about a week. (keep in mind that we all deal with pain differently. I'm pretty tolerant of pain - but I have pretty sensitive teeth and have been through a bout of perio disease and gum inflamation which made my teeth a bit sensitive to pressure IMO). When my teeth would hit together there would be some discomfort as well. For the most part it just feels like there is a rather large piece of meat between your teeth and you want to kinda push it out somehow.
As your teeth begin to move apart your other teeth will of course shift slightly, too. This may change your bite a bit and make it barely noticeable but I've noticed that even the slightest shift causes some discomfort. Some of my other teeth as a result of this movement became a bit sore, too. But all this is normal and very temporary. When my DR was placing the bands on my bottom molars I suddenly became very appreciative of the spacers. They did a great job and the bands went in with out any problem. If my teeth had not been pushed apart slightly by the spacers I would have been VERY uncomfortable. After the experience of losing a spacer and seeing just how quickly my teeth would move back and become tight again, I gained much appreciation for the spacers and we're kinda on good terms now.
What I found that helps: Rinsing with warm salt water as KK suggested to me so many times definitely helps. It feels good! Eating soft er foods or making sure to cut up food and cook it a bit longer so that it is softer helps tremendously. I also think that some advil or other over the counter pain medication helps at the very onset of discomfort. I tried not to use it often because I figure I need to "man up" a bit for the adjustments and don't want to become too much of a baby - but there were several days in the beginning where I kept some advil in my system. It helped make it bearable for me. Also, if a spacer becomes lose as your teeth move, make sure that it does not fall out. Even if it's just mere days before your next appointment I would call the ortho if it does happen to dislodge between your teeth. Teeth move back VERY quickly after the spacers are removed and it would be a drag to have to go through more days of spacers when it could have been avoided. Discomfort passes by quickly, however. With in a week it was old news and I felt the spacers there - but they were no longer painful.
As you read through others experiences keep in mind that for a lot of people spacers went in and came out with out any issue whatsoever. For others spacers were much worse than braces. After a month with spacers in - I can safely say that even though there have been moments of discomfort - if this is indeed the "worse" part of wearing braces - this whole journey is going to be a breeze!
Take care.
X.
My experience:
I have had spacers in for almost a month now. I'm bracket'd up and waiting for the wires to be placed. I have molar bands on two of my molars on the bottom and just making more room for the bands on the top (hence the long 20 day+ sentence on top). What I found is that the first time round they were very ouchie for about a week. (keep in mind that we all deal with pain differently. I'm pretty tolerant of pain - but I have pretty sensitive teeth and have been through a bout of perio disease and gum inflamation which made my teeth a bit sensitive to pressure IMO). When my teeth would hit together there would be some discomfort as well. For the most part it just feels like there is a rather large piece of meat between your teeth and you want to kinda push it out somehow.
As your teeth begin to move apart your other teeth will of course shift slightly, too. This may change your bite a bit and make it barely noticeable but I've noticed that even the slightest shift causes some discomfort. Some of my other teeth as a result of this movement became a bit sore, too. But all this is normal and very temporary. When my DR was placing the bands on my bottom molars I suddenly became very appreciative of the spacers. They did a great job and the bands went in with out any problem. If my teeth had not been pushed apart slightly by the spacers I would have been VERY uncomfortable. After the experience of losing a spacer and seeing just how quickly my teeth would move back and become tight again, I gained much appreciation for the spacers and we're kinda on good terms now.
What I found that helps: Rinsing with warm salt water as KK suggested to me so many times definitely helps. It feels good! Eating soft er foods or making sure to cut up food and cook it a bit longer so that it is softer helps tremendously. I also think that some advil or other over the counter pain medication helps at the very onset of discomfort. I tried not to use it often because I figure I need to "man up" a bit for the adjustments and don't want to become too much of a baby - but there were several days in the beginning where I kept some advil in my system. It helped make it bearable for me. Also, if a spacer becomes lose as your teeth move, make sure that it does not fall out. Even if it's just mere days before your next appointment I would call the ortho if it does happen to dislodge between your teeth. Teeth move back VERY quickly after the spacers are removed and it would be a drag to have to go through more days of spacers when it could have been avoided. Discomfort passes by quickly, however. With in a week it was old news and I felt the spacers there - but they were no longer painful.
As you read through others experiences keep in mind that for a lot of people spacers went in and came out with out any issue whatsoever. For others spacers were much worse than braces. After a month with spacers in - I can safely say that even though there have been moments of discomfort - if this is indeed the "worse" part of wearing braces - this whole journey is going to be a breeze!
Take care.
X.
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xtrememkovr
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:20 am
- Location: Los Angeles, California
I too am pretty high on the pain tolerance scale - spacers are a different kind of annoying pain. Getting all of mine on was a problem. My teeth are really tight and my orth ended up having to file in between them twice to get the spacers in. This was after two different assistants tried to place them with no luck. However, it is not this bad for everyone! And, really, while it was being done it wasn't that bad either. I've had worse done in the chair so... Anyway, my teeth were very very sensitive for 2-3 days and then that let up a little but not ever all the way. I've had mine for a week and I still am eating soft foods only. The teeth shifting is a weird thing. It just feels funny. Definately do some over the counter pain meds - they really help. After 5 or so days it mostly feels like you have a permanent piece of a meal stuck in several of your teeth and becomes more of an annoyance than anything. It is only temporary, which is the best part!
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Tfiestyone4u
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2006 9:21 pm
Hi dougwell. I just got my braces on on Monday. I had my spacers for a week, and got a LOT of great information from this site before I even went in for them. Everyone is correct in telling you that placing them is virtually painless. They are aggrevating, feels like food between your teeth or for me because the tilt of my teeth, felt like I was chewing on rubberbands all day (cuz well...you are!). You'll be excited to get your braces on and your spacers out! It's not as bad as you fear! You'll do great! 
Thank you all for your responses. So I made the dreaded trip, or so I thought, to the ortho for the spacers. It was a breeze. The actual process took about 30 mins. I had a few extremely tight spaces that took some manipulation (lol), but it worked. My ortho actually used floss wrapped around the rubber band spacers to get it in there. I did feel a little pain but it was nothing compared to my expectations. It is very irritating. It feels like something is stuck in my teeth and I want so bad to get it out. I did wake up this morning with a little more discomfort as I feel the teeth begin to shift. Even the teeth in the front are beginning to feel sore. I feel more pain when I bite down but that is to be expected. After all is said and done, I am ready for the next step to a beautiful smile. I go in for my appliances on Friday. YAY!!!!
OK, so 2morrow is the big day and I am both nervous and happy at the same time. This is something that I've wanted to do for a very long time and now that the time is here I am also scared. My treatment plan is for 2 years give or take a few months (hopefully take) and I'm just wondering what life with braces is really going to be like; eating (lol), hours and hours of maintenance, and the pain and agony of adjustments every month. This has me discouraged just a bit. I so wish that I could fast forward to 2 years from now where it'll be all over and I'll have the smile that I've always wanted. I guess this is what life is all about. No pain, no gain, right?
As for the spacers, they weren't really that bad for me. Besides the occasional mild headache and tooth soreness, it was an OK experience. I can't wait to have them removed so that feeling of having something stuck in my teeth will disappear. On the second day there was a little more pain and even today it’s sore when I bite down. I've been eating lots of soft foods and soups to try to accommodate. So far it’s been ok. As with most changes in life, this will take some getting used to.
I'll try to keep everyone posted on my progress and hopefully with pics. This should make the progress fun and exciting. See you guys 2morrow.
dougwell ...
As for the spacers, they weren't really that bad for me. Besides the occasional mild headache and tooth soreness, it was an OK experience. I can't wait to have them removed so that feeling of having something stuck in my teeth will disappear. On the second day there was a little more pain and even today it’s sore when I bite down. I've been eating lots of soft foods and soups to try to accommodate. So far it’s been ok. As with most changes in life, this will take some getting used to.
I'll try to keep everyone posted on my progress and hopefully with pics. This should make the progress fun and exciting. See you guys 2morrow.
dougwell ...