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Well I went in for my 4th adjustment and to get several brackets repositioned. As planned the ortho removed 8 more brackets so with the 8 removed from the 3rd adjustment I had to get 16 completely replaced.
This was a long, tedious and painful process. It is true that the ceramic brackets are harder to remove than the metal because they have a tendency to break into pieces, forcing the ortho to do a whole lot more scraping than if you were getting the metal brackets removed. Once all of the old brackets were removed new brackets were placed on along with a thinner wire ( I guess they new that I would not be able to take the thicker wire at this adjustment).
Everything was ok after leaving the ortho and I truly felt no pain because I took pain killers before my appointment.. However 3 hours later I begin feeling the worse pain ever! My mouth is so sensitive I can not even smile because if the air hits my teeth I will be in excruciating pain. It is even hard to drink room temperature water! I have to make the water warm (like almost the same temperate as my mouth 98.6 degrees). It seems as though pain killers are no longer helping so I will just have to ride out the pain. I know it will be ok in a couple of days but this part always sucks!
I did ask the ortho why I needed to get so many brackets replaced. She said they could have been misplaced initially or my teeth could have shifted in a way that they did not anticipate. She could not conclusively say because she was not the ortho who put the braces on. Well just wanted to give everyone an update on my 4th adjustment and the bracket replacements.
I was just at an appt yesterday and they told me I would have to get a few brackets repositioned. I told the assistant I had heard it could be a painful process. She told me that metal braces (which is what I have) are a lot easier to take off and that the clear braces where somewhat more difficult to remove.
But I go in tomorrow to get them repositioned and I guess I will find out if what she told me is true. Good luck with your process.
Got my braces off 9/20/07 after 19 months and 3 weeks. WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!
Everyone has different experiences with having brackets removed. Some people have ceramics come off without a hitch. Mine were very difficult to remove and very painful. That is MY experience. Someone else might be entirely happy with the process. I found that removing the cement was NOT painful for me at all. Others have had the opposite experience.
The metal brackets were very easily removed in my case. I didn't have any of the ceramic brackets break during removal (thank goodness for that) but the ortho had to remove the the bands and ceramic brackets while the tech did the metal brackets only.
Thanks for the words of encouragement and support! It still hurts like crazy but I can now look forward to straighter teeth and I am sure glad they correct this problem sooner than later! I am sure by the time I have to get them removed completely I would have forgotten about how painful this adjustment was.
Cheers!
FYI....After almost a week of having extremely sensitive teeth my mouth seems to be getting back to normal!!! I can now have cold drinks without it bothering me. I'd have to say that the warm salt water helped along either the Crest Sensitivity toothpaste. Thanks of all your advice and encouragement.
I had my adjustment last Friday and they removed 8 brackets on top and bottom and only one on the bottom really hurt when removed. For a second there I thought they had removed the tooth too . But as far as removing the glue that part was not painful or eventful in anyway.
Before this adjustment I had the thickest wire on the top and after replacing the brackets they moved down a wire(which I'm not sure why they let me setup to the thickest wire in the first place if they were just going to repo some brackets and have to step down a wire) but after this adjustment I was sooooo sore I can't remember the last time I was this sensitive and sore.
Now I'm pretty much back to normal and hoping for a tiny light at the end of the tunnel.
Got my braces off 9/20/07 after 19 months and 3 weeks. WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!
I didn't realize that switching brackets mid~treatment is something that could happen. Is this due to improper placement when the braces went on? Or is there a clinical reason for needing to reposition them once treatment has already started?
I had an adjustment yesterday where they repositioned 2 brackets... the ones that reside on my lower canines. They placed them higher on the tooth - I suspect to make them more even? I'm not sure why but I know they are tender today! Yowie! The uppers are tender also due to a newer, thicker gauge wire.
I also do not recommend going to the ortho when you have a cold brewing. I was completely miserable!!
I can now have cold drinks without it bothering me. I'd have to say that the warm salt water helped along either the Crest Sensitivity toothpaste. 
Thanks of all your advice and encouragement.
. But as far as removing the glue that part was not painful or eventful in anyway. 
but after this adjustment I was sooooo sore 
