Good days and bad days; also, clenching at night & progr

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#1 Post by **ellebee** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:45 pm

I wonder if anyone else feels this way. One day the braces are no big deal and another day I am miserable in them and desperately want to have them taken off.

Today was a good day when I hardly thought about them. Yesterday I hated them and starting making plans (in my head) to sack the project.

I'm past the physical pain. My mouth has toughened up, thanks to the warm salt water rinses (thanks to eveyone who recommended them!). I no longer need wax. I can eat just about anything.

I have no soreness, but I also detect no movement. My worst problems right now are sleeping. I alternate between waking with my mouth wide open and painfully dry and waking with my teeth clenched like a vise.

I'm concerned that the clenching is preventing the teeth from moving. It seems logical that clenching my teeth in their current positions just reinforces my problematic bite.

My FSA money is used up and after insurance I still owe something like $1500. I can pay it out slowly over the next 15 months I suppose. If I stick with the program, I should be finished up or close by then.

My second adjustment is January 3. The Ortho asked me to wait that long before I decide to bail. I was hoping I'd see some progress by then, I can't detect my teeth have moved one iota.

I'm inclined to let it ride for another month if the Ortho can answer my questions about making progress. In the meantime, I'm grateful for days like today when I almost forgot I have braces.

Elle

#2 Post by **lionfish** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 2:49 am

I don't get bad days. Not allowed. Ha ha!!

I'd ask about the clenching at your next appointment.

As for your teeth not having moved in 8 weeks, do you notice any difference when flossing? If so, then there has been movement.

#3 Post by **sjsarre** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 3:57 am

I went through a period of clenching my teeth in the first few months of having my brace. I believe its a natural process and whilst you not be able to see the movement, your brain realises that you teeth are not in line like they have been all these years, I think it needs to get over the movement by this clenching. Strange sypnosis but I think its true. My clenching lasted about a month on and off and I haven't had too many problems since. Just the odd clench here and there!

I still go through good and bad days and sometimes at night I wake with my mouth incredibly dry and my brace almost stuck to my mouth.

But its got better as its gone on and other than the adjustment I had last week (which was sheer hell) I am now "sailing" if there is such a thing through my treatment!!

I would persevere as much as I can if I were you, its always the first six months that are the worst!

Chin up

#4 Post by **ellebee** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:35 am

Thanks for the responses!

The only change in flossing is that my back teeth seem slightly easier to get between.

I'm using the little dental picks instead of actual floss.

I'm completely unable to floss between my lower front teeth -- the brackets and ligatures are touching and I can't thread floss between them.

I also have a place along the back edge of one (rotated) lower front tooth that feels like tarter buildup. It won't go away with brushing or maximum waterpik action.

I think I may move up my dental cleaning from February to January.

Elle

#5 Post by **ishasha** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:12 pm

I'm definitely no expert. But I heard that teeth move at different speed for different people and it's generally slower for adults than kids. So maybe you should be patient?

About clenching, I agree that logically it prevents teeth from moving, but again I'm no expert. In my case, since my teeth are biting into each other, the ortho put some occlusal pad on two of my upper molars so even when I still clench, they won't touch. Maybe you can ask your ortho about it.

I can floss with no problem, except that it is a bit sensitive immediately after adjustments. Maybe you can try those floss helpers?

#6 Post by **ellebee** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:50 am

Thanks for the input and support.

Ishasha -- I am going to ask about the clenching and pads on my molars so they don't touch when I clench -- but how do you chew then?

Karen -- you have been the biggest inspiration to me (along with a few others).

I think I would bail, based on how miserable I feel some days -- but I'm not a quitter and I hate the idea of giving up. So I keep saying to myself, I'll just give it one more adjustment, I'll just give it one more adjustment ...

I flossed the way you suggested, threading the floss through my teeth instead of the wire. I had to use several strands of superfloss, as the tip bends after one or two teeth and loses its stiffness. My lower bottom incisors are small and crowded -- the reason why the brackets are all touching each other in front. I really wish I had not asked for ceramic, especially on the bottom.

I have a cleaning booked in February but I'm going to call and try to move it up. I have one place that feels like it has a tartar buildup (along the back edge of one of my rotated lowers) and it is driving me nuts!

Thanks again so much for the encouragement.

I love this place.

Elle

One day at a time is how I am taking it right now.

#7 Post by **charm** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 7:57 pm

Hi Elle

>>>I wonder if anyone else feels this way. One day the braces are no big deal and another day I am miserable in them and desperately want to have them taken off. >>>>

Oh absolutely! I have been braced 4 months now and nearly every day is a new adventure. I can not believe the day to day differences - physically and mentally. I don't know if teeth are moving - my ortho is pleased with where we are - but I feel like each day is a different challenge.

I have mentally resolved myself to the fact that "I will see this through" (my mantra) but there are moments when I want to rip them off and I think I must have been out of my mind to do this.

Thankfully I feel really good about my ortho and everyone at the office. They have been great. As has my general dentist and dentist friends who I have talked with.

Everyone tells me I will be so happy when it is all said and done. Those words inspire me to just roll with the flow on this one. I committed to it and now it is out of my hands. Somewhat like every time I board an airplane. Not my favorite thing to do but once we are moving I'm there and it is out of my control.

Hope this list can keep you inspired. I know it has helped me immensly!

Diane

#8 Post by **Delag** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:14 pm

I don't clench, but I do seem to have developed a new tapping habit

. I find myself tapping my top front 6 teeth (braced) against my bottom(unbraced) teeth all day long. I only notice it when my jaw starts to hurt. I kind of figure all this weird stuff is normal with braces

#9 Post by **Gennel** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:25 pm

ellebee : How many months have you had the braces on? My ortho told me that it takes longer to move adult teeth than young kids. My teeth moved much slower than my 14 yr old daughter. I felt bad because my hubby would ask my daughter to smile so he could see her progress.
But it took 3times longer to see the same progress in my teeth.

I have had days that I think " What the hell is wrong with me? I must love pain" Almost every adjustment has been painful. But my teeth were also so severely crowded that I was miserable with their appearance.

Gennel

#10 Post by **ishasha** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:02 am

Ellebee, yes, with the occlusal pads, it's tricky to chew. But you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll get used to it.

Denise raised an interesting point about clenching at night. Hope Dr. Rick will be able to answer it or you can ask your ortho.

Good luck.

#11 Post by **SimInsomniac** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:21 am

Hang in there ellebee!

Progress may be slow at the moment but it will come and when it does you'll wonder why you questioned having the braces removed. I wanted them off at first simply because of the appearance and discomfort I experienced at the beginning of the journey, as well as seeing many peers at school finishing with amazing results while I was just starting. However, when people, particularly my mother, started noticing how straight my teeth were becoming, it gave me newfound confidence and I now regard braces as the best decision I ever made, especially as I have a free ride seeing as I was under 16 when I got them!

Things are slow again, but I'm nearing the end so I'm not as bothered. I still get bad days where I can pick out numerous imperfections but just remember to stay positive!

As for clenching, I do it every night and I often wake up to a slightly sore jaw. It might influence the rate of movement, but I did it during my mass movement period so I don't believe it stops your teeth from moving.

I hope this helped in some way. Keep the positive thoughts going and make a big deal over any small changes you find, whether it's visible movement or a change in your bite.

Sim

#12 Post by **newmetal** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:12 pm

I hate having braces if im honest, the one positive of having straight teeth is outwieghed by the negatives that come with having them.

Newmetal

#13 Post by **neelie** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 7:29 pm

Time for honesty. I hate my braces too. I've been braced since Oct. 5 and I feel like they get sharper...kind of like barb wire every day. Don't you love the way your mouth feels when you wake up in the morning and your gums are sticking to the wire and the brackets are poking you here there and everywhere? I know I have developed a lisp now and then - hate that too. But, even though I hate the braces, if this is what it takes to finally have straight teeth I will grin and bear it and deal with all the flossing, rinsing, etc. that we each face each day. We're all going to be so much happier when we have nice smiles...just wish it didn't take so darn long. Helps to have Archwired support and the support of family and a good ortho and office staff.

#14 Post by **ishasha** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:55 pm

I actually like my braces.

My teeth were so crooked that as soon as I got braces I showed it to almost all of my colleagues.

I guess subconciously I was trying to say: hey, I will have beautiful teeth soon! Don't you laugh at me anymore.

Well, the first week was nightmare. I couldn't sleep well because the teeth were biting into each other. After the ortho put some pad under my upper molar, I could sleep better but it took me a while to get used to the eating. Now I'm feeling reasonably comfortable about both activities.

What's more, my husband said my upper front teeth are much better! I'm happy about this. It's really worth it. I just wish I could speed it up. If I could speed it up by working overtime, I would. But this is different. Time and patience are all you need....

#15 Post by **lionfish** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:47 pm

I'm with Ken.

I'm fairly equivocal about the braces, per se, but I like what they can achieve.