No progress yet - is this normal?

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#1 Post by **mogwai** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:04 am

I have had my lowers fitted for 3.5 weeks, now, and looking at other peoples pics, I think Ive realised that my teeth are lagging behind!!

I have ceramics on the lowers, but only on the 4 front teeth - my ortho changed the wire at the last app 5 daysb ago I think because the teeth arent moving fast enough. But there seems to be no change.

I have 4 gaps, 2 in top and 2 in bottom, so i thought the teeth would move quickly to fill these gaps, but they havent seemed to have moved at all. The top teeth have no brackets and its only the eyeteeth that are being moved by the use of a single elastic on each side...

So should I call my ortho and tell him that i think things arent moving as fast as they should? Or is this normal?

#2 Post by **ItsGavinC** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:54 am

"So should I call my ortho and tell him that i think things arent moving as fast as they should?"

Isn't that a bit like telling the surgeon how to operate? Let the doctor be the doctor and do what he does best.

You can NOT compare your treatment to other treatment.

#3 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:22 am

Gavin,
Not sure if this is the case, but I had the same problem/concern. I had my braces on for like 8 weeks and it seemed like nothing was happening. I went in for an appliance check after I had my SARPE and asked the ortho when they were going to start moving my lower teeth. He said...."what do you mean? WE ARE moving them" He told me that before they can start moving anything around they have to get the teeth loosened up and in a position to move. He said the first wire is usually a flexible wire to get your teeth used to the slight pressure, and loosen them up for movement. Personally I could feel pressure the first few weeks and while it didn't seem like my teeth were going anywhere they were certainly loose in spots and achey for awhile.

I had my first adjustment last Monday. My ortho put a couple springs, and a new archwire on the bottom. No joke, within 2 days my crowding had disappeared and my teeth were lined up like little soldiers. Movement was super fast! AMAZINGLY SO!

Perhaps that is what is going on with your teeth, and you will notice a significant improvement or change after your first adjustment.

Brandy

#4 Post by **mogwai** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:55 pm

Hey, thanks for all the words of encouragement.

I am seeing my ortho tomorrow anyway, as Im having problems with one of my elastics (its practically tearing a strip of gum away!)

, so I will ask all these questions then!

I am also supposed to be having Invisalign treatment after 6 months, after my canines have moved into place, but I think Im going to ask if metal braces would be quicker and more likely to work. You see Im getting scared by the posts on the Invisalign board too!

#5 Post by **ingyandbert** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 5:39 am

You've had your braces for less than a month and have already had a wire change? I didn't get a wire change until 9 weeks and I'll be staying in my new wires for 10 weeks.

I didn't think all that much was happening at first either. But I had a cleaning after about 5 weeks and when the hygenist pulled up my "before" photos I was amazed at how many changes there were. Some of them were subtle, but when you considered them all together it was quite a bit. It's just not that noticeable when you see slight changes from day to day.

#6 Post by **jennandtonic** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:59 am

When I got my braces, it was 3 weeks until my first adjustment. I didn't notice any changes until they were pointed out to me by my ortho assistant. Maybe once you get to your first adjustment, you'll be pointed toward what has changed. And if not, I wouldn't worry, it's just three weeks!

One thing I love is being able to see the mold they took of my teeth before I got the braces in. It's much easier to compare when you see it 3-D!