Does pain = progress?
Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:05 am
I seem to have a slightly different problem on this score.
Apparently I am not in enough pain. I was under the
impression that teeth should feel tender right after
adjustments, perhaps for a day or so, and then one
might expect to just feel pressure, or intermittent
tenderness. At any rate, that is how it has been for me.
At my first adjustment, 2 weeks ago, the assistant
asked if I had been in pain during my first month in braces.
I did not consider the above description to be one of constant
or debilitating pain, so I said "no". (Remember, my ortho and
assistant are the folks who only want happy patients.) So
the assistant said "I guess that means you'll be one of those
patients whose teeth move very slowly". I modified my
answer and described to her what I said above, to which
she made no comment. Later, when I saw the ortho, I asked
if any progress was visible, and he said that I was the best
judge of that. In fact, there has been **some**
movement: there are small air gaps in places where
none existed, and I can tell that my "s" sounds different.
So what's the deal here? How do I know if I am
in "enough" pain, or making "reasonable" progress?
Is pressure and tenderness enough, or should
I be really hurting and needing to take Tylenol to get
through the day? In general I have a high pain
threshold (two drug-free births, and after my
gum grafts the periodontist was very suprised
that I needed fewer painkillers than he had
prescribed.) Should I suggest that the
ortho tighten up the wires on my teeth until
it really hurts? He is, unfortunately, one of those
guys that doesn't appreciate lots of questions, and
certainly not advice on his own treatment plan. But
I don't want to be in braces, insufficiently painlessly,
for a year -and then be told that I'm not progressing
enough.
Apparently I am not in enough pain. I was under the
impression that teeth should feel tender right after
adjustments, perhaps for a day or so, and then one
might expect to just feel pressure, or intermittent
tenderness. At any rate, that is how it has been for me.
At my first adjustment, 2 weeks ago, the assistant
asked if I had been in pain during my first month in braces.
I did not consider the above description to be one of constant
or debilitating pain, so I said "no". (Remember, my ortho and
assistant are the folks who only want happy patients.) So
the assistant said "I guess that means you'll be one of those
patients whose teeth move very slowly". I modified my
answer and described to her what I said above, to which
she made no comment. Later, when I saw the ortho, I asked
if any progress was visible, and he said that I was the best
judge of that. In fact, there has been **some**
movement: there are small air gaps in places where
none existed, and I can tell that my "s" sounds different.
So what's the deal here? How do I know if I am
in "enough" pain, or making "reasonable" progress?
Is pressure and tenderness enough, or should
I be really hurting and needing to take Tylenol to get
through the day? In general I have a high pain
threshold (two drug-free births, and after my
gum grafts the periodontist was very suprised
that I needed fewer painkillers than he had
prescribed.) Should I suggest that the
ortho tighten up the wires on my teeth until
it really hurts? He is, unfortunately, one of those
guys that doesn't appreciate lots of questions, and
certainly not advice on his own treatment plan. But
I don't want to be in braces, insufficiently painlessly,
for a year -and then be told that I'm not progressing
enough.