First archwire does what...?

Message

#1 Post by **cowlypso** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:09 pm

Okay. Maybe a stupid question. But I'm sure you won't tease me too much.

I got my first archwire on my bottoms last Thursday. My teeth are definitely getting the message. Front teeth are sore to bite on/floss/brush too hard, and they feel a little like they might be wiggly. All to be expected.

What I've read here in previous posts... "You might not see it, but you'll know your teeth are moving because all of a sudden the crowded ones will be easier to floss between."

What's happening in my mouth... My front lowers have some crowding, but nothing major and nothing that ever caused any trouble flossing. Those were actually the easiest ones to floss, because it just slid right in and out, unlike those stupid molars and premolars, where I had to slide it back and forth forever to get it down there. Got the archwire around noon. Went to floss before bed and I could hardly get the floss between any of those teeth. And this floss was about 3x skinnier than the floss I usually use (oral b superfloss)! Finally got it in, but it hurt (sore teeth), and I couldn't pull it back out the usual way, so I had to pull the end all the way through.

Is this what's supposed to happen? Is it usual for crowded teeth to actually get closer together? Will I have to give up flossing for life? Stay tuned for next week's exciting episode.... (uh, sorry, got a little carried away there...)

I'm seeing the ortho on Monday for an emergency band-smoothing, so I can check with him then, but I wanted your feedback as well.

#2 Post by **turrrtlelove22** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:27 pm

I think its to loosen and align the teeth from what I understand...I believe Meryaten posted something about this somewhere on here. It was about what each wire does or the stages of movement or something like that...I'm going to try and find it but I can't guarantee anything. I find it the search feature on here difficult... I'm sure someone will find the answer for you tho...

I'm going to get my first adjustment soon and was wondering myself what the second wire will be...whether its the same one or a different one. It's not totally back in its original shape yet...not sure what 10 days will do...hopefully a lot!!!

I didn't floss right away...just in the places where I could. I'm sure those otehrs spaces will open up in the next few weeks...the flossing sga continues!!!!....LOL...

#3 Post by **JumpTheDitch** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:44 pm

Is this what's supposed to happen?

A "loosener-upperer" is what my ortho called my first wire, Cowlypso.

He described it as one wire with 8-9 other wires wrapped around it like a coaxial cable, enabling it to flex in different directions, which he used it to prepare the teeth for the movement he was going to cause them in the coming months. The rigid wires used to effect movement don't flex (at least, mine didn't!).

To be honest, I can't say I noticed a whole lot of movement myself from the inital wires, but then my teeth had a fairly straight appearance to begin with, it's my overjet and bite that was bu@@ered.

Many people on the board here have also reported their ortho issues getting a little worse sometimes before they get better. Others have mentioned not being able to floss propertly until further into their treatment when their tooth positioning allowed it (not that I'm advocating non-flossing).

If you do a search on wires and/or flossing you should be able to find one of Meryaten's posts re wires and their uses, as well as some of other people's crowding/flossing experiences.

Patience, Cowlypso, wait for the real wires to start, then you won't know yourself!

Time flies...

#4 Post by **ishasha** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:04 am

Don't worry. It's normal. Teeth are moving. Especially in the early days when braces are just on, the feeling of flossing keeps changing too. I recall for several days some teeth are extreamly sensitive to flossing, some are hard to get in between, some are on the other hand, much easier to get through. All are normal. It definitely gets better as teeth move to the ideal position.

#5 Post by **platinum** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:15 pm

I am interested in this as well. I have only bottoms first and the idea is to push down the front teeth a bit and pull up the premolars. I wonder how that is going to be done. And how my frotn teeth that once upon a time decided to grow to their present height would like to go somewhat back to the bone.... and stay there????

#6 Post by **platinum** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:41 pm

Thanks Meryaten for the answer!!!

It looks like that reverse curve wire is for movements of 5mm up/down

My lower front teeth are 3mm hiher than the others.
But I am curious how the teeth stay down?

#7 Post by **JumpTheDitch** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:25 pm

Thanks for the pic Meryaten; I didn't realise there was such diversity in initial archwires!