Braces on today and having problem flossing

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G's Mom
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:28 pm

Braces on today and having problem flossing

#1 Post by G's Mom »

I got my top braces on today, ceramic uppers, will have metal on bottom in a few months. I have a spring to make space to later have a bridge for a missing lateral. I know it will be rough for awhile but I am very excited to get this started (again - I had braces as a teen am 38 now)

One problem I am having is getting the floss between my back teeth. I was shown how to floss, of course in front of my mouth where I have gaps so the demonstration was no problem. But when I try to get the floss between the back 3 teeth on both sides after I thread it between my braces it just shreds and it seems so tight back there right now. I have molar bands. Will it loosen up at all or am I just having problem since I am new to this? Any tips? Sorry if there are answers posted before but I am having problems searching, only get first page of results then am told nothing matches my query, even though there are many matches. :?
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PARR
Posts: 229
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:19 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

#2 Post by PARR »

my experience which is not long is that every day presents some change in what will go where in my mouth...kinda exciting. But with floss, threaders, proxibrushes of various sizes, and the new buzzy electric floss thingy out there I can clean very well. Just be ready to avail yourself of all the gear out there.
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Rainy
Posts: 127
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: Seattle US

#3 Post by Rainy »

I agree with Parr, every night I sit down to floss and something has changed. Where I had trouble the previous night, it works fine. Just keep doing it like Kiwi said it is essential and will get easier.

Rainy
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G's Mom
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:28 pm

#4 Post by G's Mom »

Thank you for the advice. Now I know not to panic and to just keep at it. I was afraid that if the floss keeps shredding I'd have crud forever between those back teeth! But it sounds like shifting will open it up some over time too.

Parr, what is this buzzy electric floss thingy you are talking about? I have no idea what you are talking about but it sounds interesting . . . .
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SandraJones
Posts: 333
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:23 am
Location: Chicago

#5 Post by SandraJones »

I also have molar bands, on all 4 first molars, and I have all of my teeth but my wisdom teeth. My teeth are well packed into my mouth. :-)

For all of the spaces between my teeth that do not involve the bands, I seem to be OK with threading the floss under the arch wire and then pulling the floss toward the gumline as I normally would.

But when it comes to the spaces adjacent to the bands, I have to send the threaded floss (or floss threader) with thread attached) between the teeth at the gumline and then pull the floss between the teeth to the biting surfaces.

I have had much shredding going on my my mouth, sometimes so bad I have to cut the floss out ! I've found that the thin waxed floss is the easiest to use, though the least satisfying as I am so used to using thick tape floss with embedded toothpaste (Reach CleanPaste) (I should get a commission for mentioning this floss so many times !) and the thin floss doesn't feel like it's getting my teeth as clean.

It's definitely a skill to be mastered ! I love that my flossing arsenal has gone from just floss to floss, threaders, threaded floss, picks, tweezers (for pushing threaded floss between the teeth as well as picking out shreds) and scissors. I used a hemostat one evening but ended up pinching my cheek ! So that tool is no longer being used. :-)
Nov 1960: born
1973 ?: palate expander
1973-1977: braces
Aug 1981: Le Fort I, posterior impaction to correct anterior open bite and class II malocclusion
Aug 2007: braces again to correct various alignment issues and class II malocclusion
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Danielle
Posts: 288
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 9:31 am
Location: California

#6 Post by Danielle »

Parr, what is this buzzy electric floss thingy you are talking about? I have no idea what you are talking about but it sounds interesting . . . .
I can't answer for Parr... but I have an electric flosser. I alternate between my Crest Glide Threaded Floss and a WaterPik electrical flosser (it's not an actual "water pick" just made by WaterPik). Anyway, flossing is tricky early on and very time consuming... it does get easier. I bought the flosser at my Dentist/Ortho's office (it was recommended by one of the assistants). I works pretty good--very easy to use and it stimulates the gums--the only drawback is that it doesn't always get whatever might be stuck between the teeth. I know that sounds stupid but once you use it you'll understand what I'm saying. It basically works at gum level (which is where most flossing should be) but since it's too big to slide all the way between the teeth I still use the theaded floss to scrub up and down the sides of the teeth. Basically it's the WaterPik flosser for when I'm in a hurry and regular maintenance and the threaded floss for a good scrubbing and a combination of both when I'm in the mood to seriously floss.
Metal Braces: August 18, 2006-January 14, 2009
Essix-type Retainers: January 14, 2009--present
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ghostmyimag3
Posts: 345
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:18 pm
Location: North Carolina US

#7 Post by ghostmyimag3 »

Oh lord i couldn't floss for about a week after and i've encounter that after a couple adjustments mainly thicker wires being "installed". It should go away after a few days.
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Metal braces on Uppers and lowers-November 8, 2006
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Steadfast
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:40 am

#8 Post by Steadfast »

I might want to forgo flossing for the first couple of days after fitting/adjustments depending on how I felt.
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bnbraces
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 3:26 pm
Location: Austin, TX

#9 Post by bnbraces »

i was having trouble flossing back by my molars, too.

i had a dental appt about three weeks after i got braces and told the hygenist that i was having problems, so she scraped off a bunch of epoxy that was lodged between my teeth. Ever since, flossing has been a lot easier.

I'm sure this is also something your ortho's assistants can do next time you go in.

and yeah, your teeth will move a little here and there - you won't be able to floss somewhere for a few days, and suddenly it works!. It always feels nice when that happens.
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$urge337
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 7:07 am
Location: Metro Detroit Area, Michigan

Re: Braces on today and having problem flossing

#10 Post by $urge337 »

G's Mom wrote:I got my top braces on today, ceramic uppers, will have metal on bottom in a few months. I have a spring to make space to later have a bridge for a missing lateral. I know it will be rough for awhile but I am very excited to get this started (again - I had braces as a teen am 38 now)

One problem I am having is getting the floss between my back teeth. I was shown how to floss, of course in front of my mouth where I have gaps so the demonstration was no problem. But when I try to get the floss between the back 3 teeth on both sides after I thread it between my braces it just shreds and it seems so tight back there right now. I have molar bands. Will it loosen up at all or am I just having problem since I am new to this? Any tips? Sorry if there are answers posted before but I am having problems searching, only get first page of results then am told nothing matches my query, even though there are many matches. :?

I can tell you one thing. I did not even know you were suppose to floss your back 3 teeth until i read this post from you last week LOL. I know bad huh? I just thought that you dont floss that area because of the bands. My ortho didn't say anything so i didn't know. But after your post i tried flossing. You were right and it was very very hard to floss. The floss would not go between those 3 teeth (especially the top row). I seriously put so much force into it and after about 30min-45min succeeded. I had to use the floss to apply force and when i finally succeeded, i realize that there was glue in between those 3 teeth and that was the reason caused for my flossing to be almost impossible. Anyhow, once i broke the glue from those 3 teeth, flossing is now fine just like the rest. If you haven't been able to floss those 3 yet, try really hard to apply some force.

$uRgE
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