Metal Mouth Message Board

Nope never. I always have to go back the next day or two. My mouth is usually all numb or something at the appointment so I tell them I can't really feel the wire at the moment.
Sucks! Happened again today. I hate having to wax when you would think they could get the wires clipped correctly.
Rant off.

Kat,

I know what you mean. There is only one girl at my ortho who gets them short enough the first itme. When I mentioned it she said if it ever happened then to come back in. Well it takes a week to get a non-emergency appointment so I usually do like you do and wax and wait...

Susan

Kat that sucks! Sounds like you need to check the back of the buccal tubes with your fingers, so you can 'feel' for the archwire.

That's what I do, at the assistant's suggestion. I still felt a little barely "something" once so she even got out the diamond drill and ground the wires flush. Now that was comfy!

I do feel around before I leave and they usually act like they clipped it, it will be ok. Oh well.

OH man, I've had to have the doctor file it down a few times. My mouth is very sensitive I go through wax like nothing.

I find the wire always decides to stick out half a mile and lacerate me at weekends or if I'm travelling and can't get to my ortho. It has done this several times now, it seems to move in and out of position.

Poking wires are the worst. I hated the way they'd tear up your cheeks. I learned a few valuable lessons in the 3 years I had my braces on:

1. Never schedule and adjustment for Friday, and especially not Friday afternoon. Why? Because if the back of the wires need more clipping, you will probably have to suffer with the poking wire until Monday to get them clipped (unless your Ortho is open on Saturdays).

2. If possible, stay near your Ortho's office for a few hours after an adjustment. I usually had my adjustment appointments in the morning and then went to eat some lunch. A good percentage of the time, something would shift from chewing, and the wires would be poking me. So I'd turn around and go right back in to have them clipped that same day.

3. After an adjustment, feel the backs of the wires really well with your fingertips. If you even suspect there is a slight "catch", see if the Ortho or his assistant can clip them closer.

Great advice, Lynn!

I always tried to be careful never to schedule an ortho appointment right before travelling out of town, that's for certain!

So you mean getting braces and travelling to Australia the next day was not a good idea? . next week after my adjustment I had a flight out of town the next day...I try not to worry about.
My Ortho is pretty good she always asks and I have learned to check now and the Asst. is good about asking as well. But I do remember the first time I did not and I felt it for a bit.
Also, once your teeth starts moving anyways, you do get a piece hanging off there.

By the way, apart from holding the wire back there, what else does those brackets on the molars do? Seems like they are not as useful since the wire can move as they have no ligatures attached to them; anyone?

sometimes I get my lip caught on mine! ouch

I get out the cuticle clippers sometimes and do it myself.

1. Never schedule and adjustment for Friday, and especially not Friday afternoon. Why? Because if the back of the wires need more clipping, you will probably have to suffer with the poking wire until Monday to get them clipped (unless your Ortho is open on Saturdays).

I learned this one the hard way. A couple of months ago I scheduled an adjustment on the day I flew out on holidays and - guess what? - by the time I got to the airport later in the day, the end of the wire was poking me something chronic. I spent the next almost 3 weeks this way, not happy at all.

Another tip, folks: be careful flossing around the end of SS wires. I speared my index finger on one of these recently and the blood flow was good enough to donate to the Red Cross.

Sherri wrote:I get out the cuticle clippers sometimes and do it myself.

Yeah I used the heavy duty nail clippers, my wire just dented the clipper blades. Nothing was done to my wire at all! I had the mister go get the real wire clippers out of his tool kit, grease and all, I had him cut the wire. Boy o boy, if I ever lose a molar bracket again, just make the extra effort to go in.

I do all those things but mine are way back on the wisdoms. They do cut them correctly when I go back but what a PITA to drive a hour 10 minutes just to get it right. I'm waxing now for the next month.