This is the place to post general questions and comments about all areas of orthodontic treatment. Before you post a question, use the forum's SEARCH tool to see if your question has already been answered!
New Members: YOU MUST MAKE A POST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REGISTERING OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED. In other words, don't sign up unless you plan to actively participate in the message board immediately. This is necessary to keep out spammers and lurkers with bad intentions. Of course, you can read most forums on the board without registering.
DO NOT POST FULL-FACE PHOTOS or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
I also used a fair amount of wax in the beginning, but only on areas that were clearly rubbing and becoming raw. Yes, your mouth really does get used to all the hardware. I don't use wax at all anymore unless I have a poky wire, and then only need to use wax until I can get in to have it trimmed.
I doubt you'll have to use wax throughout your entire treatment, In fact I haven't used it all, I tried at the beginning but found it more trouble than it was worth. Your mouth will definitely adjust, the sooner you lay off the wax the faster that adjustment will happen.
Except for at the very beginning when I had a coil spring across the front of my lower teeth, I have very very rarely used wax. Too much hassle!! When this came up in conversation with my ortho months later, she said it was good as that meant my mouth would toughen up. However, last week due to my cheek being very cut up from my bite as it is currently, she made a big point of saying I should use wax a lot till it healed up and gave me three packs (as well as saying I should use a lot of mouthwash). It was really really bad so I can see why she said that, all fine within a few days, can't believe that was only last week.
I'm using wax based on need. Most days I'm perfecty fine without wax, but on some, my tissue is really sensitive. I noticed once the braces start to rub, it only gets worse, so I use it on those days in liberal amounts.
It's not happening often, and I couldn't find a pattern.
Just do as you please. If you don't need it, you don't need it. And if you do, you'll be the first to notice
I went through so much wax the first few weeks that I actually went online and bought one of those big boxes of 50 containers of wax in the name of saving money. Funny thing (not ha ha funny), I stopped needing it shortly thereafter. I guess I'd rather not need it and have it go to waste, rather than needing to use it all.
I used waxx quite a bit at the beginning of my treatment cuz my mouth did lots of protesting and i got a lot of sores and rubbings. Waxx is a miracle! I love it. I continue to use it today but not as often as I did in the beginning. I always remember to bring it with me no matter where i go; I learned this lesson the hard way, i went to someone house for the night and the only thing i forgot was my lovely oral wax and i just happened to get a really bad rubbing and sore that night. It sucked thank god for pain killers, salt warm water and mini ice popsicles that were sugarless!!
It does get better though believe me. Just takes a time, YOur mouth may protest bcause of the foreign items but i promise ya itll get betters!!
Braced: March 19th 2008
Impacted wisdom teeth extraction surgery: June 20th 2008 1pm (13 hours of fasting)
Jaw surgery (upper and lower)Lefort 1 with Madable Advancement: June 2nd 2009 @8am!!!! 1 surgery down 2 surgeries to go!!
debrace day: jan 18th 2010!!!! *has 2 fixed retainers and an essix retainer for night time now!
Please help! I never needed the wax strip much when I got my bottom braces fitted in September but since having my top brace in last Friday, I cannot do without wax. I am in so much pain and my mouth is shredded to bits. I am close to running out and I cannot find any wax in boots or superdrugs. I shall run out by tomorrow lunchtime and cannot get through the day without it - I feel like the only choice I currently have is to go to my Ortho to get some. Surely there must be somewhere that sells wax????
I have found some on ebay but will take at least 4 days to get here if ordered now
I am in London (South) but don't mind travelling tbh if pointed in the right direction. I won't be able to eat or speak without it
Metalmonkey, there was a thread about this in the Dental Do-Dads forum ("dental wax UK") from which it sounds like you can only get wax from your ortho (or possibly dentist) in the UK. (Well, apart from thru the internet of course). It's the same where I live. On that thread Lisa65 suggested you can use sugar-free gum in an emergency. Never tried it myself but it might help to tide you over
You might just have to go to your ortho- or perhaps your dentist might have some?
I rarely use wax- the annoyance with my braces is that they rub right at the very back of my mouth, and the wax never stays on properly. At the minute my back molar bands/wire has rubbed enough to give me a huge ulcer, so I've been using gauze in my mouth It works a lot better than wax for the back of my mouth, and is thin enough no to be an issue with speech and isn't noticeable. Of course you can't go around with gauze stuffed under your lower lip, but just a tip is anyone's wire rubs right at the back.