Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi Everyone!
Looking to you who have been "embraced" for awhile for your experiences:
Just prior to braces I had 4 teeth total pulled -two top bicuspids (one on each side) and the two bottom (one on each side). A couple of weeks later I got the Damon ceramics and wires. Since then they added elastic ligatures and 4 elastic chains.
I saw a big change over the first months as things began to line up straight right away. But since the elastic chains were added, they've started pulling things back and my teeth are not lined up anymore but look more like a picket fence. I have spaces between all of them now!
This is not upsetting me at all because I know that things are shifting as some teeth move to make space for others and that this is just one of those awkward points of my treatment. I just laugh at it.
Last time I went for adjustment I heard the tech and doc talk about some things and it sounds like on my next visit (Sept 7) they are going to add some more "gear" to the works. I didn't catch exactly what it is but the tech said this next visit is a big one.
I am actually going for a wire clip after work tonight so I am going to ask exactly what to expect next week but want to know - has anyone else been to the point that I have described and know what I might expect next? I know we're all different so I am not holding anyone accountable...but what happened to you next?
I am also at that point where some teeth feel loose. The reason I don't freak over that is because of reading this message board -I know its normal.
They told me 12-18 months and I can't believe I am already 1/3 or 1/2 done!!
PS- I would have lost it by now with out "Archwired"!!! THANK YOU!

Time sure flies, isn't it.

When you say elastic chains, do you mean power chains? I doubt they would let you finish with gaps between your teeth so perhaps they will give you two power chains next time (one on top and one on bottom). They pull your teeth together to eliminate gaps.

It also sounds like they might be hinting at giving you elastics to work on your bite.

What is it with ortho techs who like to try to scare you? I had one that did the same thing. She was always telling me that the next few weeks would be very difficult with lots of pain as the ortho added elastics and different configurations of powerchains, and I typically and perhaps somewhat annoyingly (to her) would say "Well then, just bring it, Elena" and laugh. At six months I recall my bite really got messed up from the powerchains and elastics, and I wasn't as concerned about getting food caught in my braces as much as how weird I might be looking trying to chew food in public places, trying to find a few teeth that actually provided some sort of actual bite. And it seemed to change week to week. I think if my tech were more savvy she would have warned me about what new adventures lie ahead in trying to eat without looking like some sort of deviant. And that really didn't change until near the end of my treatment (2 years stretched to 3 due to high bone density). It was like one day I woke up and suddenly my bite was becoming normal again. Of course I immediately suspected that they had done something to give me false hope that I might eventually get these things off, and that the next day I would be back to my routine which caused young children to look away in horror as I tried to eat. OK well maybe I am a little over-dramatic.
You'll get through it just like everything else you have endured! Best of luck to you.