Metal Mouth Message Board

I am wearing a whimpy "training" wire. It is so mild that after about a week I could not feel any pressure. The only time I feel it is when go walking outdors and when I come in and drink hot coffey to warm up. The little bugger stings me then. I am going in for my first adjustment next week and I want to try and persuade them to put in a more aggressive wire. I have mounds of cement on my molars and will have it on for at least 6 months more so it doesn't matter how much pressure they put on my teeth bercause I can't chew. What do you guys suggest I say to the ortho. I am mentally ready to wear a big girl wire and I want to do everything possible to move this process along as fast as possibe.

Just because you don't feel pressure doesn't mean your teeth aren't still being moved by the archwire. They don't start with the smaller wire just to be nice to you; it has its purpose. Once it's done, they can move to a bigger one. Patience.

jenns91civic wrote:Just because you don't feel pressure doesn't mean your teeth aren't still being moved by the archwire.

She's right. I'm working on closing extraction gaps and my last adjustment was four weeks ago. I don't feel any pressure or soreness anymore, but I can see that my gaps are still closing. The Docs on the board have commented before that forcing treatment to move too fast is not a good way to go.

Chris

KK - if you ask him specially, won't he change all the ligs for you? My ortho said if I ever needed, I can always stop by the practice between appointments to get stained ligs changed, or swap colours.

You could get a heavy wire and your teeth move more than you would like! That happened to me. Now my heavy wires have been on a while and they are moving teeth into very unflattering positions at this point. So you see, you might want to enjoy the nice thin wire for a bit before you get the them moving in all sorts of crazy directions.

i've actually been down graded wire wise today. I had a big thick wire on the top while i was in elastics to pull back my over bite. Now they are back i've gone down to a smaller wire so that a few back teeth can be tweaked up/down. My ortho explained that the lighter wire has to be used for this kind of movement so don't worry about getting that thicker wire just yet. To be honest i didn't feel much difference in pressure between the different sized wires - it was the power chains going on that hurt

Thanks guys for your advise and help. I think what has been knawing at me it the remark by the twenty something tech that I was wearing a "training" wire. I think most of the patients she works on are young girls for whom that idea resonates, but it sure doesn't make me feel good if it implies that we aren't going ahead full speed. Before the cheek retractors go in I am going to have a long chat with the ortho on Monday.
RANT: Does anyone else loath the feeling of being asked a question when the cheek retractors are in?

I think "training" wire may refer more to training your teeth to start moving around as opposed to training you to live with braces. It's all a process of breaking down the connective tissue in one location and building connective tissue in the new location. Too much too soon would probably be counterproductive.

My dental hygienest asks me questions all the time when she's cleaning my teeth. Just amazes me how in the he** she expects me to answer!

Chris

momof2grlz wrote:
My dental hygienest asks me questions all the time when she's cleaning my teeth. Just amazes me how in the he** she expects me to answer!

Chris

mine too i am like you got sharp things in there and u think i am going to talk?

I think I would have demanded my braces be taken off at the first adjustment if they had used cheek retractor thingies every time! I only had them when getting the braces on and having a bracket replaced. Goodness...

Me too. Those retractors are hideous and I hate it when the parents of all the kids stare at you while they are in.

Homeboy won't even change your colors? Man, that's a way to control overhead! Just kidding. I have carpal tunnel syndrome from all the red and green that folks have walked in and wanted me to change them to. I get a kick out of it. Tell Scrooge to pony up the new ligs.

dr.j

2XRound wrote:RANT: Does anyone else loath the feeling of being asked a question when the cheek retractors are in?

Yep!

And not only with cheek retractors. My ortho always asks me questions with his 10 fingers in my mouth.

At my last adjustment I ended up biting heartily into his forefinger while getting a new powerchain.


Helen

I called my ortho's office to adjust the time for my appointment and managed to speake to his twenty something nurse. She explained that I have the smallest wire they use, a no 10. They use it with girls under 14 and women over 40 to ease them into the discomfort of braces. That's why she calls it a "training" wire. I controlled my frustration and asked her politely if that slowed things down and her answer was yes probably, but treatment usually takes over 100 weeks so in the end it won't matter much. Has anyone heard of such nonsense? I go in Monday for my first adjustment, does anyone have any suggestions
Should I just go along or complain at the being treatred like a 12 year old

I am so glad the assistants and front desk women are not like that where I go. They are always so supportive when I go in. Most of them had or wear braces now but still. As for the under 14 over 40 deal...I may not be in the bracket but isn't that judging or labeling us? I have never even heard of such a thing...special wire for woman of certain ages....hmm that is odd. Is there someone different you can talk to at the office, or is it always the same nurse. I would see about talking to someone else especially someone who sounds a little more caring. I didn't hear what she said personally but from how you describe it, she sounds pretty sassy. That would make me dread appointments. Good Luck My Dear