Today was my first adjustment! Being the dummy I am, I didn't take any tylenol beforehand
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
, so I'm a tad sore now... I took some about an hour ago, it's helping.
Anyway, here's the story: Went in and sat with an assistant I really like. It was right after they all get back from lunch, so they just call all the patients with a 1:00 appt back and you sit in any open chair. She pulled my info up on the computer and said we had to wait for the ortho to make his way over. He came over and took a look in my mouth, told her what to do and moved to the next patient. She started by pulling off my top wire (not painful, just a little weird feeling), then the bottom one. I had what they call a "hook" or "button" on my two lower cuspids (they were rotated to far to have a bracket when I got banded, this was to help them move a litte), and she called the ortho over to pull them off. That didn't hurt, but HOLY CRAP
![Cussing :-(*](./images/smilies/cussing.gif)
did it hurt when she was scraping off the cement! Anyway, she finally got it all off, polished the teeth a little bit, and called the ortho back over to place the new brackets. Once he did that, she put a new, heavier wire on the top, and put the same wire on the bottom after pulling the kinks out of it. I could feel gentle pressure as soon as the wires went on. My top teeth are sore, and the two on the bottom with the new brackets hurt a little too.
![SoreMouth :soremouth:](./images/smilies/Hurt_Mouth.gif)
When I started my treatment, I was told I'd probably need an expander, and they put one in today. They call it an "ortho organizer", which I can't seem to find info on doing a google search. I thought it was the same thing as a TPA, but looking at the pics, mine has a different shape. I'll post pics soon, I promise. It's funny, looking at my progress pics I thought, "Wow! I've had so much expansion! How much bigger can my arch get?" Now I've got this goofy thing in my mouth and it's all scrunched up and folded on itself! Guess I have a lot of expanding to do! My ortho told me to give the new appliance a few days, it should take about 2 or 3 to get used to it, but if it's really driving me nuts, I can come back and have it taken out. I'm not sure if I want to do that because I would think that would slow down my expansion, but I forgot to ask that. I'm going out of town Friday for a week, so I hope I get used to it, but if not, I'll be back in the chair. I'm talking a little funny, like I have marbles in my mouth, and salavating like a rabid dog. Doesn't help that I can't swallow properly! Stupid brain, not knowing this thing isn't food!
So that's it, in all it's detail! My ortho was pleased with my progress, and the asst was too when she pulled up my pics.
![Dance :dance:](./images/smilies/eusa_dance.gif)
I didn't ask if I'm on schedule or not because I have a feeling he won't want me to get my hopes up or anything. It's too soon to tell anyway, I know that! Next appointment is September 11, the same day I have a dental cleaning. Have the cleaning first, don't want to be sore for the dentist - I want a DEEP CLEAN!!!
Stay tuned for pics - I promise I'll post one of the new appliance.