The power of a powerchain!

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#1 Post by **wilson123** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:18 am

Wow! I am absolutely shocked.

I broke a bracket and called in the dentist this morning at 9am for him to fix it. He then also popped a 6 link powerchain across my front top two teeth and round to close the gap that had been appearing between the two front teeth (and also obviously shift the teeth round).

Since this appointment at 9 and right now, the gap has closed (fair enough opening up a gap to the left of the front two teeth which isn't powerchained up) but wow. A little over two hours and so much movement?!

Has anyone else noticed such a shift so quickly whilst in powerchains?

#2 Post by **berlylabs** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:20 pm

I had the same situation. I had a gap and almost immediately it was gone. I must say though that for the next 3 days I was in agony pain wise.

#3 Post by **evilnel** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:13 pm

Boy, I wish my power chains would work that fast! I've had them since about December and I still have a few spaces!

Apparently, I have dense bone... ~_~

#4 Post by yo » Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:24 pm

I've had my powerchains on for 3 days now, the first two days were really difficult. I'm still having problems with tenderness, but I haven't seen any movement.

I figure once I feel the wire coming out the back of my molar, I'll know I've had something significant happen.

#5 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Wed Apr 21, 2010 4:19 pm

Ahh...I met my first powerchain yesterday. Ortho placed one on the bottom. I was okay for the first two hours, then the pain started to set it. I thought, "Oh, this can't be as bad as brace day." So I didn't take any meds, well about 2 hours later, I am sitting here at work and I felt the pain! I took some motrin, it went away. My teeth were starting to get very sore and tender.

2:30 am this morning, I am awoken with major pain. I thought I was pregnant and giving birth - realized I wasn't, so I took some Excedrin and put a heating pad on my teeth and the pain subsided.

Today the pain has been hit and miss. I just took some motrin an hour ago and the pain is gone.

The good news! My gaps are really close to closing and I noticed the PC has significiently changed my lower arch already. It has been about 26 hours since it was placed on. I was afraid that the PC was going to make my teeth crooked but so far so good!

I will be very afraid when the ortho puts one on the top.

#6 Post by **MrMetalMouth1029** » Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:20 pm

Oh yes! I've walked out of the orthodontist's office once after getting a powerchain and seeing a gap close. That was the great part. The day after was the part I didn't like...the pain was intense, but it was temporary. Powerchains are no joke!

#7 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:43 am

I had my first adjustment and wire change yesterday since getting the powerchain almost 8 weeks ago... let me tell you, when they took the powerchain and wire off, it was ugly underneath. I pride myself on having good hygeine practices but unfortunately there was plaque buildup on the wire, brackets and chain. A few of the gates on the brackets were hard to open because of this.

The assistant said this is normal but I was not happy. Luckily, after I had these removed, I went to the dentist for a cleaning, and when I returned to the ortho, no additional PC was needed.

So, if you have a PC, spend some extra time cleaning. I have a waterpik, Sonic Care and I floss everyday.
It is amazing what 8 weeks can do.

#8 Post by **catgyrl** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:56 am

Snowglobe-

This may be a dumb question, but... how does one clean under a powerchain? I have a hard enough time making sure I floss correctly under the wires, and am constantly brushing around the brackets. I just don't see how you can clean under/between the chain links.

I don't yet have my chain, but I'm sure I'm going to get one at some point. My pre-braces hygiene (embarassing to say) was not very good, and I'm trying my darndest to have clean, healthy teeth now.

Thanks for any advice you can give!!!

#9 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:00 pm

[quote="catgyrl"]Snowglobe-

This may be a dumb question, but... how does one clean under a powerchain? quote]

That is not a dumb question - that is a question I wished I had asked when I got the powerchain! It seems to me that the plaque gets stuck in the space between the chain and the bracket. It actually just attached itself and I couldn't see it. I thought I was doing a good job with my proxy brush but I guess not. The assistant had a hard time getting the gate on my bracket to open because it was stuck. It was very painful.

I use the proxy brushes, a water pik, and my Sonic Care. The only thing different I did from my adjustment before this one, was...get this: I waited an hour to an hour and a half after I ate because everyone says not to brush right after eating. Well, guess what? I am going back to brushing when I am done eating.

Anyone else have any advice for cleaning around a powerchain?

#10 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:27 pm

[quote="catgyrl"]Snowglobe-

This may be a dumb question, but... how does one clean under a powerchain? quote]

That is not a dumb question - that is a question I wished I had asked when I got the powerchain! It seems to me that the plaque gets stuck in the space between the chain and the bracket. It actually just attached itself and I couldn't see it. I thought I was doing a good job with my proxy brush but I guess not. The assistant had a hard time getting the gate on my bracket to open because it was stuck. It was very painful.

I use the proxy brushes, a water pik, and my Sonic Care. The only thing different I did from my adjustment before this one, was...get this: I waited an hour to an hour and a half after I ate because everyone says not to brush right after eating. Well, guess what? I am going back to brushing when I am done eating.

Anyone else have any advice for cleaning around a powerchain?

#11 Post by **catgyrl** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:37 pm

I'll make sure to ask my ortho next week, regardless of whether or not I get my powerchain. Thanks for your help!!

#12 Post by **Huon** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 3:47 pm

Power chains are powerful. I wore one for three days. After the first day, the upper lateral incisor had slid back behind the canine - the place from which we had been pulling it for nine months. My ortho removed the chain the next day and didn't even say "oops".
I hope you have better luck.
Huon

#13 Post by **Takako** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:35 pm

Oh, powerchain... Yeah. Super powerful stuff, closes some gaps in 3 hours, takes months to close others!!