Tobilei's Train Tracks.

[Tobilei]

Sounds like you're pretty sanguine about it, so that's good. It's too bad you weren't able to get in to see your regular orthodontist. I've been very lucky.... my orthodontist is in practice all by himself so I always see him every time I go in.
I have an appointment on Monday. I think they're going to finish putting the rest of the brackets on my molars and put on a powerchain. So, I'm sorting of dreading the coming appointment but if it starts to get things moving, then it will be good. Good luck with your new ligs. I hope you don't have much staining.

Lol, I think I'm more resigned about it. They're going to look crud soon but there's no way I'm giving up my coffee! (Don't eat much curry and I'll skip the soup until next adjustment anyway, pretty sick of soup so I won't miss it ).

Good luck for Monday! Let me know how you get on!! Those back molar brackets tend to rub for a couple of days after you get them on (and then again after every adjustment, don't know why, or mine do anyway, have a lovely ulcer up there now that only just healed because of the adjustment a week ago, grr!). Good luck too with the powerchain! Are you getting silver? I'm thinking I might get a gray one, I've read they don't stain much and there's no way I want a clear one (eek!)

[Dee17]

Hi Tobelei,
Thanks for your good wishes. Like I said, I'm pretty much just dreading it but I'm anxious to get things moving along. I mean, it HAS been four months since I got them first put on. I am going to ask for either a silver or smoke coloured powerchain and hope they have it.
I hadn't known about the brackets on the back molars rubbing and causing ulcers. I guess it's probably pretty difficult to put wax on them allthe way back there, isn't it?
So, I am going to make yet another trip to the grocery store to stock up on more "soft food" (Did I tell you that I ate yet another lovely bowl of yogurt and banana mush for breakfast again this morning? Ugh. I am getting so sick of it, I can't even tell you.
I'll let you know how things to. I may ask them to take a photo for me so I don't have to do it myself.

[Tobilei]

Yeah, I can identify with wanting things to get moving. Braces certainly are a lesson in patience!!

My daughter had a silver powerchain and found it faded to a funny clear/greenish colour pretty quickly. I can say that smoke coloured ligs do stain. Not as badly as clear one's but they do turn a sort of dingy gray colour eventually (they look pretty manky when he takes them off). Honestly? I'd go for a gray one. They look pretty much just like the silver and I think less fading from what I've read.

The back one's do rub more, but it's only at first. When I first got mine put on it bothered me for 2 days. They bother me again for 24 hours after every adjustment but it settles down pretty quickly. Mine seem to get razor sharp bits on them that either stop rubbing or go away once things have settled down. They rarely stop me chewing. I just chew on whatever side isn't hurting that day.

Wax is tough to get back there. Like I said on facebook yesterday, in desperation I used my hair dryer to dry the bracket yesterday. Seemed to work pretty well. Also use more wax than you think it will take. Smaller globs seem to just disintergrate and fall apart.

[Dee17]

Hi Tobelei,
Thanks for the tips. I think this whole experience with wearing braces is a major drain on one's patience. I just keep telling myself not to get too upset about things, that it will all be worth it in the end. I just really hope that will be the case. If it turns out NOT to be the case, I am going to be very upset.
I'll see if they have any grey powerchains when I go in on Monday.

[Tobilei]

UGH UGH UGH! (Sorry for all the whining of late-thanks for listening Dee!) I have to go back in AGAIN I don't know what the heck is going on, I've had pokey wires and brackets at the back that cause ulcers before but whatever he did when he put the tubing on the wire has done something at the back. I *think* it's the wire, but whatever is back there is pointing straight back and all around the back and side is razor sharp (like cut your fingers razor sharp).

I've resorted to eating with wax on because if I don't have some on there it's tearing up my cheek like a bunch of razor blades are attached to the back tooth. I've never felt pain like it and I gave birth to twins!

I hope my ortho isn't mad when I show up on their doorstep yet again (hmm I wonder if he'd change my ligs back for me while I'm there?). Knowing my luck he'll be out of town for a week or something. I really don't want to see that other ortho again. Both times I've seen him now I've come away feeling worse rather than better.

[EbonyQ]

Aww, I’m sorry to hear this Tobilei!

Before I started working at a ortho office I always had something wrong with my braces, and I felt I was in and out of his office all the time. So I do feel for you there.

We teach our pt to clip the wire themselves and give them a cutter to do so with. In case things happens and we are closed our pt don’t need to suffer that much. Maybe your ortho can teach you to do it?
It might save you a few trips!

[Dee17]

Eeeek, Tobelei, that sounds just awful!!! I am SO sorry to hear this. It seems to me that you've really struggled (with many issues) since you got your braces put on. What a shame. I mean, I think it's bad enough to have to wear braces in the first place. The least you can expect is that it will be a relatively easy AND painless experience!
Don't feel bad about going back in to get this looked at. I think that any reputable orthodontist would not want his patient to be in pain. I don't know what time it is there right now (I think you're 16 hours ahead of me and here it's 11:15 am. on Saturday) but go in first thing on Monday morning. Try to be there when the office opens and they will certainly not refuse you. I hope you don't have to see the other orthodontist but if you do, just explain what the problem is and let it go at that. Remember, you are paying GOOD money for this work. You deserve to get your money's worth. Good luck.
Oh, and don't worry about all the moaning. That's what we're here for, right? I told you I would support yu through your journey and I'm happy to be here for you -- no matter how far away I really am!
xoxo
Dee

[Tobilei]

Thanks Ebony, good to know it's not just me I'm just worried he's going to think I'm a whinger! I don't like the white ligs and I whined about them here but I wouldn't go back in just to change them. The wire has calmed down a little to the point where it's okay as long as I don't eat As soon as I try to chew it's just scraping the whole back of my cheek.

I'll ask about trimming myself, thanks I think though that this particular one is possibly too far back. I can barely see up there so I'd be a bit concerned about what else I might snip while I was back there Luckily he's only 15 minutes away and it's a freeway trip so not too bad, just pesky and a little embarrassing.

Thank you Dee Yeah, I've had a couple of problems. My daughter said to me last night "maybe you just like to complain more than me Mum, I've not had to go back in for anything" (ummm thanks daughter, I feel MUCH better now ).

My ortho is lovely and I know he wouldn't want me to be in pain. I know he'll understand, I just hate being a pest! Yep, you're right. It's just gone Sunday morning. I'll call first thing tomorrow and take whatever appointment I can get with him. I do get a choice, I just chose the other one last time because otherwise I would have had to wait another few days and I just couldn't.

Thanks for listening guys!

x

[Dee17]

Hi Tobelei,
Oh, I didn't know that you had the option to choose who you see. Good to know. So, if you think the problem can wait a little bit longer (and you don't think you'll starve before you get in!) then maybe you should wait to go in and see your favourite guy. Explain to him everything that has happened. I'm sure he'll take care of you.
As for your being a "whiner" --- more so than your daughter? I would completely put that out of my mind if I were you. Everyone is entitled to express their problems. Maybe you have a lower pain threshold than she does? Who know? But the bottom line is that if you are having pain, you are entitled to address it.
Like I've said before, I think I've been incredibly lucky insofar as not having much pain (or even discomfort) with this whole process. I do think, though, that I have a reasonably high pain tolerance so that might explain it. But if I were dealing with the kinds of things you've been describing, you can bet I'd be on the phone PRONTO to my orthodontist's office. As it was, when I was dealing with the teeth clenching issues, I called a few times and finally went in. I didn't feel bad at all! And neither should you!

[Tobilei]

Thanks Dee Maybe I jumped the gun. It WAS hurting that bad. I managed some lunch cut up into little tiny triangles. It's still a bit sore but I might hold off and see how it goes for a couple more days if it stays like it is today. He works at 2 offices near me (both are about the same distance) so I can usually get in to see him one day or another.

Lol, I just laughed at my daughter. One of those teenage remarks I think. They have an opinion on everything I think I've just had a few unlucky moments (but I have learned that I will ONLY see my own ortho from now on!)

[EbonyQ]

Yesterday I heard boss talking to a dad who had child getting braces, the talked abou molar buildups. The father was worried that his child could not eat with them on (she was 12 years old), which my boss reply:
“With children it will be fine, those first days will be hard but children got this amazing gift to adapt and before you know it she is used to them. I have just had to remove them one time on a child who could not handle it. On adults it’s much harder, we can’t adapt that easily and it’s much more difficult for them. I have had to remove these several times on adults who can’t handle them”

So things seems to be more difficult for us ”old folks” . Good luck tomorrow!

[Dee17]

Yes, I think that's true.... adults are a different kind of patient. I had to get my molar buildups removed after only a little while because I started clenching my teeth so hard at night it was waking me up 2 and 3 times a night. Not nice, let me tell you!

[Mylovedtheeth]

Good luck tomorrow! If I knew upfront how much pain braces gives I would prefer stay with crooked teeth Now its to late, we have to suffer

[Tobilei]

Ebony Q aww thanks for that. Made me feel like less of a sook! I admit, I've certainly had times where I've been on the brink of marching in there and begging my ortho to remove them. $6800 however prevents me from doing so! (That and the fact that I'm stubborn as!)

Dee I'm sure they're not! I can't imagine having to have those too! My 10 year old is already on the countdown for when hers come off (and she's at least 3 years off!)

Mylovedteeth, I'm pretty sure if I'd known what was in store I might have thought about it too!

Thanks for the well wishes guys! Ummm....I confess.....I didn't go! Whatever was stabbing me has either broken off or twisted itself the other way or the back of my cheek has turned into an almighty callous because while it stabs me every now and then, for the most part it's feeling pretty much all better So I'm going to hang on and if it gets bad again I'll go in.

[Dee17]

Hi Tobelei,
Am up at 12:18 a.m. because of anxiety about tomorrow. Ugh. At this point, I'll just be glad to get the appointment over and get on to the next stage.
I'm very glad to know that your problem seems to have resolved itself. Good going. But do promise that if it kicks up again that you'll get in straight-away, okay? No sense in suffering needlessly (she said to the group unbeknowst of her future problems brewing in the distance!!).
Well, I'm going to go back to bed and try to get some sleep. Wish me luck!