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I got my TPA and archwire for my upper braces last week and I am doing much better than I was last week...it only took about 4 or 5 days and I was doing much better! I even got to eat some turkey dinner...just cut it up very small and chewed very carefully...
I have a question about the archwire...On the left side I am feeling sore cause the wire is poking out of the back and I had told my ortho when he first braced me and he tried to cut it as much as he could...even bent it up but it is still poking me so I have to use wax all the time....should he be able to cut it so that it doesn't show at all? (I can see it sticking out and curling up a bit
Any of you ever cut your own? Just I have to have wax on at all times of I get sore very quick and I am sick of eating wax I know it is not sticking out on the other side so I am not sure why he couldn't snip it more on the other side...but he said he couldn;t.
Can anyone tell me if they have had the same problem?
I seem to have this problem all the time! I have gone in a few times and had them re-cut the wire a few days after an adjustment. i am in the process of closing up an extraction gaps on both upper sides with powerchains and elastics, so when the teeth move, the wire stays put and pokes me. my ortho is very nice about doing this for me. maybe you could call and see if the can try cutting it again.
round 2! Already had them as a teen for two and a half years!
Thanks for responding to my message...sarcpres - I will call the ortho and see if they can cut it again for me...
Lucyloop - that is how mine started but it quickly went from a small bother to a real pain....thanks for the link - I might try to bend it with an eraser or something hard and see if I can do it myself.
yeah - the TPA is a pain, especially the hooks and the little metal part that goes toward my two front teeth - I am not sure what they are for but where they attach to the molar bands there is sharp little hooks and it bothers my tongue.. only noticeable at the end of the day when I have been talking a lot...
What you described is a constant battle for me. As I wear my rubber bands, it moves the wire and it pokes me in the cheek. It really starts to hurt after awhile. I used to go in to the ortho and have them cut it and they would cut it perfectly. A few days later, the wire would move and poke me again. I read here that some people use nail clippers. I bought several different kinds but they wouldn’t cut through my wire. So (yes, this is gross but when I am in pain, I will try anything) I went to the hardware store and bought wire cutters. They were a little difficult to get into and around my mouth, but with a magnifying mirror and some patience, I clipped it. I didn’t even have to apply much pressure and when I got the wire cutters on the wire, snap, gone in seconds and pain free. Of course, I would say if you can get to your ortho’s office, then you should go and let them do it. BUT if it’s the weekend, or you are out of town, etc., give it a try yourself.
At my first adjustment, (a week after 4 extractions) the assistant told me I'd have to come back in 2 weeks to get my wires clipped, as my teeth would move a lot during that time. One wire was already pokey when I left the office, but she just told me to come back in 2 weeks. So that was 2 weeks ago almost now, and all 4 of my wire ends are quite pokey, and I've had a mouth FULL of wax for at least 21 hours a day since I got my springs in.
Our ortho office is only open for 6 hours next week, so I'll definately be going in to get clipped and see if they can give me a little bit of relief.
Hi. When the assistant cut the wire behind the last bracket, it could have been flush, but as the arch wires pull our teeth together, the extra wire goes out the back, thus cutting into our cheeks. This will probably happen at each adjustment until your teeth are aligned where they need to be. Lucyloop, about feeling with your finger to see if the wire is cut flush to the bracket, be very careful. The assistant aske me that two weeks ago and I put my finger back there and STABBED myself! It was a close as she could possibly get it, but the jagged edge was enough for me to puncture my finger...
Had Damon 3 / Smart Clips for almost 2 years
Now in Hawley upper 10 hours/day, permanent lower retainers
I even got to eat some turkey dinner...just cut it up very small and chewed very carefully... 
I know it is not sticking out on the other side so I am not sure why he couldn't snip it more on the other side...but he said he couldn;t.
only noticeable at the end of the day when I have been talking a lot... 