Braces Update - The Adjusting Week of Agony With Molar Bands, Thicker Wire & Power Chains

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 -

Eating - Today I am finally able to chew without being in total agony!!  All the way up until Sunday my molars were so sore that I couldn't even chew really soft bread without being in pain.  I mainly ate, soup, ice cream, mashed potatoes & very soft mac n cheese.  The first few days even my front teeth were sore to touch.  But today I was able to eat normal without being in total discomfort.  I am also able to touch my bottom and top teeth together without getting a jolt of pain. 

Inside Cheeks - The first few days, the back of the inside of my cheeks were getting torn up by the molar bands and brackets, so I had to keep putting wax on the far back brackets, which helped a lot!  It is still a little sore on my left side cheek, but now I try not to put wax on it as long as I can, so my cheeks can toughen up and get used to it. 

Tongue - I am obsessed with feeling my teeth with my tongue, but I now get my tongue snagged between my wire and power chains when I do....ouchh!  Of course I still do it without thinking.  But, I like doing it to see if I feel a difference in gaps or straightening in my teeth.  But yea -ouch-, it does not feel good when the tongue gets cut up from doing so...maybe I will learn not too.... ;)

Flossing - Flossing my teeth has been quite a challenge.  My mouth is small and trying to get the threader with the floss in between the wire and power chains in my far back molars drives me crazy.  Once I do get it through and ready to floss it somehow snags on the brackets or stuck and I have to pull it back out and start all over again.  I'm sure the more I do it, the more I will get used to it or come up with a technique....just haven't mastered it quite yet.  But, I do have to say I LOVE my water pick. Not sure how I would survive getting all the junk out that gets stuck in the braces without it.  Brushing and flossing alone just does not do the trick!

Gaps - I haven't seen much of a difference in my extraction gaps.  I'm sure this is going to be a long process to close them.  I will wait until my 3 months on 6/18/14 to post a before and after pic so we can see if there really has been any movement towards closing them at that time.