Tinsel E - update

OW.

'Nuff said.

OW OW OW. The motrin isn't helping enough. And neither is the shredded wheat I'm trying to eat for lunch. That was a poor choice in lunch packing...

I knew I was getting a new wire today but the last time I got a new wire, it really wasn't that bad. The pain was pretty much gone in a day, and I didn't have to take medication for the pain. So I figured more of the same. Clearly, I figured WRONG!

I had noticed a space had formed between two of my lower teeth, and I found out today that the orthodontist did that on purpose to create space in my palette. This space give the front three bottom teeth the room to realign in the center of my mouth. So how does the orthodontist realign teeth that way? Rubber bands!!

I thought, oh no, no rubber bands, please! I don't want to have something else to think about, too!! However, the technician wrapped the rubber band around the brackets of my bottom three teeth such that it's under the wire. That means I don't have to deal with it! Yaaay! But hooooh boy does it create some pressure that I didn't expect.

The new wire adds a whole other dimension of pain. I can feel that it's moving my back teeth (in particular) already. This is where the majority of the pain is, and it's giving me a headache.

The orthodontist said a few more things today:

1. This new wire will create space in my upper teeth the way the last wire created space in my lower teeth.
2. I only have 1 more wire change left before I'm done.
3. It looks like I'm running ahead of schedule. Of course I wasn't told how far ahead of schedule...

The dentist said that typically, once the orthodontist gets the teeth where he wants them, he'll leave the wire in place with no adjustments for 3-4 months because in the adult mouth, it takes longer for the bone to form so the teeth stop moving.

I don't think I'm getting my last wire at my end-of-October appointment but given the pattern I've seen so far, I'll probably get it in November/early December. So if that pattern holds true and if what my dentist said is true, I may be done a month early....

Time to go find something *soft* to eat for lunch.