OK--This was not the plan!

[EbonyQ]

Thank you guys . I really appreciate it. When I postet my first post I thought it was on my own journal, man was I that messed up? Sorry that I took your journal klobird!

I will try to keep 11 January as the bracing date, I just need to get an appointment to speak with my ortho so I can get the hang on this again. All communication was lost last time because I froze as the result of everything happening. If I can get that back then I will be able to do this.

Want this so badly but I’m so afraid of it, and I hate it…

[klobird]

Hey Eb---You have a ticker!!

[EbonyQ]

yeah, I know Maybe there is hope?

[Beauty is Pain]

Congrats Ebony!! First step sorted!! Don't be scared!! The sooner you get those babies on, the sooner they come off -> the sooner you have straighter teeth!! tada!!

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Beauty, that's how I look at is, I had my consult in June and got those puppies on in September and the whole time I wanted to rush right into it, the sooner I get them on the sooner they come off, Im already practically 3 months into it.

[klobird]

I'm having a rough braces day...I have Oragel all over the inside of my lip on the top left side. I had an elastics hook (that isn't being used right now--they put a different one right on the archwire and that's the hook I'm using for the heavy elastics)--poking out the bottom side of the bracket. It was like a pin sticking into the inside of my lip all day. I had my mind so entrenched in my job that I was not focused on what was going on in my mouth. I got home from work, and there's this big sore on the inside of my lip. It hurts like hell. I have wax all over the place, and so much Oragel I can't even feel my teeth!

Anyway, the ortho said to use the eraser at the end of a pencil to push that poking elastics hook inward when it pokes straight down. It's happened a couple of times and I've taken care of it. Well....hmmmm...so, I pushed the pokey back in. And I ate a sandwich, then went to brush my teeth. The elastics hook is completely gone--missing--AWOL!! It came right out of the bracket! I had to have swallowed it , and it's probably inside me cutting up all my organs...I'll probably die in my sleep tonight!!

OK, just trying to pick myself up from this ordeal...I'm sure it'll be fine...I'm going to call the ortho in the morning, so when I go back in January they won't charge me that d*mn $50 fee for breaking something...man, this sore really hurts this time...and the braces thing has been so uneventful for so long....

[Jano]

ouch ! poor klobird ... what made the hook start to suddenly stick into your lip after 7 months ? dothose things move with the teeth and one day they are ok and then suddenly wham !
Sounds like that use the pencil erasor end advice was not such a good idea , do you think that weakened it ?
Hope you are feeling ok by now and they have sorted it for you .
I am such a newbie but I asked the orthodontist secretary what do I do if I am in pain and he is away or the place is closed for the weekend .. she said " contact your local dentist , they can tweak things quickly for you .. " easier said than done as I live in a rural area in Australia but maybe its easier than getting into the orthodontist.
Anyway .. I feel for you and I hope you are feeling much much better

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Awh Klobird. I emember the day I got kidney surgery they had to intubate me because I kept throwing up prior to surgery. When I woke up the weight of the tube had pulled my lip to the side and that got scratched over the surface of the braces NOT fun nad thyat was just 21 days after getting my braces I hope your braces day getts better. My braces are mucho better, aside from elastics that I now understand why people complain.

[klobird]

Hey Jano and Braced---My mouth is feeling much better this morning. I used some Rincinol (wonderful investment) before I went to bed, and the sore spot had time to heal somewhat. But it's ok this morning...

Ya, every once in a while I get a poking wire--it's pretty normal. And at times you may have to go to the ortho to get a pokey clipped. The thing is---the teeth move sooooo fast that what may be irritating at one time, may not be irritating even an hour later. It's weird....

So, I'm not dead....I still have to go to work today....dang.....

Thanks Jano and Braced for your encouragement--that's why I like this forum soooo much!

Oh ya, Jano---my regular dentist is so cool that she said if I ever need help when the ortho is out, she would help me. Then she told me that she lives in the same building as her office and that she could be right there for me. She is awesome!

[catgyrl]

I'm sorry to hear about your hook (or, missing hook, as it now is...) I had the same problem. Had these hooks in forever, and all of a sudden a couple weeks ago it just hooked onto my lip and would not let go. I was in the middle of a conversation, and then... AACK!!! My friend actually laughed at me cuz it looked so crazy; like someone took a hook and hooked me in the corner of my mouth. I've had Anbesol and wax coating that side for a week, and it's finally feeling better.

Oh, how happy we will be when these things come off, huh??!!

[klobird]

Ya Cat--like it's so weird--you get so used to the braces and occasional pokeys that when it's really a braces problem, you don't realize it until the pokey is chewing up the inside of your mouth, or like you said--hooking on and not letting go!!
Yeeooowww, now that must have hurt...and then ya, you're healing for a week...

Fortunately, mine is a lot better, but I have wax in the worst spot, which I will be taking off in a few minutes before I go to work. It's right up there in front, and wax up there looks like a gross big blob of concentrated spit---ok, ewwww....
but ya, those are the times when I understand why my sister was so upset that she had to go 2 1/2 yrs instead of the 2yrs she was initially told. I'm not to the point where I can't stand another minute...just a littler perturbed...

[VancouverJude]

Here's a question: Say you are wearing elastics and the hook area is bugging you. So you put a chunk-o-wax on the hook area. Will it impede the movement ("work") of the elastics in any way?

[klobird]

Hi Jude--So here's what I think happened...I had only one elastics hook on each side on the top (and the hooks were part of the bracket) . Those were used for the light, medium, and heavy when it was only 1 heavy elastic. Well, apparently he needed more strength to line up my bite. So he added 2 more hooks right next to the other ones, but on the archwire. And with them being right next to each other, and with 2 heavy elastics running right over the old hook, I think the 2 heavy elastics put so much pressure on the bracket hook that it just came loose, then off...

A long story that has absolutely nothing to do with your question...no, I really don't think placing the wax changes the purpose or the direction of the elastics much. I understand your question but I really don't think so...but I'm not an ortho either. It might be a good Metal Mouth Forum question that might get Dr. Tam's attention....

I think as long as the elastic is running from the top hook to the bottom hook as directed, the elastics are still going to pull the teeth....but again--I have absolutely nooooo idea!!!! hahahaha

I am soooooo tired tonight....I think it's beginning to show.............

[BracedSurgeryStudent]

Hey Klobird glad your mouth is feeling better. I could not have said it better, I LOVE this forum.

I called my orthoodntists office about the pokeys. She said to just take the stop which is a thick rounded cylinder crimped onto the archwires and push it to the opposite side and it should slide over with the greatest of ease, I did but it kept shifting back so I jsut asked if I could ultimately clip it and she said yeah if I can reach back there by all means go for it. My mom has a pair of what I swear are orthodontic wire cutters LOL. I've never been to the orthodontist for any sort of emergency. I once had an emercency and then had her paged and she called me and walked me through it and we fixed it. Have not brocken a bracket *knock on wood*

Get this, last time I went for my adjustment, I told her about the pokey wire and when she put the wires back it it was pockey on both sides and she told me to check and good thing I did because it was pokey on all two sides on the top.



Jude, no, it will not impede the progess or purpose of the elastics by any means. You're all set so no need to worry.

[EbonyQ]

I’m glad you’re feeling better! It must have been so weird...
Hope you don't need to pay for it!

It’s almost weekend so just hang in there a few more hours! Just a few more hours