Newbie questions!

[bunnieteefie]

Hi! I have an open-bite from thumb sucking and I just got my top braces (self-ligating) about one month ago, and got my bottom braces put on last week. ^^

My ortho put some blue build-ups on my top molars when they realized that my back teeth were biting onto the bottom brackets, and because of that my open-bite is even more opened now. The gap from the front is about 0.8mm wide, and none of my teeth touch. I don't know how I should eat when I can't bite/chew anything. I also have a giant lisp right now which makes me feel very frustrated. I went back to the ortho and she told me there's nothing she could do, and these paddings can actually help my teeth move faster.

Also ever since my first adjustment (where they put my lower braces), a lot of questions have popped into my head. My ortho does not explain too much for me, but I hope you guys can help me out!

So here are my questions:
1. How does molar turbos help my teeth move faster?
2. Why did they use a white wire on my bottom braces when I have metal brackets?
3. Why did they not put the wire through my very last molars?
4. Is it normal to not have my top wire changed or taken out and re-adjusted at my first appointment?

Thank you very much for your help!

[nybizzle]

I only know the answer to your 4th question, so here goes... I think it is normal to not have the wire changed. They may keep the same wire because they want your teeth to move a little more before they change it.

[Mpkh]

So here are my questions:
1. How does molar turbos help my teeth move faster?
2. Why did they use a white wire on my bottom braces when I have metal brackets?
3. Why did they not put the wire through my very last molars?
4. Is it normal to not have my top wire changed or taken out and re-adjusted at my first appointment?

1) Turbos prevent your upper teeth from biting the brackets off your lower teeth. No broken brackets = no interruptions in treatment = no unnecessary setbacks. Turbos also open up your bite and allows your teeth to move as they need to, progressing your treatment.

2) The wires should work the same regardless of colour. White wires are for aesthetics. Not sure why your orthodontist decided on a white wire...perhaps the office was out of the metal version of the particular wire she used? Or they only ordered the white version? Either way, colours don’t matter, the wires should work the same.

3) When you start out, the initial wire doesn’t go through the molar brackets. The initial wire is thin, flexible, and simply doesn’t have the force to exert on the molars.

4) Wires don’t necessarily get changed or adjusted at all appointments.