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So... My orthodontist changed to a very thick wire. Like super thick. I think it's stainless steel. I am almost half way through my treatment(approximately one year left or more). When the orthodontist tries to insert the thick wire into the slot (I have self-ligating smartclips). It was so painful that I almost want cry out. I even wanted to punch out.
I am seriously thinking of changing my brackets to traditional ones, thinking that maybe changing ligatures will be fast less painful. I understand that this will cost my treatment to set back by abit. Still, everytime I think of changing the archwires is extreme pain. It's even worse than the pain that comes after adjustment. I wonder the pain source is the damage to my bones :/
Because I will incurred additional cost if I do so. So I wonder if all adjustments are that painful. I don't want to spent additional money and get the same kind of pain.
Any kind soul can help me answer my question please
I have SL brackets as well. I think I experience more pain from adjustments than most of the users on this forum. I thought it was just because my nerves were more sensitive, I'm already pretty sure of this because my dentist tells me that I take more numbing meds than 90% of her patients, but I guess it might also be due to the inflexibility of the metal doors as opposed to elastic ligs. When I had my braces put on, the wire wouldn't let the door close so he used a regular lig for the first 3 months. At my first adjustment he was able to fit the wire in, but it was extremely painful, your description is pretty much my feeling as well. I have a very thick steel wire installed on my 2nd adjustment, which sadly replaced my near invisible thin white colored one.
I would say that I am pretty happy with my SL brackets though, I like not having to worry about staining. They have a slightly smaller profile which help to hide them. I doubt then decrease treatment time, this is pretty much just advertising. I made my choice based on cosmetic reasons. Having your brackets replaced probably won't increase treatment time since it will only be a couple hours before your teeth are braced again, but the cost will be incredibly high. I've heard from others that debonding can be very painful and that your teeth are very sensitive after. I can't imagine that combined with the discomfort of a tightening as well, though nearly everyone here says that year two becomes really easy.
I would advice against it, but I also have the luxury of having advanced painkillers left over from a back operation for my adjustments. If you're in extreme discomfort, I would go back to your ortho for an inspection though. I personally had to do this because an assistant did not fit the wire into the bracket door and it was not moving the tooth correctly which caused a lot of pain.
I'm in a lot of pain the day after a new wire, but generally thats it. Unless I'm getting stabbed in the cheeks by a long wire, there isnt much pain at all.
But the first day with a new wire does hurt a lot. But its a good hurt
I chose self-ligating for the same reasons, no ligatures! and also because it is ceramic, smaller in size. Little did I know that braces adjustments are that painful.
Keep my fingers cross that the next adjustment will have a thinner wire! I have those thick wires for 2 adjustments already!
My most painful moment is when I get a thicker wire, too. Mine is self-ligating braces as well. In my case, I have one crooked tooth, which refuses to straighten up to allow a new wire to go through. So my doctor's assistant has to fight. That is the most painful time. After it is done, I don't have much pain.
I have very crowded teeth. When my ortho tried a thick wire, it was when my ortho decided to move my loner top tooth on at the back of my central incisor to the front. It was hell. My bottoms are still quite crooked. maybe the level of pain in changing archwire is dependable on the crowd of the teeth?
I hope my ortho will do some repositioning of my brackets, then maybe I can ask him to change all my brackets.
I actually have the traditional metal braces and my first two adjustments really hurt. My appointments were 3 weeks apart and I guess my teeth were still getting use to the braces. It was so painful when they were taking off the ligs and putting new ones on. It felt like someone was pulling on my teeth. After those first two it does not hurt anymore, not even with putting thicker wires in. I will have the normal after adjustment soreness for a couple days but no hurting in changing out the ligs. I hope your adjustments become less painful as time goes by!
