Week 8 continued - Elastic/Rubber Bands

Week 8 with power chains and elastic bands

So the first night with the elastic bands and... it wasn't so successful. In fact they were so uncomfortable I couldn't sleep with them in. I'm a really light sleeper and it takes me a long time to get to sleep, so if I'm even the slightest bit uncomfortable it's difficult for me.

The bands really lock my jaws together. I can still speak but I obviously can't move my mouth and lips as much as I want. I get really dry lips and I constantly have to put lip balm on them, so that means I'm used to rubbing my lips together to rub in the lip balm. I can't do that while they're there. And they hurt. They don't just hurt my teeth but my my jaws and cheeks feel like they're straining and sore. The relief I felt when I took them off the last night was massive. Having the braces in for the first time was not nearly so bad as this.
So I'm wearing them during the day while I'm writing this, to get my jaw used to the feel of having them on. I've read from other threads that the pain subsides once your jaws and face muscles get used to the feeling. This article from the actual Damon System website recommends you just 'power through' it, so that's what I'm doing!

The pain of having the new wire means I again can't eat so much. Even a Kinder Bueno bar, one of the softest sweets you can chew, is painful for my back teeth.

Since last week I've also been suffering from some mysterious stomach infection, so yogurt and milk, even soya, give me painful stomach aches. As do bananas (no smoothies). Toast I can't chew, and I think vegetable soup would also not be so great for my stomach (I'm vegetarian, so chicken soup is also out). So what's left is porridge (oatmeal). At least it's cheap and quick to cook.

Week 6

I've decided to change the titles to weeks now, as they are easier to keep track of than days. So I am now 6 weeks, almost 7 weeks through wearing the braces. Last time I wrote, I'd been having real aches in my top front teeth and the crooked tooth next to it, but when I look at it, it's amazing how much it's moved in the whole time I've been wearing the braces.
The bottom front four teeth have slowed down in movement quite a lot. From what I can see, a bit more space needs to be created, and then they need to be turned to created a nice 'U' shape.
My bite feels fine, and looks as though it's still ok, not moving wildly out of control. But now when I bite down, the crooked tooth on the right side comes into contact with the bottom teeth, so I think it really needs to come over the bottom teeth.
My next ortho appointment is in two days, not sure if they're going to make more changes, but let's see!

Day 36

Day 36 with Damon Braces

Day 36, no real change but the past few days my two front teeth have been a bit sore, as well as the crooked tooth next to them. I was told by the orthodontist to brush vigorously but when the bristles catch on the wire and pull, it makes it slightly more difficult.
Today the moving teeth have just been feeling loose, and the feeling in the gums below can be quite irritating. As if they're 'itchy' somehow but also ache at the same time.

Day 7

One week with Damon Braces!

It’s now exactly a week since I got my braces on and eating is much better. In fact most of the pain I have eating now comes from my mouth ulcer, which is also starting to heal.

Sadly I can’t notice much movement apart from the four bottom front teeth moving apart slightly after the first day, but I suppose I can’t expect miracles. I have my next checkup two weeks from today, and I hope I’ll see some change by that time, even if it’s only tiny.

Biting into stuff with my front teeth is a little difficult still, but I can do it with soft food. However, as much of the food gets broken down by the back teeth anyway, I tend to just put the food straight to the back of my mouth.

One thing I forgot to mention, for anyone else with receding gums in some areas: whilst having the braces fitted, it was quite painful on the tooth where the gum is receded because of being hit with a powerful blast of air and cold water. I did ask the doctor beforehand, and the dental assistant afterwards if there was a possibility that it could get better or worse with the braces, since my gums around the teeth are going to be moving as well. I was worried there was a possibility that the nerve to my tooth could get even more exposed. But the doctor and the dental nurse both assured me that this would not be the case – otherwise I guess they wouldn’t have gone ahead with the treatment.

Also this week my mirror checking time is slightly less than it was last week. I couldn’t stop looking at them last week.

Oh, and I’ve also lost a bit of weight in this week, because of soups, protein shakes and yogurt, so that’s another thing I’m pleased about!

Day 5

Day 5 with Damon Clear Braces

So the end of the working week, hurrah! Well it hasn't been too bad the first week. Just feeling a little self-conscious and a bit of trouble with the brackets rubbing my cheek, but it'll all be worth it in the end! When I touch the teeth now they feel a little less sensitive, and it can be kind of fun poking at my teeth, seeing which ones are sensitive because then I know that the braces are at that time actually working on these particular teeth.
I'll leave the next update until Monday, and do them weekly from then on, that way the changes will be more noticeable for you to see.