Starting to Feel Comfortable!

Link to YouTube Video: Starting to Feel Comfortable

I've had my braces on for about a month and a half now. The top set of braces are on and it took hardly any time to get used to them. You can hear in my video that I am still slightly lisping but I feel comfortable and speaking and eating are fine! I actually forget that they are on.

I can eat anything - some foods obviously get caught more than others - but I take my manual orth toothbrush, toothpaste and interdental sticks out in my bag and it's no problem to clean up.

If you consider that the brace is on for at least a year and a half, then two months is hardly any time to get used to it. You also accept when you decide to have the brace that there will be a period of adjustment so it's not too bad at all!

Wire Troubles

After having my braces attached at the top, the wire was really cutting my tongue. Unfortunately you can’t use wax right at the back of your mouth as it’s virtually impossible to dry it off enough to get the wax to stick!

I went back to see my orthodontist (12 miles away!) and he cut it right back to the penultimate molar. At the time this felt much better – but no, it was tearing my tongue to shreds at the sides. I tried to put up with it, thinking that the tongue would toughen up as it did at the front, but when something is actually cutting you it’s not possible for this to happen. (At the front the braces rub but don’t cut you.)

The second time I went back, the orthodontist used a diamond grinder to completely remove any sharp edges on the wire. As a result, the braces are much more comfortable. In fact, the relief after having it cut my tongue for over a week was pretty amazing!

Now there is no pain at all other than the occasional achy tooth which I quite like as I know that they are moving! Just normal painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen and it feels fine.