Three weeks in and I'm just getting used to them now..

Three weeks and one day ago I had my braces fitted (see Orthodontic treatment the first step on a long journey for the first instalment) and I'm just starting to get used to them.

I didn't have a picture of my two extracted teeth when I posted before so here they are.  For some reason I didn't want to give them up.  I'm not sure what the gong rate with the Tooth Fairy is nowadays anyway.

By Christmas day I was able to chew "normal" food (nothing too hard or challenging but Christmas Dinner was fine) but couldn't bite as that was still quite painful.  On Boxing Day we visited my parents and after dinner I tried to bite a Crispbread cheese cracker which I thought would just crumble or crack at the slightest pressure (they do when you try to butter them!).  It didn't give and I needed to apply more and more pressure.  By the time it gave in I was very close to tears, it was THAT painful.  Boy, I wasn't going to try that again in a hurry.

Keeping everything clean is getting easier.  Cleaning before bed is still a 10 minute job but I'm less stressed about food getting caught up and having to clean thoroughly after every meal.

As I said previously, I've had an easy run with rubbing brackets.  I stopped the salt mouthwashes after a week because the extraction sites had healed and still no ulcers.  The SmileSuite (the practice treating me) has started recommending Vitis oral hygiene products which contain (alongside the usual fluoride levels) Allantoin which promotes soft tissue repair and Aloe Vera which soothes inflammation.  I don't have a control case to compare with (I have never had a brace and not used these products) so can't attribute conclusively to these products but I feel they must be helping.  A good test will be when my wife starts using them as she is still suffering from ulcers and discomfort 3 months in.

Whilst I haven't been ridiculous I haven't been that restrictive with my meals after the first week of soup and mashed potato.  I've had proper meals, drunk tea and coffee, even red wine and my ligs still look reasonably clean.  The first curry will be a test but if it stains the ligs then I can live with that until the next check up.

Last night I had takaway pizza without using a knife and fork.  After the Boxing Day cheese cracker incident I had been trying to avoid biting anything but I decided that I had to push myself.  I was slower than I was pre-brace (but that's no bad thing) but I managed to eat a whole pizza without resorting to cutting it into mouth sized bits.  Pizza crust is on the "avoid" list of foods but this was quite soft so I risked it and survived.

Teeth are apparently supposed to move (under treatment) 1mm per month.  I understand though that initial rotating and levelling can be quicker as it involves less root movement through the jaw.  From the pictures below you can see that after 3 weeks my upper teeth are slightly straighter and the upper left incisor that was set back has pulled forward.  On the lower jaw the incisors are much straighter and an even height and they are more upright.  I think the only thing stopping them moving into a perfect line is the canines which have not moved very much at all.  They have quite a way to go.

I still have three weeks to go before my first check up and adjustment but it seems to be going OK.  I'm feeling pretty bored of having them on now but its an inconvenience rather than being painful and I keep telling myself it will be worth it.  There's already an improvement in my bite which is a help when motivation wanes.

If you missed teh start of the story you can see it here.  Orthodontic treatment - the start of a journey