Fifth Adjustment - November 20, 2008

It may seem as though I have forgotten this blog. I haven't - the posts were in my head, I took pics - but finding time to write them out and post them has been difficult, to put it mildly. But! I'm back, and the end is in sight (more on that in a later post) and now I'm playing catch-up for any of you who may still be following and wondering what it's like for a late-20-something professional in Damon braces.

So. I had my next adjustment on November 20th, exactly 1 week before Thanksgiving here in the States. No coincidence: I wanted any possible tenderness to have worn off before the Big Dinner. (Or in our case, the Big Three Dinners - several sides of the family to visit!)

The adjustment went well, and I learned to my surprise that Dr. D - whom I had been seeing and whom I had finally gotten used to/developed a rapport with - was retiring in the immediate future and I would henceforward be seeing Dr. F again. Fine by me; I liked Dr. F from the get-go.

I got two new wires this time - big ones. A .018 x .025 (I think) on top and a reverse-curve (to open up my bite the last little bit, or so I was told) .017 x.025 on the bottom. Both the next step up in Phase II.

I also got that wonderful invention: a powerchain.

I had developed a Letterman-esqe gap between my front central incisors since my last adjustment, and this went way beyond the little triangle I was used to sucking air through. (Forgot to take pics this time, sorry!) I wanted it closed as much as they did, so I didn't protest the addition.

My ortho's office only uses silver powerchains, which I didn't mind, but which DID make my braces all that more noticable, completely covering my tiny looking half-clear upper brackets with opacity. Ah, well. I'm used to seeing braces in my mouth by now, and completely unself-conscious about it.

The bigger issue I had with the powerchains was cleanliness. Let me tell you now - say what you will about friction and speed and pain (or lack thereof) - all selling points of the system - but Damons are worth it to me for how easy they are to keep clean. The powerchain caught every last piece of gunk and plaque that I had been spoiled by not having to deal with previously. A little extra waterpicking and interdental brushing took care of the problem, but within a week my gap had closed and I was ready to have the thing off. Too bad my next appointment wasn't until New Years Eve...