Week 34

It's been a few days since my last orthodontist appointment, and boy, I really am enjoying life without elastics. It's surprising how fast I had gotten used to having elastics (they've been a thing for me since day 1 of braces), but what's even more surprising is how fast I had gotten used to being without them. And between the two, not having elastics is the way to go. Which is why I'm really, really hoping that my teeth will stay awesome enough that I don't need to be put back on elastics. Because once you go without elastics, you really don't want to get back on them unless it's a must.

As I plainly stated above, life without elastics is pretty amazing. I never realized how much of a fuss and hassle elastics were until I didn't have to use them anymore. Before, elastics were a constant in my braces treatment. It was built into my daily routine. Eat, brush teeth, floss, put on elastics, and if it's night time, put on an extra one. I never really thought about elastics; it was just something I had to do as part of my braces treatment, and I just simply incorporated into my routine. But now that I'm without, it's obvious to me just what a hassle they were. I had to take them out each time I wanted to eat. Then I have to put them back in after I was done eating. I always carried a bag of elastics with me when I went out. I watched my supply of elastics, and made sure I never ran out. I swept up stray elastics from the bathroom floor all the time. Elastics can and do break in your mouth, and I've swallowed a few. They weren't the most comfortable of things to wear. You ca't open your mouth quite as wide with them in, and the nighttime box configuration was super limiting. I couldn't even yawn with that in.

But without elastics, suddenly I can eat without fiddling with the elastics. There's none of that fear of leaving the elastics out for too long. None of elastics snapping and breaking in my mouth. No more counting elastics and making sure I don't run out. No more dropping elastics on the floor. It's...very freeing. I haven't felt anything different without having the elastics on, bite wise, but for the first little bit, the lack of pressure from the elastics was...odd. Mostly because I was so used to the elastics exerting their force on my teeth. And definitely, I can yawn again without that nighttime box configuration on my front teeth. I can also open my jaw all the way without the Class III elastics in the way. It's pretty damn amazing.

And the gap between my right lateral incisor and canine in the lower arch have closed with the new powerchains that I got from the most recent orthodontist appointment. As have the gap between my right canine and premolar on the lower arch. So some movements did happen in between the three days between my last orthodontist appointment and now. Which is pretty amazing. Took a three powerchains to do it, but those gaps are finally closed.

Orthodontics is really art mixed with science.

Week 34. Elastics free is the way to go.