Week 53

Another week has passed, and I'm now firmly into the start of my second year of braces. I really, really hope that I can get these things off in 1.5 years instead of 2...but we'll see how things are doing at my next orthodontist appointment (which is in early May). I still can't believe it's been one whole year since I've had the brackets and wire installed on my teeth. I guess time flies when we're having fun. It's still amazing to look back at all the progress pictures that I've taken, and see all the changes that have taken place. My teeth definitely looks and feels better than before I got braces, that's for sure.

As for this week, I think I've finally figured out how to put on the box elastic for my right molars without the elastic eternally slipping off after I've put it on. It's still a work in progress, but so far, the technique that I've developed is working well. I still have to do the odd adjustment here and there, but it's definitely much better than before, where I'd spend up to 10 minutes just fixing the elastic (and sometimes I won't be successful, and if those times happened to be at work, then I'd just go without the elastics. It's terrible, I know.). I'm acutely aware of the forces the elastics are placing on my molars, and I'm pretty sure I can feel the molars touching each other better now. So the elastics are working, and I'm glad for that.

Though I really wish that I was done with elastics already. I've been in elastics since day one, save for the blessed three months from November to January where I didn't have to wear any. I see elastics as a necessary inconvenience of braces, a necessary evil if you will. And while I'm perfectly okay with using them, I'd still prefer not to, if I can help it. Braces are just simply so much easier without elastics. But sticking with my approach to braces, I'm going to religiously wear the elastics as ordered (or, as religiously as I can) so that I don't extend my treatment unnecessarily. Anything to shorten treatment time I'll do.

Week 53