The inconvenience of orthodontics

I got braces not for cosmetic reasons, but because my lower teeth were sensitive and painful from an overbite. I had orthodontic treatment without extractions when I was 22 or 23, and I wore braces for one year. I’m 30 now, and I’ve only been wearing a fixed retainer. Recently, the retainer at the back came off, and because it had been a long time since my orthodontic treatment, I thought that area was stable and removed just that part. Three days later, my teeth hurt so badly I thought I was going to die... I felt like my teeth were moving, the tight squeezing sensation of them fighting for space, and the sensitivity made even yogurt and water hard to get down. It had been almost 6 years since I finished orthodontic treatment, and I could not believe I was feeling that kind of pain again. I went to the dentist, but there was nothing they could do right away. They said they would check the progress in a month and then either make a new retainer or do partial orthodontic treatment. In those few weeks, my teeth must have moved a lot, because when I looked in the mirror and even just felt it myself, my bite felt way too tight and my lower teeth were being covered a lot more. It’s a relapse for sure... If you really decide to do orthodontics, think about it for a long time. It’s a lifelong struggle.

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