News to sink my teeth into

So I went in for my six week checkup and all they did was change my ligatures, which I've been entrusted to do myself at home.  I think I change my ligatures on average about 2 times a week... or much more if I eat Cheddar & Sour Cream potato chips (which stain my ligatures bright yellow), Chinese, or Thai food!  These ever-changing ligatures might be helping my teeth move more quickly because the rubber ties that keep bracket held to archwire stay really, really tight.  Most people go in for ligature changes once every 4-6 weeks. My ligatures are being changed around 12-20 times in that same period, instead of just ONCE! So I figure, it can't be hurting!

The orthodontist wanted to "lace" me at my visit, because there are spaces opening up between my front teeth (next to the incisors, or "fang" teeth.)  I chose clear braces so they'd be invisible so the thought of a solid band of figure-eight wire lacing six teeth or more together did NOT appeal and I managed to squeak by without any "lacing" this time around.  However, that may be coming soon, to this adult orthodontic experience. :)  We're in "wait and watch" mode for now and I'm on strict orders to revisit before my next 6 week check if the space gets any bigger so we don't have to spend any time backtracking.   I'm told next time I'll also be getting a much thicker and stronger archwire, which sounds... uncomfortable.

Psychologically, I'm still uncomfortable being an adult braces wearer, but I've been working thru it and trying to just live my life despite my self-consciousness.  It absolutely helps that, just six weeks into the process, my crossbite is already corrected!  Meaning that, while my teeth certainly aren't in their final positions, or fixed in bone and stable yet, the crossbite itself -- the problem where my bottom tooth was in front of my top tooth -- has been corrected.  All of my top teeth are definitely in front of all of my bottom teeth, all the way across my smile, already.  Yippee!  That's something to really celebrate, and a tangible result of even a short time (six weeks almost to the day) in braces.  My changes will be small but are important to my overall comfort and oral health over time, so I'm measuring every baby step, you can be sure!

Some of what's moving you can't see because I'm not taking/posting side views and there's certainly movement there, too.  Spaces are opening up all over and I feel sometimes like my mouth changes with every passing day.  I'm REALLY, REALLY pleased with how much more in alignment my teeth are; notice the before picture where the bottom edges of my upper teeth meandered every which way, and my teeth were rotated besides.  That's all coming along so nicely.  I may yet have celebri-teeth!  Coolio!  Even my lips move differently across my teeth now; the kinda "flat" front aspect of my smile is being replaced with a beautiful arc.  Subtle, but noticeable -- to me, anyway.

All in all, despite some shortcomings and mental anguish, I'm really pleased with how things are going, and have many of you to thank for the words of support and encouragement you provided.  So thank you!