"sometimes small adjustments can really help move things forward."
Totally agree with this! It's easy to feel stuck when progress is slow, but those little tweaks can make a surprising difference. Did you notice soreness or discomfort when you first started elastics? I remember mine felt weird at first, but after a week or so it was second nature. Hang in there—you're definitely not alone in feeling like it's taking forever... but it'll be worth it in the end.
"Did you notice soreness or discomfort when you first started elastics?"
Definitely felt that weird ache the first couple days. I remember thinking, "Am I really supposed to sleep with these things in my mouth?" But surprisingly, after about a week, it faded into the background and became just another part of the routine. You're right about small changes making a difference; my ortho made tiny adjustments every visit, and suddenly one day I realized things had shifted noticeably. Hang in there...the slow progress really does add up over time.
Haha, I had that same thought at first—like, "seriously, sleeping with rubber bands in my mouth?" It felt super weird. But yeah, you nailed it here:
"the slow progress really does add up over time."
One day you'll just glance in the mirror and be like, wait...when did THAT happen? Hang tight, you've got this.
Totally get what you're saying, but honestly, sometimes the slow progress feels like watching paint dry... My kiddo was convinced nothing was changing until we compared old photos. Then it was like, "Whoa, okay, guess it's working after all." Hang in there!
Totally normal to feel like it's dragging, braces are a slow-and-steady type deal. Teeth shift in tiny increments, so it's easy to miss the progress day-to-day. Checking old pics every few months really helps keep perspective...hang tight, it'll pay off eventually.
