I tried the big tub of generic wax too, but honestly, it just didn’t stick as well for me. I kept waking up with it stuck to my pillow instead of my teeth… not exactly what I was going for. I get the whole saving money thing though—these ortho supplies add up fast. As for the slow progress, I swear my teeth only move when I’m not looking. Maybe it’s a watched-pot-never-boils situation?
That wax struggle is too real. My kid kept getting it everywhere except where it was needed, and we finally caved for the name brand stuff. Progress felt glacial here too—sometimes I wondered if anything was actually happening. Hang in there, though... it does add up over time, even if it’s slow.
That wax is such a mess, right? I literally had to google “how to get wax to stay on braces” because mine would just slide off or end up stuck to my cheek instead of the bracket. Did you notice any difference with the name brand stuff? I tried both and honestly, couldn’t tell if it was worth the extra couple bucks, but maybe my technique was just bad.
Progress being slow is the understatement of the year. My ortho kept saying “steady movement is good movement,” but when you’re staring at your teeth every day, it’s impossible not to obsess over every tiny shift (or lack thereof). Did your kid have those moments where they swear nothing changed for months, then suddenly one tooth moves overnight? That’s happened to me a few times—it’s like watching paint dry and then waking up to a completely different wall.
I’m curious—did you guys ever have brackets pop off because of all the wax and food? I lost two in the first month, mostly from biting into things I probably shouldn’t have (rookie mistake). Also, did anyone else get those little cuts on their cheeks that just never seemed to heal? Sometimes I felt like the wax was more for my sanity than anything else.
How long did it take before you actually noticed real progress? My underbite is stubborn, and sometimes I wonder if it’s just genetics fighting back. Or maybe I’m just impatient. Either way, it helps hearing that slow progress is still progress. At least we’re all in this glacial crawl together...
I totally get what you mean about the wax being more for sanity than anything else. I swear, half the time it just ended up stuck to my gums or falling off before it did any good. I tried both the generic and name brand wax too, and honestly? Couldn’t tell much difference. Maybe the name brand was a tiny bit stickier, but not enough to justify the price. I think it’s more about making sure your teeth are super dry before putting the wax on—sometimes I’d use a tissue to dry the bracket, and that helped a bit.
About brackets popping off, yeah, I lost one from biting into a sandwich (definitely not soft enough). My ortho said it happens a lot in the first month or two, especially if you’re still figuring out what you can actually eat. The cuts on the cheeks are the worst part. Mine would heal, then come right back when something shifted. Salt water rinses seemed to help a little, but it was just a waiting game.
As for progress, it took me about three months before I noticed anything real. The first couple months felt like nothing was happening, then suddenly my bite looked different overnight. I think genetics do play a role, but patience is huge. How long have you been in braces so far?
I totally relate to the frustration with the wax—I used to think I was the only one who couldn’t get it to stay put. Drying my teeth first helped a bit, but sometimes I just gave up and hoped my cheeks would toughen up. The waiting is honestly the hardest part for me too. It’s weird how nothing seems to happen for ages, then suddenly you notice a tiny shift and it feels like progress. Hang in there, it really does add up, even if it’s slow at first.
