So, what are bite turbos and why do they hurt so much? Well, apparently it is more complicated than I thought. My turbos were placed on my molars and could really be classified as bite blocks. They take this polymeric liquid stuff and put a little dab on the bite surface of my molars--one on each side--and then something magical happens. When they shine a laser light onto this substance, it hardens into a little stub that prevents your teeth from touching. The goal is to prevent your teeth from touching while they are trying to realign after being pulled apart in the first phase of bracefacefullness. The power chain that they put on this time must be the supermaximumultimateheavyduty grade, since this, too, hurt like H-E-double hockey sticks for the whole week. Usually, these hurt for an hour or two and then I'm fine. I should have known something was up when the assistant said "This should help close in the gaps faster." What she really meant was "This is going to close in the gaps overnight because this chain is so freaking powerful, it is going to instantly pull your teeth together and might even reshuffle them so that your right teeth end up on the left side and vice versa." Apparently patients are not the only ones who lose patience with braces, because my orthodontic crew, although friendly and skilled, seem to want to get rid of me post haste.
However painful, I must admit that it was actually kind of cool watching the whole process with 3D-like effects while my head was tilted back in Trendelenburg. The problem is that my obsessive compulsiveness has refocused my obsession and compulsion onto these little things on my molars that keep my teeth from touching. The first week was unbearable. I could not stop "chewing" on my new bite turbos. The result? Flashbacks of TMJ flair ups. Oh. My. Gawd. Congratulations Dr. Orthodontist Man. You just lived out your fantasy of being a demolition expert professional at the expense of my head, Mr. Man!
