Wax Works

Early on, applying wax to the hardware was not only a daily ritual, but one that occurred with every meal. I experimented with leaving the wax in place for meals, but I got tired of picking the stuff out of my teeth afterward. Then I tried to remove and replace all my wax for each meal. At first, I thought the wire and brackets were supposed to pull the teeth into proper alignment. Now I suspect that the constant pushing of wax onto the pokey protrusions is what actually manipulates the teeth.

Sometimes, while applying the wax, I heard little creaks or cracking noises. At first, I thought my brackets were loosening up. Then I realized the tooth itself was moving ever so slightly in its socket. It’s like listening to glaciers crawl down valleys. They say people who have lived through earthquakes lose confidence in the immutable solidity of the earth’s mantle. Well, I’ve been similarly disillusioned about my teeth and jaws.