ibraces

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#1 Post by sf » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:34 am

I have just discovered this site today, thank you all for the great advice!

I am thinking of getting braces, probably leaning more toward lingual than ceramic.

I have seen a dentist in the bay area, Dr. Andrew Au, any one heard about him? He told me that it's better to put lingual braces on both top and bottom. Something about better alignment. Is that true? Seems like everyone has conventional bottom braces instead. If there is someone out there w/ bottom lingual braces, can you tell me if it's easy for people to see those shinny gold braces on the bottom? Since there would be no place for the tongue to "rest", how bad is the tongue laceration ?

Thanks.

#2 Post by **TX26** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:26 pm

Hi SF!

I have had the ibraces on both top and bottom for 9 months now. All 3 orthodontists that I consulted with stated that I would have the same results with either the ibraces or outside braces.

As far as anyone being able to see them, no they cannot, unelss I show them to them. Mine are actually a dull gold color.

Regarding the comfort level of the braces since they are on the inside:
In the beginning your tongue will become very irritated and pretty much tore up. My advice would be to go get this! http://www.macksearplugs.com/product1.htm
or you can get the clear http://www.macksearplugs.com/product2.htm
(I like the orange cuz if people happen to see it they get all curious 'What is that orange stuff in your mouth!!)

The reason is that it is soo much better than the dental wax they will give you since it does not dry out as fast. I pretty much coated my molars with this for the first few weeks I had my braces on. It definately helps with the comfort level. However, you do have to wean yourself off of it and give your tongue a chance to adjust and toughen up to the braces. I don't use the wax anymore.

Now I barely realize I have braces...

Here are some pics
beginning:

Now 9 months later (notice bottom row beautifully straight and even)

#3 Post by **Metal Mouth Guy** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 8:11 pm

#4 Post by sf » Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:31 pm

TX 26, thanks! That was helpful.

By the way, how difficult is it to clean these braces, do you have to spend a long time in the bathroom taking care of the "torture device" after each meal? My dentist quoted me a fee of about $8300. Is this reasonable?

Thanks again.

#5 Post by **TX26** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:17 pm

sf wrote:TX 26, thanks! That was helpful.

By the way, how difficult is it to clean these braces, do you have to spend a long time in the bathroom taking care of the "torture device" after each meal? My dentist quoted me a fee of about $8300. Is this reasonable?

Thanks again.

You are most welcome!

My cleaning routine consists of brushing for 2 minutes and then flossing with this floss http://www.crest.com/glide/threader.jsp

I have the flossing part down to about 2 minutes. It took a while to get to that point though because at the beginning it took about 10.

As far as pricing - I went to 3 different Orthodontists - one quoted me $10k, another $8k, and the last $6,500. I finally decided on the cheapest one due to his personality - I can ask him any question and not feel like an idiot.

Have you been out for 2nd and/or 3rd opinions/pricings? As you can see, my price estimates were very different and my insurance payout made a big difference in the end. Also, all three estimated an 18 month treatment plan.

#6 Post by **jl2155** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 12:15 pm

I just got Linguals less than a week ago. I am paying $8900 so after your posts I don't feel so bad anymore. One thing I like is that I can already see them working.

The first couple days was real hard on my tounge-I've been practically eating wax

. I didn't expect that I would have the most problems with the bottom of my tounge than anywhere else! But now on day five, I've weened myself off wax

I can't stop feeling around w/ my tounge, but it doesn't hurt anymore except for a wrong move here and there. I was amazed at how quickly my tounge adjusted to the foreign metal it has been forced to coexist with.

I haven't mastered flossing. The ortho gave me a hummingbird but it doesn't feel like it does much. I am brushing a LOT. I am afraid my dental care isn't up to par.

Eating isn't a terribly pleasant experience but I manage. I guess its good that I'm just eating for hunger now

I did smoothies, soup, mac&cheese, even tater tots the first day or two. I cannot bite into anything w/ my front teeth but I can cut up things and chew pretty effectively now.

The thing I would like to know more about is how to speak better!- I feel like I have a lisp. I understand its only day 5- does this get better??

I seem to keep wanting to hold my tounge b/w my teeth (I can't remember what I did w/ it when talking w/o braces) and that saliva is getting in the way (like i have to make extra effort to 'dry' my braces when speaking). If I do try moving my tounge around to speak, that is a little easier adding a little wax to make it smooth, but I want to figure this out wax-free. Are there any tips on how to improve your speaking or does it really get back to normal w/ time?

#7 Post by **lionfish** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:18 pm

jl2155 wrote:I just got Linguals less than a week ago. I am paying $8900 so after your posts I don't feel so bad anymore. One thing I like is that I can already see them working.

Hi, jl2155, I just got lingual uppers last Tuesday (7 Feb) so I feel you and I have something in common. What you're paying is roughly the equivalent of what I'm paying in Oz (although I'll be doing ceramics on the bottom).

jl2155 wrote:The first couple days was real hard on my tounge-I've been practically eating wax . I didn't expect that I would have the most problems with the bottom of my tounge than anywhere else! But now on day five, I've weened myself off wax I can't stop feeling around w/ my tounge, but it doesn't hurt anymore except for a wrong move here and there. I was amazed at how quickly my tounge adjusted to the foreign metal it has been forced to coexist with.

I developed tongue blisters on day 3 and broke out the wax. I'm trying not to use it too often, but it helps when I eat and when I talk a lot. I also find my tongue "wandering" over the braces and am still figuring out where best to put it when at rest. The actual braces were very easy to adjust to because they are very small (silver in colour - I don't think they're Ibraces).

jl2155 wrote:I haven't mastered flossing. The ortho gave me a hummingbird but it doesn't feel like it does much. I am brushing a LOT. I am afraid my dental care isn't up to par.

I'm not sure what a humming bird is. I was given threader floss and a "pipecleaner" pick to clean the braces. The first night I shredded the threader floss and half of it was hanging in my mouth like Niagara Falls. I eventually got it out, but I lost a fair bit of saliva in the process!!

I've now got flossing and cleaning down to a T. I only floss once a day, but clean the braces with the pipecleaner and brush after every meal. It's no big deal - just keep at it and it will come good. I had to go back to the ortho on Friday to reattach a loose bracket and he said my oral hygiene was excellent (I already knew that...

)

jl2155 wrote:Eating isn't a terribly pleasant experience but I manage. I guess its good that I'm just eating for hunger now I did smoothies, soup, mac&cheese, even tater tots the first day or two. I cannot bite into anything w/ my front teeth but I can cut up things and chew pretty effectively now.

I love my food....

I ate very gingerly for the first day or two, but am more adventurous now, within reason. I do what you do: cut stuff up that I cannot bite and chew it on the back teeth. My teeth are sensitive to hot and cold drinks, more the latter. But it's getting better.

jl2155 wrote:The thing I would like to know more about is how to speak better!- I feel like I have a lisp. I understand its only day 5- does this get better?? I seem to keep wanting to hold my tounge b/w my teeth (I can't remember what I did w/ it when talking w/o braces) and that saliva is getting in the way (like i have to make extra effort to 'dry' my braces when speaking). If I do try moving my tounge around to speak, that is a little easier adding a little wax to make it smooth, but I want to figure this out wax-free. Are there any tips on how to improve your speaking or does it really get back to normal w/ time?

I haven't had a problem with speech, although when I'm tired I lisp a bit. I keep asking my husband for feedback. I find that the wire is more in the way than the brackets. I'd just keep talking and ask people you trust/don't mind knowing about your braces for feedback.

#8 Post by **TX26** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 7:05 pm

If you are only in day 5, yes your speech will get much better! The more you talk, the better you will get at it. It took me about 2 or 3 weeks to get rid of my lisp. Even now, sometimes I find myself purposefully pronouncing words (you know how we can get by saying things in a lazy manner and usually people won't notice).

This may sound like funny advice but singing along to music will help too. I did this on my commute to and from work.

#9 Post by **lionfish** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 7:32 pm

TX26 wrote:If you are only in day 5, yes your speech will get much better! The more you talk, the better you will get at it. It took me about 2 or 3 weeks to get rid of my lisp. Even now, sometimes I find myself purposefully pronouncing words (you know how we can get by saying things in a lazy manner and usually people won't notice).

This may sound like funny advice but singing along to music will help too. I did this on my commute to and from work.

I have a very short commute to work, but there is always the shower!

#10 Post by **Lysachick** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:14 pm

I've had my upper linguals for about 2 months now and the lower ceramics about one month.

For the record, I HATE the ceramics on the outside! They just feel big and chunky and keep getting in the way of my lips. Not to mention the food getting stuck. It's one thing when it's on the inside and no one can see it but it sucks when it's on the outside!

I wish I'd insisted on getting linguals on the bottom as well...

#11 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 8:57 pm

Lysachick wrote:I've had my upper linguals for about 2 months now and the lower ceramics about one month.

For the record, I HATE the ceramics on the outside! They just feel big and chunky and keep getting in the way of my lips. Not to mention the food getting stuck. It's one thing when it's on the inside and no one can see it but it sucks when it's on the outside!

I wish I'd insisted on getting linguals on the bottom as well...

I'm sorry to hear you're not happy with the ceramics, lysachick. These are in my future as well.

Are they more or less comfortable than the linguals?

#12 Post by **Lysachick** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 9:27 pm

I imagine it's an individual preference but I find them much less comfortable than the linguals. They don't hurt or cut- they just feel like they are "in the way" so much more. In the mornings, I find that I literally have to peel my lower lip away from my teeth, leaving bracket and wire shaped indentations on the inside.

When I try to move my lower lip to smile or speak, I find I have to almost drag it across the ceramic brackets. The linguals I barely notice anymore but the ceramics just feel chunky and annoying!

You seem to have had much more success adapting to the linguals than I, so I'll be interested to hear your opinion Lionfish once you have your ceramics fitted!

#13 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 10:03 pm

Lysachick wrote:I imagine it's an individual preference but I find them much less comfortable than the linguals. They don't hurt or cut- they just feel like they are "in the way" so much more. In the mornings, I find that I literally have to peel my lower lip away from my teeth, leaving bracket and wire shaped indentations on the inside.

When I try to move my lower lip to smile or speak, I find I have to almost drag it across the ceramic brackets. The linguals I barely notice anymore but the ceramics just feel chunky and annoying!

You seem to have had much more success adapting to the linguals than I, so I'll be interested to hear your opinion Lionfish once you have your ceramics fitted!

Mmmm...interesting. Thanks for the feedback. I wonder if there is a lubricant that can ease that problem? This situation must be common to so many people.

I will get the ceramics and a spring fitted on 3 April. I'm sure I'll have some thoughts to share with you then!!

#14 Post by **jl2155** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:10 pm

Glad to hear people can relate!

Whoever said singing on the way to work, they are so right. I do it anyway but I notice for some reason its easier. Half the people in my office know I have braces-they were fascinated and impressed more than anything. I suspect those who don't might notice I've been talking a little lazy but maybe they really can't tell. I am talking slightly better but well aware of a little lisping still going on. I feel like I have to make an effort to get my tounge out of the way...

My tounge doesn't hurt at all anymore! I never got actual blisters but it was very sore for a couple days. I'm soooo amazed by that.

You guys are using floss threaders? I'm not doing too well w/ those. The hummingbird is like a little piece of plastic that vibrates and is supposed to remove the plaque. Again, I don't FEEL like it does the trick. Those floss threaers are kinda tricky...

I noticed some blue stain-like stuff around my molar where the thing that goes around the back teeth are. I thought it was food stain but it wouldn't come off w/ one of those metal picks. Does anyone know if the bonding solution might be bluish/grey in nature?

#15 Post by **lionfish** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:38 pm

jl2155 wrote:
You guys are using floss threaders? I'm not doing too well w/ those. The hummingbird is like a little piece of plastic that vibrates and is supposed to remove the plaque. Again, I don't FEEL like it does the trick. Those floss threaers are kinda tricky...

Thanks for the explanation.

My first night with threader floss was a joke. I renamed it "shredder floss". The trick for me has been to grab the stiff end with a tweezer so that I can actually pull it through to the other side without it going down my throat first.

I'm OK with it now.

jl2155 wrote:I noticed some blue stain-like stuff around my molar where the thing that goes around the back teeth are. I thought it was food stain but it wouldn't come off w/ one of those metal picks. Does anyone know if the bonding solution might be bluish/grey in nature?

Could be, but I'm not sure. Do your braces wrap around the molars on the labial side?