Metal Mouth Message Board

I just had four second premolar extractions. I think I dislodged a blood clot by accident--I actually saw it come out. (Eww. Too much rinsing.) Now the spot won't stop bleeding, though it had stopped earlier in the day. I had this done at noon Thursday March 3. It's 15 hours later. I've put gauze on...

I'm in a similar situation as you. I'm 27, and I consulted eight orthodontists, which even my periodontist thought, err, was a bit much. But the reason I went to so many is that I *thought* everyone was giving me differing opinions. Some said extract one from the front, two from the top, two from on...

Yes, I agree with everyone about getting a waterpik. It's doesn't completely replace flossing, but it does do a decent clean. In fact, I was traveling in CA for two weeks, and just did the regular flossing. The gingavitis I had conquered using the waterpik came back. Despite the regular flossing, I ...

I literally feel your pain. I got mine on last Friday Feb 18. I miss chewing. I find that painkillers and wax can do wonders. I've also used this time as an excuse to eat more ice cream. Then I use a waterpik to wash a lot of the gunk away. I find the worst part is flossing because it's freaky to fe...

Hey, hazybubbles. I got my braces on Friday Feb 18 too! My orthodontist estimated 12 months with extractions. Some other orthos estimated 18 months to 2 years, but they mostly work with kids. My orthodontist almost exclusively does adults, so I trust him.

I finally got the nerve to go to the orthodontist for dental records and a consult today. I arranged the banding to be two weeks from now, and then two weeks from then to get four premolars extracted. I would love to hear any suggestions of what I should I do with my last two weeks of braceless free...

I had braces when I was 14 and I felt extremely self-conscious in high school. I hated them enough that I didn't adhere to the treatment well, and within a few years my teeth got crooked again. Remember though that you're an adult, and adults are not as harsh about appearances as gangs of teenagers....

I know how you feel exactly. I've been moping around, having my own crying rounds for a couple of months now. I've gone to eight different ortho consults and seven out of eight said I probably needed two or four premolar extractions. One of the orthos at the Harvard dental school even suggested offh...

Just be gentle, but remember that flossing is super important because the plaque, tartar and general gunk will definitely lead to pockets and then recession if you don't remove them. Next time you go to the dentist, perhaps have your hygienist demonstrate for you? My hygienist used to keep asking me...

I wonder why do our teeth move over time? Is it because of changes to our jaw, or bone, or gums?

I've seen eight orthodontists. It's been very confusing for me because they've all said different things like just get 2, 4 or 0 premolar extractions. The range has been 6 months, 14 months, 1.5 years, 2 years, 2.5 years. When I told my periodontist, he exclaimed, "Geez, that's a lot! A lot of ...

Hey, Katie,
How did the extractions go? I'm afraid myself of doing it as the decision is so final.
Meems :/

Hi, Lisa, Did you feel like you made the right decision regarding the extractions?

I got the "Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser" from Amazon for about $42. I think $42 will be worth it if you can avoid periodontal disease, which leads to bone loss and loose teeth... I've had to get two root and scaling jobs. That was expensive and kind of hurt...

Have you tried a water pik? My gum bled for years and years, even when I attempted flossing and using mouth wash. Then I got very serious about using my water pick every night. Within two or three weeks the bleeding had stopped and a periodontal 4mm pocket had turn to 3mm. If you put it on a gentler...