Metal Mouth Message Board

It gets better. Trust us! Your new strategy for sandwiches is likely to be just eat the middle. I got to a point where I could eat them but I figured nobody on earth would ever want to eat with me if I ate a wrap and got all that bread stuck in the front of my braces. The discomfort gets better as y...

The adjustment to the Essix retainer was far worse for me than the braces ever were! I got used to it after about a week though and now I feel naked without them. As far as keeping them clean, I've had really good luck with a soak that's made for Essix retainers, Invisalign type appliances and plast...

I had a lot of sensitivity early on (first 6-12 months) and it would move around. Ortho said that was normal.

My 3rd day post braces. No problems overnight with top & bottom Essix but trying to keep them both on during the day is killing me. The bottom one keeps making me gag and feel like I will throw up. I can suffer through it but when I add the top one on, it's awful. I've been alternating them ever...

You guys are gonna hate me. I had a huge list of things I wanted to eat the day my braces came off - starting with Fritos! I was debraced on Wednesday and I have to confess I've been too scared to eat anything on my list! My girlfriend gave me a box of toffee from a local awesome candy store and I c...

Try using just the top or the bottom retainer to start. I'm struggling with the same gag reflex thing. Debraced yesterday. I was fine yesterday afternoon and all night but this morning having both in is making me gag wicked. I tried just the bottom and it's so much better. I figure after lunch I'll ...

This may sound twisted but I'm a huge fan of powerchains. They can be sore for the first 24-48 hours but you really notice movement and they keep everything together nice and tight. Great for closing up spaces and moving things around. I'm not a fan of rubber bands but for me they worked. I had to w...

Assistants do all the work, however, I get the ligs and wire removed and then the ortho comes to look and plan and tells the assistant what to do. I've never had an appointment where the ortho did not come and do a full inspection and instructions.

I'm getting Essix with debrace and then impressions & retainer in the same visit. Scary!

I love a good makeout so it was a bit rough getting used to it at first. Just try to keep your sense of humor and you'll figure it out. We all like and dislike different things and some things just plain take some getting used to.

Totally normal. My bite must have changed 15 times in the last 18 months. I didn't noticed too much movement in the first month or two and then bam. Tons of movement after each adjustment. And then things settle in and changes are much more subtle and sometimes unnoticeable. I will say be compliant ...

Welcome to the cool kids club! Lots of great people and helpful tips here.

I found a great wax with aloe and vitamin e that I love. Very soothing and really sticky. Made by G.U.M. brand. I also always keep a Kanka (brand) Gel Pen in my purse. It's a little brush that allows you to get the medicine right where you wan it. Numbing and soothing but also has healing medicine i...

I would suggest speaking with the ortho directly and not the staff. It is so quick to put a bracket back on, I'm sure they can accomodate you. I know they schedule different kinds of appointments for different times of the day but this situation is a little different. I've found the staff to sometim...

I am just approaching debrace date in about a month and my ortho said to set my expectations I would have to wear my retainer 24/7 except for eating for 3-6 months depending on how I do and then switch over to every night probably forever. Keep in mind that I was 47 when I got braces and that could ...