Metal Mouth Message Board

Retainers are much better for me! They're smooth. They come out. I HATED wearing braces.

I have an upper Essix (clear) and lower Hawley. I find the lower Hawley much more comfortable than the Essix. In fact I hardly notice it. I even asked the ortho to switch my top to a Hawley, but she said the upper and lower Hawley are really different (bottom small, top big) and to keep trying with ...

Yes - I had this too. It was a really sharp pain instead of the normal achiness. It went away after about a week. I had to take the elastics off sometimes, when it got really bad. Eventually it did go away.

Yep - the soreness is normal. It will go away. And if you don't wear your retainer all the time (or as your ortho recommends) they tend to be a little sore when you put it back in.

I have to take mine out a lot too. I'm preggers and have to eat something every couple of hours. It doesn't seem to matter unless I leave it out all day, which I had to do recently because I had a sinus infection and the damn thing drove me nuts. Like jennielee - I also usually leave it in when I'm ...

That's awesome to hear. I go to pick up my Essix retainer today and I'm so happy to read your post! I've had about 5 days of naked teeth and I'm getting a little spoiled...

1. I didn't need extractions but I did/do need surgury to make my bite perfect. I decided I didn't want to go that route and was told Damons would be the next best thing. 2. Profile hasn't been an issue. They're probably about the same as any other bracket in terms of comfort. 3. Sticking doors has ...

One woman private practice with one location. I see the ortho every time I'm there. Cute office, more expensive than the consultation I got from a chain-type ortho, but worth it to me.

I run mine under extemely hot water. You could use hydrogen peroxide, since they put that in toothpaste anyway. Just be sure and rinse it well.

I think 6 months is reasonable with those brushes since the heads are so expensive!

I'm pretty whimpy at my adjustments too, even after a year. Don't feel bad, we're all different with our pain thresholds. My teeth are super sensitive and I HATE anyone doing anything to them. Your ortho and their assistants should be respectful of your sensitivity. I always warn the ortho and denti...

I think that type of comment is certain people's way of trying to be polite. I've heard that a few times and I've always taken it as them trying to tell me that they've never noticed my crooked teeth (even if they have and they're lying). They just don't want you to feel bad. Consider the alternativ...

I think what the two previous posters have said is true because there is only so much expansion you can do with brackets... I think pulling on the teeth will only get you so far. BUT I have had great results expanding my upper arch with the Damon system. I'm not saying you can't do it other ways or ...

You might be amazed at the different courses of treatment you will get at different consults, or even just the difference between the orthos themselves. I know I was — and there was a clear winner both in terms of treatment plan and general ortho/office situation. But I would have never known this...

Meryaten's right. I'm in Damon 3s (and MXs - I know now thanks to your post). There are no ligs around the brackets, but I am having to wear elastics now, towards the end of my treatment. Elastics are rubber bands that usually go from top to bottom teeth in all sorts of painfully interesting configu...

The door issues with the Damons really IS a pain (and my one complaint about these brackets). I didn't have any trouble until about 9-10 months in, and now they're terrible!! My othro brought me to tears trying to get one of them open/closed at my last appointment. I wish she would just replace that...