Metal Mouth Message Board

Between titanium archwires and steel archwires (purpose-wise)? My ortho changed my archwire today from titanium to steel and he said these are the ones I will "finish up in." I have one more space to close and then he said we can start discussing getting them off! Erin

I just got a vertical rubber band on my back molars to bring one top molar more into alignment with the bottom molars. The ortho told me to wear it after dinner and all through the night. They said I could even sleep with it in. Have you ever heard that? Also, will wearing the rubber band throughout...

I'm so sorry, but I know exactly how you feel. I don't have porcelain, but I do have ceramics on top. I'm very happy with those, because lots of people don't even realize I have braces unless I make a comment about them or they get up close. Still, I remember when I first got them how they HUGE they...

LUCKY!!!

I got my braces on about a year ago. I have ceramics on top and metal on the bottom. My teeth were not crooked, but I had a big overbite and there were lots of gaps between my teeth. From day one, I was wearing chains and things moved quickly. At my last appointment, the ortho said one side of my mo...

All the major work is pretty much done on my teeth and all that is left to be done is "tweaking." I'm already anticipating the day my braces are removed as my ortho said we're ahead of schedule. I've been reading some of the stories about when people got theirs off and I have a couple ques...

I've had my braces on since last July mainly to close a lot of spaces and fix my bite. Everything has been going great! I've had chains on for most of the time and the spaces are pretty much all closed up now. Yesterday, I went for another adjustment and the ortho said we are ahead of schedule, but ...

Thanks, everyone! My DH got braces shortly after we were married, but he had different issues than me. His teeth were very crooked and twisted whereas mine are basically straight, but lots of big gaps. I remember how much agony he'd be in for days after seeing the ortho, but I haven't had much pain ...

Well, that makes sense. Thanks!

Erin

Yesterday, I went for my second adjustment. I am not having my teeth straightened, but rather the gaps between them closed. All they did yesterday was change the chains I have on my upper and lowers -- long for the uppers and medium for the lowers. They left the archwires alone. So why are my lower ...

Well, I THINK it has moved two of my bottom teeth a little further apart, but that could just be my imagination. I mean I've only had these things on for 24 hours so far!

Erin

One way in which the orthodontic practice differs from the medical is in their relationships with insurance companies. I know that when I go to my doctor and the insurance pays for it, they often pay a lesser (negotiated I presume) amount and then tell me I'm not responsible for the rest as the doct...

Well, if orthodontics costs about the same as it did 20 or so years ago, it's probably because more people are having it done. When I was a kid, slightly gapped teeth and an overbite were no reason to get braces. You had to have really twisted teeth to get them and nobody's insurance covered any por...

Did any of you notice that slurred occasionally when you got your power chains? I'm noticing that now and it drives me nuts! It can't be my imagination. Sometimes, I swear I hear a slight whistle even!

Erin

But those people don't go to the dentist! :lol: Actually, I think there are lots worse fields in medicine -- gynecologist, podiatrist and proctologist to name a few. When I used to ride the subway to work, I'd look around at some of the people and think, "Boy, I'd sure hate to be YOUR doctor an...