Metal Mouth Message Board

I got my braces on February 2005 and I just got them off today!! So 3 years and 9 months in braces... whoa!! The brackets snapped off pretty easy, although the ones on my incisors hurt. Also, I hate when they scrub the glue off you with that shrieking metal tool! My teeth are really sensitive to tha...

First the advice: I got my lower braces off, and when I went to brush for the first time, it hurt awfully! So when you get your braces off, be very careful and use a new toothbrush that is very soft.
Now the question: why can't you use white strips with braces? will it actually damage the brackets?

Burt's Bee's pomegranate lip balm is really good. All their products are good. Also, plain Vaseline works well. If you have a cheap lipstick that is kind of waxy (like Max Factor or Jane) just put some vaseline on your lower lip and the lipstick on top and then rub your lips together and you will ha...

Hi, all. I just bought a product called '5 minute white' at the grocery store. but when I took it home it said 'not recommended' for people with orthodontic braces. to me 'not recommended' is not the same as 'DON'T USE!!' so I'm wondering if anyone has any idea why it's not recommended. just so I ca...

Your speech will get better: I promise! After awhile you will be a pro at talking with that thing. If you have homework for school or reading at work, go somewhere you can be alone and practice reading aloud to get used to the device. My biggest problem with the RPE was the long "E"--but i...

I've heard expansion doesn't work in women over 16 and men over 18. But there are definitely a lot of doctors who believe it does, or at least try it. I had to wear an upper non-removable expander twice during my treatment. I think it must have done some good, although I still ended up getting 2 bic...

Yeah, just get a new doctor. And take a deep cleansing breath. Don't take this situation personally, because I'm sure their incompetence will end up alienating a good portion of their client base. Not to make excuses for them, but a lot of medical practices outsource their bill collection, especiall...

Hmm, that seems kind of bad that you cannot floss your teeth. I would just mention it to your doctor at your next visit. One good thing is that if you can't reach the floss down in there, probably there's not much stuff getting stuck in those teeth. However food particles/bacteria are smaller than f...

Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. Braces really do change the shape of your face, for better or worse. I've heard when people get their braces off, their teeth look huge to them, because they're not used to seeing the entire tooth. You just have to decide if it's worth it to you. I suspect that it ...

Yeah, they have to settle in, and also your doctor needs time to make retainers.

Spaces can actually be closed up pretty fast once your orthondontist decides you are ready. Also, you can straighten teeth and close gaps simultaneously. I would not freak out too much if your bite is changing. 20 months is a long time.

Not to hijack the discussion and make it about me, (ok that's exactly what I'm doing), but I think there's a fine line between laying down the law with your orthondontist and alienating him or her. I am still kind of confused about how they think. Like: I've already given him my $$$, he must have th...

Okay, I get that the roots need to stabilize, but did anyone here answer the question: Why can't the retainers do that?
Can't you just wear your retainer 23/7 and have the same effect?

I would just go for it. You can't put your life on hold because of your braces. Explain to your current orthodontist what your plans are, and he or she can do the best to make sure you have some sort of stable setup going on in your mouth. Maybe they can give you one of those tools to change your ow...

A little background: I started treatment September 2004. My braces were not placed until February 2005, because my orthodontist was trying to expand my arches. He is a functional orthodontist. I was 19 years old at the time and I understand from my limited research that many orthodontists will not a...