Help-Cleaning Between Molar Bands

Message

#1 Post by **Ronsie** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 5:16 am

Hi Everyone,
I'm hoping that you can offer me advice. My braces and four molar bands were placed two months ago. Now it has been three days since I had an additional four molar bands placed and I cannot floss between those adjoining teeth with molar bands. I'm worried about getting cavities! Is this something that will change or that I should tell my orthodontist?
Thanks for any advice!

#2 Post by **Lisa65** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:49 am

Crest Glide floss will get into even really tight spaces. I also use the teeniest TePe brushes (the pink ones) and they will fit into almost any space.

#3 Post by **Ronsie** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 7:39 am

THANK YOU! THANK YOU KK, LISA65 AND LUCY!!
I used the stiffened end of the floss, as you suggested, and threaded it through the bottom and then p u l l e d it out the top! It worked!!

Thank you again!! IÂ´m also going to ask my ortho about it next time I see her.

Hope my panic doesnÂ´t seem to silly. IÂ´m one of those 60s-70s children with bad teeth-fillings in every tooth and I am terrified of cavities.

Thank you so much for all of your posts! I would never have jumped into braces without this message board!!

-Ronsie

#4 Post by **Lisa65** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:18 am

Glad we could help, Ronsie. I'm one of those multiple-fillings 60s and 70s victims too, so I do know where you're coming from. But I do have a sneaky suspicion that as well as the lack of fluoride toothpastes and varnishes available to us as kids (which would have contributed to cavity formation) that in general dentists were a lot keener to "drill it and fill it" at the first sign of any trouble, whereas today preventative measures coupled with a wait and see approach, tends to mean fewer fillings.
I remember having stacks of fillings done by my somewhat "old school" dentist when I was a kid. Then when I was about 14 he retired. I changed dentists and have had ONE filling in all that time (almost 30 years)

I am convinced that at least some of my fillings were not necessary. At least he did a good job as none of them have ever come out, but mouthfuls of silver fillings look gross!

As long as you brush properly and can get the superfloss through those gaps, and use your fluoride mouthwash, braces shouldn't equal cavities.

#5 Post by **Ronsie** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 4:04 pm

Dear Lisa and Karen,

I'm laughing, yes, IÂ´m another silver mouth! I have fillings in every tooth. I agree with you that it was the style of the times. Our family had an old dentist, too, and he even pulled the wrong tooth from my brother (oops!). There were eight of us kids and we would rather die of a toothache then go to the dentist.

I despair when i see others with white nice looking but crooked teeth getting braces because my teeth are not only crooked but they also look horrible. The front fillings have all yellowed and my teeth are chipped, gums receeded (sorry to gross you out). But IÂ´m inspired after these two months in braces because as my teeth straighten they are looking better (so, there is hope!). And after the braces I plan on getting whitening and the front fillings replaced. I look at it all as an investment.

Karen, those silver fillings are tough, arenÂ´t they! My dentist has left mine, too. I think if they were removed, there wouldnÂ´t be much tooth left!

Thanks so much again for your advice.

Greetings from Chile!

-Ronsie

#6 Post by **Tamms** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:54 pm

I can so relate to the silver fillings! Yep, they liked to do that. I remember that my first dentist appointment left me with 4 fillings! Yikes! As an adult I think I've had 2 fillings total. So glad they changed that.
Tammy