Fixed Braces & MRI?

Message

#1 Post by **KriegeR** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:54 am

Has anyone here had an MRI scan whilst wearing a fixed metal brace? I've been told that I need an MRI scan as part of an unassociated 'event', but obviously MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and I have a mouthful of ... METAL!

Anyone has one of these with a brace on?

Cheers!

#2 Post by **JaneBy** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 6:52 am

I've had two MRIs while fully braced in metal braces, top and bottom. No problems at all, but both were lower MRI scans - leg and hip.

To be safe, call and ask.

#3 Post by **KriegeR** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:44 am

Thanks for the reply JaneBy. I have enquired as a matter of course, but if you have been in with an MRI machine in full braces, it doesn't matter which part of your body is being scanned, it is obviously safe.

Having seen a video on the web with a loaded 1 ton pallet jack flying through the air across a room to an MRI machine, it made me wonder whether braces would be safe, or whether I would suffer the extraction of all my teeth as soon as the magnet was switched on!

Apparently they are more concerned with the magnetic field moving my teeth out of position using the brackets, but it looks as though I will be wearing a gum shield for the scan to prevent this.

Thanks all the same!

#4 Post by **fyrelight** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:49 am

No danger, really, as the braces are on tight. I had an MRI of my eyes, though, and the braces caused such an interference (artifact) that they couldn't see anything. I warned them up front, but the technician said, "oh no, the braces will be fine." Uh huh, until they saw the results!

Are there safety concerns with MR?

MR, like other imaging technologies in radiology, is FDA approved for its safety and effectiveness. It has been used to image patients since 1981 and no adverse biological effects have been reported from exposure to the magnetic fields or radiowaves.
It is considered safe, provided all safety protocols are adhered to. That is why the screening form mentioned above, meant to screen individuals for items on or within the body such as cardiac pacemakers, metal implants and ferromagnetic objects, is so important. These objects may move during the procedure unless firmly anchored in the tissues. The magnetic fields tend to cause malfunction of programmable devices. Some devices (e.g. Baclofen pumps, Medos valves) can be safely imaged but may need to be switched off during the procedure or reprogrammed after the procedure. Cardiac pacemakers are a strong relative contraindication to having an MR.

Some metallic devices are safely imaged but produce artifact that may obscure the region of interest (e.g. dental braces in patients for pituitary imaging).

Finally, surface or implanted objects with coiled wires can result in electrical burns due to heating and/or induction of currents as a result of radiofrequency effects.

#5 Post by **iBorg** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:50 am

I would urge you to call the hospital. Having a few MRI's in my life, I can't imaging the braces not beig an issue. The last one I had (brain-due to TMJ pain) they had me remove all metal including my gold wedding ring.

Good luck!

Mike

#6 Post by **KriegeR** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:10 pm

This MRI is supposed to be diagnosing the cause of a severe seizure that I experienced the other day, so they will be wanting to do a cranial MRI scan. However a small coincidence has developed which might serve to benefit the situation. My MRI scan is due to be performed at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary at 10am on Thursday the 12th of October. As you say the radiologist says that the braces shouldn't pose too much of a problem, but I feel that they will.

2 hours later I am due at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield (18 miles away), for my next brace assessment. I am wondering if it would be worth discussing the possibility of having my braces 'removed' for an hour to allow them to do the MRI scan at Pinderfields, (the MRI department is next to the orthodontics department), and then have the brace refitted? Sounds dodgy but I don't suppose it hurts to ask.

The thing is I want to find out the cause of these seizures more than I want my jaw surgery, so things are going to have to go in order or requirement. If it means removing the brace and setting my treatment back a few months in order to get a clear MRI scan and solve the seizure mystery, then so be it.

#7 Post by **skittley80** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:13 pm

Hi hun.. I'm having an MRI tomorrow and I asked when I made my appointment and the tech said it would not be a problem.. I also do not understand how it is NOT a problem, but that is what they say. I'm getting a scan on my head, the pituitary gland, so it really doesn't make much sense.. But anyway, I will post tomorrow when I get done and let you know how it goes. Hopefully I come out with all my teeth still intact lol.

#8 Post by **chrisd** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:49 pm

i am a radiologist and ill tell you that it is safe to have the mri , but as fyrelight said the artifact can be significant and completely obscure parts of the brain. ie what you are trying to see. some times we will still do them and can see enough to anser the question. other times we cant. if your doctors feel that you must have this scan, for the sake of your health we have had patients get the braces removed. occasionally a ct scan (with contrast ) may be able to answer the question. but the metal can cause artifacts here too though they are usually not as bad.
good luck chris

#9 Post by **KriegeR** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:23 am

Hi, and thanks for all the replies. I finally got a call from my orthodontist today to say that he's happy for me to undergo the MRI scan with my brace in place, but he says that the quality of the imaging will depend on how deeply the hospital wish to scan.

Given that I have had a suspected seizure I'm not sure which area they will want to scan, but my orthodontist claims they will start to experience problems when they try to come deeper than the top of my nose. If they are only wanting the top of my head, they might be lucky and pick up some good pictures.

Ironically I am at the orthodontist at a hospital 18 miles away afterwards, so I will be able to discuss the possibility of a brace-free MRI scan if my consultant neurologist deems it necessary.

I'll let you know how things go, but if anyone has any advice in the meantime, I'd be grateful to hear it!

#10 Post by **iBorg** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 5:42 pm

Hope you get good news.

Mike

#11 Post by **GinaLime** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:10 pm

Hi, I'm about to go for my first MRI with full braces (ceramic uppers, metal lowers). I'm getting some routine brain scans done, and my neurologist wants me to get them despite any artifacts that may show up in the scan. The MRI center also told me it's fine to leave them on.

But ... but ... what does it FEEL like? I've had many MRIs in the past, and they usually make me take even the bobby pins out of my hair. What's it gonna feel like to be in a huge magnet with metal glued to your teeth? Can any of the folks who posted in this thread report back on their experience? Thanks!

#12 Post by **Catmom** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:59 pm

I had an MRI of my shoulder a week ago and it was fine. I was really worried, but there wasn't even any sensation.

But don't get me started on the size of the tunnel...

#13 Post by **GinaLime** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:28 pm

Thanks so much for the reassurance, Catmom! I'm less scared that my teeth are going to fly out now.

I'll report back on what I feel during my MRI! I'm guessing it's not the most common situation.

#14 Post by **skyclad** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:11 pm

I had an MRI on my ankle long before I had braces and they had me take my piercings out so I guess the only thing to do is ask and tell them your concerns.

#15 Post by **GinaLime** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:51 pm

Well, I've got the straight dish on MRIs with braces! I went in today for three checkup scans, including the brain and full spinal cord. The braces didn't pose any kind of danger at all -- it didn't feel any different from getting an MRI without braces. Although it was funny seeing the attendant check my hair tie for bits of metal while waving by the metal mouth!

The brain scans came out fine, with few artifacts messing up the scan. HOWEVER, when it came time to do the spinal cord scan, my braces totally obliterated the top of the spinal cord. We had to use a braces trick: I tilted my head way back so my jaw wouldn't be over my neck, and the attendant taped my head into place so I wouldn't tilt back down (so thoughtful of him!). Those 45 minutes lying on a slab with my neck arched all the way back made me grateful for my years of yoga classes. It took a LOT of sunny happy thoughts to get through that one.

Fortunately, the trick worked and the scans came out fine. So in short, braces are no big deal when it comes to MRIs, unless you want to see directly behind the jaw, and even then you can get around it (with some ibuprofen after, ouch). Thanks for the advice everybody!