A couple weeks ago I posted that my ortho said he used recycled braces sometimes and I asked you all if that was okay and got various responses. So today when I saw him, I asked about it again, and he said that he only used recycled brackets if someone popped a bracket off and he needed to replace it quickly. But everyone starts with all new braces. So that made me feel better.
I'm getting two upper teeth extraced Wednesday and Thursday my ortho is giving me an Invisilign-type retainer with tooth-colored plastic filled in where my teeth will be missing so I won't look funny while I'm waiting to get started. (I'm doing indirect bond, where they put all the brackets on at once using a mold of my teeth, so it takes a week or so to get that back from the lab).
Anyway, I'm very excited about all this and I thank you all for the advice and info you've given me the last few months.
-Vanessa
recycled braces - update
Moderator: bbsadmin
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missing_tooth
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weird_wired
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I don't think they could really recycle the wires.
I noticed that both my top and bottom ones were worn/rusted in places (well not actually rusted because they're not iron, but whatever - eroded?) when they were removed. Only very slightly, but they definitely weren't squeaky clean perfect.
I also found that you can permanently bend angles into the wires - ie stress the metal so it doesn't spring back perfectly.
So brackets maybe: wires no.
I await the day that someone tries to recycle dental wax
I noticed that both my top and bottom ones were worn/rusted in places (well not actually rusted because they're not iron, but whatever - eroded?) when they were removed. Only very slightly, but they definitely weren't squeaky clean perfect.
I also found that you can permanently bend angles into the wires - ie stress the metal so it doesn't spring back perfectly.
So brackets maybe: wires no.
I await the day that someone tries to recycle dental wax
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Banana1214
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:51 pm
So I had my two extractions done and am now wearing this retainer... Ouch! I hate it. It's not so bad when it's in, just a little uncomfortable on my gums, but when I have to take it out, it kills me. The tray has to come off all your teeth at once, which would be fine if all your teeth were reasonably straight, but my canine sticks way out and so I have to pull the tray down over that tooth while trying to get it off the rest of the teeth and it feels like I'm trying to pull my canine out. It is so painful that I hardly eat anymore because I have to remove it before I eat. Maybe I'll lose a few pounds. 
I'll try to post a picture next time I take it out so you can see what I mean. I can't wait to get my braces on - Feb. 22! Only 11 more days of retainer hell, and then I can begin my descent into braces hell. Yay!
I'll try to post a picture next time I take it out so you can see what I mean. I can't wait to get my braces on - Feb. 22! Only 11 more days of retainer hell, and then I can begin my descent into braces hell. Yay!
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Way Too Old For This
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