Metal Mouth Message Board

Yeah, today is my 5th day. I hadn't thought of vodka! I will give it a couple more days, but then that's it. I don't have crossbite problems and he didn't say anything about tipping a molar, so maybe those puppies can come off!

Question: I have rather large fillings in my lower molars; I am assuming this is why one must use bands rather than brackets?

I would ask your ortho about why you have molar bands - different people need them for different reasons. I currently have four (I only have uppers right now), and will be getting four more on the lowers in a few months. I was told that I need them b/c I'm going to have surgery, and they need "complete control" of my arches ,but some people get them for other reasons...

may i ask what these cleats are?

will i have them too?

i know what you mean

i've been braced a year, uppers only, and my ortho didn't wanted to take the cleats off because he said he may use them later in treatment
i still get my tongue caught, and sore

i'm still waiting for the lowers... those have cleats too??

I've had my braces since 12/7/07. This is my second time as an adult (last time was 15 years ago, didn't wear the retainer).

Where is the cleat located - on the inside of the tooth or outside? The inside of my cheek is being gouged by the metal protuberance on the outside of the bracket on my molar. I use wax, but that is a pain when eating.

BB

Thanks Merayten. I think the water-hydration thing is part of the problem. I noticed my skin and lips are dry.

Resurrecting this thread.

Is anyone else having problems with cleats or seating lugs?

My ortho has tamped them down flat but they still bug me a LOT. My tongue is raw on the sides even tho I have put wax on the cleats. I'm trying to get used to them, but after two weeks I'm still whining!

Yo, I was looking for you! I wanted to check back to see how you are doing, since we started our braces journey on the same day. When I went in today I got 4 metall bands and the two top ones have these thingies on the inside that bother me like crazy. I am sure this is what you are talking about? The feeling of this is unbearable right now, had to put some wax on the lower outside of on of the bands. Do we have to live with these things for the full treatment time? I'll go crazy. They aren't even connected to anything at the moment. Maybe I'm just not understanding what they are there for.

My ortho put "bumpers" around the cleats. Basically they are thick ligatures. While it didn't make the cleats completely unnoticeable, it did cut down on the worst of the scratching. Ultimately, like everything else, you will get used to the cleats being there (I don't notice mine at all anymore) but it really sucks in the beginning.

Cleats are not used by everyone but they are always on the bands just in case you do need them. I think they are mainly used for crossbite elastic configurations. If you are not correcting for this, maybe your doctor can snap them off completely. Worth asking.

Hi Bracy!

Sounds like you are having as much trouble with the bands and cleats as I am. I went in once and asked them to adjust the cleats by smashing them down. the next week I sent my husband in to get some more wax for me.

I did ask them to remove the cleats but they told me that the Dr needs them. When I go back in for an adjustment I'm going to tell them to take off the cleats and GIVE them to the Dr if he needs them so bad!

so glad someone else is having this problem... well not glad sorry. But yeah still killing me. I have a hole... literal hole in the side of my cheek. Been waxing it everyday but man what a pain in the butt.
www.allbraced.blogspot.com

It's the same here, it's day 3 with those bands now and I feel like i am going crazy. I put so much wax in my mouth, it's unbelievable how i run through it now. I am covering the inside ones on top and inside and outside on the bottom. My cheek is very angry right now! The wax gets all mushy too because it's so far in the back, it's not funny. I randomly pick out little pieces of wax here and there, i could do without it. I just took the wax of the top inside ones, just trying to get used to it.

Hopefully it will get better in the coming days.

Bracy, it could have been me writing your post. I feel the same way. I try to get used to these nasty things. But then I get raw on my cheek and tongue so I have to put wax on just so it can heal.

All of a sudden today my cheek is raw again. I'm still not good at putting the wax on so that it stays put.

Three days ago I got a band with cleats on one side, because I had a lingual button come off. The button was replaced but that one came off as soon as i got home and had something to eat so I had to go in again the next day and they put on the band. I know what you guys mean, I can usually get used to stuff pretty quickly but i'm having trouble eating and stuff, even really soft stuff! The hook on the new bracket (cheek side) seems huge but its not cutting my cheek up too much. Its my tongue thats the problem! I preferred the lingual button, and feel pretty lucky that i've still got the one button on the other side! Wonder how long I'll be wearing them.... (I have a crossbite). Can't ask ortho to cut them off because I am wearing elastics on them.