Metal Mouth Message Board

As some of you may know, I have been wearing a distal jet since February to create space for my crowded teeth. I had not wanted to create space by extractions. Well, today at my adjustment, the ortho let me know the distal jet was not working and could not create enough space to let the braces do what they need to do. So, after all the pain (literally) of wearing this atrocious gadget for so long, I now have to get extractions. What's worse is that they're the right and left 1st premolars! I will have two humongous gaps that will be visible when I smile. I'm completely mortified! Just the thought of having teeth pulled seems barbaric to me. I admit that I'm freaked out by it, but I also have to deal with big gaps. Can anyone relate to this at all? I have to say, this isn't the first time I've regretted having braces. Has anyone ever heard of people changing their minds and having their braces taken off?

Hi,
sorry to hear your treatment isn't going as expected, but at least you tried (this reminds me of Lynn's experience, the owner of Archwired. She wanted to avoid extractions, but ultimately had to do it.)

What is 1st premolar? What tooth number is it?

I had to have tooth #5 on my left extracted. It's not THAT visible when I smile (probably depends on how wide your mouth is, but still, I don't think it's the most visible spot). I've already went to an event where I smiled way too widely for my own good, and I have PICTURES with the gap. But I think I'm going to live I'm just thinking of this whole ordeal kind of like... "gotta clench my teeth (figuratively speaking) and get it done". Whatever weirdness and ugliness I have to go through, it'll be soon forgotten when I have my desired smile and tooth setup

Hope it improves for you from here. Just accept it, and get over it (don't mean to be harsh, it's just easier to deal with it that way).

I had my 1st pre molars or "4th from center" removed. 1 was taken several years ago like when i was 13 i think the other a few months ago after I got braces. the gaps are only obvious from the side and only when i really smile big. you can see in the pics on my blog. in a normal resting possition or when i smile normal you cant even tell there are gaps. I had the first removed to make room for my left canine and the other removed to balance my upper arch.

I have heard of people having braces removed before they finished treatment, but is this really what you want? Braces last a short time but a great smile if properly cared for lasts a life time. really do take a look at my blog the gaps are not as noticable as you might think. and you learn to not smile widely pretty fast as you can feel your lips hit the gaps. if you are really worried about the gaps some poster on here have mentioned they had "fake teeth" to hide gaps.

Actually I was in your position a few months ago, my options were extractions or the distal jet. I choose the extractions which are getting pulled tomorrow.
My reasoning behind going with the extractions was it will take less time then what he thought for the appliance and I do alot of speaking at my job. Plus I am getting married next May and I want my braces off by then.
I do feel the same way you do about getting teeth pulled. Plus I am not too keen on yanking healthy teeth, couldn't be any of the ones I have with fillings I am scared about tomorrow even though I had all 4 wisdom teeth out last year without problems. It is the same oral surgeon and he is great but I still get scared.
I will be getting the same teeth out you will be. I'll let you know how it goes.

While I think it's always best to keep your natural teeth if at all possible, obviously that plan's not working for you. Don't worry about the gaps; they're only temporary. I had a gap that appeared between a premolar and bicuspid as a result of my treatment and it became so large I could almost shove my tongue through it. About 6 weeks later, the teeth are starting to touch again. You'll be surprised at how quick the gaps close. Talk to your otho about how he intends to close them (powerchains or whatever) and get a gameplan in order. You just need to know what to expect and you'll feel better.

I checked out your blog, susieq, and you really can't see the gaps. I'm shocked. I don't have a really wide smile, so I'm guessing it'll be okay for me, too. After sleeping on it, I realize now that I was being really dramatic about everything. Don't get me wrong, I am still extremely disappointed after having to wear that distal jet for so long. I still freak out about the idea of having teeth ripped out of my head, but I guess I'll live! I can't remember what my ortho said he will use to close the gaps, but he did say that it will take only a matter of weeks to close the gap on the right (I'm making room for a high canine to move into place). The left won't be as easy, since we are just trying to move the midline over. He said I may have a gap for up to 6 months. And you're right, I just need to suck it up and get over it.

Thanks for the support everyone!

Hi joygoss,

I'm sorry to hear your treatment isn't going well! I had to have 4 extractions, the second premolars. I was terrified, mortified and worried about it, and tormented myself for days before it was actually done. The actual pulling is not bad, they novicane you up, then grab the tooth with this large tool, loosen it up and sort of pluck it out. The noise and the anticipation are worse than anything. They heal in like 2 days and don't really bleed too much, not like wisdom teeth.

As for the gaps, they didn't show when I smiled at all. But, in the process of closing the gaps, a process that is still going almost 6 months later, several large gaps have appeared in my FRONT teeth, most notably between the second and third teeth from the middle. The ortho put a power chain on my front 4 teeth to keep them together, but the rest are drifting over. It's like this on the top and bottom. She said what they do is first take care of closing the extraction gaps, and then push all of the front teeth back when they are closed.

-Sophie

NOISE??!! Every time I think of it, I get a flashback of the scene in Castaway where Tom Hanks.... well, you know...

Yeah, the noise was the worst part for me, it was like crrrruuuunnnnch and I could just feel the pressure of my tooth giving away.

My dentist used a thing that looked like plyers and thankfully not an ice skate

-sophie

I had my premolars extracted as well (didn't have an option). I was really worried and pretty upset about having to get two perfectly healthy teeth taken out. The worst part for me was the pressure in my jaw. My dentist and his assistant did a really wonderful job at keeping me calm and stuff (they told jokes and explained everything they were going to do).

My gaps aren't visible unless I open my mouth reaaaaaally wide and you take a good look. I'm pretty happy those teeth got pulled instead of one farther back.

Good luck

Thanks everyone. The big day is tomorrow and I'm much calmer about it. For now, anyway. I keep telling myself it will be worth it. I appreciate everyone's comments - they have helped tremendously! Take care everyone!