Metal Mouth Message Board

the worst was over my ortho has decided I haven't had enough torture devices and put something he called a button on the inside of 2 of my bottom teeth to hook elastics around to pull those teeth out. My tongue is already torn to shreds. I broke one off about 2.5 hours after I left the ortho so that is being replaced today. I am so not happy about having these things in my mouth for the next 3-4 months. Has anyone else had any of these things?? how did you cope? I've been putting wax on the one I have left but that comes off when I eat. It's so uncomfortable eating with that thing digging into my tongue.

Yesterday I had buttons placed on the outside of each of my second premolars for the purpose of using with elastics. The reason that they are on the outside is that I have lingual uppers and ceramic lowers and it will be easier to hook up elastics in this way.

They are idle at the moment, as my bite has opened up further in the last few weeks and I've got to get a wisdom tooth extracted before we go any further. I expect I might get some more on my next visit, also on the outside.

They are a bit uncomfortable, but they are on the outside. I expect your tongue will get used to them; having had the experience of linguals chew up my tongue early on, I can say that the initial discomfort does pass.

I had an inside button. As long as the elastic was on it there was little discomfort. He should have given you a bag of elastics to change them.

When the button was NOT in use during different phases, they put a ligature on it otherwise it would have felt jabbing then too.

Not sure what mine are officially called, but I've got two hooks on the insides of my top molar bands. I affectionately call them the "shredders." I used LOTS of wax, replaced after every time I eat. I've slowly weaned myself off the wax, though I have to use it every now and then when my tongue gets sore. I didn't think it would happen, but your tongue DOES toughen up and get used to them. I think salt water rinses helped, too.

good luck

Oh dear,

I so understand this. I have had buttons several times on the inside of
my lower first molars. I don't want to scare you, as I know each one is
different, but I never could cope with them. Sometimes my tongue hurt
so much I can hardly speak normally anymore. Everytime my tongue
heals a bit, something occurs and wham ... again a bleeding tongue and
all starts over again. Normally, it was planned me to get more buttons
on the inside of my lower left teeth to pull all those outwards. From canine
to second molar. I know it will be a funny question, but I will ask another
way to do this. Even if it will involve placing a lower expander. I just can't
cope with these nasty buttons anymore. They are so sharp ! In all those
months I had buttons on and off, I experienced this. It is always better
when an elastic is on it. At least it is then a bit less sharp. When no elastic
is needed for a while, but the button needs to stay, then your ortho can
put around it one segment of a powerchain. That makes it then much
more comfortable. One other time, on my right first lower molar, a band
was placed with a little hook on it to have the same function as a button.
It was sharp too, but less painfull than a button.
I really hope you can get used to buttons better than I do !
Best of luck !!

After 48 hours, mine were starting to irritate a bit so I brought out the heavy artillery - wax!

Thanks to everyone! The ortho didn't replace the one that I broke off so that is a bit of relief. It has gotten much better the last few days. It feels so much better with the elastic on it. I haven't even had to use any wax. I hardly remember it's there now. I should have learned by now that it always gets better after a few days. I've had lots of weird things in my mouth since I started braces and they always got better after a few days.

I'm due to get a button next time. anyone got a clear picture of these?

thanks