Metal Mouth Message Board

I have to admit that if I were in your shoes, I would probably be thinking the same thing. Three extra months is a long time. Are you sure you would get to have your adjustment if you broke a bracket? It would be a bummer to have a student just re-attach it and send you home. I guess I'm not saying "do it!", but if it were me I would be leaning very strongly in the direction you're suggesting. As long as I knew how to get the bracket off safely (of course). Good luck - let us know what happens!

I checked out a dental school here, and was immediately warned that work was significantly delayed depending on the number of patients, students graduating, and supervisors' availability-- the number one reason I chose not to go with one! Just curious, did they tell you anything about the time between adjustments, depending on the teacher's schedule? I've had friends who have gone through the dental school, and it seems to be the norm here...

Breaking a bracket seems to be a little extreme to me too, but I understand how hard it must be to wait another three months. Like another user said, I hope you don't break the bracket for nothing, since I know a lot of times my ortho sees people for emergency visits and only deals with what absolutely has to be done! Good luck!

I'm on the NHS and I go to a dental school. Its pretty cool

You know, with adjustments every 6-8 weeks and your last adjustment near the end of June, the most you would be extending treatment by just waiting until September is what, 4-6 weeks?

I just had oral surgery and my ortho is not allowed to give me an adjustment for 6-8 weeks after surgery. My last adjustment was 4 weeks before my surgery. So, like you, I am going three months without an adjustment.

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea for you to break off a bracket to get an adjustment one month after your last one. And...as posted above, they may only replace the bracket, use your old wire and call it a day.

Is a month and a half added to the course of your treatment REALLY that hard to bear?

BigEyedDave,
Start chewing on a pen buddy, then if that doesn't work, upgrade to chewing onto the handles of forks and spoons. This is how my friend knocked off 4 brackets!

--Garretr