Metal Mouth Message Board

I have heard people refer to having powerchains or wire ties. I got both on my top teeth on my first adjustment.

Also I have heard several people comment about staining to clear ligs and powerchains. I am happy to say I haven't had any problems at all with my clear ligs even though I wore them for 8 weeks. Hopefully, my clear power chain will hold up as well.

Thanks for the input.

MsViola you got wire ties so soon? I didn't get mine until the final two adjustments (or about 9 weeks) for the 2.5 years in braces, although I do get powerchains for much of the course except when a new archwire is put in.

My ortho used silver powerchains for me most of the time, I have only requested clear chains once when I know, remember and want to . Except deferring curry chicken on steamed rice (yummy) to a couple days before an adjustment, I hadn't worry myself with staining my chains.

buur: That is very interesting. I also got a new archwire along with the metal ties and power chain. My teeth have been moving quite fast since the beginning. I hope that continues and my time is shortened. On the downside I have had a headache all weekend and have to go in this afternoon because of a poking wire. No pain, no gain

I love the tie-wires, I don't have to worry about stains and am able to eat anything I want! Also, they are very thin and barely visible ...

The powerchains, they're not looking bad and they're barely visible anyway.

I'm in the same situation and totally agree with you on both points. I got clear ligs the day I was braced. All it took was one little bowl of curried soup, and yucko! Asked for wire ties at my first adjustment and haven't looked back since.

akire: wow sounds like you have a mouthful!!

Lill: I may ask for wire ties if I have any staining problems. I don't eat curry so I should be safe.

I have all wire ties up top. I asked why they did only the eye teeth when they first did them and they said they were for better rotation of those teeth but I could have them all done if I wished. So I did and I love em. No staining and they are easy to keep clean. And I think it gives me a real streamlined look up top.
-Tom

I've had several combinations of wire ties, clear ligs and clear powerchain. In my experience, the clear powerchain didn't stain nearly has much as the clear ligs. I liked the wire ties - except when the end of the wire would work its way out from behind the bracket and slice up my tongue. OUCH!

Chris

Mom: what kind of things cause your clear ligs to stain?

I've had wire ties on my uppers since brace day, and on the lowers since my first adjustment. I didn't get powerchains until I had some space to close, a few months in. I love wire ties, and they are so much less bulky than ligs, for me. They are very good about tucking them in/under at my ortho's office, so I love them. White teflon wire ties look great on ceramics, BTW (that's what I have on the uppers, and SS ties on the lowers).

MsViola wrote:Mom: what kind of things cause your clear ligs to stain?

My biggest offender is iced tea. Also, tomato sauce and mustard. I'm not a curry eater thank goodness.

Chris

Powerchains are great! I loved my silver ones, but I'm not so sure about my newer blue ones. They've dulled a bit but I may ask for silver again or clear.

This is something that's always bugged me so this is probably a good place to ask: What are wire ties and when would they be used for treatment?

Sim

mom: I drink a lot of tea also and some cokes. I try to use a straw to minimize the amount of liquid that comes in contact with my teeth. So far, I have not had any staining issues.

I also eats tons of ketchup but I am careful to make sure I place that and things with mustard in the back of my mouth.

Viola

Viola, you're much more careful than I am. I usually start out strong with straws and being careful what I eat for a while after my adjustment, but as my next adjustment nears I get lazy and eat what I want - knowing that my ligs and PC will be changed soon.

Chris