Your Relaxed Mouth and showing your braces

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#1 Post by **bracesafter40** » Sun May 20, 2007 8:38 pm

Does your braces show when your mouth is relaxed? Or do you have to smile or open your mouth in order for them to be seen?

I was able to close my mouth at all times as my relaxed face before I got braces, but now, my mouth is slightly open and my braces does not show unless I laugh or say something. When I fall asleep in public, my mouth opens which never occurred before either. I have to make an effort to get my lips over the braces and archwires. This was hard initially, but it is better now.

Sun May 20, 2007 10:01 pm

Mine show just a very small amount when my mouth us relaxed. I have ceramics on top and I have a hard time getting my upper lip around my big ceramic brackets, but like you said, it's getting better every day. I feel like I have a shelf for my upper lip to rest on! You can barely see your brackets. I have heard that getting your lips around the brackets get easier as your teeth align in to the proper position- hope they're right!

#3 Post by **GinaLime** » Sun May 20, 2007 10:32 pm

The reason I actually got braces was to correct my lip strain -- when my face is relaxed, my lips don't cover my teeth all the way (I have a bimaxillary protrusion). I was dismayed that when I got braces, my lip strain was actually a little worse with the brackets and all! In repose, my top teeth show. My ortho assures me that the teeth should start moving back soon, but still, it's a bummer!

#4 Post by **Lisa65** » Mon May 21, 2007 5:18 am

My class II and overjet means that my top teeth and braces tend to be visible unless I make a conscious effort to close my lips. It's actually got harder to close my lips since my top teeth straightened up!

#5 Post by **AngelOfLife** » Mon May 21, 2007 6:56 am

Very little, hardly noticable I've been told. When I laugh or generally talk they are very noticable though.

#6 Post by **acd** » Mon May 21, 2007 6:42 pm

Very few people noticed my braces when I just had my upper ceramic brackets but since I've gotten my lower metal brackets on my severely messed up teeth they have become much more noticeable. The good news is that as time goes on they will be visible on much straighter, better aligned teeth which seems much better than keeping what I had.

#7 Post by **GinaLime** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:11 pm

I'm SO jealous of people whose lips meet normally. I wouldn't mind having bad teeth if I could keep my mouth closed without strain! But my treatment is aimed at reducing the lip incompetence, so I hope that I'll be able to join you mouth-closed folks soon.

In terms of talking, I show a lot of upper and bottom teeth. And for some reason, I have a really broad smile, so I have to cover my mouth when I smile big ... or else my 4 extraction gaps all show. Oh well, it's for a good cause!

#8 Post by **mamabracito** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:49 am

My lips before and during braces have always stayed open in comfortable position...another thing the surgery will fix, so I'm told.

Rebecca

#9 Post by **Carolinahigh12** » Tue May 22, 2007 11:54 am

I cant really reply to this because I dont have braces yet. But I do have a question... Why are U falling asleep in public, and how do you know that your mouth was open while falling asleep? Just asking... Do you travel alot and take naps in airports while waiting for a flight or something and someone notices your braces?

#10 Post by **Machiavellian** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:17 pm

GinaLime wrote:The reason I actually got braces was to correct my lip strain -- when my face is relaxed, my lips don't cover my teeth all the way (I have a bimaxillary protrusion). I was dismayed that when I got braces, my lip strain was actually a little worse with the brackets and all! In repose, my top teeth show. My ortho assures me that the teeth should start moving back soon, but still, it's a bummer!

I have the exact same problem Gina, my top 4 brackets are usually always visible unless I strain to close my lips over my braces which makes me look like I just ate a lemon. Anyways, good luck to both of us, I hope once the extraction gaps close my top lip will relax and won't have to cover so much distance.

#11 Post by **Laurie** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:18 pm

See, now this is something I'm worried about - being able to close my mouth over my braces. I have two top teeth that protrude out pretty far and I really think it's going to be a challenge to keep my lips shut all the way at first.

But it will all be worth it in the end. (My mantra!)

#12 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:57 pm

When my mouth is relaxed, my lips are also closed.

I wonder if this is something that can be "learned".

#13 Post by **kirjax** » Tue May 22, 2007 4:49 pm

my mouth relaxed is completely closed over my braces. Well right now they are. I am not sure about it when bottoms go on. But I have a feeling that they will still be closed.

#14 Post by **Boolajoojoo** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:24 pm

I think of Napoleon Dynamite when I think of anyone who's lips don't normally cover their teeth. Hehe...

At rest, my lips are normally closed.. both before and after braces. Dunno if this is something that "can be learned" but I it seems that if my lips aren't touching, they do come open, but I don't like the feeling of air passing over my teeth (mouth breathing)

Yep. Blargity.

#15 Post by **bracesafter40** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:13 pm

I cant really reply to this because I dont have braces yet. But I do have a question... Why are U falling asleep in public, and how do you know that your mouth was open while falling asleep? Just asking... Do you travel alot and take naps in airports while waiting for a flight or something and someone notices your braces?

I fall asleep in public when I'm sitting on an airplane. I actually feel my mouth opening and when I awake, I have to close my mouth; hence how I know it is open when I sleep. This never occurred before braces.