Metal Mouth Message Board

Welcome to the site.You will be sure to find more informative personal information on this site. As for your brace day, many people find that when they get the braces they aren't as bad as they imagined. Braces can be painful/stressful but ive found these feelings are outweighed by the progression of teeth movement, and witnessing this gradual movement makes braces worth the while.

Good luck for your brace day!

Newmetal

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

You can probably trim out the extra tags: "[img][ url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]" and "[/url]
[/img]" that are showing up on either side of your ticker.

FYI, there is a section called "Testing, Testing, 1,2,3..." that gives us a place to test our signatures and tickers and whatnot. I have a running thread there that I dig up when I need to work on something.

Wow, your B-day is my day for impressions and x-rays. I'll be about 2 weeks behind you. Come down and introduce yourself in the "January B-day" thread!

Hi soon to be metal mouth Mom! Hey LadyJ!

Looks like the time is drawing nearer for you. Thats great you are getting started, I recently had to have my b-day rescheduled after I was already in the chair and tilted back with all my metal 'mints' layed out next to me on the tray! The worst part is I will need to go back in to have spacers redone. After a two week stint with those I am not looking forward to another go with the 7 it will take. Again! Also facing fixed appliance therapy involving both arches when my b-day is finally set. Yikes, make it a fun experience ladies and I wish you all the luck getting through the early stages! If you need any suggestions we are all here for you as your big day approaches! LadyJ, I like to joke to relieve stress but as our pal MetalMouthMom is about to find out and of course you and I soon therafter, you will not be able to talk once the separator and bite block are placed so preparation beforehand is key. I will forge on knowing I have that process to get through coming up but let me know how it goes?
Thanks!

MetalMom and Lady J:

The only way to fiish treatment is to start. For me, the nerves were worst than any pain I felt. The best advice I can give you is to stay hydrated. Start warm water salt rinses. They really help your mouth adapt to the new things in your mouth. OTC pain meds in moderation is not a bad thing.

This is something that you are doing for yourself. No one else will benefit from treatment except you. This is one of the few things that really is for you. Approach it that way. You are doing this for you, its not being done TO you.

It will be as positive of an experience as you wish to make it. Try to have fun with it, and it will be fun. If you know its going to be painful and you're going to hate every day, and you will hate every day.

GOOD LUCK.....and have fun!!!

Mike

Try to not be too worried! I know exactly your feelings right now though. I have only had my braces 2 months now, and I was really scared to get them on. (I had them before when I was 14 and it hurt like a b*otch to get them on), the comparison from then to now was amazing!! The only thing that bothered me was the glue tastes really bad, but other than that I had absolutely no pain at all! Good luck and post often! It really does help to know that you are not alone. Lori

Thanks for the advice, Mike!

I'm actually getting pretty excited. And I'm ramping up the oral hygiene even more, making *really* sure to floss well, etc.

I'm about ready to start the rinses but even though everyone talks about them, I can't seem to find any instructions for making them. Is it just a spoonful (or however much) of salt in a glass of water? Any suggestions?

I was told to rinse with warm salt water when I had my wisdom teeth out, but I used Crest Pro-Health instead (reasoning it would prevent any infection). It does seem to relieve a little irritation, too, if for example I cut my gum while flossing. Might that (or any other) mouthwash work, or should I stick to the salt water?

Thanks again!

Meryaten wrote:I've also come to the conclusion that hydrogen peroxide/water is a better rinse when you do have oral wounds...

I think my ortho will be giving me Peroxyl in my "goody bag" - same deal? (I know plain peroxide is cheaper in the long run, though.)

I'll make sure to stay hydrated. That's another habit I'm working hard on establishing ahead of time.

And thanks for the suggested salt:water ratio. I'll probably try the rinses and then see if I can get by without them, just like weaning myself off wax.

2 weeks and counting (impressions tomorrow)!...

I agree that daily salt water rinses are a bit of overkill. I'm sure they won't hurt, so if you want to, go for it.

I find them most helpful when I've got new stuff added or a pokey wire that isn't enough of a poker to make it worth it to get it trimmed but I'd like a bit of relief. Before new brackets, I think its a good idea. I know salt water rinses really helped when I started with elastics. I barely had any irritation at all in my cheeks although they were rubbed a tad.

Mike

Hi MetalMouthMom, we are braceday twins!!

I have my lowers put on at 5pm UK time tomorow 3rd Jan. I had my last extraction this morning at the top. I had a problem before christmas with another tooth next door to the one planned to go - waited for it to be resolved to be on the safe side - it wasnt resolved (abscess) so he took that one out instead meaning the gap there is now is further back and unoticeable but that I dont get rid of my most heavily filled tooth Oh well, dentist is going to redo the filling with white, so not that bad. The one he took out came out easily, the site is now nice and clean and I have been on anti biotics since Monday, so dentist thinks that I can have the uppers done Friday as planned provided it keeps healing well. (NOTE antibiotics for New Years Eve so you cant drink alcohol sucks BIG TIME!).

I was feeling really down and "OMG, what HAVE I done?!" last week (posting a whiney post on here lol) but now I am actually quite excited!

I'll share a pic with you if ya like! I have to take pics to email to the kids who have now gone back to University - they are dying to see too!

47 with braces....whodathoughtit?

Hope it all goes well for you.

I didn't use the salt water rinse daily to prepare for braces, rather I used them to help soothe my gums after my pre-molar extractions. I also gargle with warm saltwater when I have a sore throat to help soothe it. When you have a sore throat, it is having mini ulcers in your throat. I am a believer of warm saltwater rinses, I just don't believe in using it unless I need to.

Hi MMM,

Just want to wish you lots of luck tomorrow on your b-day. I'll be following in your footsteps a week later and I completely understand how you are feeling. I'm nervous myself and I'm doing this for the second time, I got them off the first time 25 years ago.

There are so many wonderful people here with lots of great information and advice. Have a great day tomorrow and a pain free adventure!

Browneyedgrl

Good luck tomorrow, MMM

Hi, I got my braces on October 29th so it's only been a little over 2 months. I remember the day I went to get mine, my stomach was doing flip-flops. Everyone on this forum was so helpful, I remembered to use lip balm and go to the bathroom before hand. After it was over I realized that it wasn't that bad. The lip spreaders were uncomfortable but they didn't hurt. The Ortho got all the brackets placed (metal top and bottom) in about an hour. It didn't hurt at all. I had a little pain the first few days but I ate soup and pasta. I was back eating normally in about 4 or 5 days. Chewing really does help even though it hurts to do it. Try to get back to eating normally as soon as you can. Take Advil, or Tylenol for the pain and drink water. I still can't get used to the fact that everything I eat sticks underneath my brackets. It feels funny and has me running for my WaterPik or at least swishing water around. Congratulations and good luck with your B-Day!! Kathy