Metal Mouth Message Board

I had my top braces on last Friday (lowers have been on for 6 months).

I had not been too worried about 'protusion' beyond my overjet as my lowers moved fast so I thought if the braces make my upper lip stick out, then it will be what it is pre-braces in a matter of weeks.

However, this won't happen. As my ortho said that she's not bringing them back first, she's expanding my arch into more of U shape first.

Hmmm...I look fine with my mouth closed. But if I smile, I look like a demented woman. Also, my lip gets stuck on the 'hooky' bits (what are brackets like that called..??), and I have to use my fingers to unstick.

I thought my lip would stretch. But it hasn't as yet Will it? I have been drinking lots of water and using super lip plumper (LipFusion XL which definitely works from a plumping perspective!) but it isn't making it go away.

Will it stretch?

your lips will just get used to it and won't get caught on the hooks soon. wax helps some with getting them to glide easily but I would give it a good month before it feels "normal"

LOL "demented woman" LOL

I can so relate! My lips are still getting caught on the hooks on top of the upper brackets too- especially when my mouth is dry, and unfortunately it's been happening a lot when I'm talking to patients for extended periods of time. Super attractive. LOL! They must think I'm a fool- think the scene from "Me, Myself, & Irene" when Jim Carrey's mouth gets super dry from the anti-psychotic drugs he's taking.
See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GUrPT4fbDU&NR=1
OMG it's so funny!!!

Luella - ROFL Thanks!

How long have you had this for?

For the entire first month I had to wax the brackets with the hooks so my lip wouldn't get caught. Some time into the second month I stopped wearing the wax and my lips got used to moving over the hooks. Occasionally if my mouth is dry my lip will get stuck, but other than that I don't even notice the hooks anymore.

My ortho is also working on shaping my arch and straightening the front teeth before pulling them back and closing my extraction gaps. It doesn't help that my brackets are huge to begin with, lol.

TigerLily wrote:How long have you had this for?

How long have I had what?

My upper lip tends to get hung up on a hook after I yawn, which is funny because now I don't even bother pulling it loose...I just let it stay that way for the few seconds or minute or so until it becomes free on its own. For those fleeting moments I feel like, well, Elvis

Luella - you said 'still' so I wondered how long you've had your braces on and/or how long have you been living with your lip getting caught on the hooks.

I don't even know how I'm going to cope with giving it a month, let alone longer

I'm 8 days out from my brace day!