Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi all! Glad I found you here with this wealth of information. I'm a 38yo SAHM/RN to 4 who has decided it's time to take care of myself for a bit. I have a class III malocclusion, crossbite/openbite that has resulted in TMJ issues. I was first informed of this 8 years ago, but at the time had a 2yo and newborn twins. We also lived 8 hours away from any family, so needless to say, I was not jumping on the braces/surgery bandwagon at the time. Oh, yeah, I am going to have a LeForte done in about a year. After I have 2 wisdom teeth removed. Yikes!!
Anyway, I digress. About 4-5 yrs ago, I started having lots of popping, clicking and even some locking of my jaw, accompanied with pain, and began wearing a splint. It helped initially, but I later switched from a dentist to my current ortho for treatment and a new splint made a world of difference. They want me to wear it 24/7, which isn't feasible. They are also expensive and I keep breaking them since when I bite, my back teeth hit only. He also recommended braces and surgery, but it's been 2 years since I went for that initial OS consult. It's taken me this long to finally decide it's time. Can you say I'm a little bit procrastinating? Maybe a little bit petrified?
I go in tomorrow to have In-Ovation C braces upper and lower placed. My teeth are straight, which is why my parents never thought I needed ortho tx, so we are really just working out alignment/jaw issues. He estimated 18 mo. for treatment, but I'm hoping it might even go faster. I know, wishful thinking.
Well, I have to study up and know all I can before I make decisions about things. So that's why I'm up past my bedtime, reading posts here. But, glad to be here and please think happy thoughts for me tomorrow!! I'm braced for the worst!

Hi bracedfortheworst

Congrats on taking the plunge. You're certainly in good company here. There are lot's of brave & nice people here going through this journey! We all can relate...I'm getting ready for my second time around.

Good Luck on your first day! The braces will definitely take some getting used to, but down the road you won't be sorry...

I posted this in the "Braces Story" but didn't get a response from any one. The Metal Mouth Forum seems to have the most traffic.

I started with TMJ popping and locking (and headaches and neck pain). Chiro adjustments on my TMJ would just slip back. My chiropractor referred me to an oral surgeon. Animated MRIs showed both discs were out of place. Oral surgeon referred me to splint dentist. I wore a splint in my mouth 24/7 for a year, then had surgery to reposition my discs, and wore a splint 24/7 for another year during healing. I also had massage therapy to relax my face, neck, head and shoulders muscles.

Ortho, after conferring with splint dentist and oral surgeon, determined treatment to give me a bite. In prep for ortho, the splint dentist replaced my four back, bottom crowns and built them up 2mm so they touch my upper teeth. He also built up (with bonding) my four front bottom teeth so they would touch my upper teeth too.

I asked for the most effective and efficient braces not caring what they looked like. On Nov. 11, '09, I got self-ligating metal brackets, upper and lower. I guess I'm spending time acclimating to the braces. My next appointment is Jan. 11. How can anything with so many smoothed surfaces feel so sharp?

Am I happy? My right TMJ still pops, though reduced. The headaches and neck pain were gone the first year with the splint and massage therapies, and I think my hearing has improved. I'm very thankful that we were able to afford this because not much was (and is) covered under our health and dental insurance (because of job changes, we've been under four health/dental plans over the last two years). A quick estimate of the whole ordeal shows we've paid about $28,000 out of pocket.
_________________

Bet your cheeks and gums and killing you by now? Keep the faith! Another 10 days or so and you'll be free of pain and eating normally again. I've got braces for the second time around and 6+ months in, my teeth are starting to look A-1 (again) - it's worth it. But they'll be days when you will wonder what were you thinking when you signed up for this - the "terrible me's" I call them. They you just kind of accept it and get on with life. For the most part I'm not even aware I have braces anymore. Congratulations - you won't regret it.