Metal Mouth Message Board

After registering with this forum a couple of years ago, I'm finally getting braced!!!

I have a deep bite and am having damon clear on the uppers and damon metals on the lowers. Teeth themselves are pretty good and the idea is to improve the bite, although the lowers are very, very slightly wo,ky and treatment will also straighten these out. I wish i had gone ahead earlier (I'm in my 30's) but years ago the only option for me would have been the jaw operation. I don't expect a result as perfect as jaw surgery would give however ortho said damons will wider my smile and i think this will help facial balance a bit.

I have an appointment for spacers (i think! I'm not fluent in the language in the country live in and while i speak enough French to understand most of what the orthodontist said, I don't know the French for 'spacers'...however I'm pretty sure that's what's going to happen) in just over a week and then the fitting of the braces a few weeks later.

i think i was the only client in the orthodontists office happen to be getting braces (the rest were fairly young, but half their client base is adult apparently). I have been quite unwell, and while altering my bite might seem petty in light of somethings I feel its a really positive thing to do for myself - which can only be good.

Will post pictures as it happens. I almost forgot to ask: once I'm braced i know it wont be quite as easy as it normally is to clean my teeth, I'm planning on getting a water pic etc. but i wondered if its a good idea to have teeth professionally cleaned and polished prior to being braced - should i book this at a dentists or do most orthos do it as standard prior to bracing. Many Thanks!

Congrats on starting your new journey! I won't lie - it's a pain in the rear sometimes, but overall it's the best thing I've ever done. I also have Damons, though mine are all metal because I was too cheap to pay extra for the clear.

As for your cleanings, it definitely would not hurt to get a cleaning done prior. Orthodontists don't generally do cleanings (at least, mine doesn't), so I would book an appointment with your dentist just prior to getting your braces put on. You will feel much better knowing everything is squeaky clean!

Have fun with your spacers... NOT! Most people say they're the worst part of the bracing process. I had 4 put in around my molar crowns, and I didn't experience pain so much as hassle that a couple of them would constantly fall out or get chewed up. Once they come out, you will breathe a sigh of relief.

As for the water pik - it's a LIFESAVER!! It really does a great job at getting out stubborn food that gets stuck in your brackets and other hard-to-reach places. Just remember, it's not a substitute for regular flossing. At night, I normally rinse with my water pik first, then floss; then rinse one more time, and then brush and use mouthwash. Once you get the hang of your cleaning routine, it really shouldn't take you very long. When I started, it took me 15 minutes to floss. Now, it takes me about 7 minutes. I rinse and brush during the day, so I really don't have much to floss out at night.

Please take lots of pics and post your story in "My Braces Stories". We love following along with people.