Metal Mouth Message Board

I could use some help understanding things. I got my braces yesterday. My ortho explained things during my consult but I can't remember all of what he said. I wish I would've taken notes.

My upper teeth slant in towards my tongue. Is there an orthodontic term for this? My upper front teeth were sliding against the lower ones, causing lots of dental issues. What I don't get is how the brackets and wires will push my teeth outward. In my mind, they will pull the teeth further in, which is the opposite of my problem. I know that my ortho knows what he's doing, but I just want to understand this. I've googled "how braces work" but I can't find anything that explains my specific problem. Anyone?

Another question: He put this device on each side of my upper back molars that look like blue stumps. I asked the assistant twice what they were called and all I can remember is a [blank?]-tail. Anyone know what this is? The ortho said they would prevent my teeth from coming together so I don't further damage my front teeth. My teeth don't meet at all and I can't chew anything. I have to wear this thing for 8 weeks and I'm already craving foods I can't eat. So far my teeth aren't sore at all. I just can't eat because of this tail thing that I can't remember the name of. Is anyone familiar with these?

Thanks!

Hi Marigold. Congrats on getting braced. When I started treatment I also got those cement build-ups on my back teeth. I had a deep bite, which is when the top teeth overlap the bottom teeth. So in order to help your teeth move more easily and prevent damage to your brackets, the ortho puts some cement on the back teeth. It is very annoying at first but your bite will adjust and you'll be able to chew more normally again. (They're not called tails. Maybe you're thinking of the word turbo. My ortho just refers to it as cement build-up.) You also asked about how your teeth will move into their proper position. Did your ortho mention using any other types of appliances for you in your treatment? Every case is different. I had expanders when I first started due to narrow arches (my arches looked more V shaped than U shaped). These helped to tip my teeth into the right place. Also, the ortho will may put special bends into your wire throughout your treatment. Hope this is helpful. Best of luck.

Turbo tails! That's what she called them. Thank you! Mine are quite high and chewing is impossible. I've been using my tongue to scrape the food against my teeth. I might see if he can grind them down a bit so I can chew better.

He said when I come back in 8 weeks these would come off and he'd put bands on. I don't really understand this either because in the beginning they couldn't get the spacers in because my teeth were so tight. So he had to do brackets instead. Maybe by then they will be spaced far enough apart.

About the bends in the wire: This was another thing I found baffling. The ortho didn't even do the wire. He put the brackets on and moved on, and the assistant put the wire in. I was like, "that's it?" and she laughed because I'd been there 3 1/2 hours. I thought the ortho would do the wire to make the bends for each tooth, etc. Maybe right now he's just trying to shift the teeth forward and the adjustments will come later?

Sorry for more questions. I've never had braces, or siblings or kids who've had them, so this is all really new and confusing to me. The ortho is great but he doesn't really explain things unless I ask, and half the time I don't even know how to phrase the question.

Marigold wrote:I could use some help understanding things. I got my braces yesterday. My ortho explained things during my consult but I can't remember all of what he said. I wish I would've taken notes.

My upper teeth slant in towards my tongue. Is there an orthodontic term for this? My upper front teeth were sliding against the lower ones, causing lots of dental issues. What I don't get is how the brackets and wires will push my teeth outward. In my mind, they will pull the teeth further in, which is the opposite of my problem. I know that my ortho knows what he's doing, but I just want to understand this. I've googled "how braces work" but I can't find anything that explains my specific problem. Anyone?


Thanks!

The way it works is the archwire looks like a U before placement, and has "memory" it wants to move back to that position. Therefore, pulling your teeth into the perfect U . There are other appliances that could be added if the archwire alone could not solve this alone.

My 8 year old daughter had the blue thingys on her back molars. She complained because it affected her bite at first. Good luck to you. I feel like a dummy too. My daughter has had braces for 4 months and I've only had them two days. I feel for ya.

my front teeth slanted backwards too, after just one week and they were straight! that bit happended so fast. but i know what you mean, its hard to imagine how the wire will 'pull them forward'

A lot of times you'll find that the assistant will put in the wire after the ortho checks your teeth. You're in the lightest wire right now. During your treatment, you'll get stronger wires. Sometimes they'll put in a U shaped wire and sometimes the ortho will put little bends in it depending on what he needs the wire to do. You mentioned spacers. Those are usually in a week or two to make space between teeth for bands. If your ortho is planning on putting bands on your back teeth, he may try to put spacers inbetween your back teeth if he notices you don't have enough room at the next appt to place the bands. Although your teeth might move enough for them to just pop on the bands. I actually have to go into my orthos office a week before my next appt to get spacers since they plan to brace my upper molars.

Thanks everyone! This is making a lot more sense now. I also called the ortho office today. She said that the brackets have different angles and the wires are placed in them to make the teeth do different things. For now the ortho is just aligning my teeth (which explains why the brackets look uneven, which I also wondered about). She said my bite will start coming together and I'll be able to chew better when this happens. And about the bands, I may have confused this with elastics. Ugh, I really need to start paying better attention. They are a bit sore today but not really painful, so I feel like something is happening! And I got to eat mashed potatoes and gravy today!

Marigold wrote:My upper teeth slant in towards my tongue. Is there an orthodontic term for this? My upper front teeth were sliding against the lower ones, causing lots of dental issues. What I don't get is how the brackets and wires will push my teeth outward.

Sounds like we have quite similar issues. My upper teeth also slant towards my tongue and I have quite a deep bite too, which means my lower braces are going on a few months after my upper braces (otherwise my upper teeth would hit the lower brackets). My upper teeth have moved outwards already after 2 months of being in braces, but only by about 2mm so far. Already it's relieved the pressure and feels alot better on my poor lower front teeth.

I felt the same as you and wondered how the brackets/wire were going to bring my front teeth outwards. I still don't quite get it lol. My front teeth are still slanting inwards and have quite a way to go, it's just they aren't hitting on the fronts of the lowers anymore.
It's hard to explain, but with my upper front teeth, the area of the tooth that is near the gum line is more forward than the tips (bottom area) of the teeth... so if you were looking at me from my right side, my upper front teeth sit like this / (but not quite as slanted as that). I am actually looking forward to a slight overjet! I want one, give me one please! I don't like my front teeth slanting inwards.

Chrystal, yes, our issues are very similar, and I have a deep bite too. I looked at your photos and I can see the changes already! Lookin' good!

Chrystal wrote:

Marigold wrote:My upper teeth slant in towards my tongue. Is there an orthodontic term for this? My upper front teeth were sliding against the lower ones, causing lots of dental issues. What I don't get is how the brackets and wires will push my teeth outward.

Sounds like we have quite similar issues. My upper teeth also slant towards my tongue and I have quite a deep bite too, which means my lower braces are going on a few months after my upper braces (otherwise my upper teeth would hit the lower brackets). My upper teeth have moved outwards already after 2 months of being in braces, but only by about 2mm so far. Already it's relieved the pressure and feels alot better on my poor lower front teeth.

I felt the same as you and wondered how the brackets/wire were going to bring my front teeth outwards. I still don't quite get it lol. My front teeth are still slanting inwards and have quite a way to go, it's just they aren't hitting on the fronts of the lowers anymore.
It's hard to explain, but with my upper front teeth, the area of the tooth that is near the gum line is more forward than the tips (bottom area) of the teeth... so if you were looking at me from my right side, my upper front teeth sit like this / (but not quite as slanted as that). I am actually looking forward to a slight overjet! I want one, give me one please! I don't like my front teeth slanting inwards.

I'm wondering if having the teeth slant inwards .. one has more issues with lower gums? I could be way out there on this one.. but my top teeth slant inwards too.. waiting for them to slant outwards so I can get my lower braces on!

Thank you Marigold

drgnchsr36 wrote:I'm wondering if having the teeth slant inwards .. one has more issues with lower gums? I could be way out there on this one.. but my top teeth slant inwards too.. waiting for them to slant outwards so I can get my lower braces on!

I think you make a good point drgnchsr36. I can see how this could possibly cause issues with the lower gums - maybe one of the Orthos on the board could confirm this.

I never really started taking notice of my gums and that they had receded until late last year (they had started to recede quite a long while before that, it's just I never noticed). If I look at my lower gums now, I can just about tell how much the gum line has receded and where it was 'before' all this happened, and to me when my gums weren't receded my upper front teeth would have definitely been rubbing/pushing on the lower gum line, surely this could have caused some kind of problem. *Sigh*

Chrystal wrote:Thank you Marigold

drgnchsr36 wrote:I'm wondering if having the teeth slant inwards .. one has more issues with lower gums? I could be way out there on this one.. but my top teeth slant inwards too.. waiting for them to slant outwards so I can get my lower braces on!

I think you make a good point drgnchsr36. I can see how this could possibly cause issues with the lower gums - maybe one of the Orthos on the board could confirm this.

I never really started taking notice of my gums and that they had receded until late last year (they had started to recede quite a long while before that, it's just I never noticed). If I look at my lower gums now, I can just about tell how much the gum line has receded and where it was 'before' all this happened, and to me when my gums weren't receded my upper front teeth would have definitely been rubbing/pushing on the lower gum line, surely this could have caused some kind of problem. *Sigh*

Yeah, one doesn't usually notice it too much because it was covered by top teeth. Now I find myself staring at the gum recession and having panic attacks about it. But, the interesting thing is that it's gotten worse with braces on - then before. I'm going to ask my ortho about it tomorrow. It's freaking me out about brushing my teeth.