Metal Mouth Message Board

I just started my treatment about a week and a half ago. Right now I have spacers in. 8 elastics in total. The past 3 days haven't been so bad but the first week was horrible for me! My whole mouth ached! On Wednesday I go in to get the spacers taken out and appliances put in so I can go get my extractions. I have to get 4 pre molars pulled. I have been reading up on this and quite a few people have said that this has changed the shape of their face, etc. Has anyone had this happen to them in a negative way. My mouth is crowded and my ortho recommended jaw surgery but I declined it as I didn't want to go through all of that at 29 years old. Extractions are bad enough in my opinion. Any information would be appreciated! :)

Hi Jenn I don't have an answer for you... But I do share your worry and am interested in hearing other's experiences... I'm getting 4 bicuspids pulled next Tuesday - youch... Soooo nervous! I then have a week of gaps until the braces go in. I'm 29 too...

Good luck :)

Hi I wouldn't worry much if I were you. When I had my molars extracted (they were under the gum) I freaked out and was a wreck weeks before the surgery. It ended up being super easy and the recovery wasn't bad either. I have to have 4 pre-molars extracted on Monday the 16th, and although I'm not happy about it I know it will be fine. I wouldn't stress about it. :)

As far as the extractions changing the shape of your face, well I don't really have an answer for that. I'm getting the Damon braces and I know that the Damon system claims that extractions aren't necessary and that they can change the shape of your face. But I don't think that's the truth for everyone. I think it mostly depends on your mouth shape and your teeth. My mouth is very small and I have too many teeth, therefore I need the extractions. If you're worried about it I would discuss it with your orthodontist before you go in for your extractions.

Nikki

Thanks for the replies...I have a very small mouth as well so I definitely need the extractions. Right now I have the lingual arch on...top and bottom. It's so annoying because I can't touch the roof of my mouth because of the wire that is there. I am finding new ways to eat! Wednesday I go to get my teeth pulled and June 1st is when I get my top and bottom braces on! I'm excited and nervous! I am hoping the extractions are a quick and easy procedure!

Nikki - hope you're recovering well from your extractions today.

Mine are tomorrow! Then braces next week... really want to get started and see progress. Though will be glad when tomorrow is over...

Good luck Jen for Wednesday... fingers crossed we all have a fast recovery.

Well, I had my extractions done yesterday. I was planning on going to work today but woke up this morning and I find it very hard to talk normal! Especially with my TPA and LLA. It's like my tongue doesn't like touching the back of my teeth anymore. I feel very self conscious with 4 teeth missing. For some reason I'd feel better if I had the braces on....then at least it would look like I had these teeth pulled for a reason...now it just looks like I am missing 4 teeth! Secret smile....I hope your procedure went well!

Nikki - glad your extractions went well mine were ok, def. not as bad as wisdom teeth.

Jenn: Thanks :) My mouth feels so strange too, talking normally was tough yesterday and eating is annoying.
Though the talking is more normal today and my mouth is starting to feel a little less weird - hopefully every day will get easier.
I can't wait for the braces and to make progress... The holes seem huge I feel like a hillbilly whose losing teeth, though in reality i've never even had a cavity. People have told me it's not visible but would feel better if the braces were on.
Feel better Jenn :) ...

[quote="secretsmile"]Nikki - glad your extractions went well mine were ok, def. not as bad as wisdom teeth.

Jenn: Thanks :) My mouth feels so strange too, talking normally was tough yesterday and eating is annoying.
Though the talking is more normal today and my mouth is starting to feel a little less weird - hopefully every day will get easier.
I can't wait for the braces and to make progress... The holes seem huge I feel like a hillbilly whose losing teeth, though in reality i've never even had a cavity. People have told me it's not visible but would feel better if the braces were on.
Feel better Jenn :) ...[/quote]

Haha, I feel the exact same way. I feel so weird and now find myself covering my mouth when I smile or feel that people are staring at my mouth looking at these huge gaps! I went to work today and only lasted an hour and went home. My speech still isn't the greatest...I feel like at any moment I am going to start whistling through my teeth! So embarassing! 12 more days till braces!

Jennbb I feel exactly what you went through with those spacers they are so awful. I hope your extracions went good for you. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Nikki I hope your extractions went well for you as well.

Thanks Kmluvgod! I am definitely feeling better than I was 4 days ago! The only problem now is that my bottom 4 teeth are KILLING me! My lower lingual arch didn't bother me at all until I got these extractions...now I feel like the wire is really pushing on the back of my bottom teeth :( It's really aching. I am wondering if maybe my dentist bent the wire while pulling my teeth or if this is a normal feeling. I'll have to call my ortho on Tuesday and see.

The spacers are definitely horrible but I found after a week I got used to them. I would honestly love to have them back compared to having this TPA and LLA! Ugh!

I got my braces today! I'm glad they're in so progress can start being made, but wow they make my extractions both impacted wisdom teeth and pre molars seem like a walk in the park.

The ortho put full braces on the bottom plus power chains to start closing the gaps. Then on the top I have braces on all but the molars and power chains to start closing those gaps. Then i have spacers on the top molars (my ortho just got back from vacation so with that and my extractions there wasn't time to get them before). My bottom teeth have been really painful and not responded very well to tylenol & advil. The pain started an hour after getting braced but it isn't as bad now as earlier. The top teeth aren't bad yet. But the bottom teeth wow and those shooting pains when I tried to eat... wow I wasn't expecting that on the first day.

I go back next week to get the spacers removed and molar bands put in and elastics...Can't wait till I can eat normally, the ortho told me two weeks because of everything they put in. So over soft foods already - I lost 8 pounds in the past week.

On the bright side with springs and the wires the extraction gaps are a lot less noticeable.

Jenn - good luck with your braces next week. Nikki I saw in one of the other threads you got dry sockets Sorry to hear that & I hope those are healing fast for you.

Secretsmile, I can't imagine what it would feel like to have the spacers AND braces put on the same day. The spacers definitely hurt a lot the first 3-4 days I'm so excited to get my braces put on! 6 more days! I want to try to cover up these hideous gaps! I have been on a soft food diet for about 2 weeks now...this TPA and LLA make it so hard to eat...i thought I was getting these removed before I got the braces on but I misunderstood my ortho...they stay on with the braces....ugh!

Jenn, I feel bad for you: two weeks for a soft food diet that's awful! I've been on a soft food diet now for 9 days and it's driving me crazy! And since the elastics and molar bands go in on Tuesday I was told by my ortho that i'd likely be on a soft food diet until two weeks after braces so another 9 days or so!

I think the good thing about getting braces and spacers together along with power chains was that the pain on the first day from the power chains on the bottom was so bad that the spacers didn't stand a chance! I don't know what TPA & LLA are but ouch... I think the more stuff they put in the more it hurts.

Good luck with your braces next week the gaps will definitely be less obvious once all the braces go in - I can smile again which is nice I think the gaps already look slightly smaller or maybe i'm just hopeful But I can tell from flossing that my teeth have already moved!

Hey everyone,
Glad the extractions went well.....I can't imagine having extractions and new wires/spacers same time !!
I'm getting my extractions on Tuesday morning. All 4 first premolars . I'm kind of scared because I've never had teeth out before, not to mention a cavity!!! My new wires go in on June 8th.
For the past 2 months i've been on the thin flexible wires that loosen teeth but i'm ready to get the ball rolling because i haven't seen any changes, and the bulk of my changes would be in moving the front teeth back because i have too many teeth for my jaw (bimaxilliary protrusion).
I am praying for a change in face shape, for the better and I'm really looking forward to it. I have top and bottom lingual braces by the way and so far so good.
How are things going??