Metal Mouth Message Board

Here is my story:

Last Friday I got braces, including four molar bands. The technician had a lot of trouble getting two of them on, and the orthodontist said that I may need to come in to get them replaced at some point in the future. Throughout the past week, I have been in an incredible amount of pain due to the molar bands. I understand that there is a fair amount of pain that accompanies braces, but I kept slicing my tongue open on the molar bands (I even have a scar now). I went in to the orthodontist on Tuesday to get them tweaked and a pokey wire cut, and while that helped initially, I have been in continuous pain since that appointment. Therefore I made an appointment earlier this morning to see if anything could be done.

The orthodontist and technician both looked surprised to see me again and asked where I was experiencing the pain. I explained that three of my four molar bands have been cutting up my tongue, making it painful to even eat things like cottage cheese and oatmeal. I showed them the multiple sharp edges that were bothering me. The orthodontist said to take the offending bands off, but the technician questioned if they should do that since the alignment was "so good" on two of the bands. He told her “no, take them off and we will re-evaluate later.” I have an appointment in two weeks, so this did not concern me at the time.

While clipping away, the technician said that she had never seen someone have so much discomfort with molar bands during her 15 years experience. She explained that they would probably put bands back on later, once my teeth have shifted a bit more, but that I had just lengthened my treatment.

I currently feel really odd about this experience (although now pain free!!). My lisp has substantially decreased and I can actually chew food, but I can’t help but think that they feel I am overreacting. I have a high tolerance for pain, but this was definitely interfering with my life.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I am hoping that someone else can weigh in and let me know this will all be okay, as I currently feel like a failure at having braces.

I just got molar bands (only two of them on the lower teeth), and I don't feel any discomfort with them. I mean, of course my teeth are sore from the new braces, but I doubt it has anything to do with bands.
By the way, I am getting 2 more bands - on the 2nd lower molars. I currently have the 2nd set of spacers. I was worried that the spacers would not create enough room, but they did.

If it bothers you, why don't you ask to put braces on your top molars? That is what I have. The lowers probably will have to be banded anyway, at least initially, but this will reduce their quantity from 4 to 2...

If you makes you feel any better... I never had molar bands during my treatment.

ArchWired28 wrote:I just got molar bands (only two of them on the lower teeth), and I don't feel any discomfort with them. I mean, of course my teeth are sore from the new braces, but I doubt it has anything to do with bands.
By the way, I am getting 2 more bands - on the 2nd lower molars. I currently have the 2nd set of spacers. I was worried that the spacers would not create enough room, but they did.

If it bothers you, why don't you ask to put braces on your top molars? That is what I have. The lowers probably will have to be banded anyway, at least initially, but this will reduce their quantity from 4 to 2...

I believe I am supposed to have four of them due to my molar fillings? One of the fillings is on the outside of the tooth, and I do not think they are able to stick a bracket to a filling.

PS - cool to see you're in Tampa...I was born and raised in the area.

I had some mild discomfort with 3 upper molar bands that were placed when I got my braces on a year ago, but I got used to them pretty quickly.

I had a new band placed on one of my upper premolars about a month ago (the tooth has a ceramic crown and the bracket kept popping off), and I'm still not used to that one. There's a large sharp protrusion on the inside of the band (I asked if they could file it off and they said no, that it was there to help them get the band off later). If I do too much talking it cuts my tongue to ribbons. I've discovered that silicone wax will stick to the sharp spot pretty well through talking and drinking, but it falls off when I eat. If/when you get bands put back on those teeth, you may want to try sticking some silicone wax on them.

If your ortho decides to glue brackets to those teeth, beware: I have fillings in my lower molars and my ortho (because he prefers brackets to bands) glued a bracket underneath the spots with the fillings. One of the spots was lower than the bracket should have been glued, but my ortho thought that since the tooth was a molar, it wouldn't move much and the too-low placement wouldn't matter. Turns out it did matter, and the tooth it's on is now higher than the rest of my teeth. I sure hope your ortho is more skilled than mine.

I had this happen to me as well, just as you've described it. It was pure torture. Every time I tried to eat anything, even ice cream and yogurt, tears would come to my eyes due to the stinging pain. Three days after being braced I went back to my ortho in tears and asked them if they could help. They filed down the hooks on the tongue-side of the bottom bands and while that helped to no longer create more cuts, the pain lasted for a week. It was sooo awful. I used salt water rinses about 5 or 6 times each day. After a full 7 days though, I could start eating things again without being in pain. I would have recommended to try to stick it out, once your mouth adjusts to it, it really isn't an issue at all anymore. I totally understand though!

doesn't your orthodontist provide buccal tube instead molar band? maybe it will be suit for your case