Metal Mouth Message Board

I had to go to my ortho today--he started me on a "box" configuration with elastics last week, and one of the "box" elastics was literally tearing a rectangular shape in my cheek. Turns out my whole cheek was swollen from that one elastic. I had been given a total of 4 elastics at night--2 in the daytime.

So, anyway, he dumped all my elastics except one diagonal on one side---yiipppeeee--the least I've had so far! And he added--I just wanted to hurry up the process a little--but that's OK-- because we're going to put a steel archwire in at the next appointment. Now hold on little doggie!!!! What!!!! STEEL??!!!

So, who has had a steel archwire? What were the first few days like? Then after that? I am REALLY nervous about this--it just sounds--ummmm---SCARY!!!!

After NiTi and/or beta-Ti, stainless steel is simply the next (and usually last) step in archwires.

OK---it sounded worse than it is then--whew! Now I can handle a next step, just not a drastic one!!

I have had a steel rectangular wire in my lowers before. In fact, I have steel (albeit thin) steel wires now. For me, it was no different than the NiTi wires, same soreness for a few days and that was it. I would not worry about it too much. By now your teeth are probably on the move anyway so there should not be much resistance

I have steel wires, at least on the bottom.. I didn't notice the difference. I think I always had steel.. be aware, they can break :p It's rare, but can happen...

i got a steel archwire on my lowers at my 2nd adjustment on 17 March. my uppers were fitted on this date so starter wire (014) on top. to be honest i didn't notice any difference in terms of discomfort from having the steel wire as opposed to the 018 which i had rcvd on my lowers at my first adjustment.

I have steel archwires on the both sets now. I got the top one after 4 months, was my 4th archwire. Still have it since october. Was not a great change to have it.
But in opposite, i got the stainless steel on bottom last week, and the ortho shaped it to accelerate the leveling of my bottom teeths. I switched to this steel wire after only 2.5 months, and its only the 3rd archwire.

This time: it's painfull. 4th day in and still can barely use my bottom front teeth. But at least that mean it s moving lol.

do steel wires come in round and rectangular? i am trying to figure out what i have in at the moment. it looks the same as my previous 018 round wire to me but the ortho did mention i was getting a steel wire for the first time

Mines are square ones.

i a still struggling to work out what mine are. the fact they are white coated does not make it easier.