Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello,
My name is Heather and I am 25 years old. I have had Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) syndrome going on 5 years now. I went to my dentist and he put me into a splint, I have been wearing everyday all day for 4 months now, which has relaxed my jaw completely and now my jaw is in the correct placement (which is too far forward for my front teeth). With this, I am not able to close my mouth all the way (my top front two teeth and bottom front teeth are the only teeth that touch when I don't have my splint in and close my mouth) I have a little bit of a cross bite and because of this movement of my jaw and the placement of my top teeth my dentist referred me to get braces to fix this problem (moving my top teeth forward and broadening my arch). I have straight teeth but maybe a little crowding on my front bottoms but other than that its mainly a TMJ fixer.

I am getting my impressions tomorrow and then getting my braces put on on Tuesday. The orthodontist chosen is very popular in my home town and heard nothing but wonderful things about them. They use the Damon System and I have the choice between doing Damon Clear (clear brackets on the front 6 teeth and then metal in the top back and all bottom) or the Damon Q (metal all over). These brackets are much smaller than traditional braces but I am nervous because being 25 I really want whatever is going to be the quickest. They gave me an 18 month treatment plan but I cant seem to find any difference in the Clears and Q's except for esthetics. I am wondering if anyone on here has any information about these? Which one seems to work faster and which would work the best moving the whole top of my mouth?

I am super excited to have found this site/forum so kind of share my journey, get more info and ask questions. Thanks ahead of time for anyone that can help me out with this. :)

Hello Heather!!!
Welcome to the board, you'll find that everyone is pretty much supportive on this site and people will help you with any questions you have.

I'm similar to you, I have TMJ, and also a cross bite. I'm glad that the splint helped you a little bit. I'm having surgery with my braces to correct my bite. Good look getting your braces and keep us all posted

Hi there Heather and welcome to the board!!

Our stories are very similar, I was 25 when I started treatment...I never had symptoms of TMJ until I literally woke up one day and couldn't move my face...everything was locked. I went to a new dentist who said I had the signs of long time grinding, and I too had to immediately wear this device to help relax everything and find my normal bite again. My teeth had shifted drastically because of an ill fitting crown which just exasperated the night time grinding symptoms...

To make a long story a little less long, I got a night time bite guard to sort me out until I actually met with an orthodontist which I desperately needed at this point because I had formed a pretty drastic open bite.
I was really nervous about losing my bite guard with my orthodontic treatment - but to be honest, I didn't have too many issues with my jaw pain at all during my 2+ year time. I would have a day here and there where I was sore but it was fleeting and manageable.

As my treatment went on, the pain would be less and less.


Now to answer you question about brackets. I chose clear upper and metal lower. The metal brackets are actually smaller than the clear (atleast mine were). I was told it was purely for aesthetics and not necessarily in how my treatment would progress. I was quoted 18-24 months, wore my elastics religiously, had impeccable hygiene, never broke a bracket, but my treatment time was 27 months.

I really do believe it is optional. I just felt more comfortable with my braces being as discreet as possible, lol

If there was a huge reason for choosing one vs the other, they'd tell you...

I do know that bite issues, specifically open and cross bites, are frustrating - and not always routine for orthodontist. Crowding and straightening is the easy part. So just expect to have to be patient and elastics, which I am sure you will have, will most certainly be your friend.


I did opt for the Essex retainers as they sort of serve two purposes 1. as a retainer and 2. as a bite guard. So far, I am really happy with this retainer and my jaw pain is non existent!

Good luck to you and keep us all posted with pics and all that good stuff!

KRey

oimysizex wrote:
> I'm having surgery with my braces to correct my bite.

Why are you having to have surgery? I am trying to prepare myself for everything. Everything that I have seen on this site has really been awesome. I love it that it is a site for adults and so there are things that are actually relatable (sp)to other adults having to go through this same process.

kreyFL wrote:

> I was really nervous about losing my bite guard with my orthodontic treatment -

I am in the same boat I can not tell you how many time I have called my TMJ dentist that referred me to the ortho and also the ortho about what would be done about my jaw b/c I grit my teeth at night and only my front teeth touch. My jaw will not go back at all its happy right were it is haha. But they said they would put glue on the back of my top two teeth to help keep my jaw from closing (because right now the splint has made my jaw VERY open I will post pics when I get my braces of with my splint without it and then with my braces on and ya'll can see what my bite looks like) Well I was so super nervous so after talking liek 5 x's with them my TMJ dentist is going to have a conference with the Ortho to let him know whats going on. If I had to guess they are going to give me molar bites so that I dont have to bite down all the way (which is what my splint is allowing me to do (not bite all the way) sorry for my book.

I do think that I am going to go with the clear. I am getting my teeth cleaned tomorrow and I dont really have yellow teeth and especially in pictures they look white so I would rather them not show up as much. I have seen some clear ones get NASTY because the people do not brush their teeth (ew) Not me haha and if I want coffee I will be drinking it out of the straw (treats only)

Thank you both for your replies and its nice to know there are other adults out there that are/have experience(d) what I am and going to be experiencing

Do any of you know what the appointment for the impressions is like?

Heather1987 wrote:Hello,
My name is Heather and I am 25 years old. I have had Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) syndrome going on 5 years now. I went to my dentist and he put me into a splint, I have been wearing everyday all day for 4 months now, which has relaxed my jaw completely and now my jaw is in the correct placement (which is too far forward for my front teeth). With this, I am not able to close my mouth all the way (my top front two teeth and bottom front teeth are the only teeth that touch when I don't have my splint in and close my mouth) I have a little bit of a cross bite and because of this movement of my jaw and the placement of my top teeth my dentist referred me to get braces to fix this problem (moving my top teeth forward and broadening my arch). I have straight teeth but maybe a little crowding on my front bottoms but other than that its mainly a TMJ fixer.

I am getting my impressions tomorrow and then getting my braces put on on Tuesday. The orthodontist chosen is very popular in my home town and heard nothing but wonderful things about them. They use the Damon System and I have the choice between doing Damon Clear (clear brackets on the front 6 teeth and then metal in the top back and all bottom) or the Damon Q (metal all over). These brackets are much smaller than traditional braces but I am nervous because being 25 I really want whatever is going to be the quickest. They gave me an 18 month treatment plan but I cant seem to find any difference in the Clears and Q's except for esthetics. I am wondering if anyone on here has any information about these? Which one seems to work faster and which would work the best moving the whole top of my mouth?

I am super excited to have found this site/forum so kind of share my journey, get more info and ask questions. Thanks ahead of time for anyone that can help me out with this.

As you can tell by my name, I'm in braces as part of my Phase II TMJD treatment. I had some pretty serious TMJD issues. I actually wore my lower splint for a total of 26 months. The transition from the splint to braces can be a bit rough, but it does get better.

I'm in the Damon system as well. All Damons provide the same kind of forces on the teeth so there isn't a difference in one working faster than another. I have clears on my top front 10 and the rest are metal. I've been pleased with both. Really, the only thing I haven't liked about the upper clears is that they couldn't put hooks into them and I had to have wires around them with hooks when I started wearing elastics. I think the newer clears have the hook capability though. As for size, I really don't notice much difference between the two.

As for time of treatment, I was told about 24 months. My upper arch was in good positioning in about 11 months. After that, it was just tweaking with a power chain for a bit. I'm now just waiting for some slow lower teeth to get into position and I'm only 1 1/2 years into treatment.

TMJJill wrote:
As you can tell by my name, I'm in braces as part of my Phase II TMJD treatment. I had some pretty serious TMJD issues. I actually wore my lower splint for a total of 26 months. The transition from the splint to braces can be a bit rough, but it does get better.

I'm in the Damon system as well. All Damons provide the same kind of forces on the teeth so there isn't a difference in one working faster than another. I have clears on my top front 10 and the rest are metal. I've been pleased with both. Really, the only thing I haven't liked about the upper clears is that they couldn't put hooks into them and I had to have wires around them with hooks when I started wearing elastics. I think the newer clears have the hook capability though. As for size, I really don't notice much difference between the two.

As for time of treatment, I was told about 24 months. My upper arch was in good positioning in about 11 months. After that, it was just tweaking with a power chain for a bit. I'm now just waiting for some slow lower teeth to get into position and I'm only 1 1/2 years into treatment.

Well, awesome I think I will be going with the clears just because I am already so self conscious bout my splint (It is built up so it is very noticeable) I was going to be in my splint longer but I told my dentist (TMJ dentist) that I couldn't close my mouth all the way and he looked at me and gave me this look. I thought OHNO he then preceded to tell me that I was going to need braces because of the way my front teeth were in the way of my mouth closing all the way. Sad day. I am TERRIFIED to be without the splint when I get my braces on. The reason being is if my TMJ dentist adjust my splint at all not even my head KILLS me the next day. My jaw is SO touchy. He is actually going to call my Orthodontists and have a conference with him about what would be the best plan of treatment for me and my complicated jaw. I am excited but terrified to get them at the same time. I just want to be able to close my mouth all the way and one of the perks is my smile will be broadened and more symmetrical haha

I think it is SO AWESOME that your dentist and ortho are going to meet about your treatment. My dentist referred my ortho and they were in constant communication with each other. I think this made my results SO MUCH BETTER!

There were times where my ortho would pull out his cell phone and call my dentist before he made an adjustment just to confirm that everyone was on the same page.

I know you will have better quality of life with your orthodontic treatment and I am so happy for you!

kreyFL wrote:I think it is SO AWESOME that your dentist and ortho are going to meet about your treatment. My dentist referred my ortho and they were in constant communication with each other. I think this made my results SO MUCH BETTER!

There were times where my ortho would pull out his cell phone and call my dentist before he made an adjustment just to confirm that everyone was on the same page.

I know you will have better quality of life with your orthodontic treatment and I am so happy for you!

Awe thank you so much! I couldn't have gotten a better TMJ dentists. He is absolutely amazing. I had to get a tooth pulled bc of a failed root canal and so after it as pulled I began to have SERIOUS sensitivity to the surrounding teeth. Well I call my dentist and ask him is this normal etc. Well, apparently I waited too long to have it extracted (only like 2 months so not long at all) and I was developing Osteomylitis which is an infection in your bone. I saw him everyday for a week and he was even going to go in on a saturday to look at me. (I was getting better on this day). Absolutely the most amazing dentist just so awesome to his patients and apparently his staff. Very blessed that they are meeting and talking about my treatment. The Ortho that I am using seems to be really awesome as well.

Sorry about my rant just so thankful for him

I have recently started a blog and if anyone want to check it out feel free )

bracedat25.blogspot.com