Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi guys just a quick question, I got bite turbos on my upper premolars the day I was braced (10 weeks ago) and my ortho said these were to stop my upper teeth from hitting my bottom brackets. I have around 6 weeks still until my next tightening so until then when I can see my ortho (it is more me being curious than worried so I don't want to ring my ortho before my appointment to bother him with this query) so I was wondering what were other people's experiences with bite turbos, did anyone have them removed during treatment or am I stuck with them throughout my treatment?

Thank you in advance, x

I just asked my ortho and wasn't pleased with the answer, I'll have them "Quite awhile." We've both been in this about the same time and as you are aware while the turbos are a pain you do get used to them. From what I've read here they usually get removed or wear down before the end of treatment, but I have a feeling as strange as the turbos feel, if they took mine off now it would feel just a strange NOT to have them.

Thanks for your reply Ziggy, I shall ask my ortho at my next tightening how long he reckons I will need mine and let you know, hopefully i get a slightly more indepth answer than u had! Yes I agree as annoying as they are I have quickly gotten used to them, mine have actually worn down quite a bit so they are not that prominent anymore, it will feel very weird once my teeth are touching again, its strange how quickly we adapt to change isn't it! I hope your journey has gone smoothly so far, I have been estimated to have around 15 months, which means that if all goes well I have roughly around a year to go! Woop!

I had my build-ups from day one, for probably about a year, maybe more. Then I moved to bite turbos, mounted behind my front teeth, for about another year. Finally, I had rubber bumpers attached to the brackets on my lower front incisors for about another 8 months or so. I have been in braces for 3 months shy of 5 years I am scheduled to be debraced a week from tomorrow, fingers crossed , so I'm hoping for the best. I doubt you'll be stuck with them forever, but it could be a while, so settle in, and learn to chew

How does the orthodontists know if your teeth meet properly if something, whether turbos or build ups or bumpers are preventing your teeth from connecting all the way? I keep forgetting to ask when I go in.

I am so over these molar buildups. I'm on day three and I still haven't been able to eat anything that requires chewing. :( Since I'm pregnant, that's pretty concerning. I need to eat!

Ortho didn't mention how long to expect them to be there for me either.

Mine just got removed on Tuesday, after having them for 8 months, glad to be done with them, but now it does feel a bit odd, primarily on my lower right 1st molar, which now feels too flat and smooth on top