Metal Mouth Message Board

Well, I finally bit the bullet and decided to go get braces. I'm 22 years old and have needed braces since my adult front teeth first came in. Unfortunately, my mother could never afford it, supporting three children as a single parent.

I'm now finishing my fourth year of university and have had enough of my horrible looking smile. Whenever I am with other people, even those whom I've known for years, I feel extremely self-concious when I smile. I finally said, "Enough is enough" and went in for a consultation. Now, I've got them on and I'm going along for the ride.

Currently, I don't have brackets on my last molars on my bottom row, or on the last two on my top row. The Ortho put seperators in there for next week, when I return to get bands as well as a pallet expander. This weekend, one of my seperators actually fell out, so I'll be going in on Wednesday to get that replaced.

It's been a few days now since I got them on, and the pressure and pain is starting to subside. Eating is still quite tricky, but I often forget the braces are even there during the course of my day. In public, I actually feel less self concious than I did without the braces. I attribute this to knowing that people see the braces and realize that I'm taking steps to improve my appearance, rather than seeing just a crooked set of teeth.

I do have one small concern, though, regarding my speech. I find it difficult to speak clearly with braces on. For specific sounds, such as a hard 'S' or 'F' (saying the word "swing" or "frisbee" for instance) my speech is greatly altered, it's as if I have a slight lisp when I speak. This leads to me speaking lower, because I don't want to emphasize the speech problem I've developed. Is this normal to occur with ortho treatment. Is it something that will go away, and if so, how long before I'll talk like my old self again?



EDIT:

After photos:


There we have it. Two years total, 3 months of palette expander, no extractions.

Now, I look forward to surgery on my upper gums to erase the muscle memory and another root canal (or vaneer) to correct the deteriorated one on my front tooth (the braces cause the tooth to darken)

Congratulations on getting your braces!! I'm glad the pain is going away. As for the speech, it will get better once you get used to it

That's what I'm hoping! I wait tables in the summer to pay for school (and now braces) so it's going to be difficult talking to people for 8 hours a day if I can't pronounce words properly!

I also forgot to mention, I've currently got some gobs of acrylic on my back molars which makes in even MORE difficult to eat. I can't bite down on my actual teeth or I'll hit my brackets, so my bite was opened up in that way. About how long till they take that off?

Hi! I was braced the same day as you. Things are going very smoothly for me. I don’t usually have a problem talking but I do have a problem smiling because my upper lip gets hung up on my hooks. How weird is that? I don’t let it stop me, though.

I don't have that problem, but don't let that stop you from smiling!

I think my speech problem comes from the fact that I have such a severe overjet that the extra few mm added by the brackets and the wires really stretches my lips. Well, here's to hoping that I get used to it!

I do have one small concern, though, regarding my speech. I find it difficult to speak clearly with braces on. For specific sounds, such as a hard 'S' or 'F' (saying the word "swing" or "frisbee" for instance) my speech is greatly altered, it's as if I have a slight lisp when I speak. This leads to me speaking lower, because I don't want to emphasize the speech problem I've developed. Is this normal to occur with ortho treatment. Is it something that will go away, and if so, how long before I'll talk like my old self again?

I got my braces yesterday....and I seem to be having the same speach 'prob'. My 'F's' are actually making a highpitch kinda whistling sound with the braces....and my 'S's are slightly lisped.
Its apparantly cute.... If I speak deliberatly, I won't sound funny...but if I'm just casually talking, you can hear the lisping.

Congrats Silverware!!! I got mine on the 25th too!

1 week and 1 day in and I'm feeling good. I have been through quite an emotional rollercoaster since getting them on but as the days have gone by I'm much more positive. I really didnt think I would get used to feeling the brace there all the time but I kind of have! I still cant eat properly though and am getting pretty sick of mash!! I have had a slight lisp and a whistle through the brace when I say words with S or F in them, I have been most conscious of this at work but people dont seem to have noticed. I have defo lost some weight as well because sometimes I just cannot be bothered to go through the trauma of eating..lol But all is good and I'm hoping for some changes soon. Best of luck to you

Way to go silverware! Your mouth reminds me of mine...narrow and a high pallet. Keep us posted with pics. I think you'll be surprised how fast your teeth move!

Bringing back an old post.. because I'm done!

I got my braces off yesterday, and I go tomorrow to have the retainer put in. I will post pictures soon to show the difference between the originals (in the original post) and the result.. which is dramatic to say the least.

I am a bit worried right now though, because one of my teeth is slooooowly moving back since they are completely naked. I can feel with my tongue along the back of it that it has moved ever so slightly back, since where it was smooth perfectly inline with the tooth beside it, now it is slightly different. I'm worried it will get even worse over the next 24 hours since I do not get my retainer until then.

Also, I'm not exactly "done" since I have to go in 6 weeks for surgery to erase the muscle memory in my upper front teeth. They moved so drastically that they want to ensure they dont move back to where they were.

So, how much will teeth move around after braces are removed? And do u think my retainer will move the tooth back to where it should be?

LUCKY! I can't wait to see your finished pics!

Congratulations on finishing. I would imagine that the retainer will move things back pretty quickly.

Also, I'm not exactly "done" since I have to go in 6 weeks for surgery to erase the muscle memory in my upper front teeth. They moved so drastically that they want to ensure they dont move back to where they were.

I've never heard of this before and I'm curious. What does the surgery entail?

way to go, Silverware! It takes a lot of courage to start. I know. But we have all been there at some point. As soon as you see movement for the better you will be glad that you made the choice.

As for the speed impediment. I had my brace for a couple of months and wasn't really bothered until one day I had to make a phone call to a client whose name was Patricia. I couldn't pronounce her name!? Sounded like 'Patrisshhhh-ya'! Haha. With time you will find out which words will cause you problems..! Hehe.

Danish

Finished pictures:



As you can see, my one front tooth is darker than the rest. About 8 years ago I had a root canal on that tooth because I was kicked by my brother while we were horsing around. After my orthodontics, the tooth darkened quite a bit, as my ortho explained it might because of the "trauma" that the braces are putting on that tooth to move.

So, I need to see a dentist now and see if another root canal is an option. If the tooth is permanently stained inside, I might have to get a crown or a veneer. I guess we'll have to see!

joney,

The procedure I'm getting is called a fiberotomy. Here is a wiki link explaining it.

The way they explained it to me: They cut along the gum above the tooth they need to do it to (for me, the upper four front teeth) and then cut the muscle band. This way, the muscle will regrow in a new position.

Otherwise, that muscle is going to want to move the tooth back towards its original position. As you can see in my original pictures, those teeth moved alot.

Apparently the procedure will take about 45 minutes, cost about $75 per tooth (plus $75 exam fee) and be relatively painless afterwards with some advil. Here's hoping!

I've got my retainer in now. It brings back memories of the expander... slight speech problem. I'm sure that will go away.

But here are more clear pictures of the before/after. These are the ones the ortho took. They better illustrate the drastic change my teeth went through.

WOWzers! What a dramatic change! They look great!