Metal Mouth Message Board

i'm assuming there is no major problem with having metal in your mouth for several years. probably the worst thing would be not brushing and cleaning around your brackets, or chipping an upper tooth on a lower bracket.

keep your mouth extra clean and you should be fine. (that's coming from someone who has had their braces for 4 days, so what do i know?)

nm

oh MMG - that's funny!

Hi Lucy - Some people have metal impanted into them...I'm thinking medical screws for fractures and those sorts of things...so braces can't be toooo bad, I rekkon.

You're worrying for nothing. People have worn metal braces for decades using twice the amount of metal as now, not to mention metal fillings and metal screws for spinal and other orthopedic surgery. I know some people question metal fillings, but mine have been in forever and I'm healthier than a horse. In the grand scheme of things, a few years in metal braces is not much of a risk. You have a better chance of getting hit by a bus on the way to the ortho's office.

MMG, that's exactly the same thing I thought when I first saw the heading!! Awesome

I am more worried about the mercury in my fillings. Ugh!

Lucyloop wrote:

jcdamon3 wrote:I am more worried about the mercury in my fillings. Ugh!

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I got to thinking about the braces... although obviously mercury isn't in them!!

It was mainly as there was a study a few years back in to a disease I suffer from.. It was suggested that exposure to metals, in fillings and during surgery may have been a factor/ triggering auto-immune responses etc.

So, jokes aside - I did sort of have a valid reason for wondering. As I said though, I think we should be more worried about the crap & chemicals we put in our bodies every day by eating. That's a whole heap worse!!

LUCY xxx

I have a heart condition that dictates I take antibiotics whenever I go in for dental work. Something about the bacteria introduced during dental work, if you have any sort of heart condition, the bacteria can get trapped in the heart and cause an infection. I imagine this doesn't apply to the metal I have in my mouth, though.

I have a heart condition that dictates I take antibiotics whenever I go in for dental work.

Me too. I had heart surgery several years ago so anytime I need my teeth cleaned I have to take antibiotics. Not for ortho adjustment though, thank goodness. I had to do intravenous antibiotics after giving birth to my daughter (oh man, my arm hurt bad...a burning all down my arm!) and I am anticipating that the same thing will happen for me at my orthognathic surgery. In fact, tonight I was just telling me family that getting intravenous antibiotics is the part I am least looking forward to about my surgery. I figure my jaw will be numb, but my arm won't and I will have to deal with the burn instead.

(PS -MMG, you cracked me up with your quip about straight teeth!)

Yes there are some proven long term effects. Your checkbook will have fewer numbers to the left of the decimal point!!

usa1 wrote:Yes there are some proven long term effects. Your checkbook will have fewer numbers to the left of the decimal point!!

Ain't that the truth. Oi!

I hope there aren't any long term effects. The doctors don't seem worried, so I'm not.