Metal Mouth Message Board

My ortho has suggested using TADs to resolve my canted smile (which is actually the result of my double jaw surgery), but he thinks I only need them 1-2 months. Everyone else who has had TADs has had them so much longer (Barkingharangue, etc). Strange that I would need them for such a little amount of time.

We actually tried using them a few months back but took them out after a month because it became loose and imflammed around my gums. When it was first put in, it was up really high. Then it seemsed to migrate down towards my teeth rather than my teeth migrate towards the TAD...

So, for those of you who have had TADs, have you had any similar problems? How were they hooked up? Via power chain? When they were no longer needed, were they tied off with a steel tie, or were they taken out completely? Did you have any relapse? What did you have them for?

I have TADs and the one on the buccal right side came out three times before they took hold. The one on the left buccal side started to come loose, but the periodontist was able to screw it back in. They wiggled out and it was a bit painful each time, and the last time I had an infection for which the periodontist prescribed some antibiotics. The gum tissue on both the right and left were inflamed quite a bit, which is what started to push the left TAD out of place.

This was about 1 year ago. Once the TADs were set, they started to move the teeth very rapidly, I'm actually quite impressed with how effective they are. One of the complications I faced was that the periodontist was running out of locations to put the TADs on the right side, and he had to coordinate quite a bit with my orthodontist before they found a spot that was just right.

I just had a TAD put in last week. It's above and between my right 2nd bicuspid and molar. It's attached to a power chain and to my right canine which it's supposed to pull back to make room for my right 2nd incisor to come forward.

I'm a little worried because when my ortho put the TAD in he mentioned that there was less resistance than he expected but not to worry too much if it comes out. He didn't explain what the reasons could be for having less resistance and I was too afraid to ask. My first thought was "I knew it! I have weak bones, possibly osteoporosis and will grow up to be a weak hunchbacked old woman." I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, you see.

Streo - did they explain why your TADs kept coming loose?

bracefaced - it's a fear of mine that the TAD will start migrating toward my canine instead of the other way around. I swear, this canine of mine will not budge!