Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello everyone!

I have just recently joined the forum - as well as my new adventure towards a perfect smile!

Here's a run-through of my situation as a 21 year old dreading getting braces but finally owning up!:

My parents and I were always dreading getting orthodontics, 1) for financial reasons 2) because my smile just "wasn't that bad" 3) my literal fear of everything medical and dental. Now, being a young adult, I really wanted to get that picture perfect smile given the opportunity that came up for me to get treatment with the university I attend on a lower cost.

I have 1 impacted canine on my upper right side that never came out. Apart for that problem area, my teeth are all out and relatively straight. However, my ortho teacher found that I have quite the overcrowding in my mouth thus, I will have to get my canine tooth exposed and my 4 first molars pulled out to create space. Sigh. On a brighter note, I will not be getting braces right away, as I am doing my orthodontic procedures with university students specializing in orthodontics. The student and ortho teacher in charge of my case decided that I can expose the canine first and use a retainer to pull down my canine, then, once out of my palate, braces will be put on my top and bottom teeth to close the extraction gaps and straighten everything out "easy-peazy".

I got the canine exposition done on last Thursday on May 17th, 2018. The surgery was quite quick and pain free. However, it's been 5 days and I am still swollen on my pallet. Everything in my mouth just feels so odd because of the dangling chain and the swelling. Jeez.

I wanted to know, do any of you have any tips or stories to help a girl in need of reassurance? How long did it take for your canine(s) to come down? How was your procedure overall? And the best, when are you supposed to get your braces off?

Thanks for everything guys! Hope we will be talking so much more!

Hi there

I had an impacted canine and overcrowding which meant that the canine had to come out completely along with 2 other teeth (another from the top and one from the bottom).

My surgery went fine but afterwards I had the worst time of my life - the oxygen tube which they used during the surgery because I was under general anaesthetic caused some weird inflammation in my throat along with the worst swelling in my mouth - I genuinely thought I was going to die - I was on strong painkillers and antibiotics for 3 weeks!!!!!!! (could not speak for 1 week and had to 'eat' soup for about 2).

I am telling you my horror story to reassure you that as you do not have any of these symptoms, you will be fine!

The roof of my mouth was sore for about 2 weeks and was feeling very tender (but it was healing well and it is part of the process).

I am supposed to be in braces until December 2018 (18 months total) but not sure whether it will be possible as I have one stubborn canine (the other one) which doesn't want to move!

By the way I am 27 - so age really doesn't matter - the reason I was put off from getting braces for so long was the financial aspect and the surgery but it is totally worth it!

Hello DB27,

Ouch! That sounds extremely horrible but you definitely made it through!

As for my side, I got the surgery and everything healed quite quickly. No pain, no tenderness, hole is closed too. I'm getting my retainer on Thursday.

Everything tastes like metal in my mouth.

My biggest concern is the stubborn tooth, I mean, sure, I am not getting the braces right away, but what if it takes 3 years (exaggerating here) for my tooth to come down!

Where are you on your chain? Are you able to see your canine at this point?

Thanks for your reply!